A New Wolf Life (Completed)

Ch 46 - A Visit to Black Lake Prison

Copyright to VedaPettigrew

Hatred sat in my chest. Like sticky black tar, it stuck to my lungs, making it hard to breathe. Anger was its companion, causing the tar to boil as it bubbled through my body and crippling me with its intensity.

For a few days I shut down, barely noticing where I was as Dominic led me around with him. I stared out the window as I curled on the sofa, waiting for him to finish everything he needed to do. I ate mechanically when food was put in front of me. I showered with him, but the warm feeling I normally got by being groomed by my mate was lost. Nothing could survive in my body, not with the tar.

I was exhausted, even though I slept as much as a cat. Every movement was sluggish and heavy, so I moved as little as possible. I clung onto Dominic's hand whenever he forced me to get some fresh air. I was glad he did, Silver needed more than I could provide for her at the moment.

I couldn't face people. I couldn't talk. The thought of opening my mouth and talking about what I had discovered made the inside of my mouth turn to glue. I communicated with Dominic through our link, but everybody else had to deal with silence.

Well, Hammer and Joan had to. They were the only people I would see. I knew they were worried about me, but clueless how to help. I didn't know either. It wasn't like my problem was usual. I allowed them near me, letting them pet me, trying to comfort me the best they knew.

My mind churned with images, real and imagined; Jeremy and his wandering hands. Seeing Amos out the window as I fought him off - the benefit of my new knowledge enabling me to picture him much more clearly. Seeing Amos dragging my father to his death. Seeing my father struggle and cry out, desperate to save himself for my sake.

It never ended.

The pictures playing on a loop stopped me from seeing anything around me, keeping me in the prison of my mind.

Time was meaningless, drifting pointlessly from one day to another. Nothing affected me, nothing changed. Until one miraculous day when we were all outside I felt Silver surge forward, insisting that I shift. I allowed it, hoping to feel some relief in her form. The others looked at me, surprised at my unannounced action. I hadn't even bothered to go and change my clothes first. They lay in a weird heap around me.

Silver wriggled out of them and turned to the treeline. Without waiting to see if the others were following she ran full tilt towards the forest, soon enough I heard the familiar beating of paws on the ground behind us.

She led us through familiar dells and leafy caverns, I didn't know where she was going, but I felt the same pull she did. We were being led somewhere.

We started travelling through parts of the territory I hadn't explored yet and looked around in amazement at the beauty of the area. Flowers were growing in abundance, their scent filling me with something wonderful. The battle between its delicate tendrils and the disgusting black tar coating my insides was hopelessly one-sided, but I appreciated the brief respite the beauteous nature brought.

I hoped the scent would win. Carrying around such anger and hatred felt foreign to me. It didn't help me in any way except not letting me forget anything. I just relived it over and over without the sense of closure. Yes, Amos and Jeremy had both been punished, but it didn't bring me peace. My father was still dead.

I followed a stream that seemed almost golden in the way that the light bounced from its dancing waters. Its fresh smell joined the fight against the tar and I relished in feeling even the tiniest bit clean.

Silver jumped in the water. It was warm, heated by the intense summer. She plundered the deeper water, lifting her feet to swim for the first time. I felt Dominic's panic spike through our link, I had been having swimming lessons in the lake when the water was calm and flat. This stream was rapidly getting larger, becoming a river.