A sharp knock at the door jolted me awake, and I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. The darkness outside was palpable, like a thick fog that pressed against the windows. I checked my phone - 12:25 a.m. - and groggily made my way to the door. "Who is it?" I called out, my voice husky with sleep.

"Deraya, please open the door. It's us," Kimberly's shaky voice replied. I frowned, concern etched on my face. What were they doing here at this hour?

I peered through the peephole, my heart racing with a mix of fear and curiosity. Satisfied it was indeed my friends, I unlocked the door, and they tumbled in, each clutching a pillow and blanket. Rachel and Tya looked spooked, but Vanessa's fear was palpable. She clutched her pillow tightly, her eyes darting around the room like she expected something to jump out at her.

"What's going on?" I asked, my eyes narrowing as I took in their disheveled appearance. "It's really creepy here at night," Vanessa whispered, her voice trembling.

"'We decided to sleep together here," Tya said, her voice trembling. "Why? What happened?" I asked, trying to hide my growing unease. The looks on their faces sent a chill down my spine.

Kimberly gave out a shaky breath ." I couldn't sleep so I decided to head to the kitchen at the entrance to see if i could warm myself some milk..." She paused, visibly shaking. She looked as if she was about to cry.

"...but I couldn't find the light switch, and I didn't have my phone with me." Her voice cracked as she paused, her eyes welling up with tears. "I saw a dark liquid on the counter, and I...I touched it. I held it up to the window, and in the moonlight, it looked like blood. It smelled like fresh blood too." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Then I heard a scratching sound in the corner. I ran back to my room and slammed the door shut. It woke Rachel up, and she came to check on me. I screamed, and Vanessa came too. I've never been so scared in my life." Kimberly hugged her pillow tightly, her eyes fixed on some unseen horror.

I masked my own fear, knowing that if we all gave in to panic, we'd be doomed. "Let's try to stay calm and figure out what's going on," I said, trying to sound braver than I felt.'

"You didn't see anything?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Kimberly shook her head, her eyes wide with fear. "No, nothing."

"Where's Patty?" I asked, looking around at my friends.Rachel shrugged. "No idea."

"She's our guide, she's supposed to..."Vanessa finished my sentence. "She wasn't going to stay the night, we knew that. She was supposed to protect us. But now she is gone and we are alone with...whatever is out there."

Tya's voice was laced with logic. "Whoever is in here must have entered through the door or an open window. But there are guards outside, right?"

Kimberly's voice trembled. "The kitchen window was open. That must be how they got in."

I took charge. "We need to call Patty." But Vanessa's next words filled me with dread.

"The phone is at the end of the hallway. But what if we are not alone when we get there? " None of us had Patty's number, and the phone seemed a daunting distance away.

The silence that followed was oppressive, each of us lost in our own thoughts. Vanessa broke the silence, her voice trembling. "I don't want to die. I just met my mate..." She pouted, her lips quivering.Rachel rolled her eyes. "Come on, Vanessa."

But I intervened, trying to sound calmer than I felt. "Hey, nothing's going to happen to us, okay?" I said, trying to reassure them.

I sighed and moved towards the bed,my heart beating  so fast I feared it might come up my throat. I wasn't used to being this frightened mostly because Derrick was always with me. But he wasn't here to protect me now. Flora was silent also. I couldn't reach her no matter how hard I tried. It was as if she wasn't there at all.

"Can you guys feel your wolf?" I couldn't help but ask. If at all anything happens we should be able to summoned our wolves to help us.

"I can't feel her at all" Kimberly answered. "It's like since I stepped into the kitchen I couldn't feel her that's why I wasn't aware of the danger I was stepping into and I  couldn't see in the dark." 

That's true. Flora can detect danger from a mile away.  "Mine too." Vanessa said. "And mine." Tya piped in. Rachel nodded. The only thing I was aware that can affect our wolves is wolfsbane which can only have an effect when injected or ingested. A toxic substance used to repell wolves which is very dangerous. Excessive exposure can kill.

I needed to think this through. "You guys should get sleep." The bed was indeed big enough for five of us.

Kimberly slowly rose from the edge of the bed, her eyes fixed on the bed as if it were a lifeline. With a quiet whimper, she dove into the middle of the bed, burrowing under the blankets as if seeking refuge from the darkness that lurked outside. 

The bed creaked beneath her weight, and her I  watched in silence as she vanished beneath the covers, her trembling visible even in the dim light. I couldn't blame her as she was the most frightened one among us.

"I hope you washed your hand thoroughly Kimberly." Tya said smiling and Rachel chuckled. 

Kimberly looked at them sheepishly. " I only cleaned it with a wet towel. I was too scared to go into the bathroom."

 They were all about to settle in when Vanessa turned to me and asked. "Aren't you joining us?" I need to think. I wanted to say but I opted for..."I need some fresh air. I might even take a curious step to see what or who is at the kitchen." I couldn't help but say. I needed air,my skin was starting to feel itchy.

"Curiousity killed the cat." Tya said drowsily and I smirked. "This cat has got nine lives." 

"Please don't go Deraya." Kimberly said,her voice muffled. I chuckled. "I was just kidding. I'll be at the balcony."

Walking up to the sliding glass door leading to the balcony, I turned to look at them and met Vanessa's questioning eyes. I knew what she was thinking. Who goes out for fresh air in the middle of the night? But I didn't care. I felt as though I was breaking apart,not from fright but from...from what exactly?

I stepped into the night, and the darkness enveloped me like a shroud. The air was heavy with an eerie silence, and then, without warning, a scent hit my nose.

 It was familiar, yet elusive, like a memory that lingered just out of reach. I sniffed again, trying to place it, but it slipped away, leaving me with a sense of unease. It was sweet and earthy, with a hint of something else... something that made my heart race and my senses tingle. I knew I'd smelled it before, but where? And why did it feel so important? 

I scanned the darkness, my senses on high alert, but I saw nothing. The only sound was the distant howling of wolves, a haunting melody that sent shivers down my spine.

I instantly felt like running back to the safety of my bed, but my legs defied my brain's orders, drawing me closer to the railings like a moth to a flame. 

The smell hit me again, stronger and more potent, making my stomach roil and my vision blur. I stumbled backward, doubling over as nausea washed over me. My body trembled violently, and I collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. 

Flora stirred within me, her fur bursting forth from my skin as my bones cracked. Flora wanted release but i couldn't shift. The transformation was agonizing, like my body was rebelling against itself.

 I screamed, the sound tearing from my throat as the darkness closed in. Just as all light faded, I heard the glass doors slide open and footsteps pounding towards me, but it was too late. The blackness consumed me, and everything went silent.

***

As I slowly came to, I found myself lying on my bed, stripped bare except for a thin blanket draped over me. The curtains were drawn back, flooding the room with sunlight. 

Groggily, I wondered what had happened the night before. I had perceived something and my whole body went haywire. 

My body still felt weak and shaky, like I'd been ravaged by a storm. I struggled to my feet, every muscle protesting, and made my way to the bathroom. 

As I brushed my teeth, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror - claw marks scored my face and arm, still tender to the touch. Had I really clawed myself?

The wounds looked treated, but the pain lingered. Flora's silence was deafening. I poured soothing bath oils into the water and sank in, feeling my tense muscles relax. 

After a few minutes, I scrubbed myself clean and washed my hair, wrapping a towel around me as I exited the bathroom. The silence from Flora was unsettling.

I halted, taken aback by the four worried faces on my bed. "Morning, girls," I said, forcing a smile. Rachel's concern was palpable. "Deraya, are you okay? You look..." "I'm fine," I interrupted, trying to reassure her.

 Kimberly and Vanessa exchanged skeptical glances. "Really?" Kimberly pressed. "Yeah, I'm great," I insisted, trying to sound convincing. But before they could probe further, I swiftly changed the subject. 

"How's the kitchen this morning?" My eyebrows rose inquiringly. Tya hesitated, fidgeting with her fingers. Kimberly's nail-biting intensified, and my frown deepened. Whatever they were about to reveal, it wasn't good. 

And then Tya dropped the bombshell. "Patty's body was found this morning." The words hung in the air like a dark cloud, and my heart sank.

******

And that's a wrap for this epic chapter! 🎉 I hope you survived the drama, suspense, and plot twists. Don't worry, I'll give you a breather... until the next chapter, that is! 😉   Almost 2000 words. I know i haven't been updating regularly but I hope this makes up for it.   Thanks for reading, and don't forget to vote, comment, and share your thoughts! Your support keeps me going. Stay tuned for more adventures... and maybe a few more cliffhangers! 😏

Remember: If you notice any grammatical error or anything at all I need to correct don't hesitate to bring it to my attention so I can correct it. I would appreciate your feedback. 

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