"Something's wrong," Nadia says, worry tinging her voice. She continues pacing, and I can tell her wolf is getting agitated.
"I know. Something feels off with Jessie lately. He's aggressive, standoffish, and then out of nowhere, he forges paperwork and brings a witch among us," I say absently.
She's mine, though—my little witch.
Before I can say more, Nadia transforms into her russet-brown wolf and dashes to the door in a panic. Her claws tap-tap-tap across the floor as she lets out a panicked whine.
"Nadia, what's wrong?" I ask as her wolf whines again. This time, she starts pawing at the door. I stare at her for a moment too long, and she barks. I open the door, and she takes off into the woods.
Without a second thought, I dash out the door on foot, hoping I can keep up with her wolf.
.
.
.
I watch as they blissfully kiss under the stars, him pushing her against the tree, making out.
I go numb.
I thought me and Helang were good.
She said she wanted me, yet she's out here making out with someone else.
Me and her haven't even kissed yet.
I see tears rolling down her cheeks and a tremor in her hands.
"Helang," Jessie says in a stern voice.
She stares blankly ahead, and he calls her a few more times.
He leans in, and she lets out an ear-piercing scream. Nadia's wolf sprints forward and tackles him after she sees him cover her mouth.
Jessie shifts into his wolf form a few seconds later and lunges at her, snapping his jaws.
They circle each other, growling, then lock into a fierce battle, snapping aggressively at each other's necks.
With no time to lose, I run toward the tree Helang slid down.
Her screams break my heart, and I feel a stir as I stand in front of her slightly crumpled form.
A fiery-hot rage consumes me, running through my veins.
He fucking bit her!
I bend down to scoop her up so I can take her somewhere safe, but then I'm grabbed and yanked away.
"I'll make her mine. She'll never belong to you!" Jessie snarls in my face; he's half-shifted right now.
Nadia's wolf leaps up and digs its canines into his shoulder, then violently shakes its snout.
Blood sprays as chunks of his flesh and some of his black fur go flying.
I look away, and my eyes lock on Helang.
She screams once more, and I pick her up and start running toward the pack doctor.
He bit her. He bit her. He bit her. He bit her. He bit her. He bit her. He bit her. He bit her.....
Those words chant inside my head while she screams.
What do I do?
I look down and notice Helang begins to convulse and foam at the mouth.
"Shit! Daaaad!!" I run even faster and keep yelling for my father.
Hopefully, someone will mindlink him.
Behind me, a battle between Nadia and Jessie continues.
"DAD!" I yell as panic creeps in and I feel her jerky movements come to a halt.
My dad's wolf quickly hurdles toward me at blinding speed, then slides to a complete stop in front of me before shifting.
"Dad... he bit... she's not..."
Dammit! I can't even form a sentence or tell him what happened!
My dad's eyes cloud over, and the pack doctor rushes over and tries to take her from me, but I hold her tightly.
"Steven. I need you to trust that she'll be safe with me and that I'll nurse her back to health. Ok? Please place her on the ground for me," he says to me firmly, in a no-nonsense tone.
I nod and gently lay her slack body down.
"Steven, please go back to the pack house. I've sent warriors to separate Nadia and Jessie. I need you to make up a bed and grab Helang some comfortable clothes," my dad says to me in his alpha voice.
Nodding obediently, I take off as quickly as possible and pray she'll be okay.
I don't think I can ever forgive myself for allowing her to walk out that door by herself.
.
.
.
***
"It's okay, Helang... you're okay. Just breathe. She can't hurt you anymore. I'll make sure of it," Mr. McCarter says soothingly.
I whimper and start drifting off.
"You're safe now. I promise."
Darkness takes over.
***
When I wake up, I'm in a hospital again.
I knit my brows in confusion when I see Mr. McCarter sitting at my bedside, reading a magazine. I take a look at my surroundings and realize I'm in the same clothes from when I was released from the institution a few months ago.
"Mr. McCarter?" I rasp out groggily and confused.
His honey-yellow eyes meet mine, and he gives an exhausted, gentle smile.
"Helang, how are you feeling? Do you need anything?" he quips, bombarding me with questions.
"What's going on? Why am I at the hospital again? Is Steven okay? What about Nadia and Jessie! I'm sure Steven is worrying about me after—"
"Helang, what on earth are you talking about? We haven't even made it past the highway or to your temporary foster home. You had a severe anxiety attack; I had to sedate you and bring you here so your vitals could be monitored," he says in all seriousness, and there's no way he could be joking.
Sitting there in horror, I realize everything I thought was a few months has been nothing but a few hours of blissful drug-induced sleep, and I begin to cry.
"How long have I been out?" I choke out as I wipe furiously at my leaking eyes.
He stares hard at me with narrowed, suspicious eyes but answers nonetheless.
"About four hours," he says gently. I nod and take a deep shuddering breath, then ask him when we can leave. He says he has to fill out some paperwork and allow the doctor to look at me one last time before I can be released. My stomach growls, and he leaves after promising he'll get us some McDonald's on the way to my temporary home.
Do they even exist? Why would my mind conjure up events and people and make it so realistic!?
I rub my eyes and cry out my frustration and grief.
.
.
.
We pull up to an area that looks like three football fields of woods, or maybe more.
In my mind's eye, I've been here before... it's the same place where I was brought in my dreams.
Except this time, an entire path of dirt and rocks, wide enough for a single vehicle to drive through at a time, sits where there was no way but four-wheelers could get through.
Through the winding path, I swear I see wolves running and then hiding behind trees or bushes out of sight.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Finally, after what feels like a mile of dirt road, I see a house that I also deem familiar but not.
It's where Steven hid me in my dreams—that is, if he's real.
I gulp with anticipation as we get closer. My palms begin to sweat, and my heart starts palpitating.
Calm down. You're okay.
We crawl to a stop, and Mr. McCarter gets out after telling me to stay put for now.
I watch him intently as he walks up to the door and knocks.
Once, twice, three times, and then the door swings open.
I stop breathing as I strain to see who opened the door, and my eyes widen with both anxiety and giddiness.
The door shuts, and Mr. McCarter makes his way back and opens my door with a strained smile and an uneasy look in his eyes. He breathes in and quickly covers up the emotion as he helps me out of the truck and gets my bags for me.
"I was told a few months back that they weren't expecting anyone else, but they are a foster home and are more than willing to house you until you're of age. We've already done background checks, but if you have any issues, please contact me without hesitation, Helang," he says with genuine care and concern for me.
Feeling moved, I wrap my arms around him tightly and hug him with a sob.
"Why couldn't you have been my family?" I cry out with grief.
He sighs and gently pats my head, and I pull back, wiping my face to try to pull myself together.
He gives a gentle smile, and we head up to the door, and I become excited again about seeing Steven.
He knocks on the red door, and it opens once more.