Wolf's Echo (My Winter Wolf, #2)

by Arizona Tape

  Wolf's Echo

  MY WINTER WOLF : BOOK 2

  By Arizona Tape

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2018 by Arizona Tape

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication or cover may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to Arizona Tape.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  What happened before.

  Prologue

  Chapter 1. White

  Chapter 2. Life

  Chapter 3. Puma

  Chapter 4. Myth

  Chapter 5. Alpha

  Chapter 6. Lily

  Chapter 7. Memories

  Chapter 8. Rage

  Chapter 9. Beautiful

  Chapter 17. Voices

  Chapter 18. Roof

  Chapter 19. Death

  Chapter 20. Howl

  Chapter 21. Mate

  Chapter 22. Ready

  Chapter 23. The Winter Stone

  Chapter 24. Whispers

  Chapter 25. Blood mages

  Chapter 26. Blood

  Chapter 27. Magic

  Epilogue.

  What happened before.

  With the Winter Stone stolen from my village, I left on a quest to bring it back and gain everyone’s approval. In the dark Aladwin Forest, I met a wolf that turned out to be a man. Aspen came with a twin, Ashleigh. And both turned out to be my mates. With the help of their friends, Danny, Regan, Darren, and JP, I travelled through the forest towards the East.

  But not everything was what it seemed. My heart chose Ashleigh, but my wolf kept being confused by Aspen’s Alpha. Not just that, he was struggling with a darkness corrupting his heart. To help him out, I offered to wear his magical amulet and now I was ready to use the power within.

  Prologue

  White.

  Just white. Only white. Why was everything so bright? It hurt my eyes. Actually, not just my eyes, everything was painful. Why was I in agony?

  More white. And pain. Searing hot pain, all over me. It coursed through my veins, it ripped through my muscles. It hurt. Excruciatingly, unbearable. I wanted it to stop. Why wouldn't it stop?

  White.

  Stop.

  I wanted it to stop. I needed it to stop.

  Breathe. But I had no breath left. Where was I? Was I dying?

  No, that couldn't be right. I was alive a moment ago, I was with Ashleigh. Aspen. I was with my family. I couldn't be dying... Right?

  Maybe I wasn’t alive anymore, but shouldn’t death be painless? So why was I still hurting? Why couldn't I make it stop?

  Help.

  I needed someone to help me. Someone. Everyone. Anyone. No, not just anyone.

  Ashleigh. Where was she? Where was I?

  Pain... Coursing through me as if it always belonged here, taking over all of my senses, dominating everything else. Sharp needles in the back of my neck, a crushing weight on my chest. A rainbow of colours flashed in front of my eyes and for a moment, I thought I could see again.

  I was wrong.

  I needed air.

  I wanted it to stop.

  I needed it to stop.

  Please stop.

  Please.

  Stop.

  White. Just white.

  Help. I'm dying.

  Chapter 1. White

  A strange sensation pulled me upwards and for a moment, I swore I heard different voices whisper my name.

  Akira... That was me. Why were they calling for me? Who were they? Should I answer? But I couldn't talk, my voice was broken, my body battered. I wasn't even sure if I still had a body.

  "Akira."

  This time I was sure I heard it. My name. Someone was looking for me, but where were they? How could I find them?

  "Akira."

  There it was again! What did they want? How could I follow the voice?

  "Akira."

  Hey, that was a voice I knew... A voice I'd remember anywhere and everywhere. Ashleigh. Yes, I'd answer her call. But how? Where did my voice go?

  "Akira!"

  Air. Fresh air filled my lungs, expanding my chest as it awoke the life in me. It burned my windpipes, but I welcomed the pain. This was different, everything felt different. I ached, but the buzz in my head was slowly clearing up. My pounding heart slowed down and I could move again, even if it was just a little bit.

  "Akira!"

  Two warm arms wrapped around me and I happily leant back into them. Yes, Ashleigh. She was here.

  "You called for me," I murmured, falling into her embrace.

  "Of course, I did. Damn it, you scared me to death!"

  "Too loud," I mumbled, wondering how Ashleigh was so soft and warm. Was it even possible for one person to be this comfortable to lean into?

  "Sorry. Are you alright?"

  I ignored the hammering in my skull and brought my arms up. Needles ran over my bare skin, but I didn't care. I just needed to see my arms, needed to see myself, even if it was just part of me.

  "It didn't work?" Filled with disappointment, I stared at my hands. My human hands. Pain shot through my body and I didn’t manage to keep the sadness out of my voice.

  "I'm sorry,” Ashleigh whispered, her breath warm in my hair.

  I breathed in her comforting scent and painstakingly turned my head towards the rest of the group. To Aspen. He threw me a guilty smile and hid behind Regan. Not that I blamed him, Ashleigh was spewing fire with her eyes.

  "You were supposed to let go of the magic," she screeched at her brother.

  He ran a shaky hand through his hair and grimaced. "I did."

  "Did you?" she spat, the venom rolling from her tongue.

  "Just a little bit," he pouted, pulling his eyebrows up in an adorable whine.

  I shifted my weight and flinched as pain shot through me. "Just a little bit?" I asked meekly, recalling how my wolf burst through the inner lake. If I released her, why didn’t I turn?

  Darren and Danny exchanged a worried glance and JP bent down to gently pat me on the knee. "Y-You did... A l-little bit."

  "What does that mean?" That made no sense. How could I have shifted just a little bit?

  "W-Welll..." JP scratched the back of his head and averted his eyes. Oh no, that was never a good sign. He was usually the one who found the right words to tell me bad news.

  "Ashleigh?" I turned in her arms, facing her blue eyes. "What happened?"

  "Aspen, that's what happened," she grumbled, still glaring at her brother. Pff, good for her for being angry. But I didn't want her to be mad, I wanted her to care for me. Even if that was a needy thought, I didn't care. I was aching, my whole body was strained in ways I never imagined I could hurt. And all I wanted was for her to make it go away, for her to kiss it better.

  "Ashleigh," I whimpered, embarrassed how weak I sounded. But I couldn't be helped, I felt cold and lost like a child.

  "I'm sorry," she apologised, finally tearing her eyes away from Aspen. With gentle fingers, she brushed a strand of hair from my face and a soft kiss warmed my cheek. Even the butterfly kiss hurt me, but I gladly took it. "How are you feeling?"

  "Confused," I admitted, trying to ignore the pain shooting up and down my spine. That couldn't be a good sign.

  "What happened to me?"

  "Ummm..." Ashleigh's words froze on her tongue as she looked at her brother again. This time, I could tell they were having an internal conversation
. A conversation I wasn't part of.

  "Guys?" Why wouldn't they tell me what happened? Why couldn't I remember it properly? I shut my eyes and tried to recall what happened. Carefully, I dug into my chest and felt around for my wolf. Was she still there?

  A low growl chased me back and I pulled away. She was definitely still there, but the familiar wall around her was too. At least now, I could envision the cage around my wolf, unlike before. A little confused, I ran my hand over the invisible glass trapping my spirit animal. The smooth surface brought goosebumps to my skin and I relented. There wasn't a scratch or any other indication that she broke through it. Did I imagine it all?

  Pain shot through my neck and my wolf whimpered.

  No, I didn't imagine it all. The strain on my body told me it happened. That my wolf had broken through her bounds. At least, for a moment.

  The bone-chilling howl echoed through my head again and I remembered the rush of adrenaline and ecstasy as she became free. As we became free.

  And then... Pain. Just pain.

  I brought my hands to my head and tried to jog my memory. There must be something else, apart from pain... A dash of fur. A whiff of blood. A flash of white. And then more white, a lot of it. White-hot pain that seared through my entire body as it fried my whole system and erased any memory I had. "Guys? What happened"

  "Will someone tell the poor girl what's going on?" Danny exploded, her impatient personality in my favour for once. She threw her red hair over her shoulder and gave JP a little nudge. He turned to her and the two had a silent conversation, not unlike Aspen and Ashleigh. Except that I knew they were just exchanging thoughts like regular people. They didn't have that connection that only wolves had.

  "O-Okay, I'll t-tell you," JP finally gave in, nodding at his woman. He crouched down next to me and ran his hand through his hair.

  I smiled, even though it made me hurt my face. "That's sweet, JP. But I want Ashleigh to tell me," I replied stubbornly, not entirely sure why I was being so infuriating. I wanted to know what happened to me, so if he wanted to tell me... Why not listen?

  "Akira..." she whispered, her breath brushing across the shell of my ear.

  "I want you to tell me. Please," I begged, turning in her arms so I could comfortably rest against her chest.

  "Okay, I'll tell you. But stop moving, you'll only make it worse."

  "Make what worse?"

  She pressed her finger gently on my lips. "No talking."

  Wordlessly, I nodded. Or at least, I tried.

  "I'm not exactly sure what happened. None of us really know how the magic in our amulets works."

  "That's true," Danny quipped in, pulling her own necklace from underneath her shirt.

  "They're all different," Darren added, revealing his own piece. Regan nodded and placed his hand over his chest.

  "We know a couple of things about the magic. It's old, very old. Even you must've felt that. Apart from that... It can only bind with one wolf, but it doesn't really listen to anyone. It has its own mind and it only listens to the... strongest wolf. And its loyalties can change at any time."

  Aspen snorted as he kicked a tree. "Trust us, we've seen it happen."

  Regan pulled a face, which was rather uncharacteristic for him, but I figured that story could wait for another time.

  "And every time you use the magic to shift, you have to give it something in return," Ashleigh added as she gently wrapped her arms back around me.

  "Give it what?" I croaked, trying to jog my stupid memories. Why wouldn't they tell me what happened?

  Chapter 2. Life

  Danny took a deep breath. "Life. It wants life."

  I swallowed a hard lump in my throat, wincing as even that hurt. "What?"

  "We trade with the magic. It breaks through our bonds and we let it shave moments from our existence."

  "Why?" That made no real sense.

  "Because I’d rather have a shorter life as a free man, than a long life as my own captive," Darren mumbled, kicking the same tree as Aspen.

  Even the pain couldn't stop the smile curling up my mouth. They were rather adorable.

  "You..."

  I turned in her arms and stared at her beautiful face. Conflict swirled through her eyes and I waited as she paused. For a moment. Then I got too impatient. "Yes?"

  "You changed. A little."

  "A little?"

  "Yes, your wolf burst through almost completely. You were getting there."

  I pulled an eyebrow up, hoping she'd tell me more. Why was she being so unhelpful? Why were they all so unhelpful, actually?

  "Can you just tell me what happened?" I cursed, anger flaring up in my stomach.

  "You were a wolf for just a little while. And then Aspen's Alpha reacted, and he drew the magic back to him. Leaving you in a state of..."

  "A state of what?"

  "Limbo?" Danny suggested.

  "O-Oblivion?" JP added, looking worn down.

  "Death?" Darren quipped in, freezing the blood in my veins.

  "Excuse me? Death?"

  Angrily, Ashleigh threw a handful of gravel and twigs at the man. "Don't be an ass! No, you weren't dead."

  "Then what?"

  JP placed a hand on my shoulder, apologising as I winced in pain. "I'm s-sorry. We're not entirely s-sure."

  "All I know is that you were a wolf for a moment. And then you weren't."

  I ignored the strain on my arms and bring them up to massage my neck. "So I was me again?"

  "Not... Really?"

  "You were... You. But with fur? You seemed caught halfway?"

  "Stuck would be a better word," Darren muttered, earning himself a glare from Danny. She crouched down next to us and gave me a reassuring smile. "Darren is being an idiot. What he means is that you were a wolf for a little while, and then you weren't. You were in your human form, but with a lot of fur."

  "Yes, and you still have your tail."

  I scrambled to my feet and patted my behind, frantically looking for a tail.

  "Hahahaha, you looked!"

  Danny scowled. "Darren! The poor girl is freaked out enough as is!"

  He quickly hid behind Regan too and gave her an apologetic smile. Danny's frown softened and as soon as it did, he winked at me. I managed to keep my lips from curling up. He was an idiot, but at least it made me smile.

  Standing up didn't hurt as much as I expected. Carefully, I turned my head and a satisfying pop relieved some of the stress in my neck. With worry painted on her face, Ashleigh studied my every move. Not that I minded, knowing that she only had eyes for me was a nice feeling.

  I tugged on my shoulder and winced as a sharp pain slashed through my nerves. Okay, I shouldn't do that again. I turned my hands and studied my arms. No fur, no paws, that was a good start. I glanced at the rest of the group and subtly patted my back again. Darren was a funny guy, but I really didn't want to have a tail.

  "You don't have a tail, Darren is just being mean," Ashleigh whispered in my ear, making me jump up.

  "I wasn't checking," I denied, but I could tell from her sly smile she figured out what I was doing.

  "Sure you weren't. Are you alright, Akira?" she asked, holding my face in her hands to stare deeply into my eyes. Gods, she had beautiful eyes. And her voice was so nice and soothing, if she hadn't called for me, who knows how long I'd have been in the white.

  "Yes, just disappointed it didn't work," I admitted, my cheeks heating up in embarrassment. Why did I even think I could pull this off? There was a good reason nobody from my tribe could shift, this pain was just too much. How any of them took it, I couldn't understand. They were crazy.

  "Hey, don't be too hard on yourself. We've all been doing this for many years. For your first time, it went really well."

  "Yes, very well."

  I jumped as another voice whispered in my other ear. Chesca. Damn, I almost forgot she was here too.

  "Not that close," Ashleigh hissed, trying to shoo the Puma away from me. But she pr
etended to be oblivious to the hostility and just shrugged.

  "You were almost a wolf. A white one. I haven't seen that before," she sang, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

  "I was?" I recalled the image of the group shifting and their different shades of grey. Chesca was right, there were no white wolves among them. But then again, I'd only seen those five, who knew what colour other wolves were?

  "Don't listen to her." Aspen finally stopped hiding behind Regan and put himself between me and the Puma. "Even if she helped, she's dangerous."

  "You're one to talk, you should've kept your Alpha under control," Ashleigh scoffed, pulling up her nose.

  Aspen ran a hand over his head and caught my eye. "I'm sorry, Akira... I was trying to hold him back, but he heard you..." He awkwardly shifted his gaze from me to his sister and continued in a much softer tone. "I felt your pain and I couldn't stop myself."

  "You did?" I turned to him and felt a blush creep up from my neck.

  "Stop it," Ashleigh snapped behind me, a soft growl rolling from her tongue.

  "I'm not doing anything," Aspen argued, but I could tell he was lying. Of course, he was. We all knew it. We could feel the power radiating off of him. His Alpha was coming out to play and he wasn't stopping him. Not entirely.

  The twins glared at each other and for a moment, I feared another fight would break out. But not a squabble, no, they looked ready to rip each other's heads off. Not exactly how I imagined the celebration of my first shift to go.

  Carefully, I swung my arms back and forth. The longer I was standing up, the quicker the pain seemed to leave my body. I made a little hop and heard Darren snicker behind me.

  "Shut up." I tried to sneer, but the grin on his face let me know I hadn't succeeded. Not that it mattered.

  "That was quite a show. Shall we eat now?" Chesca sweetly smiled as she waved a wooden spoon in the air.

  "Oi, that's mine! Hands off!" Darren growled, snatching the utensil out of her hands and swatting her forehead with the ladle.

  Chesca rubbed her head and pouted. "I'm just hungry."

  "We're not giving you anything," Danny hissed, exposing her teeth to the Puma. They really didn’t like each other. Well, I wasn't Chesca’s biggest fan either, not after the stunt she pulled, but she did help me where Darren hadn't managed to. But that didn't mean I wanted to break bread and share food with her. From the rest of the group's reaction, they didn't seem too fond of that idea either, even Aspen and Ashleigh were letting their argument be for the moment and both glared at the young woman.