Tigh Na Faol: House of Wolf (A Wulvers Prequel)

Chapter 19 ~ Awake

Chapter 19: Awake
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A rhythmic thudding. Panting hard. The taste of copper was on my tongue. Stopping to listen, the world around me was dark and silent. Not even the wind dared to break the quiet. Colours were different. More vibrant. Sharper. Running again. No clear thoughts. Just run and breathe and hunt and kill. A howl broke through the air. A shudder of pain, the only sound escaping was a whine. A deep ache. Bones snapped slowly one by one. This wasn't right.

My throat burned raw as I screamed, agony waking me from my dreams. Every inch of my skin itched, scratched raw by my nails while I slept. I rolled over, trying to cry out. Torian wasn't in bed next to me.

Clouds parted and the room lit up with silver light as the full moon shone through the window. It was too bright, my eyes squeezing shut. My nightgown clung to my soaked body and even the bed beneath me was damp from sweat. My breathing was harsh and heavy and just as I was about to settle back down, the pain returned. It hadn't just been in my dream. Had my scream been real too?

The pain built slowly, my fingers gripping the sheets so tight that it stung. A low groan slipped past my clenched teeth as my muscles cramped, my back bowing in an attempt to escape from it. The crunching sound ground right through me and I couldn't hold back the cries any longer.

I was deaf to the thud of footsteps and voices that filled the chamber joined to the bedroom. My body contorted, my chest constricting so tight that no sound could escape now. I suffered more in my silence but in my head I screamed and screamed, sometimes Torian's name.

"Màili!"

The bedroom door swung open but I couldn't so much as move to see who it was. I wanted them to leave. To be left alone. Gods.

I really could taste blood now, it filled my mouth as my teeth sliced through my tongue and my next breath was choked. Red dripped past my lips. My stomach rolled, threatening to bring the blood I swallowed back up.

Cool hands pushed wet strands of hair from my face and I could only just make out Torian's blurry features. Only those hazel eyes were clear, shining brightly like swirling pools of green and gold. His fingers stroked over my cheek in an attempt to calm me.

"Make it stop," I pleaded wildly, my nails raking over my skin again.

He gripped my wrists, pinning them to the bed beside me and I could see the panic he tried to conceal. I fought against his hold, yanking and bucking violently, my fingers curling into claws, but he wouldn't release me.
I could tell that he didn't know what was wrong as he turned to the blurry shapes that stood behind him. Another body moved to the opposite side of the bed, the scent of heather drifting towards me. Lady Lyall, Torian's mother.

She reached across the bed for my hand, clasping it tightly and hushing me gently, her son's hand still tight around my wrist. The pain had eased off again but instinctually I knew it would return as it had before. The few moments of relief had a shiver wrack through me. Tears streamed down my cheeks, but even they felt cold against the burning heat of my skin. I slumped against the bed like a ragdoll and blood rushed back to my fingers when my husband deemed it safe to let me go. I gripped Lady Lyall's hand tighter.

My arms were red raw from scratching, nasty raised lines running up and down my skin. I'd done that to myself. Another wave of overwhelming heat burned itself deep into my bones.