80.

-HER-

The first thing I remember is excruciating pain in my head and neck. A whimper escapes my lips when I feel something squeeze my throat. It’s rough and thick… a jute rope.

“She’s stirring awake,” I hear a voice speak.

“Let her see this world for the last time,” Speaks a familiar voice before I feel the rope around my neck tighten even more.

“Should we stuff her mouth?” Asks the previous voice.

“That wouldn’t be necessary. No one can hear her this deep in the woods and I hardly doubt she could make a noise,” Answers the same familiar voice. I shiver slightly as the chilly night wind kisses me.

I am so much in pain that tears are streaming down my face. It feels like my skull has cracked and my neck has been broken at the same time. It takes me some time to remember what has happened.

Today the council was supposed to visit and I was helping in all the preparations. Brooke had given me some important papers to be delivered to the administrative office. I was heading there but a wolf approached me.

That familiar voice. It’s his! That wolf led me to the woods saying that Jake wanted to see me and I believed him. The last thing that I remember is being hit on the back of my head.

“She is moving,” Declares the previous voice.

“Take your time. This needs to be done properly otherwise her body will float to the surface,” Answers the previous voice. I gather all the energy I have in my body to slowly open my eyes despite the pain. Tears are rolling down my eyes. I have never felt any pain so intense.

“Why does it matter? She’ll die anyway,” Speaks the previous voice as I hear something shuffle beside me. I have to blink a couple of times for my vision to clear. The first thing I see is the dark sky and the naked branches of tall trees reaching for it.

“She’s awake!” The previous voice exclaims before I see a face appear in my vision. He seems to be someone from the pack but I don’t know his name.

“Say hello to her then,” Speaks the familiar voice before the face of the wolf who took me to the woods appears in my vision. More tears stream down my face.

“Hello, beta female,” speaks the other wolf before both of them burst out laughing. In the distance, a crow’s croak fills the silent air of the woods.

“You’ll never be our beta female. My sister deserves to be that!” Spits the wolf on my face and suddenly I am able to notice some of his features resemble Tiffany's. More tears stream down my face as they laugh at me.

I try to move but my body seems to be paralyzed. I can only feel pain in my head and neck.

“Since you’re going to die and no one will find your body anytime soon, my sister has sent a message for you,”

“What is it?” Asks the other wolf curiously. The previous wolf chuckles at this.

“She says that she will take care of Jake and the pack better than you,” With that they break off into laughter again. Meanwhile, I am crying silently. I couldn’t believe that this is my end. Am I really going to die like this? Alone?

Where’s Jake? Is he looking for me? Does he know that I am missing?

Their laughing is interrupted by warning calls from some birds before they flood to the skies. Suddenly, the temperature drops considerably low and fog surrounds us. Both of the wolves freeze while they stare ahead in horror.

I am able to turn my head in the direction they are looking. My eyes widen too when I see it. I shiver at the eerie sight. From the dense fogs rises a tall, dark figure. The only thing definite about them are their glowing silver eyes. Whoever it is, they’re exceptionally tall and buff and are wearing an old-fashioned cloak with their hood on.

“Who’s that?” One of the wolves draws out in terror.

“Run,” The other wolf mutters before they get up and dash away, leaving me alone. I close my eyes, welcoming my end. I feel their presence. It’s so strong and overwhelming that I am trembling with fear.

I let out a shaky breath when I hear the snapping of the bones before something jump over me. Next, growls and grunts disrupt the silence of the woods. The sound of flesh being torn and strong jaws snapping makes me sob silently. Whatever it is, it may come for me next.

I gulp and turn my head around to look at what’s going on. A huge black wolf is fighting those two wolves alone. That black wolf is bigger than any wolf I have seen in the pack. Without much effort, it tears their throat out and decapitates their bodies, spilling blood everywhere.

I have to look away because it’s very graphic and scary. I couldn’t help but sob in terror. After a couple of moments all the growls and grunts bleed into silence. I look back in the direction to find that tall figure standing in the place of the wolf. Their glowing silver eyes are trained on me as they step towards me.

My heart is thundering in my chest and I find myself swallowing my sobs. When they step near me, I am finally able to see their face. It’s a man I have never seen before. With his eyes still trained on me, he kneels down to look at me closely.

He has a very angular and beautiful face but his silver eyes, they are sharp and stares right into one soul. I shiver when he raises a hand before placing it against my neck. Oddly, I calm down at his touch.

“Hmmm,” His deep voice rumbles as he examines my neck, “You’re in a very bad condition,” He comments.

“Who’re you? Where’s Jake?” I whisper instead. This makes him stare me down before he answers politely, “I am the first among the children of the night. Jake’s kind knows me by the name of Arles,”

I have heard that name before but I don’t remember where. I continue to ask him, “Are you from this pack?” My question makes him smirk before he answers in an amused tone, “I am from every pack,” His answer leaves me in bewilderment.

Meanwhile, he raises my hand and examines it before letting it go. My hand drops to the ground as if it belongs to a dead person. He tusks before commenting, “That blow to your neck has done some serious damage to your whole body,”

“What are you doing?” I gasp and my eyes widen as soon as I see a small silver ball forming in his hands.

“Healing you,” He answers before putting the small ball in my neck. The pain disappears instantly as I hear something snap back in place, “There you go,”

I am finally able to feel my body without any pain, “Thanks,” I tell him.

“You’re welcome,” With that, he raises to his feet and gives me a last look before turning around and walking away. It suddenly strikes me that I have heard about Arles from little Nefret.

“Hey, do you know Nefret?” I call after him as I watch him walk away while the fog starts to lift slowly. At my question, he stops on his tracks.

“I don’t know who that is,” He answers me over his shoulder before snapping his fingers. I am being consumed by darkness again but this time there’s no pain.