Dark Wolf

CHAPTER 8

ATHENA POV.

*DREAM*

“Ash, I’m scared.” I sobbed as tears ran down my face. I was hiding in the corner between the wall and chest of drawers in our room as loud bangs and shouting from below could be heard. Father was having one of their parties again and it sounded as though it was getting out of hand. Last time that happened, the scary men came and hurt a lot of the kids in the rooms next to us.

“It’s okay, Ena. Don’t be scared, I’ll protect you.” My big sister of about five minutes said as she stepped away from the window, where she has been trying to see if there was anything happening outside, but from all the noise, I knew that what whatever was going on, was inside and not outside. My sister came to sit next to me in the corner, cocooning me in and wrapped her arm around my shoulders, trying to comfort me.

I knew that if there were something to happen, that neither she nor I would be able to protect ourselves, but I appreciated her protectiveness all the same. She always stood up for me, even if it meant that she got punished with beatings or no food.

We both jumped when a particularly loud bang sounded from within the house, and I could sense Ash’s nervousness and fear just like I knew she could sense mine. Ash retrieved her arm from around my shoulders as new noises could be heard but this time from outside. “Ash, no. stay here.” I called after her, but she has already sprinted to the window and stood on tipped toe to peak outside. “There are wolves running!” She exclaimed. “father’s wolves are running away!’ She spoke again and I jumped when yelling came from outside the door, but Ash was too interested on what was happening outside to notice. I crawled out of the corner towards my sister. “Ash…” I called out but my sister’s name barley left my throat when I screamed. Our bedroom door burst open and, in the doorway, stood Catheryn. She had hatred in her eyes as it landed on me. Ash’s eyes grew wide as Catheryn lounged at me. Her nails and teeth elongating as her eyes glowed menacingly blue. Just as she made a grab for me, I jumped back, hoping to get back to the safety of my corner but she caught me on my arm and a pained scream tore from my throat as her claws dug into my arm from the inside of the bend of my elbow, and as I instinctively pulled away from her grasp, her claws sliced across my forearm to my wrist before she suddenly let go.

I fell to the carpeted floor and clutched at my arm that was bleeding profusely, but it wasn’t the site of my arm that made me gasp in shock, it was why Catheryn let me go so suddenly. Ash was clawing at her as she clung to Catheryn’s back. She saved me, but now a new fear grabbed at my heart as I saw Catheryn trying to buck Ashlynn off, but she held tight. That was until Catheryn swung a clawed hand, blindly towards her face and Ash uttered a cry in pain as one of Catheryn’s nails managed to slice her in the face, across the eye. I scooted back until my I felt the wall behind my back, and I stared in paralyzed horror as Catheryn managed to grab a hold of Ash and bring her over her shoulder and pinning her hard against the floor in front of her and Catheryn swiped at her neck. Unable to defend herself, the only thing she could do was try to roll out of the way, but she wasn’t fast enough. Catheryn’s claws caught her on the side of the neck and down to her shoulder. The scream od Ash’s pained filled cry burned into my brain as I sobbed uncontrollably against the wall. Catheryn’s murderous blue eyes landed on me, but before she could advance, another bang sounded from beyond the open door, and she snapped her head in the direction of the shouting voices that were coming from the staircase leading up to our level. She growled loudly and gave me a last hateful look before she ran from the room, shifting as she left and then it was just me and my sister. I sat frozen. I couldn’t move except for the sobs that shook my body and I could only look on at how Ash convulsed and choked on her own blood. What felt like minutes was only seconds before people stormed into our room and that was when I felt that I could move again as I pushed myself from the wall to get to my sister’s side, not even noticing the trail of blood that I dragged behind me. “Ath-E-na.” My sister tried to speak to me through her choking, but before she could finish, I felt myself being lifted and I struggled like mad as the strangers circled my sister.

*DREAM ENDS*

“AAAHH!” I bolt upright in a scream. My heart is racing so fast that I feel panicked and want to get away. I have tangled myself in my bedding from my tossing and turning and in my rush to get out of bed, I trip and fall. Luckily my room has a thick, soft carpet by the side of my bed and that broke my fall on my side but not by much. I lay there for a moment, catching my breath and I break out in tears as I roll to my back. The scars on my arms burn like fire as a spiteful reminder of what I just relived. My sister nearly died trying to save me and I was too scared to help her in return.

If it weren’t for my grandparents and for Julia Castor and her people who showed up in time, she would have died, and it would have been all my fault. Maybe that is why she did all those things she was accused of. Maybe she got tired of looking after me and protecting me and finally just have had enough. More sobs racked my body as I felt myself slipping more and more into a depressing form of thoughts and that was probably why I didn’t hear my door opening and closing, but what I did feel was warm hands. Hands that were so familiar on my body that I instinctively leaned into his touch, and he gather me into his arms before picking me up from the floor. I feel him putting me back in bed, but I catch a hold on his night shirt so that he would have no choice but to stay with me and feel myself calming down as I feel the bed dip next to me as he got in and I immediately worm my way under his arm. Screw the fights that we had. Screw the differences between us that would have my grandfather s**t in a fit of rage and screw the age differences between us. I needed him and I could already feel myself calming down as my sobs started to subside. There were no words spoken between Christian and I, but I knew it wasn’t necessary. He covered the both of us up with whatever part of my blanket he could get and when I felt him settle in next to me, I drifted of to sleep again and this time blissfully dreamless.

LYNN POV.

I wake up in a cold sweat. My breathing is rushed, and my heart is racing as I look up at the dark ceiling. I take a deep breath and close my eyes as I try to push the nightmare to the back of my mind. After a minute I open my eyes again and I can feel myself starting to calm down. Sitting up, I rub at my tired eyes before looking to the spot next to me. Hunter’s side of the bed was empty and when I ran my hand over where he had slept, I felt that it was still slightly warm and that he must have gotten up a minute or two before I woke up. I take of my blanket and swing my legs off the side of the bed and my eyes fall on the time of my alarm clock on my bedside table. It was just after three AM and I sighed because I knew that I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep for a while so I might as well go get me something to drink. I get up and make my way downstairs and I find myself smiling when I heard the kettle finish its boil.

I stop in the kitchen doorway, leaning against the door frame and my smile widens when I see a half-naked Hunter busy pouring boiling water into two cups. I admired his physique as his back muscles puled and worked as he busied himself with the hot beverages. He was in great shape for a human magical. Muscled upper body with a narrow waist that ran down into a pair of midnight blue sleeping pants and barefoot. Everything about him was perfect for me and I regularly thanked the Moon Goddess that there was a bounty out on me otherwise we never would have met.

“Like what you see.” Came his amused voice whilst he still had his back to me, and I huffed a laugh and entered the kitchen to come and stand behind his tall frame and I wrapped my arms a round him in a hug. “Always.” I replied and placed a kiss in the centre of his back. I knew he was smirking and when he turned around in my arms, he had the proof on his lips as he grinned down at me. He cupped my face with his one hand as his expression turned serious and he looked at me intently and I knew what he was going to ask. “Nightmare again?” He asked and I nodded.

I took the tea that he handed to me, and we sat at the kitchen table, it had long serving top table, but instead of having individual chairs, it had two long benched on each side. We sat side by side as I blew on my tea. One sugar and no milk, just the way I liked it. “Which one?” He asks as he blew on his before taking a sip. “The one where Catheryn nearly killed me when I was five.” I said and took a sip of my tea and I sighed as the warm liquid chased away the last coldness in me from the dream.

He didn’t say anything in return. He took another sip of his hot drink as we sat in silence. This is what I liked. The silent communication between us without having long conversations. He knew me so well. That was probably why he also knew last night that I wasn’t going to go along with his suggestion in hiding away. We both finished our drinks in silence before he picked up our cups and rinsed them out. He turned around with another smirk and I rolled my eyes at him. “I know something else that would get you to bed quicker.” He said and I got up from the kitchen table, trying to play innocent but I knew I was failing hard, but I liked to play along. “And what would that be, Mr. Blackheart?” I asked as I stepped closer to him, and he grabbed me by the hips and pulled me against him. “Why don’t I show you, Mrs. Blackheart.” He said silkily in my ears that sent goosebumps all over my skin and a giggle escaped my throat when he picked me up and proceeded to walk out the kitchen and straight to our bedroom.