by ZL Morris
Why did Dad think it was a good idea to live so far out? Stupid, stupid man! God, if I make it out of this, then I’ll kick his ass.
A sharp pain shoots up my leg, and I cry out. My leg gives way, so I forcefully push the little boy away as I crash to my knees. He runs, and I hope he can find Mylo. As I quickly spin around onto my backside, leaves and twigs dig into my palms. The pain in my leg burns, like someone placed hot coals on my skin, but I ignore it.
My gaze searches around the area until I come face to face with a huge black wolf. His eyes soulless, like two bottomless pits, cause me to break out in a cold sweat. His blood-soaked mouth opens, displaying a huge set of razor-sharp teeth followed by a whiff of rancid breath. If I hadn’t grown up with werewolves I would have fainted or crapped myself seeing it.
He throws his head back, and his celebratory howls pierce the air. Another black wolf runs into the clearing and races past us in the same direction the pups had run. It instantly snaps me out of my pain, and I scramble backwards. Hand stuffed into my damp waistband, I grope for the gun. Finally, I wrap my fingers around the cold metal, pull it free, and flick the safety off in one move.
My aim is steady as I point at the wolf in front of me.
The wolf manages to dive away as I pull the trigger. There’s a yelp, followed by a whine. At least I managed to hit him somewhere. I pull myself up into a crouch, leg aching, and aim the gun in the direction he dived.
Everything goes silent. With no wolf in sight, I turn slightly each way, searching. Altering my stance until my weight rests more on my uninjured leg, I continue to scan the area. As blood flows down my leg, the ground under my bare foot turns damp and muddy. I’m in a small, open area surrounded by brush and trees, which works in his favour and offers him plenty of coverage. There’s no way I can hide with the blood loss. They’d be able to sniff me out from miles away, so I do the only thing I can. Choke the fear down, and stand my ground.
A branch snaps behind me, and I spin. My weight lands on my injured leg. As it gives way, I crash to the ground with a cry, giving the wolf a perfect opportunity to pounce. Time slows as he launches himself from behind a tree and lands near my feet. I try to push myself backwards, but my leg lies limp. He opens his mouth to rip into me at the same time I raise my gun back up. I pull the trigger once, then immediately squeeze it again, but nothing happens.
Jammed, the gun jammed.
I squeeze my eyes shut tight and wait for the inevitable pain when the wolf goes in for the kill. A loud thump echoes around the forest instead. My eyes snap open to watch in horror as two wolves viciously fight.
Brutally, the wolves flip and tumble, biting and ripping chunks off each other. It’s then the colour of the other wolf registers, Theo.
Theo goes for the throat of the other wolf. He viciously bites down and yanks the black wolf’s throat out, and it’s all over. The wolf lies lifeless on the blood-soaked earth. Theo turns his face to me. His muzzle is covered in blood and gore, but I strangely don’t find it hideous, the complete opposite, rather. He tilts his head up and lets loose an ear-splitting victory howl.
Loud footsteps stomp into the clearing behind Theo. Over his shoulder, I spot two guys in security outfits move around Theo and stand guard above me.
“The pups?” I question immediately.
“Are safe,” is all they say.
Relieved, I collapse back in the dirt. As I lie there, I silently thank the heavens the pups weren’t hurt, and I didn’t die. Once my leg is healed, I can kick my father’s ass for having us live so far from the pack.
CHAPTER FOUR
- Tallulah -
Not sure how much time passes before Theo returns to the clearing in human form. Only covered up with a pair of boxers, his chest and arms glisten with sweat. Numerous scratches and a large gash pepper his body, but I know by tomorrow they’ll be healed.
He stalks over to me and kneels, barely out of reach of me being able to run my hands over his body. Without realising, I grunt in frustration.
Theo chuckles for the barest of moments, but becomes serious again as he checks over my body. His gaze, checking for injuries, feels like a caress. Before I can stop it, a soft sigh escapes me.
“Do you know who they were?” Authority drips from his tone.
A shudder goes through my body when I think of the wolf who almost killed me. Sweat breaks out on my body from the pain, and I nod mutely.
He rubs a hand down his face. “Do you know what they wanted?”
I immediately shake my head and force the words out. “I didn’t see their faces properly, they used some sort of white smoke which smelt weird.” I think back to when we were in the house. Their voices were loud, but because I was upstairs and they were downstairs, I couldn’t make out their words. “I heard their voices, but they were too far away to be clear, and I didn’t want to hang around to find out. Do you know what they wanted?”
Theo’s jaw clenches painfully while he takes in the blood-soaked ground around me, and the still gaping wound on my leg. His hands repeatedly make fists, they squeeze so tightly his knuckles turn white.
What the hell is he so pissed about?
My body trembles from the cold and the wet clothes, and I wrap my arms around myself in a bid to stop the shakes. My teeth chatter instead. Theo growls in frustration or disappointment, I’m not sure which, and hurriedly stands back up.
Spinning on his heel, he walks away. A tattoo on his back catches my attention. The head of a wolf covers his whole back like a masterpiece. Argent is written from shoulder to shoulder in a beautiful font. Offering an escape from the pain, the daydream of running my hands over his beautiful back and sculptured muscles is easy to drop into.
He barks out over his shoulder, anger unmistakable in his voice, “Carry her, and take her to the medic centre, Blaise.”
This catches me off guard and brings me out of my daydreams. I huff in exasperation. My body is at war with my head, and I’ve no clue why.
The one who I presume is Blaise stutters nervously, “But, sir—”
Theo immediately cuts him off from whatever it was that Blaise was about to say by roaring, “Now!”
My body flinches at how animalistic his voice sounds, and I instantly regret it. A hiss escapes between clenched teeth as the pain shoots through my leg. Holy cow, that hurts! Theo briefly stares down at me, his face murderous, before he storms away in mid-shift. If I wasn’t so confused over why he’s acting more of an ass than usual, I’d be impressed at how fluidly he shifts into wolf form while still managing to walk. It’s only when he disappears I realise he didn’t answer my question.
A pair of legs comes into view, breaking my line of sight at the now empty woods. Straining my neck, I look up into Blaise’s face. He looks everywhere but at me. I try to make him more comfortable. “If you can help me up, I should be able to walk,” I suggest in an effort to make things less tense.
His messy hair flips across his face as he shakes his head. He grumbles, “The future Alpha said I must carry you, I have to follow orders.”
As my frustration builds, I turn away, but silently hold a hand out for him to help me to my feet instead.
His eyes finally move to me and shoot daggers into the side of my face, annoyed at my blatant refusal to follow the Alpha-wannabe’s instructions. “I have to carry you, you’re—”
My anger takes full force and I snap not allowing him time to finish. “I’m what? A half-breed? A mutt who doesn’t heal as quick as the rest of you?” Regret and shame rush through my body at my outburst. I scrub a hand down my face. “Dammit, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t snap at you.”
“Come on, let’s get you to the medic centre.” Bending down, he scoops me up, and I whimper at the scalding heat that rips up my leg with the motion. I still haven’t looked at it properly to assess the damage. I close my eyes and wrap my arms around his neck to support my weight more.
“What happened to the other wolves who were chasing us?” They told
me the babies were safe, but I need to know they weren’t harmed because of me.
Blaise readjusts his hold on me, and I’m thankful when I don’t feel the bite of the leather cuffs on my back. He quietly explains, “Some of the other security caught hold of a couple of them. The pups made a big circle back, and the intruders were stupid enough to follow them right up to the house. We made short work of them before Theo realised you weren’t with the little ones. He charged into the woods for you.”
I remember the guard who was set up outside and immediately ask, “What happened to the security guy who was outside my house? Why didn’t he help?” Without meaning to, my tone comes out accusatory.
His glare burns into the top of my head. Just when I expect him to drop me on my ass for accusing another wolf of foul play, he doesn’t. “The white smoke you described has likely knocked him out. I’ve no doubt that’s where Theo ran off to. He’ll see if they’ve left anything behind and check on Eyolf.”
By the time we make it to the medic centre, sweat soaks through my lightweight clothes. Every shift brings a new wave of pain. Fog covers my mind by the time we walk down the hallway, and I swear Theo’s brothers, Kenji and Quimby, are here. But, why would they be? My head flops back, and I shut my eyes to block out the lights above. My head throbs.
Distant sounds of growls and crashes can be heard, but I can’t make out who or why. Everything sounds like it’s under water. Something cool touches my back, and the arms that restrained me release. Pleased, I begin to drift off.
Dreamlike, I see the waterfall with Kenji, Quimby, and Theo all together as pups. They laugh as they splash each other. It’s a peaceful, happy image. Then, the image changes abruptly, and it morphs into a vision of me in my bedroom, except it’s not my bedroom. It’s dark and cold, and I don’t like it. I try to get up to leave the room, but I’m stuck. Heavy pressure weighs down my arms. When something else touches my legs, I choke on an agonized scream. Searching, to understand why it hurts, I see thousands of fire ants crawling over my legs. I kick and thrash in a panic to get them off, but it doesn’t get me free.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Come back to us, Tally,” a distant voice calls out. I recognise the voice, but I don’t know where the fuck I know it from.
I growl in frustration, pissed off when I can’t figure out who speaks to me. Suddenly, I remember the words that were spoken to me, and I try to scream and shout at them. It’s not okay! They need to help me. I beg and plead for them to help me, but they don’t.
My tongue feels thick and heavy. Did I get the words out? I look back at my legs, and the ants continue to move up my body and onto my thighs. In a last-ditch attempt to get them off, I kick and struggle against whatever pins me down. In horror, I watch as the ants climb. They expose where my feet and ankles are supposed to be, but instead, all I see is bone.
In desperation, I choke back the cries. I don’t have my legs anymore. Please, I want to die. Tears and whimpers escape me; I just want it to end. Please, make it end.
My left hand becomes cold, like ice runs through my veins. I try to snatch my hand back, but it won’t move. Why can’t I move? The ice moves higher, and my head starts to swim even more. I gasp and fight the ice as it creeps through my body.
A voice finally breaks through. “Shh, baby. It’s okay. They’ll make you better.”
“Dad,” I barely manage to whimper before my head swims. My vision goes fuzzy, and the world goes dark.
CHAPTER FIVE
- Tallulah -
The sound of raised, angry voices wakes me up and causes my head to ache even worse. I try to roll over into a better position, but my body throbs. A glance at the window shows it’s still light outside. I’m not sure if I’ve slept all night or if it’s the same day.
More raised voices, which I know from previous visits to the medical centre should not be possible to hear. The walls and doors are supposed to be soundproofed, so for me to be able to even slightly hear them, means they’re shouting as loud as possible. Or I’m in a room where the soundproof isn’t as up to scratch as it’s supposed to be. Groaning, I wish oblivion would take over. I’d rather be out cold than listen to idiots trying to kill each other. The sounds abruptly stop. Not really caring if or how they managed to hear my groans, I look over towards the door as it swings open, and Dad bursts into the room.
He rushes towards me, and I panic for a second, thinking he won’t be able to stop before he crashes into my bed. He surprises me though when he stops an inch away from the bed. Horror blooms as I take in his tear-streaked face.
Oh, hell. Dad’s been crying. This is bad.
He reaches out and folds me gently into his arms before he buries his face in my hair, while he whispers over and over, “Thank, god.”
Filling my nose with his familiar scent, I’m not afraid to admit I’m still a Daddy’s girl. “I’m sorry, I tried to get away from them, but there were too many.” Regret goes through me because I’d upset him.
“None of that, baby girl,” he soothes, then straightens and wipes his face clear of tears. “You just concentrate on getting better. We have plenty of stuff that needs to get sorted.”
I frown. “What needs sorting?”
His face instantly goes blank. “Nothing for you to worry about, sweetie. It will be fine.”
“Knock, knock,” a very familiar and sinful voice calls from the still open doorway.
Goosebumps cover my body when I take in who stands there. Kenji, Theo’s brother. The goose bumps bewilder me; I don’t understand how or why my body keeps doing these weird things, first with Theo and now Kenji. I snort in sheer disbelief. All I need now is to throw in Quimby, and I’ll have a full house of stupid hormonal reactions. God, I need to go for a run or train with the guards, anything to work this frustration out.
The smile plastered on my face makes me wonder if it’s forced or if I’m genuinely happy to see him. Maybe I’m just cuckoo because of the medication. “Hey.”
I watch in fascination as he saunters into my room and takes a seat in the chair at the side of my bed, opposite from my dad. He briefly raises his hand above my limp one as if he wants to hold my hand, until my dad loudly clears his throat. When I turn in his direction to check if he’s okay, his worried stare meets mine. I turn back to Kenji whose hand rests firmly on his thigh.
Had he been about to touch me? Better yet, why didn’t he?
“How are you feeling, darling?” Kenji’s sultry voice sends tingles all over my body.
From what I can make out of his body while he sits, he’s bulked up from the last time I saw him. His arms are more defined than what they used to be, but with his sandy blond hair and sparkling blue eyes, he still looks like the boy next door. It has me wondering if Quimby has bulked up like his twin.
I clear my throat to hide my reaction. Not sure if it’s caused by the pet name or not, “I-I’m okay. When can I go home?”
A dark expression flashes across his handsome face, but he hastily masks it. “Well, I don’t know about going home, but I came in to tell you that, when you’re up to it, Alpha Henrique wants to have a conversation with you.”
This can’t be good. Am I in trouble?
Maybe he wants to question me about the wolves who attacked us? I know they were from the Blood Moon pack. It’s well known their wolves all have solid black fur. Their rancid breath is another indicator.
They’re infamous for their less than stellar community, their less pure thoughts. I’ve also heard the rumours that they take dru— I choke in horror, my eyes watering as my breathing becomes choppy.
“Tally, sweetheart, what’s the matter? Calm down, sweetheart. Just breathe for me, please.” Panic fills Dad’s voice.
Through the roar of my heart in my ears, a loud, obnoxious buzzer sounds in the hallway, followed by the thunder of footsteps as someone barrels down the hallway. The doctor who calmly walks into the room grabs my attention.
“Right, Tallulah, let’s get your breathing u
nder control, shall we?” He chatters on as he reaches above me for an oxygen mask and places it firmly over my face. “We don’t want you to pass out on us. Your dad has been worried sick.”
He turns a couple of nozzles, and pure oxygen is pushed through the mask. As it blasts into my face, I cringe away from it, but the doctor gently grabs my hands.
He firmly tells me to stop struggling and to breathe.
Already tired, forcing my body to calm down is a drain. I fight to get my thoughts together, so I can figure out why I freaked out in the first place. Panic hits me again full force. My breath hiccups, and I choke again. Oh, god!
“Breathe, Tallulah! Or I’m going to give you a sedative and knock your ass out!” the doctor demands hotly.
Crying as I try to fight it, I need to know, I need to ask. I barely sob out, “Di-did the wol… wa-was he on d-d-drugs?”
The doctor briefly looks at my father, and I do as well. Dad has a pained look on his face. My body shakes, and as much as I try to stop, it only gets worse because I know the answer. The doctor clicks his fingers sharply in my face, and my attention snaps back to him. I have to force my mouth to stay shut so I don’t snap at him in return.
Fucking asshole!
He takes his thin wire-framed glasses off his face and uses his uniform to slowly clean the lenses. My blood pressure instantly rises over how blasé he’s being over the whole situation.
My patience goes up in smoke, and I bark at him, “Will you just tell me!”
“His blood tested positive for Wolfsbane. Because he consumed such a high quantity, some managed to get into your system via his saliva. You were experiencing the resulting side effects when you were brought in.” Casually, he places his glasses back onto his wrinkled face and straightens up. “Normally with contamination from a bite, if the one being bitten isn’t an addict, they’ll be fine. You’ll be fine.”