Fangs vs Claws

by Rua Hasan

“But I promise you, as long as I’m alive, I will not let anyone lay a finger on you. I will not rest until I find out who did this and why they want you. You’re everything to me, and knowing that this happened only angers my wolf and me to the point where I want you to be in my sight all the time,” he admitted.

  “And I know that this bothers you, but I’m just afraid of losing you. And I will not risk that ever! So please believe me when I say that you don’t have to be afraid because you will forever be safe with me!”

  By the end of Aiden’s little speech, he pulled me over to his lap and calmed himself down by inhaling my scent. He tightened his hold on my waist, And the heat rose to my cheeks as his words sunk into my brain.

  I had no idea he cared about me this much.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck and closed the space between us. I felt so safe in his arms. I believed everything Aiden just said, and I don’t know why, but when he said he would protect me, I knew from the beginning he would. I rubbed my hands up and down his arm to calm him down, which worked.

  I pulled away only a little when I remembered why I made him stop the car. I gulped and took a deep breath, trying to relax my nerves.

  “Aiden, there’s something I have to tell you,” I said.

  At first, he didn’t pay attention to what I said. He was too busy kissing the skin on my neck to my jaw, all the way to his mark, which made me shiver in pleasure. For a second there, I almost let out a moan, but I held it back because this wasn’t the right time.

  I grabbed the back of Aiden’s head and pushed it back gently so that I was looking into his blue eyes.

  “There’s something important you have to know,” I said.

  He raised an eyebrow curiously and nodded slowly.

  “Just don’t think I’m crazy, okay?” I blurted out.

  He narrowed his eyes, and I could see a smirk forming on his lips once I said that.

  “Why on earth would I think you’re crazy?” he asked.

  “Just don’t,” I said stubbornly.

  Aiden only nodded after rolling his eyes.

  I took a deep breath then started, “I’ve been having these weird dreams for a while now.”

  While I spoke, I looked at my lap and played with my fingers nervously. But I briefly glanced at Aiden to see his reaction. And you know what I saw?

  A smirk.

  “Don’t tell me you’ve been having wet dreams about me already,” he told me with a hint of amusement.

  My eyes widened, and I slapped his shoulder lightly.

  “No! I’m being serious,” I said.

  It seemed like my serious tone snapped him out of it as he remembered the situation we were in.

  “I’ve been having strange dreams about the dead,” I told him.

  He raised an eyebrow at me.

  “The dead?” he repeated.

  I nodded.

  “And at first, I thought it was just a coincidence, but in every dream, I would see the same person, and he would tell me to do the same thing.”

  “What would he tell you?” he asked.

  “Do it,” I said.

  There was a moment of silence until Aiden spoke.

  “That’s all?” he asked.

  “That’s all,” I said while nodding my head.

  “But there’s more. You see, before all this happened, I had a strange dream about Alice, my deceased best friend,” I reminded him.

  “And she told me that was no normal dream, and that I’m special, and that she came to warn me about someone,” I told him.

  “Warn you about who?” Aiden asked.

  I shrugged my shoulder, not quite having an answer for that.

  “I’m not sure. She disappeared before she could clearly tell me, but I do know it’s an Alpha,” I said.

  “So you’re saying that an Alpha could be behind all this?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  “You don’t believe me, do you?” I asked.

  He shook his head immediately.

  “Love, of course, I do. I would believe anything you say,” he said firmly as he hugged me closer to him.

  I felt myself blush. It was like some weight was lifted off my shoulders when I finally got that out of my chest, but then I’ve realized something.

  “Oh, and I forgot about something else to ask,” I said.

  Aiden nodded his head, wanting me to ask.

  “Is your pack haunted?” I asked.

  Aiden looked down at me with a confused look.

  “Love, just because you’ve been having strange dreams, it doesn’t mean our pack is haunted,” he said.

  I rolled my eyes but felt butterflies in my stomach when he said our pack. I pushed them away because right now wasn’t the time for that.

  “I don’t mean that,” I said.

  “What I mean is that lately I’ve been seeing ghosts too, and I don’t know why,” I told him.

  “So what you’re saying is that you’ve been having strange dreams about the dead and seeing ghosts,” he said.

  “Don’t think I’m crazy!” I said as I hit his hard muscular chest, which, of course, had no effect on him.

  “Oh, I don’t think you’re crazy,” he said.

  “I think it’s you who’s being haunted,” he said playfully.

  I rolled my eyes and gave him a stern look.

  “Wait, you’re being serious?” he asked.

  I gave him an annoyed look.

  “Of course I am! And what I’m saying is that we don’t know exactly who did this, but an Alpha could be behind it,” I exclaimed.

  Aiden growled when I mentioned today’s accident and tightened his grip on me.

  “Whether it’s an Alpha or not, I’d rather die than let anyone lay a finger on you,” he said.

  I hugged him closer as I ran my hand through his soft hair as we lay our foreheads against each other’s, finding safety in each other’s presence.

  “And that’s a promise.”

  

  Aiden and I stood right outside the hospital door, and I gulped nervously. It seemed as if we had been standing there for hours, just trying to calm down our nerves. I could feel sweat form on my forehead, and the same goes for my hand, which was holding Aiden’s.

  It’s like I was glued to the floor; my legs were paralyzed as I stared through the glass door and saw nurses and doctors rushing to their patients who were being taken away.

  What if Sarah wasn’t okay?

  What if she never woke up?

  I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her because it’s all my fault this happened. It’s all my fault she’s here in the first place.

  I couldn’t bring myself to walk through the door and look her at the face.

  What if she blamed me for everything? I really can’t blame her. I would blame myself too.

  Aiden tugged on my hand, snapping me out of my thoughts. I glanced up at him to see him staring at me with concern in his eyes.

  “Hey, everything’s going to be fine, love,” he said as he ran his hands up and down my back.

  I nodded and walked inside the hospital with Aiden by my side. We asked the doctor where Sarah was and headed there immediately.

  As we walked down the hall, I saw many rooms. And behind every door was a story. One is maybe a tragic loss, or just a normal check up. The possibilities were endless, leaving me thinking about how life could hit us when we least expect it.

  As we approached, the corner where Sarah’s room was, I saw a tired Marie and a couple of she-wolves, along with some guards, outside Sarah’s room. I rushed toward Marie and gave her a hug. We pulled away after a moment of silence.

  “Stella, I’m so sorry for what happened, but I want you to know that you’ll be safe with Aiden,” she said as she glanced at him who was standing right behind me.

  “Wait, how do you know what happened?” I asked while raising an eyebrow.

  “Liam told me,” she answered.

  I nodded then looked at th
e door nervously then back to Marie.

  “How is she?” I asked.

  Marie gave me a sad smile.

  “For a second, we thought we lost her, but it’s a good thing she was found before it was too late,” she told me, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

  “Why are you all waiting outside?” I asked.

  “The doctor won’t allow more than one visitor,” Marie answered.

  I nodded my head and told Aiden I was going to check up on her, then approached the door and opened it slowly.

  I peeked in and saw Sarah sleeping on a hospital bed with machines around her. I closed the door and grabbed a chair. Once I sat down next to her, I grabbed her small hand in mine and kissed it.

  “Oh, Sarah, I’m so sorry,” I whispered as I rubbed circles around her hand.

  “I never wanted this to happen. All I wanted was for you to be happy and find a family. Not to end up here.”

  My voice cracked in the end as my vision blurred because of unshed tears. I pushed a strand of her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear then kissed her head.

  “Please wake up,” I whispered.

  As if those words were the magic words to wake her from slumber, Sarah’s eyes opened. My eyes widened, and my mouth fell open.

  “Sarah!” I spoke.

  She seemed confused as she took in her surrounding, her eyes darting from one place to another. She opened her mouth to speak but closed them. Assuming it’s because of her dry throat, I got up from my seat and ran out the door.

  “Guys! Sarah’s awake. Call the doctor.” I yelled.

  Everyone’s heads snapped toward me, and the she-wolves who were sitting down went to call the doctor as Marie grabbed a glass of water, walked into the room, and handed it to Sarah. The girl gladly took it and gulped it down.

  A moment later, the doctor walked in with a couple of nurses behind her. She bowed her head at Aiden and me then smiled at Sarah.

  “You know, you are a very strong girl,” she told her, and Sarah smiled.

  “And a very lucky one too,” she said then turned to Aiden and me.

  “Alpha, Luna,” she greeted us.

  Aiden nodded while I gave her a small smile.

  “How is she?” I asked, referring to Sarah.

  “She lost a lot of blood but is very lucky to make it out alive. She will need to stay here for a couple of days so we can make sure she’s okay,” the doctor informed us.

  I nodded, sighed in relief, and walked over to Sarah’s bed. Her face was pale, and she looked tired. I hugged her as I ran my hand through her hair.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked her.

  She shrugged her shoulders and looked up at me.

  “I feel a bit tired,” she answered.

  I nodded my head and faced everyone who was standing around her bed.

  “Didn’t you hear her? She feels tired, so out we go,” I told them.

  I kissed Sarah’s forehead and walked out with the others to give her some time to rest. But when I was about to close the door, I heard her soft voice call out for me. I popped my head back into the room.

  “Can you stay for a bit?” she asked.

  I gave her a warm smile and nodded my head. I sat on the chair I was previously on.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” she said.

  I raised an eyebrow and gave her a confused look.

  “Look at you like what?” I asked.

  “Like you’re guilty of what happened to me and want to apologize,” she told me.

  I averted my eyes to my lap and nodded slowly.

  “Maybe it’s because I do,” I said softly.

  “Stella,” she said firmly.

  I looked up at her and saw her tapping the space next to her on the bed. I got up and sat next to her as she laid her head on my chest while she played with my hair.

  “Do you know why I was out in the woods?” she asked me.

  I looked down at her and shook my head.

  “Mommy used to bring me there all the time, and we would have picnics there, eating and laughing at the silliest things,” she told me.

  “And every time I go there, I feel her presence, Stella. I go there to seek comfort. Because ever since she left, I’ve been feeling lonely,” she whispered the last part as she looked at me with glassy eyes.

  I patted her head, trying to comfort her, and I hugged her closer to me.

  “But you know what? That all changed when you came into my life. You helped me see the light again and return my smile. So please don’t blame yourself. If anything, I should thank you,” she said.

  Her words made me smile.

  “It’s you who I want to thank,” I said as I got off the bed and kissed her forehead.

  “Now, you should rest. I’ll be back when you wake up,” I reassured her then walked out of the room, feeling much better than I was before.

  Chapter 32

  I walked down the hallway holding the tray of food for Sarah to feast on. It had been two days since she arrived here in the hospital, and finally, they were letting her out today. The past two days had been pretty boring. I spent it here with Sarah, not wanting to leave her side. There were many times when Aiden tried to convince me to go home and rest, but I couldn’t.

  I was afraid.

  Call me paranoid, call me whatever you want. It’s just I didn’t want to leave Sarah alone after what happened.

  What if they came back and did more damage than there already is? I couldn’t stand the thought of that. Yes, I know there were guards guarding the door, but still, that was not enough to calm my nerves.

  Other than that, Sarah had been getting better. Her injuries were all healed, thanks to her being a werewolf, but it took her more than a day to get better because of her young age. Also, Aiden increased my guards; having two or three wasn’t enough for him. Usually, I would complain and try to convince him not to be so protective, but I knew better than that now.

  Especially after what happened. It was clearly shown that I was a target and whoever was behind this wanted me for some unknown reason. So if I were in Aiden’s place, I’d be scared too.

  Once I opened the door to Sarah’s room, instead of seeing Marie and Liam watching over Sarah like they were supposed to, I was met with them bickering in low voices beside a sleeping Sarah. I walked closer to them and put the tray down, but they still didn’t notice my presence because they were too busy glaring at each other.

  “Liam! I’ll say it one more time, and you will agree with me before I rip your face off,” Marie warned.

  “The egg came first!” she said firmly.

  Liam didn’t look like he was taken aback by her threat as he shook his head at her.

  “Marie! Everyone knows that the chicken came first. It’s obvious,” he told her.

  Marie shook her head at him furiously.

  “How on earth did the chicken come without an egg? That’s just nonsense,” she said.

  “Well, who on earth laid the egg? A chicken, of course,” Liam argued.

  “Maybe it wasn’t a chicken. It could have been a dinosaur that mutated,” Marie exclaimed.

  Liam looked at her as if she grew two heads.

  “Where on earth did you get that crazy theory from? That’s ridiculous!” he told her.

  “I got it from my brain, which I use! Not like you. If you think that the chicken came first, that is absurd,” she said.

  “It’s not absurd! What’s absurd is your crazy theory about how the chicken evolved.”

  “Is not!”

  “Is too.”

  “Is not.”

  “Is t—”

  Before Liam could finish his sentence, I grabbed the magazine that was sitting on the counter and rolled it up, then hit it on the back of his head as I sent Marie a warning glare.

  “Will you two grow up!” I told them.

  “You guys are literally arguing about what came first while Sarah’s asleep,” I whispered-yelled
as I pointed to the bed next to them.

  “You guys are the most immature people I’ve ever met. Now, if you don’t mind, take this somewhere else,” I said as I pointed to the door.

  Liam was rubbing the back of his head where I hit him, while Marie was trying to bury him six feet underground with her death glares. They both walked toward the door and opened it, but before they closed it, I called out their names.

  “Oh yeah, and Liam’s right. The chicken came first,” I said.

  

  I gave the last remaining bag to Aiden and helped Sarah off the bed. The time was now around eight pm, and we would have gotten her home sooner if it wasn’t for Liam’s thick skull. You see, after I kicked Marie and Liam out of Sarah’s room, Liam decided to take Marie to some college library, which they presumed had the answer to what came first: the chicken or the egg. I doubted they would find it.

  And I was right.

  After they were done wasting their time, Liam’s car broke down, and they were miles away from the pack. Aiden had to use his car to pick them up. And being the possessive and protective Alpha he is, he didn’t want me taking Sarah home all alone. Even though I would have guards escorting me there, he still wanted to be with me. So I had to wait in Sarah’s room with a bunch of new guards, along with Scott, until they came back.

  I turned my head to my left and saw Marie creating holes in the back of Liam’s head with her eyes, while Liam looked away from her annoyed. I walked beside Aiden while holding Sarah’s hand as she clung to me.

  We weren’t taking her to the orphanage yet. Aiden and I decided that it would be better if she stayed with us in the pack house for a while until things got better. I wished she could always stay, but it wasn’t allowed until she became the age of eighteen or was adopted by someone who lived there.

  We walked toward Aiden’s car as guards surrounded us. No matter how many guards I had beside me, I wouldn’t feel as safe as I would be if I were with Aiden. I guess it had to do with the mate bond. Knowing that he’s there for me decreased the fear and panic inside me, making me feel much better.

  Once we were all in the car, excluding all the guards who were taking their own car, Aiden began making his way to the pack house.

  “So what’s going to happen now?” Liam asked once Sarah fell asleep on Marie’s lap who was sitting in the back seat beside Liam.