Chapter 281
WILLA
I felt a thrill of fear, began to wish I hadn't come into this part of the woods alone. There was a soft rustle, somewhere to my right.
I pressed myself flat against a tree. This time when I looked around, I saw two red eyes glaring at me from behind a thick bush.
From the way the eyes slanted, I could tell it belonged to some sort of animal.
"G-get away," I said.
My voice was barely a croak. A low deep growl split the dreamy silence of the forest. The bush rustled and the creature came out.
It was a wolf. A big one. It's lips were peeled back from it's sharp yellow teeth. A runner of drool ran from the sides of it's mouth.
It's wicked eyed were fixed on me. In that way animals had, it knew I was alone and defenseless. I felt the blood freeze up in my veins.
I gulped, wondered what to do. I couldn't hope to outrun it and I couldn't stand there looking at it all day. Maybe if I slowly backed away...
I took one step back and it sprang at me. It slammed the tree seconds hard enough to break off a branch mere seconds before I ducked behind it.
The beast gave a howl of frustrated rage and came at me again. I screamed for help.
It took a swipe at me. I ducked just in time. It's long sharp claws passed just inches from my face.
I heard a loud meaty thump and it suddenly lost it's footing and stumbled forward.
A moment later I realized what had happened. Lucian had hit it with a large branch.
"Take cover! Now!" Lucian screamed.
Whimpering and shaking all over, I crouched behind a tree. The wolf's back legs dug into the dirt of the forest floor. Now it's evil eyes glared at only at Lucian.
Lucian ran at it, pulled out a knife, plunged it into it's side and pulled it out. The wolf howled in pain. It snapped at Lucian's neck.
Lucian stumbled back but not before the wolf's claws tore Lucian's shirt open. They sank into his flesh, leaving long vertical slashes.
Lucian's hand suddenly jerked upward. The animal reeled and fell to the ground as blood poured from it's slit throat.
"Die you piece of shit!" Lucian hissed and fell on his knees.
I ran toward Lucian, leaped over the dying animal. I was screaming his name. I dragged into a sitting position. Blood had soaked all the way through his shirt. More dripped from his jeans.
"What were you thinking?" I shouted in his face. "That thing could have killed you? You shouldn't have gone so close to it. You could have died, Lucian." I grabbed his shoulders, shook him a little. I stopped when the blood started to flow faster. "Do you hear me? You could have fucking died!"
Lucian started to laugh, winced and settled for a grin instead.
"You really must really care, Willa," he said. "That's why you're so worried about me."
"Are you listening?" I shrieked. "That thing could have-"
"-Killed me. I know. But have you stopped to think about what would have happened to you if I hadn't shown up? I had to act fast."
The logical part of my brain knew what he said made a lot of sense but I was still too angry and scared to admit that he was right.
"You're a psychopath!" I snapped.
"Yeah," he agreed weakly. "I've heard that one before."
Lucian didn't seem to be in mortal danger but the amount of blood he was still loosing terrified me. I had to get him help and fast.
His wounds were too many so I bound the worst of them with scraps I tore out of his shirt.
I helped him to his feet, slung his arm over my shoulder and looked around helplessly.
"Shit, Willa!" he said with a weak chuckle. "You come all the way here and you don't even know your way back. Lucky I know this place like the back of my hand. Come on."
On our way back to camp, we made many stops for him to rest a little before going on. Finally we made it to camp. He insisted on walking on his own.
The others came running when they spotted us.
"Holy shit!" someone cried. "What the hell happened?"
"Wolf," I gasped.
The guys rushed forward to help. Noami, wide eyed and frightened, was among them. Lucian, reeling a little, waved them back.
"I'm fine. I'm fine, really," he kept saying.
He limped to his tent. We followed behind, ready to catch him if he fell.
"You should get those wounds tended to," someone remarked.
"I'll do it," Naomi offered.
She started eagerly forward. Again Lucian waved her back.
"No." Lucian's eye fell on me. "Willa, you do it."
Naomi stopped short. Her eyes blazed with anger.
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