Restoring Dragon's Heart

Belle: The Alley Savior

If only she had shut her mouth, then this mess would have been avoided.

Fear gripped the entire frame of Belle as she worked her limbs. Tears? She was tired of crying. Now, more than ever, the earnest desire to outlive the chase at her back surged through her body. It gave her strength to push on.

She could hear their hurrying boots. The rapidity of how they rained after her. Her legs buckled, her hands swiping down a trash can behind her. The loud crash echoed, dirt scattering behind her gave her the guts to run even harder.

Her legs grumbled, pain streaking through her knee caps. The hurt in them begged for her to stop. Regrettably, she couldn’t. She had put them to work, for far longer than she would admit. Straining to catch her breath, Belle laboured against the cold wind. As she ran, she sobbed, trying hard to retain her consciousness in the midst of all this.

Her heart was in a continuous dance. The rapid beats of it, setting every nerve within on fire. She was not going to die here. Not today.

Still, as she fought to keep her conviction alive, she couldn't help but feel an intense age within her. Why did her parents hide all of this from her? Why did they not tell her about this whole thing? Why would they leave her in the dark?

Yes, it made sense

Especially now she was being chased by some psychotic human. Some psychotic creature who could make his hand grow out fur. It made perfect sense to her. But her parents did not bother to let her know about this.

Anger flushed through her entire nervous system, fighting off the clenching pain in her legs. She ground her teeth, determined to live out this day.

Even with the rage within her, for her parents, Belle knew she had a part to play too. Maybe if she had just minded her business, maybe if she hadn't bothered to get involved. AFter all, was it the first time that dogs were brutally killed in the country?

It was not the first time. But as wise as she was, she had bothered to interfere in it. She cringed at the memory. Wishing within herself she had not bothered to take this path. Maybe something ought to have happened. Something which would have diverted her steps.

But no. nothing happened. And the death she was so scared of, Belle heaved out, sweat drenching her gown. So much that it clung tightly to her body, making it uncomfortable to run. Not like there was anything comfortable about his run. s.

“How the f**k is this b***h even this fast?’ The man from behind yelled out as he raced. “You're dead, girl. I swear it. Dead!”

Looking back only briefly, Belle could make out the form of the man who she had challenged over the dog. If he was not trying to have her life, then he would have a definite hot guy who would catch her fancy.

Alas, such was not the case. To make matters worse, he had a crew of other guys who were actively chasing after them. Although it seemed herself and the mister were the fastest of the lot.

Dismissing the thoughts of his handsomeness from her face, Belle focused back on her run. It would be foolishness on her part to consider him as anything but deadly. Annoying, handsome. But psychotic. This was not how the romance stories portrayed it to her.

“Slow down, witch. How are you this fast?” He called out again.

Belle could see him clearly struggling to catch up. Which was due to her bending in and out of corners. Her mind spun as she began to question the reality of things.

Why Was she faster than some freak who could make fur come out of his hand? Not only that, Belle reasoned amidst hurried breaths, she had seen his fingernails elongate into… Claws?

How she had even got out of the first lung was something she was yet to understand. It was like her body… It just moved on its own.

“Ah!” Belle yelped, her right foot striking something solid on the ground.

Gripped by the sudden pain, her left foot missed a step. And down went her body. Her entire mass shifted down to the ground. Panic Stricken, Belle forced her body to twist, looking back at the fast gaining aggressor.

THWACK!

“Ahh!” Belle yelped, an overdose of panic shooting through the broken knee cap on her right. She had turned but at the cost of her knee. And now, there was the aggressor, his furred right hand reaching for her neck.

Intense pain searing through her eyes, Belle grimaced, pushing herself out of his reach. In doing so, her only foothold on the ground slipped. Leaving her body on a diagonal course to the ground.

THUD!

“AH!”

The back of her head kissed the ground, an acute bout of pain racking through her skull. Mouth opened in a sharp gasp as her vision blurred. Then the rest of her body came down and bounced up. Shifting a few inches from the place of impact.

Her knee ached, racked with pain. Her head throbbed with a massive headache. She could feel the back of her head being sticky but she was not sure. Her mouth hung out half open, unable to cry out in pain yet, unable to stomach all the pain.

The fact that her stomach muscles were contracted even now did not help matters. It forced bile to her throat, her willpower only stopping it from gushing out.

It was weird that that would happen, Belle reasoned amidst the pangs of pain. Her vision cleared just a bit, allowing the sight of the dashingly handsome chaser. At the sight of him, her mind exploded, ordering her to run. She arched her back, whimpering through the pain, tears striding down her cheeks now.

But to no avail.

Her muscles did not bulge. And the man was right in front of her.

“Looks like the cat has not anywhere to run to. You are mine now, are you not/” The man said, a wild smile to his face. “I give the orders. And NOBODY tells me what to do!” He barked.

Belle whimpered, feeling his breath over her face. She bit down on her lip, clamping down on the sob while enduring the sickly sweet cologne from the mister.

‘God, please. Help me.’ Belle cried out mentally. ‘Help me this once, please.’ She pleaded, feeling her consciousness slipping even further away.

“Stand down!” Another voice broke into her laboured spasming.

“And who the f**k you think you are, Amigo?” Belle could hear the aggressor ask, his breath no longer hovering on her.

“I am the guy who claims the girl. Now, I would hate to repeat myself. But hear this once.” The arrogance of the speaker irked her at once. If she was not in pain, Belle was sure she would give him a solid verbal beating for that. Who gave him the rights to claim her? And since when did she become a trophy to be claimed?

Yet, oblivious to the inner turmoil within her heart, the speaker continued, bashfully.

“The Girl is under the protection of the Red Dragon Wing. This is no more Wolf territory. Stand Down!”

Belle frowned instantly. The pain was unbearable but the words she heard kept the edge? What was happening? She asked herself, mentally, stomaching the pain on every angle, grimacing and twisting still.

What did he mean by Red Dragon Wing? And what was the Wolf Territory here? Who are these people? Some member of an occult group?

“Hah! Funny this is coming from the one dragon who couldn't take over. I heard the news. You don't give the orders, loser boy.”

GROAAAARRRRR!

A loud roar ripped through the air. Belle shivered now. A tremendous burst of energy silenced her pain momentarily. It was overwhelming and every inch of her ached to see it. Struggling, she managed to push her eyelids open, grimacing.

A pained gasp escaped her lips, the sight of the two men dashing at one another with ferocious strength and agility shocking her to the marrows.

Her head throbbed, a sharp pain racked through her body. Arching her back, Belle closed her eyes to groan.

The pain resided, allowing for some moment of respite. It allowed her the chance to open her eyes to observe. Albeit, her entire frame barely clung to life. She was weak. But even as dire as it was, a part of her wanted to know.

The winner of this insanely supernatural encounter.

Opening her eyes now, she saw all the men, including the first one down, beat up. On the ground and groaning in pain.

A new figure, a feminie one stood with the man in a white shirt. Or was it grey? Belle could not tell. Her vision blurred out continuously.

“There would be consequences for this. Your father would not take it lightly. This is a breach of the accords. It may lead to an all out war and you would be in the midst of it.” The female voice chided sharply.

Belle blinked, forcing herself to stay awake for a second more.

Now, the man was over her, his sea scent cologne inviting her into slumber. And oh, his touch, how so gentle.

“The world can burn. I was protecting my mate.”

‘Mate?’ Belle struggled to say.

Protecting? That word stung her. Her parents had always protected her. Now look where it landed her. And now, some stranger was thinking he was protecting her? She wanted to push up, tell him how silly it was of him to think that.

She was not a damsel in distress. She did not need anyone's protection. But as enraged as she was, her body did not give in.

Tired and weary, her eyelids clamped shut. Her hearing became only a din. Until everything faded.

Completely.