8.
Emma
Nightfall was coming in fast as I ran beside my brothers in human form. It felt funny to acknowledge them like that knowing I'm not blood. It doesn't change the fact that they are family.
“Keep close beauty,” Jonah said glancing at me. I nodded as I kept my breathing stable, just as Noah taught me.
To our right, we heard howls of wolves drawing nearer. The fear of knowing they are rogues made me push harder. Why were they coming near us?
“Stay within the trees.” Noah said widening the distance between us. What was he doing? No. No. He can't leave. They will hurt him.
In my peripheral vision, I saw four wolves approaching us with glowing red eyes, Noah ran towards them as Jonah ran closer to me. We practiced this move dozens of times but I still feel uneasy about it. Now I was going into full-blown panic. We were actually in danger. Wouldn't it be better if we stayed united? We can get picked off easily. We were each other's weaknesses.
“NOAH!” I screamed at him but he blocked the link.
Alia was restless, not being able to help and agitated of not being able to shift. On instinct, I changed my course to Noah but Jonah used his body to block me off before I got any closer. “He can get hurt!” I said, as Noah attacked the first wolf. He bit down hard on its neck the wolf howled in agony as its blood stained its fur and Noah's snout.
Sensing another wolf behind him, Noah slashed the wolf's face then bit his front paw, pouncing on its back he used the wolf as a springboard to slam into a third wolf.
“Run!” was all Jonah said but I stood still at the sight I saw in front of me. I never saw so much blood before, now this gruesome attack. The wolf fighting so viciously was definitely not my quiet shy brother.
Jonah barked at me which snapped me out of my daze.
Stumbling turned into running as I saw Noah ripping out the jugular of the previously injured wolf. The wolf shifted back into human form just like the first.
Pushing my hair out of my eyes I skillfully dodged a tree which made way to a clearing. Before I knew it, I was tackled to the ground. This was not a practiced move, this was reality. Trying to keep your butt alive makes every survival instinct in your body switch on like a lamp. Crashing to the ground, I heard a crack as pain shot through my wrist. Turning to my right, I saw what slammed me to the ground. A red wolf who was picking itself up from the ground and making its way to me in a predatory manner.
Adrenaline coursed through my body as I got up and ran, it was on my heels as I felt its hot breath on my feet.
"STOP!" I shouted in a strange voice that was foreign to even myself.
Defensively, I swung my hand behind me to hit it then a loud crack was heard. What the hell was that?
Coming to a complete stop and turning around, the wolf wasn't behind me. It was a few feet away from me, lying still with its neck twisted in an odd angle. It shifted back into a human guy. A young guy, probably around my age.
What in the goddess's name just happen? The adrenaline left my body causing me to slump to the ground. Holding my wrist, I sat in disbelief at what just happened. Did I just kill someone?
How did I kill him?
'Emma, snap out of it!' I heard Jonah's desperate words in my head. Tearing my gaze to my brothers I flinched away seeing the blood matted on their fur.
'Get on. More rogues were arriving when we left.' Noah said, lowering his wolf's height for me to get on.
I obeyed him and got on. Looking back at the body as we ran further away from the scene of dead wolves, my mind was racing with questions.
'I think we gained a new gift.' Alia said to me.
I couldn't confirm nor deny that fact.
We ran for miles without stopping, running close to a pack border knowing the rogues won't come close to it. I grew tired as Jonah took over in carrying me. We stopped at a stream to rest which was ideal for me. The boys washed off after shifting to human form. I wish my mind will just turn off and let me figure things out but it just won't.
It was late at night and we were in unclaimed territory. I was on edge as I sat cradling my wrist. It was healing quickly but it left my wrist in an awkward position.
Jonah saw my wrist and quickly came over to me. "We have to break it again and set it straight okay?!" He said rubbing his thumb across my cheek. I nodded as Noah came up with a piece of stick.
"Bite down on this. It will hurt a lot." He said softly as I took the stick to bite down.
Jonah held my hand as I held on to Noah.
"Ready?" He asked barely whispering.
"Yes" was my muffled response.
Noah held me tight as Jonah broke my wrist again. The pain was excruciating. Worse than the first break. The pressure I bit down into the stick was to result in the imprinting of my teeth. Silent cries escaped my mouth as tears rolled down my cheek. Noah's body was tense with his heart racing but he still comforted me, gently rocking me as Jonah made a substitute cast.
"There you go, beauty," Jonah said pulling me into his arms away from Noah. He stroked my head as my eyes started to close slightly but the tears won't stop, I don't think they can.
I was exhausted from the day's events. So much happened in that one day.
It all seems so surreal to me. What stood out more was the fact that maybe I got a new power.
"I think I got a new gift" I murmured into my brother's bare chest before I succumbed to sleep.
Jonah
Watching Emma fall into a deep sleep her last words caught my attention, it also did the same to my brother.
"The attack probably triggered it," he said looking at her.
"We have to get her to her parents soon before her uncle gets her," I whispered.
Emma shivered as a cold breeze blew past us. Noah shifted and came closer to us, I gently tucked her into Noah's side which she snuggled closer to him.
'She still knows her favorite brother,' he joked as she clutched onto his fur.
I laughed softly not even peeved by it. Since she was younger, she followed Noah everywhere. She could of course tell who was who since then, when our parents couldn't. I smiled at her, watching her even breathing and couldn't help but worry about our future.
'When she's eighteen then we take her to them. Hopefully, by then no more powers will choose to come.' he said, sniffing her scent.
"Her scent is becoming stronger. We have to find refuge soon," I said sniffing the air.
'We need rest, brother,' he said, curling his body around Emma. I nodded and proceeded to shift.
Being in wolf form gave us an advantage if we were attacked. Even while asleep, our senses are still sharp.
Licking my little sister's cheek and curling next to her and my brother, I wish things turned out as we planned. We hate to see her in so much pain and feeling lost. Her whole world was turning upside down and we know somehow she would make it. Our Emma was the strongest she-wolf we've known and we're proud to call her our sister.
Noah
Morning came too soon and my body was still tired. Remembering our night, I became alert of my surroundings.
I felt Emma moving restlessly next to me. Nudging her below her chin and by her ear with my nose, I was able to wake her up.
She looked around in confusion then realization settled upon her face.
"It's okay. I'm here. Come on. Let's go hunt. You can let Alia run for that time." I told her.
Looking at her wrist she whimpered in pain. "I know you're in pain, beauty. But Alia would help with the healing."
"Are you sure?" She asked standing up by then Jonah was up and stretching.
I nodded and turned away as she stripped.
After the sounds of bones shifting, I turn back to see her beautiful white wolf favoring her right paw.
"Easily step on it. Focus on healing it. Focus on feeling no pain." I told her. After a few whimpers and irritated growls, she was able to walk fairly.
"Very good, beauty. Let's get you fed then we have to move," Jonah said leading the way.
Her wolf was relieved to be let out after last night as I watched how she played with the butterflies and chased her tail. I ingrained this moment in my mind knowing she has to grow up faster than other teenagers. She was being hunted and she didn't know. Truths have been told and even more, truths have to come forth but I'm confident that she will be fine.
Hunting in wolf form was a great stress reliever for us. Forgetting about our situation for a moment was great. A deer and a few rabbits later we were contented. Emma washed off in the stream as Jonah and I checked the map our father put in my backpack.
He marked the most rural packs that were close to Emma's parents. We had five months until her birthday. Five months for us to hide the fact that she's a white wolf.
"Three states to cross. That's four to five days, less if we push ourselves. There are a lot of unclaimed territory and a few packs along the way. We have to mask our scent when we're passing their borders. Are you ready?" Jonah asked as Emma came up to me. We both nodded and made our way out of our home state.
We walked a few miles in human form in silence. Everyone lost in their own thoughts. "Can y' all still feel our pack?" Emma asked.
"No." we answered solemnly. We were all worried about our family. If they survived the attack and if they did, would we see them again?
My heart ached to see my parents again but that has to wait.
"I miss everyone" she whispered. "Someday we will see them soon," Jonah said assuring her.
"Emma! In the next few months, things will change drastically. Situations may arise. Things will be revealed on its own accord. With all of these things happening, we will always be by your side, protecting you as our little sister and as what we were chosen to do." I told her.
"Chosen?" She asked.
Jonah turns to her and smiled. "We were chosen by the moon goddess to be your protectors. Your very own personal guards. Twin wolves are very rare and are born natural warriors. " he said with a grin.
She shook her head at his silly mood.
"That explains why two 21-year-olds always around their little sister. What about y'all mates? what would they think of you being around me 24/7?" She asked.
After a moment of silence, I answered, "We don't have mates".
Being protectors was an honor but not having someone to love unconditionally was something we hated.
"Because of me?" She asked softly.
"Being with you is good enough," Jonah said holding her hand as I held her other.
And he was right, it was a disadvantage of being a protector but it had many more advantages being one.
"Come on. Let's see if we can cross the state borderlines by the end of the day." Jonah said as he shifted and Emma hopped on his back.
Listening for any nearby wolves or humans, I also shifted and followed my siblings. Putting my mind at the task at hand, I took the lead with renewed strength and confidence.