The Shadow Alpha novel Chapter 45

I tossed in bed for the hundredth time.

Where is Devin?

What was Oliver trying to say?

Why would he do that?

My mind fired question after question like a broken record and all because I couldn’t find an answer to either of them. I groaned out loud as the same unanswered questions replayed themselves in my head, the crisp white of my ceiling made me feel like a mess, the mass of beddings that had gotten tangled hours ago suffocated me. With a frustrated huff I stood up off the bed, threw on the purple hoodie that was strewn across my desk and slipped on a pair of Vans before marching out the door.

Shadow was hanging at the back of my mind; she was too upset about the day’s events.

‘Shadow, do you think I should talk to him?’ I asked helplessly, not really knowing how to handle the situation.

‘Not this time sweetheart, this time it’s up to him to find us.’ I sighed exasperatedly, he probably didn’t even care.

I made my way towards the north border, my favourite place to think. As I walked through the forest I thought back to all the times we spent together; the years we played together as children, the nights we spent savouring grilled cheese sandwiches and hot chocolate.

‘Where did I go wrong?’ I asked Shadow weakly. I couldn’t stop the feeling from bubbling within me; it was a distantly familiar emotion.

A question akin to that which I asked when I lost my parents twelve years ago.

I detested the fact that he could make me feel that way regardless of how hard I worked to bury that hatch after leaving his pack.

My self-deprecating thoughts came to halt as I arrived at the clearing, I hadn’t realised just how fast I was walking till now.

I strode to the bench that stood beneath the huge tree in the centre of the clearing, the moon was high in the sky and stars littered the vast open space. The breeze was slightly chillier since it was early November, but still relatively warm considering we were in California.

Looking down at the bench I suddenly had the urge to lay on the grassy plane and feel the prickle of the blades beneath my bare feet, so without further ado I kicked off my shoes and sunk them into the cold green carpet before lowering myself into a horizontal position.

I gazed up at the fairy lights that the girls and I hung up here when I first fell in love with the setting and like the soft glow of the lights comforted me, the cool night air calmed my raging thoughts and before I knew it, I fell into a peaceful slumber.

~~~

It was hot and extremely bright, two very uncomfortable feelings to wake up to. As I peeled my eyes open I was suddenly blinded by the harsh light of the sun that radiates down on me from its place high in the sky. My momentary confusion was lifted as I recalled last night’s events, my lack of sleep and sudden impromptu journey to the clearing.

I eyed the pair of Vans that lay at the foot of the bench and then my toes that involuntarily wiggled when I looked at them, the action made me giggle.

‘I’ve got cute toes though, don’t I Shadow?’ her delight was evident as she hummed in agreement to my childish antics.

Unexpectedly a fiery red bird landed on my hand that was splayed across my stomach, it stared at me for a moment before chirping loudly. Along with the gleeful song that escaped the little creature’s beak, the vibrant colour of its silky feathers and its unwavering gaze, a delightful beam settled on my lips.

“Red. I’ll call you, Red.”

That’s when a thought struck me; so many things in life are temporary, happiness doesn’t have to be one of them and if you cannot make yourself happy then no one can do it for you.

With one final note my feathered friend took to the skies, leaving behind only the delightful feeling within me and a memory that would be imprinted in my mind forever.

I stayed in the same position for a few moments longer basking in the sunlight and the mere simplicity of the moment. All the way down here on God’s green earth I felt free, I felt in control, but most of all, I felt hope bubbling inside of me.

~~~

Long before I reached the edge of the forest I could hear the wonderful sound of the children playing in the yard, I figured that they were playing tag as the high pitched voices giggled screaming, “You’re it!” every few seconds.

With a mischievous grin on my face I broke through the greenery and grabbed the two kids closest to me, their high pitched squeals were mixed with my, “You’re it.” they giggled happily when they realised that it was only me, before I knew it I was surrounded by the entire group of pups and engulfed in an enormous group hug.

We all laughed merrily as I lost my balance taking many of them down with me, the look on my face was one of surprise and it only served to amuse them further. It felt unfair that they got to laugh at me when they were the ones who caused me to fall in the first place, an evil smile crept onto my face just as the idea struck me. With that thought in mind I grabbed the two closest to me and proceeded to tickle them breathless.

By the end of my assault everyone was exhausted lying on the ground catching our breaths from laughing so hard.

The beaming smile remained in place even as a shadow settled above me, Devin stared down at me with a scowl so intense my eyes went wide in sheepish amusement. Before I knew it he yanked me off the ground onto my feet, much to my annoyance.

The feeling didn’t last long though as my gaze fell on the bright red Audi that I loved so much and now reminded me of my feathered friend, Red.

My thoughts were abruptly cut short by the array of glowers I was receiving from my friends and family. Some stood with their arms crossed, others just stared in annoyance. Overall I had not a cooking clue as to why everyone was so pissed off.

The idea of food caused my stomach to grumble loudly and a silly laugh erupted from me.