Echoes

London:

I jolted awake, opening my blue eyes as my heart pounded heavily and sweat profusely tricked down my forehead. The remnants of the dream still cling to my consciousness, a haunting echo of something I can't quite grasp.

It happened again. The same freaking flashes of an accident and that same voice that hunted me were back and clearer than ever before. I could see those very faces that looked familiar; they were saying something, but I couldn't hear them because it felt like I was falling into a deep space. My voice was screaming out to them, but not a word was audible.

The soft, hazy light of dawn seeped into my room, and the air was still as the gentle rustle of curtains swayed in the morning breeze. My breath came in ragged gasps, and I clutched the sheets, trying to steady my trembling hands.

The remnants of the dream cling to me, refusing to dissipate. I could almost taste the acrid fear that had gripped me, the images flashing before my closed eyelids like a disjointed film reel.

I staggered out of bed but immediately lost my balance, groaning at the sharp pain that zapped up my leg. I couldn't feel Fuyu in my head, and I didn't bother calling out to him. He had exhausted himself extremely, and he needed all the rest he could get. On average, it would take Fuyu three days of total undisturbed rest to be back to full strength, but taking into consideration how we had drained ourselves of energy, I wondered how long it would take him.

Three weeks, maybe?

I turned, and my heart nearly lept out of my chest at the sight of the big white wolf's red eye staring into mine.

"Fucking hell, Fuyu, you nearly gave me a heart attack." I held onto my chest, trying to calm my erratic beats.

I turned, soaking in what I had just said. Did I just say Fuyu? Bright red eyes? White fur? I blinked at Fuyu with widened eyes. He was now lying on the bed with roasted meat in front of him. He was eating on my bed. Wait, he was on my bed?

"What are you doing on my bed?" I asked while pushing myself to my feet with the help of the bed.

He arched a brow at me, his deep voice rumbling as he spoke. "Is that what you should be asking me?"

I drew back a little, actually realizing that I had a more important question to ask. "Thanks for redirecting my attention."

"You're welcome." He casually replied while gnawing on the meat… on my freaking bed.

"Why have you materialized?" I shot at him with furrowed brows and a death glare.

"There's the right question you should be asking." He didn't seem fazed by how worried I was. In fact, he was actually feeling amused.

He raised his head, running his tongue over his lips, grazing his snout a little. "We've been unconscious for a week and three days. Well, to be more accurate, you've been unconscious for a week and three days. I was unconscious for a week, and it was hell living those nightmares with you. I couldn't take it anymore, so I took a little break from your head.

That explained the horrible headache and empty feeling.

I blinked at him, "and where did you get that meat from?"

He yawned, "I took it from the kitchen. Your maid has been serving you lots of vegetables, and it was becoming annoying. I'm a carnivore, not an herbivore." He sneered.

"You let everyone see you?" I gasped, not hiding my shock state.

What the heck was wrong with him? How reckless could he be?

"I'm not stupid, London." He glared at me.

"You sure?"

He roared at me, daring me to say it again, and when I didn't, he scoffed, "You do know that I'm as fast as the wind, right? Figure the rest out. I was taking a stroll around when I perceived grilled meat, and I was hungry. Also, it's no big deal... I only took a little chunk."

I dipped my eyes to stare at the large piece of meat lying on my bed and sighed. A little chunk, indeed.

Sighing, I sat myself on the bed close to Fuyu. He eyed me a little before moving closer to me with the meat wedged in between his teeth. He rested his head on my thighs, dropping the meat in between his paws.

I smiled at the big guy, feeling grateful and proud that he'd chosen to stay with me. He might have been formed from a part of my soul, but he was still his own person.

"How long have you been materializing?" I asked while patting down his fur.

"Two hours every day." He casually replied. "Since you were still unconscious, me materializing was shifted to your energy because you were quickly replenishing it since you were asleep."

"And now I'm having a headache." I shot him a pointed look.

"If I had known you'd awakened today, I'd have stayed back." He replied while licking his paw.

"I thought you hate materializing?" I asked.

"Because it drains my energy, and having to deal with your human world is exhausting." He said.

"Then why have you been materializing?" I asked, knowing that I was irritating him.

He growled, "Did you not hear when I said that your head is fucked up? Those nightmares are creepy, even for me. And I'd rather deal with the human world than bear that for one more fucking night." He rested his head on my thighs, "if you're going to sleep next time, just load me on Wolfsbane."

"Geez, you really hate my head that much."

"You have no idea." He snorted.

I leaned my back into the headrest, "why do you hate humans so much?"

He hummed, looking me over with watchful eyes, "because you guys are so dramatic. You betray each other and destroy everything, plus they're spineless. But then again, so are wolves—the majority of them. I guess it's safe to say that it's a personal preference. I chose not to like them, along with females."

I hummed in response, thinking about everything that had happened so far. Fuyu and I had gone on a rampage and destroyed the elders' den, killing them all.

But there was something that Salvatore had said before Fuyu bit off his neck—something about the council being divided, each with their own various interests.

He confessed about them trying to bring back ancient practices and rid the wolf of humans. They wanted a wolf utopia, but what divided them was who was to rule after they'd taken me out.

From what I understood, they were gathering ancient relics and stocking up on ancient magic and weapons, readying themselves for a war that'd purge the world of wolf hunters, humans, and me.

He said there were other olden flowers, herbs, and whatnot that they had gathered, and there were great healers and seers being gathered to be able to turn those raw materials into fine poisons and weapons.

They'd been sending out spies to keep an eye on me, but my allies have been taking them out. None ever made it to my premises; hence, they decided to take deeper measures.

He also told me about a strange-hooded man with a dark aura who had approached them, saying he heard of their plans and could help them out. He was intimidating and possessed strong pheromones, so they trusted him. He never told them what his plans to help them were, but he did ask for the Book of the Damned as a reward.

When they started hearing of wolves dying in gory manners and a strange man raiding rogue villages to abduct children not older than fifteen, they knew they had to stop him, yet they didn't because he was too strong for them.

According to Salvatore, they had set up that barrier because a seer predicted that I'd track them down in three days, knowing that if I did, I'd kill them for bringing the dawn of doom to the world. They set up the barrier and hired a wolf whisperer to take down Fuyu.

"You're still thinking about it, aren't you?" Fuyu's voice startled me a little.