Wolf Sprite
SEVEN - Travel

I must have fallen asleep again because when I woke up, it was dark, and I still couldn’t open my eyes. When I adjust to the night and focus, I recognise that I’m in my bedroom. I realise I’m on the floor, and when I slowly lift my arms and legs, I replace my skin sticking to the carpet. Slowly I rip my arms up, trying hard not to scream from the pain.

I don’t know how long it takes as I wobble to a standing point, but once I’m on my feet, I fall back down again. I look down at my legs and see something dark covering them. It feels rough against my fingertips, and I scratch it to see what it is. The dark tissue flakes, and I realise it’s my dry blood. I gasp in tears as I realise my legs are covered in dry blood.

I push myself into a sitting position and look around. My carpet looks slightly darker where I’m sitting, and it’s two guesses what it is.

Get it together, Aviary. Get it together, I tell myself, trying to calm my breathing. The tears still flow as I move onto all fours. I don’t think I can stand at the moment. My stomach cramps in pain, and crawling to my ensuite bathroom kills me. With one hand, I pull the door open, clutching my stomach with the other, completing the task using my head while I balance my weight on my hands. The tiles on the floor press against both my hands and knees, sending me shocks of pain as the edges dig into my bruised and cut skin.

I slowly peel my clothes off me. I don’t remember ever feeling this pain from Hailey beating me before. My pants are still wet with blood, and I cry when I see my jeans stained red.

Groaning, I pull myself up using the edge of the shower cubicle, and I use this to wobble and balance on my feet. I turn the faucet on, ensuring the water is warm before I slowly venture inside the cubicle, letting the water hit my skin.

Again, I cry out in pain, and letting go of the side; I fall to the shower floor.

I sit there crying, watching the red blood slowly wash down my marred and bruised skin. The water turns red, and I cry, just cry, and cry.

The bruises are still dark purple and black, which should denote that I’ve had them for a few hours, but I know they’re the colour they are because the impact on the tissue is deep.

“I can’t do this anymore,” I cry.

“I can’t do this!”

I haven’t heard from Calla, but I can feel her hiding in the depths of my mind, whimpering and focusing on something besides me.

The water goes cold, but still, I sit there, letting the water wash over me.

“I need to go. I need to go,” I say repeatedly, pulling myself up into a standing position. I turn the faucet off and stumble out of the shower, I should feel cold, like the cold water, but all I feel is numb. I feel numb.

One step. Two. Three. Four slow steps. Another step, and another. I make it to my bed before I collapse, exhausted.

I don’t know how long I sleep or for how long I’ve been out. I have no idea what day it is. But I wake up and see light straining to get out from behind the curtains.

I feel pain. But it’s not as severe as it was. I look at myself. I’m naked, my hair matted from being unbrushed after being wet. I didn’t wash it; I couldn’t get my arms above my head in the shower. I barely used soap to clean myself. Without thinking, I slide off my bed and hobble over to my wardrobe to replace some comfortable track pants, a hooded jumper, a shirt, socks and underwear and begin to put them on. I then grab a bag and fill it with a change of clothes. I also place a pad in my underwear to stem the blood flow.

Her 'I have my period' excuse will be valid this time, I smirk, looking at the blood stain on my bed.

Walking to the door, I call my wolf to see if I can get my hearing power off her, but nothing changes. Slowly I walk out of my room and I listen. Although it’s daytime, I can’t hear another person. As quickly as my body lets me, I check each room to ensure no one is here before I head to my dad’s office.

I walk over to dad’s painting of me as a baby and unclasp it from the wall, opening it like a door to reveal his safe. I quickly press the digits to open the safe, it unlocks, and I grab some bundles of cash and shove them into my backpack.

Quietly I close the safe and hide it behind my picture again before slowly leaving the wing.

I pull the hood of my jumper over my face to hide and take the steps to the hallway which leads to the packhouse’s main foyer.

“Aviary! How are you going?” Jolene, one of our omegas asks.

“Good, hey, what’s the time?” I ask her.

“Ten in the morning, and it’s a beautiful day!” she smiles. I nod at her.

“I haven’t seen you in ages; where have you been?” she asks, but I walk away from her and don’t reply.

I walk through the back door of the packhouse, pulling my hood further over my face, stooping so that I’m more hidden. I still have bruises on my face and some swelling, and it’s not something I want others to see. I don’t know how Hailey would react or what she would do if she found out I walked out of my room with visible bruises. I don’t want to replace out. Keeping my head low, I walk around the large building, cutting through a side walkway to get to the front. I tried to avoid the front foyer because we have someone in reception working during the day, and I wanted to leave as unnoticed as possible.

Thankfully the gates are open because it is daytime, and I walk through without confrontation from the guards.

I don’t know which direction I’m heading, but after walking for what seems like hours, I end up in Worthington’s city centre. I wander around and buy food from a food truck for lunch before heading to Dorian’s hotel. I’m still trying to figure out what day it is, and I left my phone at home, so I can’t check the time.

I’m not sure if I want to do this... if I want to go into the hotel and admit to Dorian everything that’s been happening to me, but I have nowhere else to go.

I finally make a decision and walk into the hotel lobby. I don’t want to go up to his floor just in case he’s not there, so I turn and head for the reception instead.

“Hello, welcome to Regal Hotels. How can I help you today?” the lady at the desk asks. She smells like a fairy and I’m grateful she’s not one of our pack wolves.

“Yes, I was wondering if Major Greystone was checked in?” I ask, making sure that my face remains hidden under the hood.

“Major Greystone? One moment, let me check,” the receptionist says, turning and typing something into her computer.

“No, it seems he left over a week ago. Is there anything else I can help you with today?” the receptionist asks.

“No thanks,” I reply, shoving my hands into my pant pockets and turning around.

I continue to wander the city, and somehow, I end up at the City Connect bus and train station. I scan the boards for possible destinations and see one bus heading off in about thirty minutes. According to its timetable, it will make many stops before stopping at its final destination, Sefton. Something about Sefton pulls me towards it. Going there feels like the right thing to do.

I head for the ticket booth and purchase a ticket. The bus is overnight, and the ticket conductor tells me I must swap buses at Haven Falls to get to Sefton. I nod, thank him, and leave for the little coffee shop nearby to get something to eat and drink.

//\\//\\//\\

I snort as I open my eyes. I open the curtain and see it’s still dark outside, the scenery moving past as the bus continues its journey. I feel nauseous, which is weird because my stomach still cramps at the same time. I didn’t know you could feel sick and have stomach pain at the same time. I check my backpack, but I already know that I didn’t pack any painkillers. I’m a werewolf. I shouldn’t need painkillers. I should be healed by now, but I’m not.

I adjust myself in my seat and look up at the screen near the driver. It reads the time and itinerary. The bus should arrive in Haven Falls at eleven, but there are two more stops before then, the next stop being a one-half-hour stop at Avondale for breakfast. I should get off there and replace an open chemist. I’m feeling human right now.

The bus lurches to its stop, and the driver announces we’re in Avondale. He tells us the time and says he’ll leave with or without us in thirty minutes.

I grunt as I pull my backpack over my shoulder, thinking about what to do while I’m here.

The station is at the bottom of a hill, and I watch the other passengers walk off in their groups to the open diners and cafés up the street. I pull my hoodie over my head, forgetting it had come off during my sleep, and I make my way up the hill.

My calves burn from the lack of exercise, and I groan as I walk past more and more shops, but no chemist. I don’t see any open chemists. In fact, the only open stores are the cafes and diners. However, I replace the public toilets and head there.

Walking into the public restroom, I was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness. I walk into a stall and do my business, satisfied that my bleeding is only light because, guess what else I forgot to pack?

I wash my hands and lift my hoodie off my head to get a better look at my face. Yeah. I look like shit. My bottom lip is still split, but at least the swelling on my face has gone down, and the bruises are turning yellow- except for my right eye, which is still black and not opening correctly. I hope it heals.

Someone gasps, and I see a woman dressed nicely in work clothes look at me before bowing her head and walking into a stall. I sigh and put my hood back on.

I continue to head up the hill, continuing to scan the shops which look like they’re beginning to open.

I’ll probably miss the bus, but it’s for the best. I need a strong painkiller and food, and with the shops only just opening, I won’t be able to do all that and make it for the bus back in time.

And, of course, it is. I see the chemist several stores away from the top of the hill. Slowly I make my way to it, sighing as the warm air hits me as I walk in.

~

Edited with Grammarly