Raelynn believes she can trust Soren, but I know better. There’s a darkness inside of him that can’t be trusted. She might not have been able to see it, but I sure as hell can. That’s why I decided to follow them when Soren picked her up. I kept my presence hidden and stayed far behind them. When Soren pulled off down a deserted street in the middle of nowhere, I couldn’t shake the bad feeling in my gut.
The second I heard her scream, I shifted and raced through the woods after her, my body radiating with the need to protect her. Raelynn’s scream was full of terror and pain, a sound that will forever haunt me. Branches scraped my skin as I ran, but I didn’t care. All that mattered was protecting Raelynn.
Everything is a blur as I follow Raelynn’s scent. I can smell her blood and sense her fear. My body moves faster than it ever has before, almost as if the Great Luna is giving me extra speed. Up ahead, I see Soren, his black coat as dark as night as he gives chase. And in front of him is Raelynn, a magnificent white wolf with streaks of blood on her fur. Every few seconds, I gain a bit of ground, but they’re still too far ahead of me. The trees start to clear out, and the snowy forest floor becomes icy boulders. Beyond that, on the horizon, is the mountain range in the distance with a drop-off that leads into the unknown below.
Neither Soren nor Raelynn slows down as they head toward the cliff. I howl a warning for Raelynn to stop, but she doesn’t … not until much later. She slides across the icy rocks and digs her claws in, barely coming to a halt at the edge. Raelynn rights herself and moves out of the way, just for Soren to do the same. His body skids across the ice right over to the ledge. I thought for sure he’d fall, but he stopped just in time, his back paws on the cusp of death.
It’s time to end this.
Soren’s eyes meet mine, and they glow menacingly as he growls. His muscles tense, and I know he’s only a split second from attacking. I’m way past ready to end this. That’s why I’m going to rip that fucker apart.
Soren lunges in the air, but then something happens I wasn’t expecting. Raelynn leaps at him, knocking him straight off the cliff … but she goes over with him.
***
I watch Raelynn fall over the cliff, and my world shatters. Quickly, I shift into my human form and shout her name as I slide across the icy rocks to the edge. What am I going to see when I look over into the ravine? The thought of seeing Raelynn’s mangled body rips at my soul. I’ve only just found her, and there’s a chance I’ll never get to hear her voice again.
When I peer over, Raelynn is no longer in her wolf form but naked and covered in gashes and blood. Her blonde hair is fanned out across the grassy ledge she happened to land on. The mossy spot is out of place, almost as if it was put there to catch her; it doesn’t belong on the cliff. Below her and much farther down is Soren, still in his wolf form with his neck twisted at an impossible angle. He’s dead. Not a sound can be heard from him, no intake of breath or heartbeat. Luckily, there’s a rasp from Raelynn and a weak heartbeat that still pumps with life. If I can get down to her, I can save her. The blood from a true mate can heal even the direst of wounds.
Sliding my legs over the ledge, I scale down the cliff, using my claws as anchors. “I’m coming for you,” I call out to Raelynn. “Don’t you dare fucking die on me.” I keep waiting for a smart-ass remark, but it never comes.
The cliffside is treacherous, so I take it slow, making me grow more impatient. Raelynn’s heart rate decreases with each passing second. There is only a few more feet to go, and when I step down on the ledge, I pull Raelynn into my arms. My body shakes with rage when I see the bite marks on her neck and the claw marks on her shoulders. Streams of blood flow down her body and onto mine, coating the grass beneath us.
I hold her close and shake her gently. “Raelynn? Open your eyes.”
Only a slight whimper escapes her lips. Her heart grows fainter, and I can feel her life force waning. I brush the hair off her face. “I know I should wait for you to decide this, but I can’t risk losing you.”
Holding up my wrist, I bite into it until the warm flow of my blood leaves my body and falls into Raelynn’s mouth. I tilt her up so that it glides down her throat, filling her body with life … my life. The wound at her neck continues to bleed, so I swipe my tongue across it, and her blood is sweet like raspberries as I swallow it. The holes from the bite begin to close just as I’m thrust into a vision.
I’m no longer on the grassy ledge of the cliff, and Raelynn isn’t in my arms. A hazy cloud envelopes me, obscuring everything from view. All I can feel is the smooth pavement on my bare feet, and when I look down, there’s a double yellow line like you’d see on the road. Ever so slowly, the cloud thins, and the road lengthens until it stops at a crossroads. Raelynn is in the middle of it all, standing with her back to me. She’s so beautiful, dressed in a sheer, white gown with her long blonde hair flowing down her back. A road leads into a light to her right, but there’s only darkness to her left. She looks both ways as if contemplating which path she should take.
“Raelynn!” I shout.
I don’t like the feel of this vision. It’s supposed to be one of our future, not one of uncertainty. Raelynn jerks her head to the side and then glances over her shoulder. A smile lights up her face, and she grabs her chest like she’s relieved.
“Micah, you’re here.”
She tries to step toward me, but an invisible wall blocks her path. Raelynn pounds her fists on it, trying to break free. “It won’t let me out.”
I run to her and place my hands on what feels like glass; it separates us.
A look of panic crosses her face as she gazes nervously down both roads. “Why is this happening?” she cries, focusing back on me. “It’s not supposed to be like this.”
“Hey, it’ll be okay. Just listen to me. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay here with you as long as I can.”
She stares down at my hands and places hers against mine, only I can’t feel them through the wall. “Something’s pulling me,” she gasps, eyes wild as she jerks her head from one side of the road to the other. “I can feel it drawing me in.”
“Which way is it pulling you?”
I have a feeling the vision is symbolic. The dark road to her left is ominous and reeks of evil, the same way I’d think of Soren. But on the right is the light … pure and full of love.
“Which way is it pulling you?” I repeat, hoping it leads her to me.
Tears fill her eyes, and she hangs her head. The last thing I hear is her whispering my name before I’m thrust out of the vision.
I jerk awake, and I’m right back on the grassy ledge with Raelynn in my arms. Her heart is stronger, but she has a lot of healing to do. Very gently, I pick her up in my arms and peer up at the top of the cliff. There’s no possible way I can get her to the top safely. The only option is to carry her down to the bottom of the ravine. It just so happens there’s a narrow path that zigzags on the side of the cliff. I guess that it’s a goat path. Those bastards can walk anywhere.
Holding Raelynn close, I manage to get to the bottom without plummeting us both to our deaths. I stop at Soren’s body and stare at his lifeless, dead eyes.
“If you weren’t already dead, I would’ve enjoyed ripping you apart. Fucking prick. You got off easy.”
Carrying Raelynn away, I don’t look back, only forward. I’m going to take her home … to Wyoming.