Spirit Guardian

Lost Flames Reaching Through Sorrowed Shadows

Must have 10 comments and 20 votes for another update. A/N: "Kwop kilawtley," means "Stay with me forever" in Quileute. Art by Ai Bing. Warning: Small mention of rape.

                    Leah's eyes snapped open; her bedroom bathed in the soft morning glow. The cotton sheets clung to her skin, a familiar cocoon of warmth. But how had she ended up here? The memories of the night before surged, a torrent of fragmented images: blood, raged growls, and the sting of betrayal. Koda. The name echoed in her mind. 'Where was her imprint?' she thought. Leah's gaze darted around the room, searching for any sign of her enigmatic companion. But Koda was nowhere to be seen. Had it all been a dream? A figment of her sleep-addled imagination? The pain that shoots through the side of her face when she moves her jaw answers that question. The air smelled of rain and pine, a heady mix that tugged at her senses. Leah swung her legs over the edge of the bed, the cool wooden floor sending a shiver up her spine. She needed answers. Leah needed to find Koda. She padded across the room, her bare feet whispering against the floorboards.

                    The living room beckoned, its windows framing a world washed in gray. Raindrops tapped a soothing rhythm on the cabin's metal roof, a lullaby for lost souls. And there, in front of the kitchen stove, stood Koda. Her back was a study in contradictions—muscular and delicate, strong yet vulnerable. The sports bra clung to her skin, revealing the curve of her spine. Baggy sweats hung low on her hips, similar to the somber look etched on her face. Koda's hands moved with precision, deftly flipping bacon in the skillet. The sizzle and pop filled the room, drowning out the rain. She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes meeting Leah's. There was a sadness there, a weight that stretched beyond the confines of their shared space. Leah's heart stuttered. She took a step closer, drawn to the woman who held the answers to her questions. The scent of crispy pork hung in the air, mingling with the promise of secrets yet unspoken. "Koda," Leah whispered, her voice lost in the symphony of raindrops. "About last night—," she says but hesitates.

                    Koda's lips curved into a frown. "You should eat first," she said, her fingers brushing against the plate of bacon. "I promise to answer all your questions after," Koda says as the air in the cabin grows heavy, laden with secrets and sorrow. Koda's eyes bore into Leah's, a silent plea for understanding. She guided Leah to the worn wooden table, urging her to sit. The chair creaked under Leah's weight, but her mind was racing, fueled by a mix of curiosity and dread. Koda moved with a quiet grace, fetching plates and utensils. The smell of breakfast—bacon, eggs, and hash browns—lingered in the air, a stark contrast to the weight of the impending revelation. She placed a plate before Leah, the crispy bacon arranged like shards of broken promises. Leah's fingers trembled as she picked up her fork. She had sensed Koda's pain, the haunted look in her eyes.

                    "Koda," Leah whispered, her voice barely audible above the rain's steady rhythm. "Tell me," she pleaded softly. Koda hesitated, her gaze flickering toward the window. Raindrops raced down the glass. 

                    "His name is Ku," she began, her voice raw. "A male werewolf—a monster who believes he has a claim on me," Koda admitted.

                    Leah's breath caught in her throat. "Claim? But—," she says, but Koda interrupts her.        

                    "Before I was even born," she says but hesitates, her knuckles white against the edge of the table. "He forced my parents to agree to an arranged marriage. To him, I'm nothing more than a pawn, a vessel for his ambitions," Koda revealed as she traced the rim of her coffee cup, her eyes distant. "Ku...Kidnapped me....And in that dark place, he violated me," she admitted with tears in her eyes. The words hung heavy, like stones sinking into her soul.