No more bed rest...

As my eyelids flutter wildly, I look up towards the unexpecting set of gawping faces staring back at me in unison. Leaning over while I rest, a shared concern hangs between them while it visibly seeps onto their dread entrenched faces. Gasping as I sit up swiftly, I almost collide into the troubled pair while they narrowly flinch backwards—startled by my sudden awakening; jolting awkwardly out of my way. Panting hoarsely while the others regain their composure, I weakly prop myself up on my unsteady arms while the returning aches settle within my bones and muscles once again—­agonisingly reassuring me that I’m no longer dreaming. Passing a glance over Dakota’s familiar face, my stare levitates towards the second figure sitting at my side. Craning my sore neck upwards, a blonde wolf looks back at me while he perches on the edge of the bed cautiously, worriedly watching over me as he flashes me a warm smile.

“Woah there—calm yourself down for a second, Willow. Try to relax,” Dakota reaches out comfortingly while placing a steady hand on my shoulder to ease my unknown frantic trembles, “-can you take a few deep breaths with me, hm?” she inhales dramatically while mimicking her free hand to wave in front of her chest, exhaling loudly as she urges me to do the same; prompting me to follow in her lead., “That’s it, you’ve got it.”

“Phew,” Dakota sighs with relief as I finally begin to settle down, “-are you okay? Because that was intense enough as it was for us, let alone what you must’ve felt—we’ve been trying to wake you up for over an hour,” she reels in a panic-stricken mumble while brushing a loose curl away from her face before carefully tucking it behind her ear–“-you were crying and shouting,” she recalls before pausing, ”-it was really terrifying to watch. Was it a bad dream?” she questions with a genuine concern settling within her tone.

Nodding truthfully, the silently observing wolf breaks his motionless stance and tilts his head towards Dakota before whining softly. Looking back, she darts him a mirrored expression in return, understanding every inaudible word that he says while answering him with only that of a glare. As I look back and forth, I notice the striking resemblance shared between them while they both don the same vibrant shade of amber in their eyes and wear a similar tone throughout their hair. Looking away from the wolf, Dakota returns her attention towards me and settles at my side while falling back into the abundance of pillows scattered behind her.

“I’ve never seen anyone act like that while they slept before,” Dakota comments with a solemn curiosity, “-do you have those types of dreams often?” she looks over, clasping a friendly hand around my own while I nod once more, “That must be awful,” she shakes her head, frowning in disbelief as she struggles to contemplate the very idea before kindly offering, “-we can talk about it if you’d like to?”

Shaking my head firmly, a bitter shiver rolls down my spine while my eyes lower towards my lap defensively. Snatching my hand back, I entwine it with my other before clasping them together tightly—unknowingly fidgeting as I pick the jagged skin catching at the sides of my fingernails. Shutting down, I pray Dakota doesn’t press the topic any further; hoping she accepts my wishes of not wanting to discuss my night terrors—desperate to forget about it already so that I can get on with the day ahead. Feeling guilty about my rude outburst, I look up with remorse; preparing to apologise for my unwarranted reaction when Dakota appears to have already beaten me to it—smiling gently towards me in readiness, comfortingly even as if she were signalling that she understands.

“Don’t sweat it, hm? I’ll be here to listen whenever you’re ready,” Dakota’s voice softens with seriousness upon her promise, “-there’s no rush.”

Overwhelmed by the unquestioned acceptance, I flash Dakota a fleeting sheepish grin while I drown in embarrassment. Thankful for a distraction, the wolf lets out a sleepy yawn and bellows his forced tiredness loudly into the room as if he were seemingly trying to steal our attention out of impatience. Casting an inquisitive glance towards Dakota, I raise my eyebrow while nodding my head towards the wolf while he continues to watch us unbrokenly—waiting enthusiastically for his prolonged introduction. Giggling at the wolf as he puffs out his chest and straightens his back, Dakota shakes her head before rolling her eyes his way while giving him a playful shove.

“Oh, right. This big lump of fluff is my brother, Mato. I mentioned him to you when you first woke up if you can remember? I told you he’d be coming back,” Dakota chimes cheerfully while ruffling up her brother’s fur, “-ignore his whole wolf get up, by the way. He’s going through the last few days of his Warrior enrolment. Unfortunately,” she raises her fingers to replicate that of quotation marks, “-lounging around in your wolf form during your free time is a part of learning how to become one with the beast,” she chuckles while lowering her hands, “-it’s old-fashioned, I know, but we all go through it to get a place within the unit. Anyway, that’s enough about that for now. I don’t want to send you back to sleep.”

Mato huffs loudly at his sister’s mocking attitude before turning towards me to lower his head as if greeting me. Glancing back towards Dakota, Mato’s head tilts to the side while yipping in what sounds like agreement before breaking into a humoured smirk. Looking amongst them, confusion trickles across my face when Dakota snorts in amusement at whatever it is her brother has said, throwing her head back before taking her time to catch her breath.

“Sorry about that. We were just talking about yesterday. When Isaac called him to say that you had woken up, he rushed back as fast as he could,” she smirks, “-it’s fair to say he was pretty disappointed to find out that you’d fallen straight back to sleep again,” she chuckles while Mato nudges my arm with his nose, signalling as if he were agreeing with Dakota’s words, “-he was just saying that it’d be his luck if you dozed off again.”

Taken aback by what Dakota had innocently said, I look around for the notepad and pen I had used devotedly before my slumber when Dakota stops me, handing them over as if she had pre-read my mind. I open the book to the next clear page, scribbling away dubiously while they both look down—waiting by as I sprawl out what it is I need to ask before holding out the book towards them as it spells out “Yesterday? How long have I been asleep for?”

“Um, I guess you were out of it for the rest of the night,” Dakota summaries, “-it’s ten o’clock in the morning right now, little wolf. Getting blood out of a stone would’ve been easier than waking you,” she reveals before turning her head snappily towards her brother, “-enough already. I get it. I heard you the first time, loud and clear. Sorry, Willow. Let me ask before he fills my head with his constant nagging,” she stresses while gritting her teeth, “-Mato wants to know how you’re feeling today?” Dakota vocalises on his behalf, looking slightly agitated by whatever it was that he had done.

Unable to hide the humoured grin tugging at my lips, I lower my head and turn to the next page, writing that I feel a little better. Smiling with content, the siblings look relieved as they read over my scratchy words. Giving his sister one more glance as his ears lower, she growls beneath her breath while darting Mato an unapproving glare—clearly not impressed by whatever it is that he has just said.

“Shut it, Mato. I’m warning you. What did I tell you about doing this, hm?” Dakota barks sharply, “Stop pestering her with all of your questions. She’ll burn herself out like she did yesterday if you keep going on. Let’s not push the poor girl to exhaustion again, hm?” she tuts while crossing her arms scornfully.

Feeling Bad for Mato while his shoulders droop from the received berating that he had just endured, I pick up my pen and turn over to a fresh page in my notepad and write down, “What?” before turning it around, waving it in front of the bickering pair. Distracted by the blurring flutter of flickering pages, I break the intense glare that they each had held—shifting the sibling’s attention towards myself instead, and putting a hold on the rising tension filling the room. As Mato’s eyes scan the scrawled writing held on the white sheet, he whines at me before carefully nudging a faint bruise nestled upon my lower arm. Studying it with his eyes, he whimpers gently, almost as if he were trying to communicate with me while I struggle to understand what he’s trying to get at.

“I’m sorry. He’s being nosey. Just ignore him, it’s none of our business,” Dakota dismisses her brother’s question as he stomps his paws demandingly, causing me to hold out what I had written once again, “-he wants to know why you haven’t healed yet,” Dakota murmurs reluctantly while biting her lip, eventually blurting out Mato’s question as her leg shakes tremulously, “-I told him to wait until you mentioned it yourself, seeing as how it didn’t come up yesterday while we were talking.”

Expecting the question to arise much sooner than it had, I take my pen and fill the page with the blanket answer I had fed everyone over the passing years. With not much to say, I pass the notepad over to Dakota, allowing her to read what I had written before she recites the bare basics back to her brother. With lowering eyebrows, her expression saddens as she scours my words—digesting each and every one while learning about the unanswered reason to why I haven’t gotten my wolf. Grasping the gist of what I had written, she hands the book back over to me before turning towards Mato and clearing her throat.

“Um, so basically, even though Willow is one of us, she hasn’t actually managed to go full on wolf yet, so to speak, despite her age-” she informs Mato, forcing his jaw to drop in astonishment while he looks at me, “it’s been eight years since she should have shifted but her wolf hasn’t shown. It’s like she’s mentally caged,” Dakota peers over at the sprawled words clasped within my hands to check that what she’s repeating is correct before finalising, ”-and she can’t get out.”

Upset by the news, Mato’s eyes widen as he takes in her words. Tilting his head to the side, his eyes lower, almost as if he was taking pity on me—displaying an expression on his face that I had seen time after time. Falling onto his stomach, Mato lowers his body and rests his head beside my legs while letting out a pushed huff. Pressing his paw against my knee, he places his head upon his hands—lying at my side in what appears to be his attempt to comfort me. Moved by his caring gesture, I return to my notepad to tell them, “Honestly, it’s fine. I can’t miss something I’ve never had, right?” masking my truthful annoyance on the matter, giving them a feeble fake smile as I watch them break straight through my lie.

“Well, when you’re back on your feet we can get you straight into training, little wolf,” Dakota quickly snaps me away from the growing sinking feeling surging within me, “-we’ll see if we can bring that stubborn wolf of yours out, hm?” she teases light-heartedly, giving me a small glimmer of hope to cling onto after all these years while a spark of excitement ignites inside of me from the idea itself alone.

My mind races back to the days that I was stuck within the Barren Lands; flitting through flashbacks of Ash and Lillie fighting endlessly in the unfair battle to help me in my bid to transform, patiently guiding and supporting me while pushing me to keep going at every step that I took. Trying everything that they could think of, every ounce of effort fell short, but despite each failed attempt, they never gave up on me. Coming up with something else to try the following day—picking me back up when I needed it the most. While the vivid memories send me crashing back into the harsh reality of my living hell, I’m reminded that my loved ones are still out there somewhere, lost or succumbed to something far worse. A thought that I can’t bring myself to fathom. With a shaking hand, I scribble down, “Is there any news about my brother? What about Lillie? And Fara?” I hold the notepad out desperately, eager for an update on their whereabouts.

“Before Mato came back here, he managed to speak to some of the patrolling scouts to get an update on what’s going on out there. So far, all that’s we’ve heard is that there’s been an increase in the number of reports coming in regarding rogue camps fleeting past the Concrete Jungle district. Other than that, there hasn’t been any more sightings of anyone else out roaming through the forest or clearing. But, don’t go worrying yourself though, hm? The Chief is dealing with it,” her tone switches with utmost assurance, trying to keep me hopeful when the lack of good news only disheartens me further than I had felt before.

Unable to fight my emotions, my weighing eyes tear up despite trying my best to hold them back. Sniffling quietly, my disappointment spills over within—becoming clearly obvious as they both notice reactively. Fussing around me like a pair of mothering hens, the siblings sit patiently while I try to console myself through my turbulent upset. Eventually coming around, Dakota jumps up and heads over to the armchair sat beside the window—bringing attention to the cushioned seat holding two enormous shopping bags, lifting them sharply with a swoosh of a grasping hand. Wiping my blurred eyes, I muster a forced smile of fake interest, trying to appear grateful towards my caring and thoughtful hosts, despite my looming worry regarding Ash and the girls.

“Why don’t you take a look at this, hm? Mato and Raven went out and picked up some stuff for you yesterday,” Dakota carries the lumbering bags effortlessly over despite their heavy appearance, spinning around on her bare feet before gracefully skipping back towards the bed, “Maybe they’ll help take your mind off of things, hm?” she places the lumbering parcels before me while rubbing her hands—looking overly eager for me to dive in.

Returning to her claimed seat at my side, Dakota excitedly drags over one of the black-glossed paper bags. Nudging me softly, she folds her illustrated legs while tilting the concealed gifts over—making it easier for me to reach inside like a parent does with a child on Christmas, appearing more excited than the youngster is themselves. Wiping my eyes with my closed hand, I command the faltering smile to remain on my face when all I wish to do is sit and fester within my sorrow.

“Go ahead, little wolf. Have a look,” Dakota nods, leaving me unsure of where to start as I try to give the siblings my undivided attention unsuccessfully—struggling to dismiss the bewilderment caused by the forward and generous gestures from people who barely know me, “-there’ are a few bits and bobs in there off some of the pack, too. Just little things,” she prods, “-nothing major.”

Reaching an uncertain hand into the paper container, my child-like excitement creeps itself in and helps distract me from my troubling woes. Other than the occasional birthday, presents were a luxury that we couldn’t afford. Ash would try to save up to grab me a few books or spoil me with a new outfit, but with us both barely holding down our part-time jobs in a city known for its unemployment rates, we barely made enough to get by at the best of times—not that we ever minded of course. We would usually order a pizza and watch a horror film on our birthdays. That was always good enough for us. Picking up a large violet, rectangle box that’s nearly spilt out from within the bag, I grimace at my ghastly complexion while I grasp the beautifully designed packaging in my hands—wincing at the entanglement of wires attached to me as I place the package on my lap.

“Ooh,“ Dakota claps keenly, “-that one is from me. I told you that she’d like mine more than yours. I know she hasn’t seen it yet, but she picked it out first. That means something, hm?” she squeals while jeering towards Mato tauntingly as he rolls his eyes back at her in return, shaking his head in disagreement.

Stifling a laugh while the pain spreads down the side of my throat, I notice that despite the brief space of time I’ve been around Dakota, I already feel comfortable around her. Feeling uplifted by her contagious happiness, I open the box slowly while trying not to damage the delicate packaging. Gently lifting the lid away, a folded sheer black material sitting snugly inside reveals itself. As I lift it up, the mysterious gift unravels into a soft flourish—the delicate material shimmering gracefully as the soft silk sits within my clutching hands, revealing that of a beautifully designed dressing robe. Bringing it to my face, I embrace the soft fabric and rub it against my skin—breathing in the perfumy scent lining the delicate piece.

“Check the rest out,” Dakota laughs at my response, tapping the box to bring my attention to the remaining items left inside, “-I thought they’d be a bit more comfortable than that hospital get up the Doc’s nurse had put you in,” she giggles as I marvel over the matching pyjama shorts and vest top lined with lace, “-they don’t look too great, I gotta’ admit,” she reaches inside the bag, scrambling around before leaning back and handing me a pair of fuzzy socks.

“Let me take these off you for now,” she reaches over and puts the silk gown and pyjamas back in the box, “-I’ll put them here for later,” she places them on the bedside table while I blush from embarrassment, glancing down while observing my unflattering outfit, noticing how itchy it actually feels.

Peering timidly towards the rest, I reluctantly pull the bag closer towards myself when I catch sight of a larger box packed neatly inside the paper container. Trying to grip the gift, my side ripples when its unsuspecting weight catches me by surprise—allowing the heavy package to slip out from within my grip. Yelping beneath my breath as I clench my side, Mato sits up in alarm, sensing that something is off. Barking at his sister, he lowers his snout towards the bag demandingly—prompting his sibling to help me as I fail to retrieve the present on my own.

“Oh,” Dakota winces, “-hang on. Lean back, let me get that for you,” Dakota stops me after noticing my pathetic struggle, placing the gift on my lap.

Taking off the cardboard lid, a compact assortment lined with DVD’s and CD’s fill its entirety. Running my finger over the glossy spines, I glance over the numerous titles—noticing that they're all in alphabetical order, perfectly arranged with care. Noticing that some of my favourite horrors are tucked amongst those I have yet to see, a wide grin pulls at each side of my mouth when I think of how long it’s been since I indulged in what used to be one of my favourite past-times, unable to recall what the last film was that I had watched.

“Mato wanted to show you some of his favourite films. None of us really share his taste, so hopefully, there’s something in there that you like. I apologise in advance if there’s not. He thought they would keep you busy for a bit while you get better,” Dakota points out while chuckling teasingly, causing Mato to let out a hushed ruff—not too happy with her opinionated explanation of his preferences.

More than pleased at the thoughtful gift, I close the box and hand it over to Dakota for her to place on the side. Delighted, I pick up my pen and write, “Can we watch one tonight?” before holding it up to Mato. Looking thrilled at the request, he eagerly agrees by letting out a gleeful bark—wagging his tail while darting a look of smugness aimed directly at Dakota. Allowing her head to lull to the side while she folds her arms covered in golden bangles, Dakota frowns back at her sibling before waving her hand out dismissively towards him.

“Just because she said she’ll watch one tonight with us, doesn’t mean that she’ll like it,” she teases defiantly; refusing to give her brother any acknowledgement in his win, “-she’s only being nice,” Dakota attempts to make a jab while he proceeds to happily ignore her, taking his personal victory. 

Retrieving the last item within the bag, I pull out a silver parcel. Carefully inspecting the velvet blanket folded up neatly, I unravel the charcoal silk ribbon tied meticulously around it—realising that something has been carefully tucked away inside. With grand embroidered images detailing the dated cloth, I unwrap it carefully before revealing an old leather book stored safely within. Marvelling over the light grey cover, I can’t help but study the beautifully drawn crest sat in the centre of the intricate design—carved perfectly with its lines tinted in a grand shade of crimson, appearing much older than everyone within this room combined. Smiling at the pair to show my gratitude, they look back suspiciously—glancing down towards the distinct crest with intrigue as if expecting me to recognise it instantly.

“Isaac thought you may want to learn a little about our pack,” Dakota yawns in boredom from the very mention after I fail to bite while Mato unenthusiastically scoffs in agreeance, “-don’t feel obliged. It’s a bit of a boring read. He’s a little over the top when it comes to his heritage. Since you’ll be joining us eventually, he wanted to give it to you sooner rather than later so that you can have a chance to get to know us beforehand. Hopefully, there’ll be a few answers in there to some of the questions that you might have. If you have any, that is.”

Dumfounded by Dakota’s slip up, my head drifts from side to side with incredulity while I almost drop the hefty book upon my legs—watching as Dakota shifts uneasy beneath mine and her brothers gaze, self-aware of her loose-lipped blunder. Placing the leather-bound book down, I reach out for my strewn notepad and hastily scribble away, demanding an answer while I ask, “What did you mean by that? Why would I be joining your pack? I don’t want to join anyone’s pack. I want to find my brother and friends.”

“Uh-oh. I shouldn’t have said that. Just ignore me, hm?” Dakota’s tanned complexion whitens as she gulps chokingly like she was attempting to swallow down her mistake, nervously chewing at her lip while she looks at Mato for guidance while all he can do is shake his head—not impressed with his sister’s slip up, “That’s a topic I’ll need to leave to you and the Chief to discuss, I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t have said anything,” she apologises remorsefully, looking somewhat disappointed in herself.

“I can’t say anymore, Willow. I’ve already said too much. You’ll have to wait. The Chief will explain everything when he gets here. He’s sorting out a few things first, but when he’s all done, he’ll bring you up to speed, hm?” Dakota refuses to meet my scowl, her own attention looking elsewhere, not allowing me to plead for any more information.

Disgruntled by the prolonged delay in finding out why I’m here, I feel my frustration rise from the growing mystery revolving around this so-called Chief. Growing tired of all the secretiveness, I urge myself to restrain my impatience given the generosity I have received from my rescuers—deciding to buy my time and let Dakota’s miss-slip slide for now. As if trying to move on from what Dakota had said, Mato pushes the empty bag off the bed with his oversized paw—its stature similar to that of a grizzly bear, prompting Dakota to shift the second bag towards me. Pulling out a handful of clothes and other odd bits that had been gifted to me, I take my time checking over each one; examining the boxes of perfume and make-up products, feeling clueless as I try to figure out what they are for or how to even use them.

“Have you used that stuff before?” Dakota watches me in amazement, picking up on my bewilderment-riddled smile as I spin around some type of small brush while shaking my head, uncertain of what you it’s used for, “Well, how do you feel about having a girly day soon? I’m pretty good with that lot,” she proudly claims while picking up a lipstick and popping off the golden lid, “-I can show you what to do.”

Enthusiastically, I nod back acceptingly; more than happy to undergo whatever it is Dakota has in mind, willing to learn some tricks, seeing as I know close to nothing. Handing me the last remnants of what awaits me from within the bag, she carefully draws out a small black box. Clasping the small gift within my cupped hands, I pop open the lid and allow my disbelieving eyes to scan over the contents; blown away by the breath-taking necklace displayed elegantly inside. Hanging on a dazzling gold chain, a diamond-encrusted crescent moon dangles in the centre—glistening brightly as I pinch it between my fingers.

“That’s off the Chief,” Dakota brushes over the announcement while standing, almost as if she were hesitant to revisit the topic of the man in question while making her way to the door, “-so, I’m gonna go give the Doc a call and see where he’s at. Hopefully, it won’t be much longer before he’s here to check you over. If you get the thumbs up, we can get you unhooked from all of that,” she waves her hand towards the rhythmically beeping machines stood at each side of my bed, “-and into the shower in about an hour’s time. Does that sound good to you, little wolf?” she looks at me excitedly.