Clenched jaw

Fear.

Regret.

Anger.

Three emotions that has somehow found their way into me ever since my path crossed with that of Lobo. And what's even more worse now was that, they were slowly spreading onto the Rewa packs members.

I shouldnt have indulged them. I really should have known better but now the deed had been done already and I had no freaking idea how to correct it, how to liberate the people of Rewa from the devilish clutches of Lobo. One that had already stolen the life of their leader.

Nala whined softly, as if sensing my unease. “It’s not your fault Anisha.” she whispered.

“Don’t try to patronize me Nala, it is my fault!” I quirked, pacing in my room. “It is my fault, Nala.” my voice morphed from stern to a gentle whisper.

I was on the verge of tears but my will not to shed any tears ruled over. I had cried enough, all I wanted right now were solutions to my problems. Solutions on how to get Lobo out of my back and the people I loved once and for all. He had caused me enough damage, why couldn't he just leave me the fuck alone?!

My fingers curled into a fist and I slammed them on the nearest wall. Blood spluttered from my knuckles, trailing down to my arms and the first tears immediately clouded my eyes.

I blinked them back, faster than a nano second, determined to hold onto my earlier resolve. More blood spluttered from my knuckles but I cared less, all I wanted was for my cruel fate to end.

“I'm sorry about how you feel, Anisha.” Nala’s gentle voice pierced through my thoughts.

“It's fine Nala.” I reassured her.

She grunted lowly, sounding displeased and caring at the same time. “No it's not Anisha, look you’ve wounded yourself and who knows what next you wil–”

“I said it's fine, Nala. Don't you get it?!” I snapped.

She growled and went mute. I took a deep long breath, my eyes closed tightly as I tried to calm myself. But it didn't work.

My eyes fluttered open and in the blink of a second, I shifted into my wolf form and Nala merged with me, but not before groaning. With a loud growl, I sprinted past the doors of my room, heading straight to the forest because I needed a distraction before I did something more drastic to myself, and Nala too.

The wind rushed past my ears as I trudged through the deserted pathway leading to the forest, each leap I took, fueled by a determination to get to the forest very quickly.

My feet moved with reckless speed as i trudged through fallen leaves and branches of tall trees. In that moment I felt free, free from all my guilt. Anger and sickening thoughts of Lobo.

Feeling elated, I sprinted deeper until soon enough, I was at the heart of the forest, basking in the stillness of the dense trees.

I shifted back into my human form, and just as I reached a clearing, about to sit still for a while, a shrill cry of agony pierced the air.

It sounded almost like the cry of a baby, but more deep and somewhat hoarse.

I quickly stood to my feet, my ears piqued as I scanned my surroundings.

The sound came again, compelling me to whip around abruptly in the direction from whence I heard it.

But wait, was I being followed? What if this was a trap?

There was only way to find out.

My claws stretched out in its full glory, ready for defense as I followed the shrill cry that had resounded again.

It led me to an even denser part of the forest with branches so thick that they formed a solid mushroom-like covering. My five senses were heightened and even Nala too was on alert.

As I neared the covering, a young boy who looked strikingly similar to Estel’s son emerged.

Wait. Estel's son?!

My lips parted into a gasp when he fell on the floor with his chest heaving and his hair disheveled. He looked like he had been wandering in the forest of days and had an earthy mud smell oozing from him. How did he even get here?!

The clothes he had on were shabby and dirty but that wasn't the shocker, the shocker was the burnt marks I noticed on his arms and legs. They were huge and deep, like someone had placed a hot rod on his legs and arms.

“George?” I called softly, pulling him into a hug. He slumped in my arms and my heart began racing.

Oh goddess.

I picked him up, placing him gently on my back as I shifted back into my wolf form and began running out of the forest.

I had to get back to the pack as soon as possible before something worse happened to him.

Seconds later, I reached the pack and sped into my room at the speed of light, shifting back into my human form.

Fear iced my spine as I gently laid him on my bed, checking for a pulse on his neck. As the moon goddess would have it, he still had one, though it was faint.

“You’ll be fine George, you'll be fine again, trust me okay?” I murmured repeatedly, patting his head.

He opened his mouth to speak but instead of words what came out were thick clotted blood.

“By the lights, George!” I screamed, crouching beside him on the bed.

The door bursts open to reveal Zeeb, panting. He raked his hand through his hair and exhaled deeply the moment he saw me.

“I've been searching all aro….” He trailed off when he caught sight of George. And like I had expected, his reaction was similar to mine when I had seen him in the forest.

“Where did you find him?” Zeeb stuttered, looking like one who had just seen a ghost.

“In the forest.” I replied, checking other parts of his body.

His eyes widened in horror, “the forest?! How?! And what were you doing in the forest Anisha?!”

“That’s not the point Zeeb.” My voice had taken on a hard edge and I meant my retort. We could talk later about what I was doing in the forest but right now I had to heal George, and his questions weren’t helping one bit.

“Do you know how worried I was Anisha? I thought Lobo had found you and taken you hostage.”

“Please Zeeb. Not now.”

“No Anisha, wha—“

“That’s enough Zeeb!” The yell flew free. My jaw clenched tightly as I glared at him, “That’s enough, we’ll talk after I’m done healing him.”

He went silent and stared at me intently. I looked away, casting my eyes on George instead.

Breathing in deeply, I placed my hands on his chest and I felt the pain sipping from his little body. Suddenly, my body shuddered as an electrifying sensation coursed through me and made contact with George.

In the blink of a second, his eyes slowly fluttered open. I placed my hands on the burnt marks on his body, healing them one after the other until his pale skin reared back to life.

“Ma'am Anisha.” I heard him say and a tear slipped from my eyes. I pulled him into a hug, sobbing and patting his back slowly.

“I'm here,George. I'm here.”

“Ma'am Anisha…” he began sobbing, holding me tighter.

“Yes George.”

“I saw him…..” he began, his voice breaking as he spoke, “he came to our home. He chopped off my sister's fingers and made daddy say things.”

I was confused, who was the ‘he’ he was referring to? Was it….No it can't be, Lobo wouldn't be that cruel and more heartless to hurt a boy as little as George would he?

“You saw who, George?” I asked, hoping that my suscipions weren't going to be confirmed, but to my greatest dismay, George began wailing like a banshee as he muttered.

“Alpha Lobo…..alpha Lobo is the man I saw ma'am Anisha. And he's coming for you.”