The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger. Chapter 48 48: Echoes of my wolf

Lyla

I must have drifted into sleep when Xander took to the guest bedroom upstairs.

Sothing tickled on my chin and I opened my eyes.

I was in the Northern forests this ti around – the sa forest where I had been attacked by those Feral wolves. Cold air brushed against my skin as I stood among the towering trees, their branches blocking off the light from the sun or was it the moon – I couldn't tell what ti of the day it was.

How did I get here? I wondered looking around. I was so sure I was in the human world or did sothing happen to while I was sleeping? My heart raced as I strained my eyes in the darkness hoping those wolves would not attack again. I try to bring out my phone to call soone, maybe Nathan, since I was back here, perhaps, he would take my calls or respond to my ssages.

But when I looked down, I was clad in strange-looking clothes. It was made with part tal, the kind used by warriors to fight in the old ti and the other part was made of a really light material that resembled the gown, I had worn when I was healing at the healer's quarters in White Mountain pack.

How had I gotten into this? I wondered again. Was there another attack? Was this Ramsey's doing?

"Lyla…"

Suddenly, a voice called out. The whisper seed to co from everywhere and nowhere at once. I spun around, my hear racing and eyes wide, as I searched for the source of the voice but all I could see were the trees blending into the shadows.

"Lyla…" the voice ca again.

I shuddered stumbling backwards as I tried to look for a weapon. I would not allow them to attack again. Anything that would make stay away from Ramsey. I bent slowly, searching the ground around while my eyes scanned my surroundings.

"Who's there?" I called out with a trembling voice.

I found sothing long and thick… maybe it was a stick. It was so dark, that I couldn't see. I picked it up and held it in front of .

"Lyla!" the voice ca the third ti and it sounded like it was behind . I whirled around but saw only trees and shadows. "Why don't you stop being a coward and show yourself," I called out, my voice wavering.

"I'm here, Lyla," the voice echoed, now seeming to co from my left. "I've always been here."

I turned once more, frustration and fear building within . "Who are you? What do you want?"

A soft chuckle resonated through the trees. "I am your wolf, Lyla. The part of you that you've forgotten, the part that's been trapped."

I whipped my head to the side again, from where it seed the voice was coming from but there was no one there, just more trees, more shadows. Panic rose in my chest as I turned again, this ti to my right but the forest was still empty – it was just and the voice… I guess.

"What do you an, my wolf?" I scoffed. "No! That's impossible. I don't have a wolf. If this is a ans to scare , then you're failing because I'm just a werecreature without a wolf."

"Are you so sure?" the voice asked, a hint of sadness colouring its tone. "You are not just a werewolf, Lyla… if you were, I wouldn't be here – inside you, waiting all these years."

"Inside ?" I paused "You're inside ?"

"Yes!" the voice ca again. "I've been here all this while. I ca to you the other day but you got so scared and left. I'm sorry, I couldn't heal you after the attack. It's just that…"

"Hold on!" I interrupted the voice, lowering my stick weapon but not letting it go. "What sort of absurdity is this? If you are really inside , I would know. You will manifest. You're lying, trying to get my hopes high or maybe you're working with those damn Feral wolves."

"No!" the voice said vehently, it sounded offended. "Sothing is holding back. I cannot even physically communicate with you except through the dream world. I am caged, trapped in sothing that I cannot understand. You must go back to your mother… she will help you figure it out. Tell her everything…"

"My mother?" I laughed dryly. "Did you bring here? Did you bring back to this world because you wanted to return to my mother?"

"No, Lyla. That's now what I an. Your mom is…"

"You think my parents would suddenly forgive out of the blues?" I cut the voice short before it continued. "They hate in case you haven't noticed and the only thing they might do is kill . Look, I've been through so much already… I don't want another dose of that trauma."

There was a short pause from the voice before it continued. "Appearances can be deceiving, Lyla… Do not believe the front presented at you. Sothing is holding … us back. It's like a trap and if you don't do anything, I might never et you… ever…"

My pulse quickened. "I don't understand. What has that got to do with ? A trap? What trap?" I repeated my voice cracking.

"You must try to save us, Lyla!" the voice urged, growing softer, more distant. "A lot of lives rely on and it's only a matter of ti before the veils are torn completely. When you save yourself, when you break free from the illusions binding you, then I'll co, fully manifested."

"What illusions?" I pressed "What are you even talking about."

"You must trust your instincts, Lyla!" the voice was fading now… I could barely hear it. "It will guide you to the truth."

I turned in a frantic circle, my eyes darting between the trees the voice was definitely not coming from inside . I would feel it, right?

"Just tell specifically what I need to save, who I need to save? What are you talking about?" I demanded, my voice rising in desperation. "Wait!" I called out as another whisper ca from the trees. "Don't go! I still don't understand! I don't have a wolf or anything, I'm a deviant. I'm not like others!"

Silence. The voice was gone leaving standing alone in the stillness of the forest. I stood there, frozen, my heart still thudding as I tried to entangle everything the voice had said. And then just suddenly, the forest shifted.

The air grew colder and thick with tension. My neck prickled… sothing was happening, I could feel it. Slowly, I beca aware of movents in the shadows between the trees. Red eyes glead in the darkness with low growls filling the air. My breath caught in my throat as I realized I was surrounded.

It was the Feral Wolves – the exact ones that had attacked before. They weren't alone… they had co with the other creature in white, the one who had attacked . It was larger than I rembered. It moved with an unnatural fluidity and the face which in the past was a mass of nothing, suddenly beca clear to .

At least, I could make out the eyes.

"Well… well," it purred, its voice filled with mockery. "Look who's co back to play."

I took a step back, my heart pounding so hard that I was afraid it might burst from my chest. I lifted the stick and pointed at it. "Stay away from ," I warned, though my voice quavered with fear.

"That's what you're going to fight with, Moonsinge?!" it chuckled "You're different from the other ones although, you all share one thing in common – Stupidity," It huffed. "But I can see that you've made the right choice. You've chosen him… faster than the others ever did."

"No!" I shook my head vehently. "I didn't choose anything. This is just a dream… it has to be. I am in the human world and not here with you."

"Is it?" it laughed, its eyes beaming with amusent. "Or is it the truth your consciousness refuses to see? You're so close, Lyla. So close to embracing your true nature."

My throat tightened. "What true nature?" I asked, backing away slowly, my feet dragging against the damp forest floor.

Its mouth beca visible to . It grinned, revealing rows of beautiful pearly teeth. "You should choose already – the final choice, I an – all the way," it added, its voice dripping with glee. "Let him in. Let him show you how much you've been missing."

I shook my head, stepping back, trying to distance myself from the creature. "No… No! I don't want anything from you!"

But it only laughed. "You don't understand yet, do you? Being with him, that's a choice. You've made your stance. The freedom… the power… you've only scratched the surface – it can all be yours."

The Ferals around began to growl, their hackles raised as they closed in on . My heart was beating faster… I was trapped, no escape, nowhere to run. I stumbled backwards, pressing against the rough bark of a tree.

"No," I whispered, terror clawing at my throat.

I just need to wake up. This is definitely a dream.

"You're lying. This isn't real."

The creature crouched, preparing to strike. "Let him in, and he'll show you a world you've only dread of…"

With a bone-chilling howl and a terrifying burst of speed, the creature leapt towards , its claws stretched like before.

I threw up my arms in an attempt to shield myself, a scream tearing from my throat –

"NO!"

When I opened my eyes, sitting in a recliner across the room was, Xander… eyes fixed on intently.