Page 34 of Blood, Shadow & Claw

"Come on,"Raylene's voice trailed back to me, a command that brooked no argument. But Kayla's eyes lingered on mine for a split second longer, her silent message clear: Help.

"Dammit,"I muttered, watching them vanish down the path. This needed to be corrected. This couldn't be right.

"Okay, Mazie,"I murmured, taking a deep breath to calm the storm inside. "Time for some answers."

And with that, I made up my mind. I might not have known much about umbra shifters or the complexities of their pack dynamics, but I did learn one thing: I couldn't just stand by and watch a child suffer. Raylene might be a force to reckon with, but I had always been a sucker for a cause, especially one that looked at me with eyes that echoed the loneliness I knew all too well.

I marched through the woods, my boots crunching against the fallen leaves, each step fueled by a cocktail of concern and determination. The image of Kayla's wide, frightened eyes wouldn't leave my mind. It was like they were etched onto the insides of my eyelids, haunting me.

"Hey!"I called out as Ajax's hulking frame came into view. He was doing something with a large pile of logs, his back to me, muscles flexing beneath his flannel shirt. Even when moving lumberaround, he looked like he could grace the cover of an outdoorsy romance novel. But there was a better time to get distracted by the rugged umbra animal magnetism.

He turned at my voice, those piercing blue eyes locking onto mine. "Mazie? What's wrong?"Concern laced his voice, and that soft side was peeking through despite the authoritative exterior.

"Raylene,"I started, my words tumbling out in a rush. She was... Her grip on Kayla was rough, and there was zero warmth. That's not normal, right?"

Ajax set the log down and wiped his hands on his jeans before walking over to me. His presence alone seemed to calm the jittery squirrels in my stomach. He had that effect—solid like the trees that surrounded us.

"Tell me exactly what happened,"he said, his gaze steady.

I recounted the scene by the stream, how Raylene's stern expression had morphed into outright anger, and how she'd grabbed Kayla so carelessly. By the end, my hands were shaking—not from cold but pent-up frustration.

Ajax listened without interruption, nodding occasionally. When I finished, he sighed, a deep sound that seemed to come from the earth we stood on.

"Raylene has always been... gruff, especially with the young ones. It's not uncommon for umbra parents to be strict, to prepare their cubs for the harsh realities they might face,"he explained, scratching the back of his neck.

"Strict is one thing,"I countered, crossing my arms over my chest. "But that didn't look like tough love to me. That looked like someone about to snap."

"Her methods are less pleasant than most, I'll give you that."Ajax'sgaze shifted away, scanning the tree line. But Raylene is fair. She's taken on the role of guardian for many of our orphans, including Kayla. It's not easy; she does it without asking for anything.

"Fair doesn't feel like the right word when a kid looks at you with eyes screaming for help,"I said, the image of Kayla's gaze burning behind my lids again.

"Kayla's had a hard life, Mazie. Raylene pushes her because she knows what it takes to survive. And survival isn't always pretty."

I chewed on my lip, considering his words. They made sense in a twisted, umbra logic way. But they didn't sit right in the pit of my stomach.

"Thanks, Ajax,"I finally said, my voice softer. I just needed to understand. I wanted to make sure she's okay."

He nodded, a silent promise passing between us: "I get it. Your heart's in the right place. Just remember, our world isn't straightforward. You're still learning the ropes."

"Complicated seems to be my middle name lately,"I quipped, forcing a smile. But inside, the turmoil hadn't settled. Not by a long shot.

I left Ajax with a nod, my boots crunching over the forest floor as I returned to the stream where I'd first spotted Kayla. The peaceful burble of water did nothing to soothe the whirlpool of emotions churning inside me. Had I just stuck my nose in where it didn't belong? Raylene's icy glare was etched into my memory, and the thought that I might have made an enemy out of her sent a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with the evening chill.

"Great, Mazie,"I muttered to myself. "Way to go. Make friends with the umbra cub and piss off the grizzly."Sarcasm was my shield, but it was flimsy against the onslaught of doubt. Raylene wasn't just anyone; she was an elder, a pillar in this bizarre umbra world I'd stumbled into. And here I was, still fumbling around like a toddler taking her first steps.

I perched on a rock by the stream, where Kayla had been sitting earlier. Her pigtails, her big brown eyes—she looked so vulnerable, yet there was a steeliness to her that both intrigued and worried me. "You don't need another project, Mazie,"I scolded myself. But who was I kidding? My heart had always been a sucker for the underdog, and if Kayla wasn't one, I didn't know who she was.

"Complicated"didn't even begin to cover it. Making friends in a new town was tough enough without adding supernatural politics. I realized then that I was alone here, an outsider among umbra’s. The irony wasn't lost on me.

The rustle of leaves announced the night's approach, and with it, a blanket of uncertainty settled over me. What was I doing here? Was I cut out for this life? The questions swirled like the leaves in the autumn wind, leaving me more unsettled than ever.

"Survival isn't always pretty,"Ajax's words echoed in my head. Maybe he was right. Perhaps I needed to toughen up. But at what cost?

"Guess we'll find out, won't we?"I whispered to the trees, the only witnesses to my inner turmoil. The first stars peeked out from the darkening sky as I stood, shaking off the residue of my contemplation. Tomorrow was another day, and I vowed not to let fear dictate my actions.

As I walked home, the last light fading behind the mountains, I couldn't shake the feeling that my bond with Kayla—and whatever was brewing with Raylene—was far from over. It was like standing at the cliff's edge, not knowing whether the next step would send me soaring or tumbling down into the unknown.

"Here's to hoping for wings,"I said to the evening star before slipping into the sanctuary of shadows and the quiet promise of tomorrow.

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