The Awakened

by Amanda Carol

She snaps out of it and rushes back into the cabin. I look down at Sloane, who is trying to talk.

  “Shh, don’t try and talk. You’re going to be okay. You hear me? Just hang in there, Sloane. It’ll be okay.” I do my best to reassure her, but even I can see how bad this is.

  She reaches up and grabs hold of my wrist, but her grip is weak. Just then, Declan rushes out of the door and sprints down the stairs.

  “What the hell happened?” he asks, kneeling where Abby was just moments before. His hair is dripping wet.

  “I don’t know! We don’t have time to take her to Kora. You have to heal her!” I snap at him.

  He shakes his head. “What? I’m not sure if I can!”

  I look up at him and our eyes lock.

  “You can. Just try. Please!” I plead with him.

  I can hear footsteps approaching and out of the corner of my eye, I see movement by the woods. I shift my gaze completely and I see a person—no, a vampire—staring at the scene with a bloody smirk on his face. He has dark hair and dark eyes. Like the one who killed my parents.

  But why can’t I sense him?

  “Son of a bitch!” I seethe as I whip my head back to face Declan. “Heal her!”

  Then I get up and take off running toward the woods without a second thought.

  “What the fuck?! Aria! God damn it!” I hear Declan curse.

  I just hope he stays put and heals Sloane.

  “We’ll go with her!” I hear a familiar voice shout.

  As I get closer, the vampire tips his invisible hat, then takes off running deep into the woods. I pick up my pace and finally hit the outskirts of the woods. As I run further into the trees, I try not to trip on fallen limbs or rocks. I stop running as I lose sight of him, turning and scanning each direction, trying to see if I can sense him.

  What the hell? I feel nothing.

  Two wolves approach, one black with blue eyes and a red one with amber eyes. Hunter and Bennett had been the ones to follow me into the woods. They both shift into their human forms as Hunter jogs over to me. He stops just before he reaches me, his eyes glowing brighter than I’ve ever seen them before.

  Oh crap. I almost forgot that I’m still in just my sports bra, but that’s not what is making his eyes glow. I look down and realize that my hands and arms are covered in Sloane’s blood. I try to wipe it on my pants, but that does me absolutely no good.

  “It’s not mine,” I whisper, my eyes drifting back up to Hunter.

  “You alright, Blondie? What’s going on? We heard someone shout for help and by the time we reached you, we saw you take off running into the woods covered in blood.” Bennett ignores my comment.

  I tear my eyes away from Hunter, who seems to be calming down, since his eyes are returning back to normal.

  “Yeah, I’m okay. Abby and I were talking in her living room when we heard a loud noise outside. We rushed out of the cabin and that was when we saw Sloane. A huge chunk of her neck looked like it had been chowed down on. I made Abby go get Declan because we were losing her, and we wouldn’t have been able to get her to Kora in time.” I shift on my feet as the words come rushing out of me.

  “But why did you run into the woods?” Hunter’s voice is tight, as he stares at me intently.

  When I hesitate to answer him, he quirks a brow. Obviously, he’s waiting on me to answer.

  “Because I saw a vampire.” My voice sounds wobbly, but I square my shoulders. That’s all the answer I have to give.

  “Because you saw…?” Hunter lets out a breath and runs both hands through his hair. “You ran after the vampire who attacked Sloane, one of the best fighters in this pack, all by yourself? What the fuck were you thinking? You don’t even have your silver dagger on you, do you?”

  I flinch as he shouts at me. I shake my head.

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I didn’t think and I just…” I trail off, not knowing what else to say.

  I know I shouldn’t have run off unprepared. But I couldn’t let this vampire get away with what he’d done.

  Bennett awkwardly runs a hand through his red hair and shifts on his feet. “Well, I’m going to check the perimeter.”

  I watch him as he shifts into his wolf and runs off, then I turn back to Hunter. A muscle in his jaw ticks.

  “You shouldn’t have run off like that,” he finally says after a beat.

  “I know. Save me the speech, okay? I get it enough from my brother,” I snap.

  I feel a dull ache behind my eyes, and I start to rub my temple. The adrenaline is starting to wear off.

  “Hey, you ok?” Hunter pulls my hand away from my temple and tilts my chin up to look at him.

  I lazily open my eyes and they lock onto his. They’re glowing again, but not as bright as before.

  “I’m sorry I snapped at you,” he says.

  “Don’t apologize. You were right. And yeah, I’m okay. Just getting a headache, that’s all,” I whisper.

  “Okay, let’s head back and see what’s going on,” he says as he laces his fingers with mine, leading the way back toward Luna’s cabin.

  He releases my hand when we finally emerge from the woods. I notice there are a lot of people who have gathered around to see what’s going on. We break into a jog and slow as we approach the scene. I recognize a few people I know. Zayne has his arm around Kat, who’s covering her mouth in disbelief. Knox has Grace pulled close in his arms. Grace turns her face into his chest, and he leans down and kisses her forehead.

  Hunter walks over to them and talks to Knox. There are a few others standing around and I gently push them aside and look down. Kora and Ciera are working on Sloane, who is thankfully still alive. I look around but I don’t see Declan.

  “Ciera, where’s Declan?” I ask.

  Her gaze flicks up to mine and a look of sadness crosses her features. She nods toward the cabin, then focuses her attention back to Sloane. I turn and see Declan sitting on the top step with his head in his hands. Abby has her arm around him, trying to comfort him.

  I tear my gaze away from them. “Is she going to be okay?”

  “It’s been touch and go for a few minutes, but I think we finally got her stabilized. I’ll need help getting her to the medical room though,” Kora explains while still working on Sloane. She’s cleaning up the wound, and it doesn’t look as bad as it did earlier. “Declan healed her as best as he could. If he wasn’t here, we would be having a different conversation.” She pauses for a moment to place a bandage over Sloane’s neck. “Alright, let’s move her.”

  “I’ve got it,” Abby says, coming down the steps.

  She closes her eyes, and when she opens them, she looks right at Sloane. Ever so slowly, Sloane’s body starts to rise and she begins floating toward the barn. Kora quickly gathers her things and walks with Abby and Sloane’s body.

  I’m awestruck. My best friend is amazing.

  Everyone is still rooted to their spots, until we spot wolves running up from out of the woods and heading toward us. I notice Bennett’s red fur along with two other black wolves and one gray one. When they all shift into humans, I notice at that least one black wolf is Hunter’s dad, and he’s standing next to a petite woman with dark hair that’s pulled off to the side in a braid. The gray one doesn’t shift. He runs in the same direction that Abby and Kora were headed.

  “Somebody want to tell me what happened here?” Alexander says as he approaches us.

  I look around at everyone and my eyes land on Hunter. I'm not sure if I should speak up or not. I mean, I know I saw a vampire, but that vampire looked like the one that killed my parents. And I'm not telling anyone that part until I know for sure. Not even Declan. We’ve been searching for this vampire for a long time and I will not give my brother false hope only to hurt him.

  Hunter looks at his dad for a long moment. I briefly wonder if they’re having a staring contest. Then Alexander looks away at everyone else who is standing around.

  “Alright, everyone, back to your cabins.
We’re still safe here. I’ll talk to Sloane when she’s better. In the meantime, don’t wander too far off and please use the buddy system. When Luna gets back from town, I will have her check the wards surrounding the Compound. But I assure you, everything is fine,” Alexander says.

  He grabs the hand of the woman who’s standing next to him as they turn and walk away. The woman looks over her shoulder at Hunter and her gaze flicks to me briefly, then back to Hunter. A smile forms across her lips as she turns and keeps walking. I’m going to take a wild guess and assume she’s Hunter’s mom.

  I feel someone tap me on my shoulder and I turn to find Grace standing there. Knox has left her to go talk to Hunter and Bennett. I quickly scan the porch and find that Ciera has taken Abby’s place next to Declan, so I turn back to Grace.

  “Hey, sweetie. I know we were supposed to meet tonight for water element training, but if you’re not feeling up to it, I understand,” she offers.

  “No, it’s okay. I’m fine. Just another day in the life of Aria,” I shrug.

  She looks at me for a long moment as if she can see right through me.

  “If you’re sure?” she asks.

  I nod. I’m sure. I need to focus on something else right now.

  “Alright. Well, Snuck doesn’t want us to train out in the woods, the protective mutt. So, we’ll be training in my cabin. Which is actually three doors down from here.” She points down to the left and I see which one she’s talking about.

  “Snuck?” I question her.

  “Oh, that’s my name for Knox. I always joke with him that he snuck up on me and stole my heart. After a while, I just started calling him Snuck.” Grace smiles and her eyes flick to the guys behind me. “Anyway, I’ll see you later, yeah?”

  I give her a small smile and nod. “Bye, Grace.”

  I wave as she turns and walks back to her cabin, then spin around to find Knox running off after her.

  “Really, dude? It’s not like we were having a conversation or anything!” Bennett shouts after him.

  “Leave him alone, man. He’s just worried about her, as he should be,” Hunter sighs.

  They walk up toward me. I’m about to ask why, but then I look over and see my brother staring off in the distance with a look that I’m all too familiar with.

  I brush past Hunter and Bennett, approaching Declan on the step. I kneel so I’m at eye level with him. He doesn’t seem to notice until I reach out and pull his hands away from his face. He finally looks at me, and for a brief moment, his eyes fill up with tears. But they don’t fall. He blinks a few times, pushing them back.

  “Declan, she’s going to be okay. Kora said that you managed to heal the worst of it,” I whisper to him.

  He nods slightly then starts shaking his head vigorously, pushing me away. Since I'm on the steps, I lose my balance and fall backward. Two strong arms catch my fall, but they aren’t familiar like Hunter’s. I’m quickly set upright and I turn to see that it was Bennett who caught me.

  “What’s the goddamned point of having a power if I can’t fucking use it properly?” Declan growls. “What if I hadn’t been able to do it, huh? What if—”

  Declan punches the post by the stairs, and the guys start to go to him, but Ciera shoots up off the step, reaching him first. She grabs his arm, tugging it gently, getting him to turn around. He refuses to look at her, so she gently places her small hands on his face and lifts his head until he has no choice.

  “But you did. You saved her. If you hadn’t been here, if you hadn’t tried to heal her, she would be dead. If it weren’t for you, my grandma wouldn’t have been able to save her,” she says sternly.

  Declan stares at her for a moment, then he places his hands on her waist, pulling her close as she wraps her arms around his neck.

  “We’ll work on it,” I hear her say into his cheek. She pulls away far enough to look up at him. “I’m going to check in on her and then I’ll come back, and we will practice. I promise.”

  Then, to everyone’s surprise, she places a soft kiss on his lips before walking back to the barn.

  Wow.

  I'm glad she was here because that was intense. I’ve never seen Declan lose his cool like that before. She’s perfect for him, and I swear if he hurts her, I will make his life a living hell.

  Because that’s what sisters do.

  Bennett walks up the steps and places a hand on my brother’s shoulder.

  “You good, bruh?” When Declan nods, Bennett lets out a breath. “That’s good, because I wasn’t going to kiss you.”

  Declan chuckles as he pushes Bennett away. Bennett stumbles back but manages to catch himself before he trips and falls down the steps. Good, he’s back to normal. Suddenly, I can feel the pain in my temple again and I reach up to rub it.

  “Hey, let’s get you inside and get you something for that headache,” Hunter whispers, and he grabs my hand again, leading me up the stairs and inside the cabin.

  Hunter closes the door behind me, and I lead him to the kitchen. I open the cabinet to grab a cup, but Hunter walks up right behind me, reaching around to grab the cup out of my hand.

  “I’ve got it,” he says, walking over to the sink and filling the cup with water. “Do you know where Luna keeps the medicine?”

  I shake my head.

  He frowns. “Where’s the bathroom?”

  “Up the steps and to the right.”

  I jump up to sit on the counter as he nods and turns to leave the kitchen. I lean forward, resting my head in my hands, and start to rub my temples again. I’m not sure how much time passes when I feel Hunter grab my wrists and pull my hands away from my head. I slowly blink up at him. My eyes feel heavy, but I’m not tired. He turns my left hand over and puts two pills in my palm, then hands me the glass of water. I pop the two pills in my mouth, then chug the water. Hunter takes the empty glass from my hand, then walks back over to the sink and refills it.

  “When was the last time you ate something?” he asks, turning off the water and handing me back the full glass.

  I take a few sips before answering him.

  “This morning before training,” I reply, leaning back to rest my head against one of the cabinets.

  I watch as Hunter heads to Luna’s fridge and pulls out ingredients to make a sandwich. That’s when I take the moment to really study him. He’s put his tank top back on since he dropped me off here. His arm muscles flex as he shakes the mustard. He looks so serious while making a sandwich that I can’t help but smile. I close my eyes as I listen to him ripping open the cheese packet, and I hear the opening and closing of cabinets again, followed by the fridge opening and closing.

  I feel Hunter tap my leg, and I slowly open my eyes without moving to lift my head from the cabinet just yet. He moves to stand in between my legs, setting the plate down next to me on the counter. I start to sit up slowly, wincing as my head starts to throb. He reaches up and starts to rub my temples, and I lean into his touch. He stands there massaging my head for a few moments and a small moan escapes my lips. Realizing what I just did, I slowly open my eyes—which I don’t remember even closing—to find Hunter’s blue eyes glowing faintly. My lips part as I inhale, and it draws his gaze.

  He slowly leans forward, as if giving me time to back out. I sit completely still as he drops one hand to the counter next to my leg and the other moves down to cup my cheek. His nose touches mine, and I feel his breath on my lips. I reach my hand up and grip his wrist and, ever so gently, his soft lips brush mine. He pulls away slightly, and my heart starts to pound in my chest.

  As soon as he is about to lean in again, the front door slams open. Hunter lets out a low growl as he places his forehead against mine for a second, his hand still cupping my cheek. He lets a harsh breath out through his nose.

  “One of these days, I’m going to kiss you without any damn interruptions,” he whispers, then steps away from me.

  I sigh and let out a giggle. Then I pick up my sandwich and start taking small bites a
s Bennett and Declan walk into the kitchen.

  “You okay, Blondie?” Bennett asks, eyeing my sandwich.

  I look down at it and back up to him, then I pull it to my chest and glare at him. I’m not sharing my sandwich. At least not with Bennett. I might share it with Hunter, key word being might. He just shakes his head and laughs, and I relax and take another bite.

  “Yup,” I say between mouthfuls. “Already starting to feel better.”

  I take a sip of water. I’m not lying; I am starting to feel much better. I guess I’m just not used to the heat and humidity New Orleans has to offer.

  Bennett smiles. “Good. I’m glad you’re feeling better. But, Hunt, we’ve got to go.”

  He rocks back on his heels, giving Hunter a look. Hunter nods, then turns to me.

  “You good?” he whispers as he leans in closer, concern etched in his features.

  “Yes, I am. Now, go do whatever it is wolf shifters do.” I roll my eyes playfully and wave him off.

  He flashes me a smile, showing off those cute dimples, and chuckles slightly, then walks over to where the guys are standing.

  “Laters.” Bennett throws the peace sign above his head as he exits the kitchen behind Hunter.

  Then, after a few seconds, we hear the front door close.

  “I’m going to go shower…again,” Declan declares and turns to walk out of the kitchen.

  “Hey, wait.” I jump down off the counter and approach him.

  He stops, turning to face me, tension creeping up in his muscles.

  “Are you okay? Really? You can fool everyone else, but you can’t fool me.” I put my hands on my hips.

  Declan sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

  “I mean, yes and no. Yes, I’m glad that I was able to help save her, but no because she’s still in critical condition,” Declan confesses, leaning up against the doorframe.

  “But she’s going to live,” I state, moving closer.

  He clenches his jaw tightly as he stares at the wall.

  “Look at me,” I demand, placing a hand on his shoulder. A beat passes before his eyes drop down to mine. “You did save her, so stop beating yourself up. And don’t tell me that you’re not. I know you better than anyone else. I’m proud of you, big brother.”