Natalia POV
I nearly fell off the fucking log again when I heard that howl. For some reason, I feel it reverberate through my body. The hairs on my arms stand to attention and I have this weird feeling of turning around and going towards it. I almost turn around and go when a splash of water lands on my leg and throws me back to reality. I shake my head and try to concentrate on moving my feet. I don't dare to look back when I realise I am just over the halfway mark.
"Just keep moving, Natalia, one foot in front of the other."
I keep chanting this to myself, trying to keep my mind focused and clear. I can't afford a distraction right now. I looked up just another few steps and I could be free. I take two steps and that's when I hear the log groan. I can hardly see but the smell coming from the log tells me that it's rotted. Fuck, I turned my head and looked back. That's when I shuffle back slightly and prepare myself to jump.
I leap, and I feel like I am freefalling. I see the embankment come into my line of vision, but I'm not close enough. With a hard fall, I landed with a thud. The pain that slices into my stomach has me crying out in pain. I have managed to land on jagged rocks. I claw at the grass to hold me steady, but the current is threatening to drag me away and, with my arms stretched out in front of me, it's pulling at the deep slashes that now cover my stomach.
My claws are still extended, and I dig them in further. I try and pull myself up but all I manage to do is dig the rocks in deeper. I feel the current become stronger and with that, my claw starts to pull from the earth. I suck in a deep breath ready to be plunged into the depths of the falls, but a scorching hot hand grabs my wrist instead and yanks me out of the water. The force of the pull had me landing straight on top of this stranger.
I quickly tried to scramble back ready to fight when I noticed the glowing eyes. I crouched down low, one hand holding my wounded stomach and the other braced to attack. I will not go back there. I will fight even if I die. It will be my choice, I think to myself. I see him eye me, and I see him focus on admiring my claws. I see the look of curiosity on his face, but it quickly fades when he takes in the sight of the blood running down my legs.
I instinctively take a step back as he takes one forward. I keep pressure on the wound, but I can feel myself already becoming lightheaded. I can hear my heartbeat in my ears, I smell the blood in the air, but I refuse to take my eyes off this stranger in front of me. Everything around me has become too much to handle, my senses are all over the place and I don't know where to focus. My head starts pounding. I feel this rush of power smashing into my body, and Nyaxia whimpers in my head. Something is happening and I can't fight it.
The wound on my stomach blazed with pain and I fell to my knees. The pain and pressure pulsating inside my head threatens to split me in two.
"Help me!" I all but screamed at this male.
My vision is starting to waver, and I see the panic on his face as he lunges for me and picks me up bridal style.
"I got you little one." was all I heard before the pain in my head became too much and I blacked out.
****
I wake up to the smell of smoke wafting towards me and the feeling of being surrounded by warmth from flames. I try and move but find I can't, panic starts to set in and I feel my heart rate spike. I move my head around to try and see where I am, but I can't see anything. I feel something move next to me and freeze, my body locks up tight and the pull in my stomach has a small whimper passing my lips.
I frantically searched for what could be here with me until I came face to face with the glowing red eyes. Holding my breath, I wait and see what he will do to me, but what surprises me is that he simply leans down and sniffs me. I feel the wet tip of a nose brush against my cheek and up into my hair, a small whine comes out of this wolf and then the sound of cracking bones echoes through the small space we must be in.
"I won't hurt you." came a rough-sounding voice. I felt him move away from me and I instantly missed the warmth his skin was radiating.
"What do you want with me then?" I asked. I will not go back. I would kill myself if I had to.
"I am under orders to protect you and hide you, but time is running out with the king here now." He says with a sigh. He sounds tired and not in the mood to baby sit me.
"Please, you can let me go and I won't tell anyone. I won't go back to that pack. I'll do anything." I felt the tears start to flood my eyes, but I tried to force them back, but it was no use, they fell and ran down the side of my face. I am startled when this man reaches out and catches a tear.
"Do not fear me, I am under orders and until then you are stuck with me. Why don't you want to go back?"
How do I even answer that honestly? Like what just lay out my life story and expect sympathy. I just want to be left alone and clearly, that will not happen in this life. I try and move and the pain that shoots through my stomach starts to burn.
"Why can't I move?" I saw the glowing eyes move towards me, and then I felt hands run down my sides. I hear a groan and then something snaps.
"Don't do anything stupid now, your stomach is in pretty bad shape. Plus, whatever else is going on with you doesn't seem normal to me."
"Nothing about me is normal," I said with a deep sigh.
I went to speak again with an ear-piercing raw shook the forest. I feel the body heat of this man brush up closer to me like he is in a protective stance. I grab onto him and the heat from his body seems to sooth something inside me. I felt him tense momentarily. The words that come out of his mouth are not what I thought he would be saying.
"It's time to go back, we are being summoned."
*****
When I say I fought. I mean I fought. I kicked, scratched and punched as much as my body would allow. It got to the point where I tried to shift my hand again but nothing happened. My babysitter was starting to get annoyed since he had to carry me and all I had done was try and hurt him. Which according to him, he knows pups younger than me who hit harder.
With a huff I gave up, my body was tired, my stomach was bleeding still, and my head felt like I had been run over. I got bored with looking at the trees, so I tried small talk.
"What's your name?" All I got at first was a side-eye. Like talking to me out in the open, was beneath him. Fucker
"Well, my name is Natalia, I don't want to go back. I don't give a fuck who is summoning us. Just pretend you lost me."
That earned me an eye roll.
After a few agonising seconds, he finally spoke.
"The wolf king is summoning us, so I think you will give a fuck when we get there."
I felt the blood drain from my face. The Wolf King, as in the bedtime story we were told when we were naughty pups.
My life just keeps going from bad to worse.