CHAPTER 45: Something Wrong With Me Pt 2

CHAPTER 45: Something Wrong With Me Pt 2
ARIA 
"You look pale," Ally comments as she places her plate on the table while I pour my coffee from the pot into a mug. "Are you sure you're fine? If you're not—"
"I'm fine," I say, cutting her off while taking my cup to the table. 
She cranes her neck and looks up at me until I sit next to her inside the kitchen. 
"You sure?" 
"Yeah, I'm just exhausted, and I didn't really get much sleep last night." Or at all. 
It's still hot when I drink the coffee, and it almost burns my mouth, but I don't care. I need it in my system so I can remain awake and attentive. 
"Well, do you want to come with me? You're going to be bored alone at home, and Henry won't be back til later." 
"Where are you going?" 
"Oh, just to pick a few things and then I'm going for a run," she pauses and points her fork at me. "You should come. Seeing other wolves will probably trigger your wolf to surface since she hasn't." I can tell that she's just trying to make me feel better, but it doesn't work. 
I'm far from feeling good.
My wolf hasn't surfaced, and I don't even have the strength or time to think why or what's going on.
"Where's Darius?" 
"He left early in the morning for work," She bites down on her bread and then continues. "Oh, and he told me about what they did with the councilman who took you. Rowan. The alpha killed him."
Killed.
I knew that Lucian wouldn't just let him go, but the finality of it, and the fact that it actually happened... it makes me feel weird.
Fuck. 
"Oh..." 
"You don't sound so relieved."
"I am, it's just—I wanted to know what he gave me, what he used. And I can't know if he's gone."
Ally frowns at me, her expression confused, "I thought it was silver and mistlock, right?" 
"I think so. But I feel there could be something else. I'm just not sure." 
I'm not sure. Not at all.
I take a deep inhale and then another sip of the hot coffee.
"Hey, don't worry too much. You'll get your answers. Darius said there were two other wolves involved. We can ask them?" she suggests, trying to be optimistic for my benefit. "I'll ask him. How does that sound?"
"Yeah, that'd be better."
After we finish breakfast, she starts preparing to leave, and I do the same. I change into something comfortable before heading out with her. 
I can't stay inside, within those four walls of my room, knowing that someone was in there just a few hours ago. 
And the blood...
Ally heads to the centre and we both pick a few things that we need and after that we get back inside the car. I haven't had really much time to do anything, even when I've been here for over a month now. 
I've been too stuck to go and actually look around, see places and just have fun.
It's always one thing or another, making sure that I don't have any time to breathe.
"Do you think there are a lot of wolves here?" I ask her as we head into the forest, and the gravel path is soon left behind and the trees surround us from each side.
"There'll be a few. And the training grounds are close by, so if you want to go look there, you can." Ally says, "But if you want to hang with me today, it'll be fun." 
I kick my boots over the slightly wet dirt and shrug, "I'll come with you. You're not gonna run too fast, right?"
"I promise," she smiles and nudges me lightly. "Don't worry, you'll have your wolf back in no time, and we can race."
Her words ease my worries. "I hope."
"I'm sure. Now, c'mon," she urges, and we walk together deeper and deeper into the forest until the sun is high up in the sky, and the air feels fresh, and light.
It's beautiful here. Everything is.
As we walk, Ally points to different things, showing me where we are and how far we're going and where we are. We are closer to the other side, the side of the border.
She even points in the direction where the training grounds are, which isn't far. 
And then she shifts. 
Her wolf is a light brown colour. Her fur gleams under the sunlight, and when she walks towards me, it looks impossibly soft to the touch. 
I follow her to the lake, near the edge, and she runs around the place, exploring while I watch and feel like I'm missing something.
A sting rises at the back of my neck, but when I touch the place, there's nothing there. My eyes wander around, taking in the surroundings and something suddenly clicks in my head. 
I was right here in the dream.
The wolves... 
My heart races as I spin around in circles and look at everything around me, taking it in. No. I take a few steps back and then start running. 
"Where are you going?" Ally speaks to me through the link while she moves on the other side of the lake. I don't respond to her. "Aria!" 
I keep running through the woods, my chest heaving with each breath, and the farther I get, the more I can feel that something is wrong. That wasn't just a dream. 
I halt near the training grounds and press my hands over my knees while looking ahead at all the wolves in their forms. And the cabins. 
It's all normal here. Nothing like the dream. Nothing like what was going on inside my head.
"Aria!" Ally catches up, and her human voice reaches me this time. She stops right behind me, and I straighten up and look at her. "Why did you run? What happened?" She's panting, and her chest rises and falls in quick succession. 
"I don't—I don't know." 
"Hey," she places a hand on my arm, looking at me with worry, "You don't look too good. We can go back home?" 
I look at the cabins again and something doesn't sit well inside me.
"I just, I just need to check one thing." 
"What?" 
I don't look at her and instead, I make my way into the training grounds, but past the yard where the wolves are and toward the cabins.
"Aria," she calls after me. "What's wrong?"
"Just give me a moment." I say and she doesn't stop following me even when I look back at her. 
Suddenly, I'm face to face with Lucian, who is right in front of me. 
My gaze lifts to meet his dark stare and I swallow hard. 
"What are you doing here?" he asks, looking down at me. "You're supposed to be—"
"There's something wrong with me." I grab his arm and tell him and it comes out almost as a whisper. "I think I'm losing my mind. I can't feel her, and I have these nightmares. I—I saw these wolves and I think something else was put into me and—and—" My voice catches and he quickly takes me to his side.
"There's nothing wrong with you, Aria." Lucian assures, and I don't think I'm breathing.
"No, you don't understand." 
"Look at me," he orders, "You are fine."
I am losing my mind.
"I'm not fine." I tell him.
He leans closer and tilts his head, "I can smell your wolf, Aria. I think every male here can." 
My brows furrow, "What?" 
"Your wolf," he repeats. "You're in heat. I can smell it."