Chapter 3 - Xander
Xander found himself standing in the shadows, a faint outline of another figure beside him. He reached out tentatively, his hand passing through the darkness like smoke. "Who are you?" he called out, his voice echoing in the emptiness.
In the darkness, he felt a presence, like someone watching from the shadows. It was a sensation he couldn't shake, a feeling of unease that clung to him like a second skin.
But there was no response, only the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. He glanced around, his eyes searching the darkness for any sign of life. And then he saw them, a pair of eyes staring back at him from the shadows.
They were his eyes, he realized with a start, but they looked different somehow. Younger, more innocent. Like the reflection of his own eyes in the still waters of a lake when he was just a child.
"Are those my eyes?" he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible over the rustling of the leaves and the waves of the water in the darkness.
But before he could ponder the question further, he felt a sudden shift in the air, a presence in the shadows. He turned, his heart pounding in his chest, but there was nothing there. Just the faint outline of the other figure beside him.
With a start, Xander jolted awake, his heart racing in his chest. He had been awakened from the dreamscape by a presence in his room, a subtle shift in the air that indicated he was not alone.
Sitting up, his black eyes darted around, scanning the darkness for any sign of danger. His eyes didn't need any adjusting to the darkness; he could clearly make out every object in the room. His eyes turned to the right, and that's when he saw him.
There, standing before him, was a half-shifted teenager, trembling with fear and confusion. Xander's instincts kicked into overdrive as he leaped out of bed. Concern for the boy was the first emotion he felt, but he was also ready to defend himself if necessary.
As he approached, Xander took in the sight before him. The boy's eyes were wide with fear, darting around the room as if searching for an escape. His breath came in short, panicked gasps, and his hands shook uncontrollably.
Xander couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the frightened teenager. First shifts were always hard, and he remembered his with a faint smile. But he had help when he first turned; this boy did not.
Why? How did he even get in here?
"How did you get in here?" Xander asked, his voice calm but laced with concern. "Are you hurt?"
The boy's eyes widened even further, which seemed impossible. "I don't know," he stammered, his voice trembling. "One moment, I was in my room, and the next, I was here. I-I don't understand."
Xander's brow furrowed in confusion. How had the boy ended up in his house? And why did he seem so terrified?
With a steady breath, Xander approached the boy, his movements slow and deliberate. "Hey, buddy, calm down," he said softly, his voice a soothing balm in the darkness. "You're safe here. What's your name?"
The boy's breath hitched, and tears welled up in his eyes, but he did not answer. "My mom. Where is she?" His voice cracked with emotion as he spoke, his eyes pleading for answers. "Do you know where she is?"
Xander's heart clenched at the desperation all over his face, a face that looked too familiar. "I'll help you find your mom, but first, tell me your name," he urged gently.
Before Xander could finish asking his question, a strange sensation washed over him. He watched in astonishment as the half-shifted teenager form began to fade into the shadows, his body dissolving like mist before his eyes.
Xander watched in astonishment, his mind racing with questions as he struggled to comprehend what he had just witnessed. That was only possible for him or the pack Elders when they pooled their powers.
The Shadow Moon Pack had the ability to hide in shadows, but only those with alpha blood could travel through them. Xander had never encountered anyone outside of his own pack who possessed similar abilities, and he did not know this boy, which meant he wasn't of his pack.
And yet, here was a stranger in his own home, using the shadows to move as if it were second nature to him. Xander leaped into the shadows after the boy, following him on his Shadow Jump even though he had no idea where they would come out of. He felt a strange responsibility for this boy he met just seconds ago.
The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth when he emerged from the Shadow Jump. Xander could feel the tension in the air, and his senses were on high alert. Every muscle tensed as he surveyed his surroundings.
He didn't know what he was seeing as it was the boy's shadow trip, not his. The unfamiliar landscape stretched out before him, bathed in the eerie glow of the full moon. Xander looked around, trying to orient himself, but it was clear that he was far from familiar territory.
He climbed a nearby tree, seeking a vantage point to better understand his surroundings. From his elevated position, he could see the entire forest stretching out before him and a small town not far off. But his attention was drawn to the sound of running footsteps and a woman's voice, filled with panic. “Abel!” she yelled.
As he peered down, his keen eyesight picked out the figure of a woman racing through the village square. She wore a simple dress, the fabric billowing around her as she ran, her fiery hair catching the faint light of the moonlight.
It was clear that she had been in the forest for a long time searching for someone, her clothes rumpled and her expression frantic.
"Abel!" she cried, her voice echoing through the trees. Xander's heart skipped a beat as he caught sight of the young wolf running toward her. It surprised him even more as the woman saw the boy and raced toward him as well.
Panic surged through him. He knew the dangers of an uncontrolled shift, especially in the presence of humans. But to his surprise, the woman embraced the boy, soothing him with gentle words and calming gestures.
As Xander watched from the shadows, his keen wolf hearing picked up their conversation.
"It's okay, Abel," Rayla murmured, her voice steady despite the underlying worry. "You're safe now. Just breathe."
"Mom, what's happening to me?" Abel's voice was filled with fear and confusion, his words coming out in frantic bursts.
Her grip on her son tightened slightly, her hand moving in comforting circles on his back. "I don't know, Sweetheart," she admitted, her tone gentle but uncertain. "But we'll figure it out together, I promise."
As Xander listened to the soft cadence of the woman's voice, a flood of memories washed over him, transporting him back to a time long gone. The way she spoke, the gentle lilt of her words, it reminded him of someone. It was like music to his ears, a melody he had thought lost to time.
With each passing moment, the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place in Xander’s head. He remembered the warmth of a touch, the softness of a laugh. He remembered the way her brown eyes sparkled with mischief, the way her smile lit up the darkest of nights.
And then, as if by some cruel twist of fate, it hit him like a bolt of lightning. This voice, so familiar yet so distant, could only belong to one person. It reminded him of someone because it belonged to her. Rayla.
His heart pounded in his chest as the realization washed over him, filling him with a mixture of joy and sorrow. Joy, because after all this time, he had found her again. Sorrow, because he knew that their reunion would be anything but joyful.
Xander's heart raced as he swiftly descended from the tree with the agility of a wolf, his movements silent and graceful. Closing the distance between himself and Rayla, he approached them with cautious steps, his eyes fixed on her familiar figure.
As he stood behind her, his breath caught in his throat. "Rayla?" he murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper, filled with a mixture of hope and trepidation.
Rayla's turned and her eyes widened in shock at the sound of her name, her expression shifting from surprise to anger and fear in the blink of an eye as she locked eyes with Xander.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice laced with emotion as she took a step back while holding her son tightly, her gaze never leaving his.
Xander took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "I can explain," he began, his voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside him. "Who is the boy? Your son?"
Rayla's eyes narrowed at his question, her features hardening with resolve. "Get away from us!" she spat, her voice trembling with anger as she took another step back, her protective instincts kicking into overdrive.
Xander's heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation. If she raised an alarm, there was nothing he could do. He was not only in unfamiliar terrain, he was in human territory. They were surrounded by people who would never understand the truth of his existence.
With a heavy heart, he disappeared into the shadows, retreating to the safety of his own room. As Xander faded into the shadows, he heard Abel's voice, filled with confusion and concern.
"Mom, who is that?" the boy asked, his voice echoing in the darkness.
Rayla's response was swift and final, and it struck him like a dagger. "Nobody," she replied, her tone firm and resolute. "He is nobody."
Back in his room, Xander sat on the edge of his bed, his mind reeling with confusion. He had seen Rayla, the woman he had once loved more than life itself, and she had looked at him with fear and distrust.
He couldn't shake the feeling of shock and amazement at what had just transpired. How had Abel found his way into his house? And Rayla was his mother? Where was the father?
The image of the half-shifted boy lingered in his mind, his eyes wide with fear and confusion. With a sigh, he pushed himself out of bed and padded across the room to the window. The moon hung low in the sky, casting its pale light across the landscape. The forest stretched out before him, silent and still.
In the distance, he could hear the faint sound of running water and the gentle rustle of leaves in the wind. But there was something else, too, a sense of unease that lingered in the air.
Closing his eyes, Xander focused his mind, reaching out with his senses to try and locate Abel. But the connection was weak, flickering like a candle in the wind.
With a frustrated growl, Xander turned away from the window and returned to his bed. The solution to the puzzle before him eluded him.
With a heavy sigh, Xander lay back on his bed, his thoughts consumed by memories of a love lost to time and circumstance. Questions swirled in his mind, but one thing was clear—he needed answers. And he would stop at nothing to find them.