Stay quiet. Try not to move. Don't breathe too hard. Don't cry.
She covered her mouth with one hand while using the other to support herself. She was more afraid now than she had ever been. She was afraid to even breathe. Her mind raced as she lay curled up in the corner of a building. There was dust everywhere. In fact, even where she lay, it was covered in dust. The air smelled moldy and old, like no one had been there for a long time. She could hear the bugs scurrying across the floor, the lizards calling out as they crawled along the rotting beams. Eyes closed, breath halting, she struggled to control her panicked breaths so she wouldn't be heard.
Oh, Moon Goddess, please help me out of here safely and keep her safe as well, she prayed fervently. Please don't let him find me. Please let her be okay. Please let her be okay.
She was worried. Not just about herself, but her as well. Her heart was beating as loud as thunder in her ears. She couldn't hear anything past it. Moon Goddess, she had never been so scared in her life before.
If he found her, he would definitely kill her. She could feel it in the way he approached her. She could feel it in his words. He was deranged. She thought back to an hour ago. When he called her out, her first feeling was of curiosity. She wanted to know why he was looking for her before since he had asked everyone about her location.
"I'm sure you're wondering why I called you out here," he started.
Well, of course she was. Why wouldn't she be? Since when did he start asking about her like that instead of coming to her directly?
"It's like this: soon, you'll probably be sent to the Clear Moon Clan. Are you aware of that? "
She visibly started. Sent to the Clear Moon Clan? But why? The wind ruffled her hair, making her confused gaze and furrowed brows visible.
"I'm sure you also want to know why. It's because their Alpha asked for the both of you. My father will definitely give you to them as a way to preserve this pack, but Soteria. Soteria can only be mine. " He finished, laughing maniacally.
She took a few steps back, instinctively wanting to get away from his deranged face.
"Why? Why blush when your hands meet? Why hug each other like that? Am I not considered? What about my feelings? What should I do? Huh? You tell me, what should I do? Hahaha, I know what I should do." He said, smiling playfully. "I should... kill you first."
The air was suddenly filled with tension as he reached out to grab her. She pulled away quickly, turning to run.
He laughed. "A chase? Hahaha! Shall we have a chase then, my delightful prey? I'll even give you a little head start. "
She ran faster after hearing that. Passing through the back roads, her heart racing and her mind rattled, she continued on until she came to a ragged-looking abandoned building. She quickly and quietly headed inside, which brought her to her current situation.
Moon Goddess, please don't let him find me and please let her be okay.
Since she couldn't hear him anymore, she wondered whether or not she should look around to see what was going on. She thought better of it. That was simply asking for trouble. Where was he? Did he leave? Had he given up, or did he simply go somewhere else?
The sound of something crashing through the building suddenly came to her ears.
"I found you! Come here, you b*tch! "
The ceiling. He really came through the ceiling. She screamed.
He grabbed her by the hair, slamming her head onto the ground to cut off her scream. He then punched her stomach. The blow was heavy, containing the full force of a werewolf in human form. She collapsed onto the ground. The pain in her head was skull-splitting before, but as she hit the ground again, it magnified. Her ribs felt as if they were damaged from the blow to her stomach. Pain. So much pain. Her mind went blank, her vision blurred, and her teeth chattered. She couldn't breathe.
He kicked her this time, shifting her across the floor. She screamed from the pain again, but he sat on her legs and continued hitting her. Her chest, her stomach, her face; he left no stone unturned.
He seemed unsatisfied with her lack of begging. "Beg me to stop!" He shouts. "Or is it that you like this, then?"
He kept hitting her until she eventually begged him to stop. Her mind went blank again and she could feel herself drifting away. She realized that this was how she would die. She was unresigned to this ending. She had finally made what she felt was a true friend that she felt connected to. How could she leave her? But how could she stay?
I'm going to die, she thought, but not without a fight.
"Stop! Someone, anyone! Please, help! " She screamed loudly, using a power unknown to her to project her voice.
Nathaniel paused before continuing to mercilessly rain punches down on her. "It looks like you have some tricks," he said, grinning. "But they can only work so long as you can speak. I wanted to take my time with you and have fun, but it seems like I'll be unable to do so. I'm not done with you yet, though. I want you to die for me."
Suddenly, he stopped.
Was he finished? The pain was driving her crazy. Moon Goddess, she couldn't take it. But then, she could feel his hands on my neck. He smiled at her wickedly before tightening his grip around her throat. Can't breathe, can't breathe. She struggled against him, pushing at his hands, digging at his face, trying to throw him off. Black spots started blurring her vision, and my lungs felt like they would burst. She gasped for air, in vain. Her hands tried pushing his away, but he wouldn't budge. As she looked into his eyes, she could see that he had truly gone over the edge. He truly wanted her dead.
He faded from her eyes as she began to lose consciousness.
She couldn't see or feel anything anymore. She couldn't hold on.
"WHAT THE F*CK ARE YOU DOING?!"