Heroes and Wolves [book 1]

Chapter thirty-four

Layla

Warmth comes over me and I wake to rays of sunlight and a pile of stray leaves and twigs in my lap. I brush them away and try to stand but I'm not successful. A shooting pain comes from the right side of my stomach forcing me to sit straight back down.

My red jacket is scraped with marks and thin slits but it's in a much better condition than my blue top which is completely blood sodden and muddy. I lift it up, well peel it off me and I'm shocked at what I see. Jeez that is one hell of an injury. The bite mark goes all round to my back and has four small indent holes which look the deepest. It's still weeping with blood.

I muster all the strength within me to stand up again, ignoring the pain that stabs as soon as I move.

Now I'm on my feet I can think of where to go. Miscellania haunts my mind straight away but I discard it to allow my shack to rise in replacement. But where would I even start to get there? I'm at a loss. I am lost but I can't stay here in this state. I need to keep moving in any way, shape or form. I cannot concede to this injury. 

While keeping focus on the path ahead and using each tree to stabilise my journey, breakages form within the branches above and I spot a tall pole with a flashing red light. Intrigued, I find a better angle to study this protrusion. It's the Miscellania antenna. 

As I make my way, I come to realise that I wasn't near Miscellania when I passed out, I was at the cliffs? But I don't take any more time to dwell on this as the pain of my side takes over and urges me to move.

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It's very easy to get confused in these woods so I look up occasionally to keep on track of the Miscellania antenna until I'm relieved to see the concrete stairs leading up to the large door of the building. The outside walls are dark brown, clean with only moss on the roof to mar its perfection. Yet the shape of the building isn't that at all as rooms of varying sizes protrude from the sides which takes out every bit of symmetry. At least I am here and can nick a few medical supplies.

My stomach still ignites a sharp ache - a reminder of what I was put through last night, what I saw, what I heard and I don't think there is any chance of it leaving me. 

Maylock put himself in line of the monster to save me. He just did it without any hesitation but suffered the consequence of being thrown off the cliff and plummeting down an almighty height. I don't know if he has come out from it, if... No. Nervous knots form in my stomach so I ignore the thought. 

The one shocking revelation from last night was that werewolves exist and the monster is one! I cannot believe it. All that I have read has been false. I guess books hold different perspectives and it mainly lent on the idea that werewolves were all myth yet I found out the truth. Wait. I was bitten by the monster. So, does that mean...

     "...Layla?" this voice interrupts my thought process. "Layla? Is that you?" I turn around and Baymin is stood at the top of the stairs.

Shit, what am I going to do now? What will I say!

     "What happened to you?" he gazes at me, eyes wide at my attire. I am speechless. My brain is racing to find words to describe but I have no idea where to start.

I pull my jacket together to shield my bloodied top from his sight.

     "Come into Miscellania, it's not safe here" he looks behind me warily and I glance back to source the unease but there is nothing there. Only unknown darkness, but that's what can be scary sometimes. It's the things hidden in plain sight that can spark the most nerves. "Layla, come inside" he firms and I go up the steps and follow him inside, making sure that I walk on his right so he cannot see the full extent of the injury on my own right side.