A Ghost's Heart

Side Note from the Author: Hi everyone, I just want to make it clear that this story is a rough draft only. Thus meaning I will come back and edit it and things may change as I try to figure out where I want the story to go and how I want the characters to develop. Thanks for sticking with me, your author Skullwriter1166.

Song of the Chapter: Run Boy Run by Woodkid

Three years ago myself and a handful of my packmates died in a battle against our will power, three years ago we left behind our lives, our mates, and our happiness. Three years ago I gave up everything for the better good of my pack. I missed so many parts of life I should be living. I missed so many firsts. My first child, Dusk’s and I’s, Fang was born soon after Dusk returned to the pack. Fang helped heal Dusk in ways that I only ever could have hoped of but I know she still isn’t the same, my death broke a part of her. I missed Fang’s eyes opening, I missed his first hiccup, his first burp, hell I even missed his first fart. I missed his first birthday and then three more after that. I missed my son's first step, his first tooth, his first babbled word. I missed so much and I don’t know how much more of it I can handle. I sit alone on my log in this beautiful never-ending place, I like to think it’s heaven but I’m not sure. No one can handle being around me, I’ve grown so bitter. I don’t want to be bitter, I want to let Dusk and Fang move on but how can I? I reach out to the world below me as if maybe somehow I can reach it, I know I can’t. I’m stuck here in this beautiful place tortured by the life I’ve lost growing more depressed each day I spend here.

“Noah, we’ve figured it out.” A voice I’ve come to recognize and find comfort in says lightly behind me.

I spin on the log jumping to my feet as Kate, Dusk and Crane’s mom approaches me excitement bubbling from her. Her words threaten to bring hope into my heart, a hope I don’t desire to have. Nothing has worked so far, nothing I’ve done has gotten me back to Dusk no matter how hard I’ve pushed. Beside Kate is her husband, and Dusk and Crane’s dad, Greg. Rarely do you see one around here without the other, they’ve taken me in ever since I arrived here, in fact, they’ve taken us all in. With them is a woman I’m glad to see, I’m glad she ended up here where she could finally be happy. Her pale green eyes meet mine as she smiles at me, I move to Lora and pull her into a quick hug. Past them is my father, it was hard seeing him, very hard but now we are on good terms. When Lora lets me go they all step aside allowing another person to approach me.

“Hannah?” I question my voice rising because I haven’t seen her since I got here, I didn’t think she would end up in the same place that we would.

“It’s good to see you, Noah.” Hannah smiles at me before reaching out and pulling me into a tight hug, I hug her back.

“What are you doing here?” I ask confused at her presence.

“I’m here to help someone I love dearly get back to where he belongs,” Hannah replies showing me her bright smile.

I dig into my being trying to see if Hannah dredges up any of my original feelings for her, I want to see if Hannah being here changes anything for me. It doesn’t, I don’t love Hannah anymore, I’m not sure I ever truly loved her as more than a sister figure when I think about our relationship. I think Hannah must see this in my eyes because she lets out a small laugh.

“Noah, you and me we didn’t belong together. Even if I had lived we would have figured that out the moment you met Dusk, you and she are meant to be. You and I are brother and sister, nothing more.” Hannah explains to me as she puts her hand on my shoulder settling my unease.

When Hannah pulls away from me everyone moves back in closer as we hug each other in greeting. Finally, when we’ve all said hello I take a step back and prepare to ask the most important question.

“So how can you help?” I ask Hannah needing to know what the plan is.

“You mean how did I help?” Hannah smiles before she turns.

Two figures walk from the forest behind us, figures I haven’t seen since I first arrived here and they told me that what happened, happened for a reason that they couldn’t change.

“What are they doing here?” I growl out unhappily, it’s not their fault they can’t help but I still blame them.

The figures grow nearer and nearer until they are upon us.

“Noah, your friend here is very persuasive. Plus she holds some leverage, something about an extremely old prophecy that we’ve overlooked. An extremely old prophecy that Dusk knows about, meaning that it is a prophecy we can work with.” The Wolf God’s silky voice explains as her pale hand reaches out to grab Hannah’s shoulder and give it an approving squeeze.

“I always was good at prophecies,” Hannah replies smiling brightly.

Everyone is always smiling here, everyone but me.

“What prophecy?” I prod unable to help my curiosity.

“You see Noah the Mexican’s once told of two great Hellhound’s, one of fire and one of ice. The fire one would come first and wreak havoc on those deserving of it, it would seek revenge and be unruly until it found it’s equal. Upon finding it’s equal the two Hellhounds would come together to take on a great test of their nature, the fire one would thrive while the ice one would give up everything to help it’s equal thrive. But when the time came and peace was upon those who the Firehound was opposed with than on the next day of the dead Death and The Lobo would come together to drop the veil between the heavens and the earth. On that day those who’s time had come wrongly would be given the chance to return to the earth and retake their supernatural forms, but it would only stick if the Icehound would return too.” Death explains in his deep foreboding voice.

I take his words into my very being, I take the hope he produces into my soul. Could this prophecy possibly mean myself and my packmates could return to Dusk, to our home? Tears brim in my eyes at the idea as I turn away from everyone and face the other side of the log that looks out over a vast landscape below. When I first arrived here this place was reacted because it was the place where we were buried in the real world, my favourite place. Every day I have come here and enjoyed the view while contemplating ways to return to the real thing. Now that opportunity has potentially prevented itself.

“Will it work?” I ask my voice cracking as I’m unable to contain my emotions.

“It will,” Hannah reassures me.

“Who all can come with me?” I ask knowing there has to be some catch to this, there is always some catch.

“Your packmates who died with you, any others who died unnecessarily in the facility. The timing works weirdly and there is very little I control, I simply collect the souls who have passed on. The adults died because it was time to hand over the future to the younger generation so they will not return. Hannah, Kate and Greg died for the first prophecy so they will not return.” Death explains and I quickly tune him out.

A great sadness aches through me at the thought that not everyone gets to go home, not everyone gets their life back.

“It’s okay Noah, we know where we belong and we have accepted it. It is you who needs to take yourself and the others back to where you truly belong.” Kate tells me before pulling us into a group hug.

Tears spill down my cheeks at what I’m regaining but also about what I’m losing. I may be regaining my life but I’m losing the people I have reconnected with here.

“It is time to go, it is midnight on earth, when the sun is at’s it’s highest point is the only time we can enact this prophecy and lift the veil briefly.” The Wolf God’s silky voice presses quietly but urgently.

“Is there anything you would like me to tell anyone?” I ask as I connect with my packmates here and Death flits around collecting those who will return with me.

“Tell Dusk, Danny, Reaper, and Crane that we are proud of them. Tell them that we love them and that we are always watching over them and you.” Lora sighs tears escaping from her pale green eyes as she turns to her sister and looks into her sister’s matching eyes.

“Tell Dusk that it isn’t her fault this happened to me, I don’t regret any of the time I spent with her.” Hayley presses and I nod.

I continue nodding long after they have turned and walked away from me. I’m left standing alone in my favourite spot. Suddenly everything around me begins to shake before a blinding flash of light shoots out across the skyline moving towards me quickly. Gasps of voices echoed behind me and a hand touches my shoulder, I turn my head to meet Carl’s excited eyes. I swallow hard turning my head back towards the blinding light headed our way, before long I have to put my hand up to shield my eyes from its brightness. When the light hits us it sends a sharp pain through me that drops me to my knees as my chest hurts wickedly as I begin to breathe erratically. Gasping in breathes I try to get my breathing under control as my heart beats hard against my breast bone. My heartbeats! I blink and when I do everything fades from view before quickly coming back into focus, the hint of unbelievable beauty that made the distinction of heaven’s features has gone. I kneel in the forest where night noises reach my ears and a breeze swishes through the trees picking up speed as it shots past us into the open air. The world has an ugly haze to it that proves it’s realism, we are back. I am back. I turn to Carl getting to my feet just as he does. My packmate's eyes meet my own and I turn my head to the sky letting out a howl of excitement that is quickly followed by their howls creating an echo throughout the night sky and the trees. I shift moving quickly in the direction that my heart is drawn. Only two thoughts pound in my head, two names, Dusk and Fang. I’m finally going home to Dusk and Fang. The idea gives me a boost of adrenaline as my paws dig deep into the semi-wet soil propelling my run to an even faster rate. Paws pound the earth around me as we head home.

‘When we get home I’ll approach the house first, it’s been long enough that they might not recognize us. They might perceive us as enemies.’ - I decide as I send the decision around to my packmates who all agree with me.

We’ve been able to view bits and pieces of what’s been going on while we were gone but we don’t know the whole story, we don’t know who is where right now. Humans live with our packmates in the fixed up mansion as the task force was put together and proved successful. It’s been thriving for the past three years, strongly proving that humans and Wolves can co-exist protecting each other and taking down evil in the world. It is finally almost the way it should be, with our return we will complete the missing piece of the picture. I pull from my thoughts as the mansion comes into view, it looks better than it did last time I saw it. Though not much has been changed about it, to the regular eye it would still appear like an abandoned building in the forest but we know the difference. In the background behind the mansion are several freshly built tree-house cabins placed half-way up the trees for the humans to stay in I’m guessing. It’s an ingenious design that doesn’t cause any damage to the natural habitat of the forest floor and still be able to provide a new structure to the area. Just like we planned my packmates stop at the edge of the forest allowing me to approach alone. I slow my pace trotting cautiously towards the mansion now tuning my eyes and ears to anything suspicious around me. I’m halfway through the clearing when two humans appear on the porch with a huge black Wolf with beautiful green eyes standing in between them growling uneasily. Two Wolves round the mansion on each side baring their fangs at me, I recognize the two on the left as Garth and Sicora, the two on the right are Crane and Reaper. Any other circumstances I might bow my head and submit to such a show but I belong here, I am the alpha male and they need to be reminded of that, Dusk needs to recognize me as who I am. I stop where I am standing tall showing that I am not threatened by such a display. The wind whips by me carrying my scent to the porch where Dusk’s lips fall over her teeth and the growl cuts short in her throat.

‘Noah?’ - Dusk’s unsure voice finds it’s way into my mind as she takes a step forward out from the two humans that I now recognize as Victor and Pauline.

‘Dusk, I’ve finally kept my promise.’ - I respond to her and everything happens at once.

Dusk rushes from the porch whining as I move forward to her, the others around us are not sure of what’s happening as they remain hostile. A small black blur rushes from the front door of the mansion at the same time as Hayley appears behind it panicked. The moment Dusk and I reach other we slam into each other shifting into human form as I tackle Dusk to the ground where she wraps herself around me happy. I pull her tight to my body-hugging her as close as I possibly can, the feel of her body against mine causes sobs to pull from my chest. Suddenly painful little teeth nip at my heels and back drawing my attention.

“Fang no, it’s okay. Fang, it’s daddy, he’s finally come home!” Dusk’s mushed voice comes out from under me and I go completely still.

It’s almost like I’ve become paralyzed with wonder. Carefully Dusk peels herself from me and takes a few steps away as she ushers the little black Wolf to her side, he has my eyes. A few hushed words are exchanged between Dusk and the Wolf before he shifts back into a toddler and grasps onto Dusk’s hip.

“He can already shift?” I question amazed as I look down at the little toddler that is my son.

“Having your blood and my blood mixed his rate of growth, shifting, powers, everything is accelerated,” Dusk explains tears slipping from her eyes as she brings the little toddler closer to me.

He certainly isn’t shy as he staggers from Dusk’s hip until he falls tight against my leg his head reaching my thigh just above my knee. He hugs tightly and I finally find myself. Reaching down I grab the toddler pulling him up into my arms hugging him tightly to my chest without crushing him. Instinctively he puts his chubby little arms around my neck and nuzzles into me causing me to fully break down in tears. Dusk moves towards us hugging us both tightly and for the first time in three years, everything feels right. I turn my head to Dusk’s pressing a deep kiss to her lips before she rests her head on my unoccupied shoulder and we just stand like this relishing in each other’s company.

“Noah.” Fang gurgles out and the brightest smile touches my lips, my son knows my name.

My eyes meet Dusk’s and her eyes shine. She blinks before bodies appear around us moving to join in on our hug. Just as they do my packmates step from the forest showing their presence understanding that it is safe. Gasps go out around us as mates rush to each other finding their moment like the one Dusk and I are sharing right now. This is a moment I will live in for the rest of my given life, I will cherish this forever. These two people with me right now are everything to me, to finally fulfill my promise to my mate and our son is everything.

“How?” Dusk mumbles out through shallow breathes as she tries to contain her tears for a moment.

“Let’s just say everyone finally agreed it was time for us to come home,” I respond smiling happily.

Dusk leaves it at that happy with my response, happy to just finally have me back. I know things have been hard on everyone, they will finally get better. We are finally all together again the way it should be.