Flutter (The Discover Series) (20 page)

I could see something in the distance. It glistened boldly under the shower of light from the moon.

I squinted, trying to make out what it was ahead of me. I slowed just a little as it got closer, and then skidded to a stop when I realized what it was. I dropped to my knees. My body was officially done. I was done. I glared down at the bloody handprint that glinted mockingly at me under the moonlight. No matter how far or in what direction I ran, I ended up right back at this spot every time.

I could hear him behind me again. He was closer than he had been the other times, and I knew that when I stood up and turned around, he would be within arm’s reach. I stood up slowly and turned around. I didn’t show any signs of being afraid, even though my heart was pounding. When his eyes dropped to my chest I knew he could hear it, and I suddenly felt the urge to hit him. My hands balled into fists, and I disregarded the stinging pain that shot up my right hand. I don’t know what made me do it, but if I was going to be ripped apart by this wolf, I was determined to at least get in one good hit.

I raised my fist, and put all my weight behind the blow as my arm came around to deliver the punch. What should have been a fast and hopefully painful hit was stopped in midair. It was like watching it in slow motion. I frowned and looked at my fist suspended in the air. I tried to force my hand forward, but I couldn’t move it. I could feel the invisible hold over my palm, and I struggled to free my hand. My body jerked all around as I used my other hand to pull at my trapped fist, but it wouldn’t budge.

I could see the wolf out of the corner of my eye, watching me in amusement, and I immediately stopped struggling. I’d be damned if I was going to continue to be his entertainment. I was breathing heavily, my chest rising and falling rapidly after the struggle. He cocked his head to the side, like he was trying to figure me out. I squared off my shoulders and stood up straighter, staring him down, not wanting to show him any fear. His head bobbed once as if he was signaling something, and my eyes quickly darted around. I was vaguely aware that my arm was still frozen in the air, and the muscle of my bicep was starting to burn. I tried a small tug to see if it would come loose, but it was still tightly gripped.

Out of my peripheral vision I saw the recipient of the signal.

I saw the first wolf take a step to the side as a second wolf approach us standing just a few inches behind the first wolf. The second wolf’s lips pulled back into a low, but chilling, snarl. I clenched my muscles, resisting the urge to shudder. He leaned his head back, and the sharp points of his canines gleamed in the darkness menacingly. I swallowed hard, trying to calm my stomach. The frightening figure dropped his head, and my arm fell limp, and hung achingly at my side. My eyes flickered toward the second wolf, as he just stared at me. I sighed in relief as my stiff muscles had the chance to relax, and I rubbed my bicep trying to restore circulation.

Pointless or not, I turned to run again. I didn’t have a chance to move an inch before I ran into an invisible wall, and was instantly slammed back against the tree, hitting my head, sending off an explosion of bright lights.  I screamed as the excruciating pain of the hit penetrated the soft tissue and muscles of my back, knocking the breath from me and chocking off the rest of my shriek. That same invisible force as before held me tightly in place, prisoner to the tree. When I could focus around the intense bursts of pain shooting down my back, I tried to struggle, but that only made the unseen band around me tighten, cutting off my oxygen and circulation. Tears stung my eyes as I felt my rib cage crushing under the pressure, squeezing my lungs into mush. I clawed at the undetectable force around me, but my frantic attempts were useless. I couldn’t breathe anymore, and I imagined my face and lips turning purple as the last of the air was taken from me. The world began to spin around me, and I could feel my eyes rolling back into my head. I could faintly hear the snarl of one of the wolves, and then I felt the hold loosen just enough to let me gasp for air. My body went slack against the nothing that was holding me, and I was instantly attacked by a series of coughs.

My head snapped up as I tried to regain composure, and I glared up at the two wolves. The rage that filled my body was intoxicating, and made me shake. I didn’t know how this was happening, and honestly at this point I didn’t really care, but it was obvious that they were the ones doing this to me, and that made me want to kill them, I wanted to enjoy watching them die. These feelings scared me and I pulled in some of my anger.

On impulse I tilted my head back, sucked in as much air as I could, and let out a scream so loud that it hurt my own ears. Both wolves dropped their heads and started to whine, protesting the sound that was invading their sensitive ears. I was able to get out another scream
, and form the sound into Andre
s
’
name. I was about to let out a last shrilling scream when I heard his voice.

“SARA!” he shouted back.

I cried out in relief.

Andres was close.

“SARA! Where are you?!”

I opened my mouth to scream again when I heard the first wolf growl angrily at the second wolf, and my shout was cut off short. I shook my head, but of course it was no use. The grip around my mouth was furious, tightening until the edges of my teeth cut into my lip. I tasted blood.

The first wolf turned to look at the second, and within a blink of an eye he was gone. Tears ran down my face, because I knew he was going after Andres and I had no idea of warning him what was about to come his way.

I struggled with all of the strength I had left in my entire body, working every muscle I could possibly use, trying to free myself, but it was pointless, I wasn’t going anywhere. I could see the wolf coming closer to me, a torturous glint in his eyes, and ever so slowly I could feel the air being squeezes from my body once again. I squirmed franticly, knowing the only reason he had not killed me before was because of the other wolf. He was gone now and there was nothing to stop him.

I knew my eyes were bulging and I could feel the blood draining from my face as the band got tighter, twisting my insides. I heard the snap about a second before my side was consumed by a searing pain that made me see bright white spots. I knew every bone in my body was going to continue to crack and crumble under the force, and I prayed that I would pass out before
that happened. More pain assaulted me, and I could feel the approach of unconsciousness- a sensation I was becoming accustomed to tonight- flowing through my veins, and I willed it to come faster.

It all happened in a blur. The wolf had been so intent on killing me slowly that he hadn’t seen it coming either. Before I knew what was happening,
My Wolf
was there, running at full speed, his footfalls sounding like rolling thunder. He dropped his head and plowed into the second wolf, sending him flying across the forest, knocking down the trees as he went. He finally slammed into one that wasn’t going anywhere, even under his massive weight. He made wasted effort to try and push himself up, but he was too badly injured to hold his own weight and he fell back down.

The bind on me was instantly released, and I collapsed on the ground, my body distorted in unimaginable pain. Breathing didn’t come easily, and I was slow to pull in air. I lay there wondering if rescue had come too late, as the world spun around me.

I just wanted to lay there, I didn’t want to move, or talk, or even think, because pain was involved with all of those actions, but then I remembered Andres, and I couldn’t just lay there if he still needed help. I moved to get up, but quickly stopped, crying out in pain. Clutching my left thigh, I moved again, shifting positions until I could see my thigh. I could see the blood already seeping into the material of my jeans. With shaky fingers, I pushed open the tear in my jeans, revealing the gash in my thigh. It was about a finger length long, but it didn’t look very deep.

I was dizzy and I concentrated on breathing as I heard My Wolf coming toward me. He whined urgently, an
d
nuzzled my arm with his cold nose. A different type of electric shocks attacked me at his touch, the painless tremor left my body buzzing uncontrollably. I turned my head toward him, biting my tongue against the pain of the small movement, and tried to smile at him, but even that hurt.

“Andres.” I managed to gasp out at My Wolf, over the pain of trying to sit up.

He tried to push my shoulder gently back down, but when I winced he quickly pulled back and whined again.

“I’m okay,”

I tried to sound convincing, but the pain had me gritting my teeth. “You…need…to…find…Andres,” I choked out. “There is another wolf, he went after Andres.”

I looked toward the wolf, I was pretty sure he was dead, lying there unmoving, and I knew I would be safe until they got back.

“Please,” I begged. “I’ll be fine. Please find Andres.”

I wrapped my arm around my stomach trying to sooth the pain that shot through my entire body by sitting up. My other arm supported most of my weight as I used the ground to hold myself up.

“You have to go now.” I pleaded. My head fell forward between my shoulders, and I tried to breathe through the nausea I suddenly felt.

My wolf took a deep breath and turned in the direction the wolf had taken to get to Andres. He took off running, but didn’t get far before he was thrown backward, skidding to a stop by my feet.

“NO!” I screamed, but it was too late. The first wolf was on top of mine, snarling and growling, snapping viciously at his neck.

My Wolf used his paws to keep the other wolf from sinking his razor sharp teeth into his throat. I was helpless to do anything, and the desperation that clawed at me was intense. I tried to get to my feet, but it was almost impossible. It took me three or four times before I was able to get up. I used the tree I had been pinned to, just minutes ago, and climbed my way up until I was standing on my feet. I slumped against it for support, and tried to concentrate on the flailing figures in front of me.

I blinked several times, but I couldn’t see clearly out of my left eye. I rubbed at it, but nothing seemed to work. I closed it and I was able to see fine out of my right eye alone. I watched the wolves snarl back and forth at each other, taking swings at each others faces with their gigantic paws and sharp claws. They snapped at one another, coming dangerously close to each others throats, both of them trying to secure the upper hand before the other had a chance to gain control of the spiraling situation.

I wanted to help distract the other wolf, so that mine would be able to get a clear shot. I searched the ground for something big and sharp. I spotted the perfect rock, but it was out of arm’s reach, and I had to stumble toward it. When I reached it I bent over, and then sucked in a deep breath, hissing softly at the pain. I stood up and threw back my arm, as far behind me as I could, before hurling the rock forward. It fell several feet from the brawl, sinking into the snow un-noticed.

I watched, helpless to do anything, as they rolled over the ground, flattening the snow under their massive bodies. Small, loose flakes clung to their fur until parts of them were white from the powdery snow. The sound of their growls echoed off the sides of the mountains, filling the valley with the angry sounds. I looked around for another rock, and that’s when I heard the footstep
s
. I turned around and saw Andres running toward us.

“Sara!” He shouted at me.

That was all the wolf needed to gain control.
.

I turned away from Andres just in
time
to see the wolf pounce on My Wolf, pinning him to the ground. I heard a
snap as all his weight came down on my wolf’s front leg, snapping the bone in half. The roar of pain was piercing, and I covered my ears with my hands staring in horror as my wolf laid there unmoving. With slow, deliberate movements the other wolf pushed down on My Wolf’s face, exposing the base of his throat. The wolf’s snarl was furious. His lips pulled back, waiting for the perfect moment to sink his teeth into My Wolf’s throat, ripping at the tender flesh hidden underneath his fur. His head bent leisurely, he had no intention of hurrying through the kill. His red eyes found mine, as he set his teeth hovering above My Wolf’s throat.

“NO!” I screamed in protest.

Instantly, I flung my hand toward the wolf in protest. My vehement reaction caused my body to heat up uncontrollably and I could feel a sense of…power flowing through me.

I flew back, losing my balance, sliding across the snow on my butt. I wondered how many times I would be thrown tonight. I landed at Andres’s feet and he dropped down next to me, holding me loosely when he saw me flinch at his touch.

I looked around the forest, trying to seek out the new wolf that had thrown me back, but I couldn’t see anything. The second wolf still lay at the tree, and I knew for a fact this time that he was dead. My eyes sought and found My Wolf, and I cried out in relief when I saw him getting to his feet. I searched for the other wolf and saw him lying by another tree, trying to get up, but he was having a hard time. I frowned in confusion, wondering how My Wolf had managed to throw him off.

I felt Andres hands tighten on my upper arms, and realized he was trying to help me up; I assisted him as much as I could until I was standing. My Wolf was breathing hard and staring at us, no at Andres, and rather intensely. He growled at Andres, before turning away without a backward glance. I could feel Andres pulling at me, turning me in the opposite direction. I looked at him, my head already shaking, as I realized what he was doing.