325
Peter
My feet pounded a frantic rhythm against the uneven earth, branches whipping at my face, thorns tearing at my clothes. How long had I been running? How much further did I have to go? I didn’t know, and it didn’t matter so long as I got there.
My lungs burned, legs screaming in protest, but still I ran. The trail of blood behind me and the patchwork of wounds across my body, chunks of missing and regrowing flesh, weren’t my concern right now. The creature—the wolf was after me, and unlike before, it didn’t seem willing to back off or slow down.
It was going to kill me, and what happened after that was anyone’s guess. Behind me, the guttural snarl of the wolf echoed through the trees. Too close to be comfortable. Too close to make sense. This was too much like that dream, but worse. So much worse. The sky was a kaleidoscope of images I could barely make out. They flashed in the sky and in my vision, making it hard to see.
I saw Lucy. I saw Michelle. The long drive and a car that I owned. A member of the Blue Moon Pack and the deep darkness of a tunnel. None of that made any sense together, yet I could hear the rumbling of the car and feel it rocking. I could feel myself being jostled around in a stone tunnel. Pain formed thick clouds in the sky, obscuring the images. All I knew was I had to get away from the creature chasing me.
Michelle's voice, a thin thread through the chaos, whispered in the wind, words lost in the rushing blood in my ears. Was she pleading with me? Calling my name? The earth beneath my feet gave way, sending me sprawling onto the forest floor. Scrambling to my feet, I turned, heart hammering against my ribs, to face it.
The wolf, a hulking mass of dark brown fur and razor-sharp fangs, emerged from the trees. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light. It snarled a deep, throaty rumble that vibrated through my bones. We stared at each other for just a moment before it lunged.
I tried to dodge, adrenaline turning my body into a blur of desperate movement, but the beast was too fast. Its teeth sank into my shoulder, the searing pain jolting me. I roared in agony and lashed out with my fists. The blows landed with a meaty thud against the wolf's ribs. It staggered back, momentarily stunned. My vision blurred with pain, blood streaming down my face and neck. My breath came in ragged gasps, and each shallow inhale was a searing agony in my chest. I pushed to my feet, panting, hunched over. I could barely see through the blood streaming into my eye.
The wolf circled, its movements predatory. It knew I was on my last legs. Despair, cold and heavy, weighed down my steps.
I had to fight. However long I had left. I had to fight. The wolf lunged at me. I met it head-on. We grappled. Its claws tore through my side as I caught it in a headlock. It twisted and fought me, biting me as I beat at it. My teeth, bared in a feral snarl, sank into its fur. It yelped as I gouged its eye out, making us partially even. Then, it shook me off, sending me flying back. It lunged, tearing at my leg. I kicked it off, stunning it and dragging myself away. The agony was all-consuming, but it was fading as my leg started to grow back. It leaped back onto me, tearing into me. Each searing bite, each bone-crushing blow, ripped away another hunk of flesh from my bones, yet each wound knitted back together almost before the pain registered.
I fought back, slamming my fist into the wolf’s snout again and again until it fell aside. I scrambled backward, dragging my maimed body across the forest floor.
"Enough!" That woman’s voice, laced with venomous ice, shattered the night. A bolt of moonlight struck me, pinning me to the ground. She sneered down at me. “How dare you defy me! I should have killed you years ago.”
With a desperate burst of magic, I shoved her back with a burst of fire and wind. Her shriek of fury echoed through the trees.
My vision blurred, and my limbs trembled on the verge of collapse. I lurched to my feet and fled deeper into the forest. I heard the wolf behind me, but I didn’t look back.
Then, the ground ended. I skidded to a stop and stared down into the ravine, but instead of a pit of darkness, there was a rushing river below.
No scream escaped my lips, only a ragged gasp as realization slammed into me: this wasn't the forest from that vision. This wasn’t even a dream but some mental prison I was in.
But panic was a luxury I couldn't afford. Behind me, she emerged from the shadows, her eyes glinting with malevolent amusement, and beside her, the monstrous wolf slunk, razor-sharp fangs dripping with blood.
Turning, I faced them down, and my body screamed in protest.
“Finish this,” she hissed.
The wolf lunged. It was a blur of fur and snapping jaws. I threw myself forward, barely avoiding it, before it rolled me over and sunk its teeth into me.
“Peter!” I looked up as Michelle’s voice cut through the air. I could see her bright, fearful eyes. “Stop!”
The wolf faltered, its attack stalling mid-motion.
“I said, finish him!” She screamed.
Then, a surge of pain in my side went through me. The sky opened, and a bolt of lightning tore through the sky, striking the wolf with a deafening crack. The wolf yelped a monstrous cry that echoed through the twisted landscape. It writhed and convulsed, its fur singed black, as it collapsed onto the rocky ground.
I saw Lucy holding a bloody dagger in her hand. Then, I saw another werewolf, a member of Blue Moon, grabbing Michelle.
My world narrowed. A red haze clouded the rest of my vision. But through the throbbing pain, one single thought burned like a white-hot ember: kill the wolf.
The woman, anticipating my plan, darted towards me, snarling.
"No!" she screamed, her voice echoing with desperation. But her attempt to stop me was futile. As I turned, the Spear of Destiny materialized in my hand just like before but warmer, more present, and furious as it hummed in my hands. With a guttural roar, I unleashed its power, a wave of silver energy blasting her back, sending her crashing against the rocks.
The wolf leaped at me again, tackling me. The Spear tumbled from my hand, but I didn’t need it. The surge of strength would be enough. I put my foot against its lower jaw, took hold of its upper jaw, and twisted as the woman screamed.
“No!”
Blood splashed over me, hot and furious. The sky opened with golden light. I heard the beating of wings on the wind and the caw of a raven. A wolf howled in the distance, and then the words began to crumble around me. The last thing I thought of as the sky darkened and I fell was Michelle.
Would she be alright?
My eyes snapped open. The darkness of the tunnel surrounded me. I swayed and caught myself with the Spear in my hands. It pulsed, warm and heady, but it was still distant, hesitant. Then, I felt the warning. I turned sharply as the man lifted his hand to strike Michelle. I snarled, twisting and shoving the Spear into the man’s chest. He screamed, his voice echoing through the tunnel, and he collapsed. I swayed and started to fall.
“Peter!” Michelle cried, catching me and lowering me gently to the ground. “Peter, are you—"
I cupped her face, drawing her up against me and kissing her before I could think of anything else. The warmth of her mouth, the taste of her, and the feeling of her against me soothed something in me. I was shaking with fear for her, for me, for what the hell was going on. She moaned softly and wrapped her arms around me before we parted, and I pulled her into my arms.
“Are you hurt?” I gasped, stroking her hair.
“N-No, but…”
“It doesn’t matter,” I said, kissing her cheek. I pulled her close as Lucy got to her feet, still holding her dagger.
My lips twitched. “Lucy… a pleasure.”
She gave me a weak smile. “Sorry.”
“No,” I said. “Thank you.”
I looked around and winced. “Where… are we?”
Lucy sighed, leaning against the wall. “In a tunnel on the White Moon Estate.”
I blinked. “What the hell are we doing here?”
Her lips twitched. “I’m not sure yet.” She looked up and past me. “Though I think we’re about to find out. Can you stand?”
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