Louisa's POV
When I opened my eyes, I saw Darren's face in my blurry sight.
"What happened..." As I spoke, blood started to pop out of my mouth.
I choked on my blood and started to cough and I felt the rupture pain coming from my lungs.
I lowered my head and saw the remaining of that giant hog's broken tusk lodged in my chest.
And there was blood everywhere.
I panicked.
No... No... Am I going to die?!
"Lisa, don't look down. Look at me." I heard Darren's voice.
I lifted my head and saw him holding me in his arms.
"Lisa, listen to me. You're very strong and brave. You've killed that hog with your dagger. You've stuck it right between its ears and it's dead now," he said.
I couldn't see his face clearly, but I could feel his tears dropping on my face.
He must be terrified now.
I tried to calm down, but the pain coming from my chest was very distracting.
"Darren... I can't... breathe..." I gasped.
I could hear the hissing sound coming out of my lungs.
"You can. You can do it, Lisa. I'll remove the tusk from your chest and you'll be able to breathe. I've already removed one. You've done well. Now this one... Listen to me, Lisa. This one is a bit tricky. It's too close to your heart..."
Having heard what he had said, I totally freaked out. I had an uncontrollable impulse to look down and pull out the tusk from my chest.
But Darren stopped me.
"Lisa, please, stay with me and don't move. I need you to work with me. Please remain absolutely still when I pull it out. Don't let your fear overtake you. You take control of your fear. You're brave and strong, Lisa. You've killed a hog with a dagger. Now, all you have to do is to focus on recovering, because you have the ability to recover yourself, right?"
My sight was completely gone. I couldn't see anything anymore.
"Darren, I can't... I can't see... I'm cold, Darren!" I whispered.
"Lisa, I'm here with you. I'm not going anywhere. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have... Please, Lisa. Do this for me. Don't leave me alone in this world. I can't afford to lose you like this..."
More tears dropped on my face.
Layers of fears wrapped me like a cast of plaster and I was stuck.
My mind went numb, and so did my body.
I pulled all my remaining strength and opened my mouth.
"Do... it... now..." I whispered.
Suddenly, the heavy weight on my chest was lifted.
I felt the chilling air penetrating through my body like my whole cavity was ripped open.
The smell of blood was permeating the air. I could feel that my face was covered by my own blood.
I could hardly hear Darren's voice.
Just when I was about to give up, a voice suddenly appeared in my mind.
Cold and sharp, embodying the force of nature, like a razor blade peeling the skin of my skull.
"Where the fuck are you and what the fuck are you doing?"
"Who... Who's this?" I asked in my mind.
"Never mind. You fucking stay where you're. Don't you fucking move, she-wolf."
"... Alpha Lucas? How did you... Why are you talking in my mind?" The sudden shock struck somewhere inside my chest like an electric bolt, which made my chest even more painful.
"Shut up, bitch. I don't have the time and I'm not in the mood. Stay where you are and I'll come to get you." That voice sounded miffed.
I dreaded and said, "Don't come here! Stay away from me! If you come here, I swear I will kill myself right now!"
"Are you fucking threatening me?" the voice asked.
"I'm not. But I just want you to know that... I'm not afraid of you anymore and I don't want to see you. Please leave me alone!" I said with trepidation.
"You're playing with fire, she-wolf. You'll regret what you've just said." That voice was full of hatred and abomination.
My throat was turning dry. My lips were chapped. But it didn't stop me from bursting out into a flood of anger.
"I don't care! Could you please just get out of my mind? I don't want to see you, hear from you, or have anything to do with you! Just leave me alone!"
"What the fuck are you talking about? You can't survive without me!"
"I can! I'm perfectly well living without you! I've got friends. I've got Finn, Darren, and Colt! I've met Vincent and Will. They're vampires, but they're my friends. I've got so many animal friends! The elephants, Mr. Weasel, and the Salamanders. They're so kind to me and we take care of each other!"
Alpha Lucas' voice was full of disdain, "Oh, fuck. Are you listening to yourself? You're seriously out of your mind. Who the fuck hangs out with fucking weasels? And who the fuck is Colt? That's it. I've had enough. You've been messing around with too many boys and it's really getting on my nerves. You're coming back with me to the camp today and I'll kill everyone that you have mentioned."
I shouted in my mind, "If you dare to hurt any of my friends, or make any threats to hurt them, I'll stab my heart right now and you'll never see me again! You've got plenty of women and you're the one who's been messing around! Just go get married to someone stronger, smarter, and prettier than me. I don't deserve your attention! Forget about me and leave me alone!"
Then, I opened my eyes and took a deep breath into my chest.
Magically, I regained my sight.
I could see Darren's face again.
The pain in my chest was gone.
I lowered my head and saw the wound on my chest closing itself.
"Darren!" I stretched out my arms at him and cried out.
He took my hands and pulled me back towards him.
He held me so tightly that I almost thought he wanted to press me into his chest.
"Lisa, I..." He didn't manage to finish his sentence before he fell to the ground.
"Darren, what happened?" I tried to pull him up.
But when my hands touched his arms, he abruptly slapped them away.
"Go home, Lisa..." He said without looking at me.
His voice was strange and trembling.
"Darren..."
"I said go home now!" He roared and pushed me away.
I could see blood dripping down from the corners of his eyes.
His body curled up and arched at strange angles like it was folding and twisting by a pair of invisible hands.
And then, his whole body caught on fire.
"What happened to you, Darren?!"
"Run... Lisa... Now..." I heard Darren's voice coming from the inside of the fire.