Chapter 3 A dying stranger

Asha

New lands.

   I don't know where I am or where I'm going, but I do know I've gotten away from that place called a pack. Away from a dead beta, and a cursed people.

   I carry on through the twigs, the rustling leaves, some underground bushes. It's all chaos, but it's not the end of the world.

    I sigh heavily when I get to an open space. The moon is now hiding behind clouds, casting just a faint glow on the lake ahead.

     "Water," I mumble, taking some slow steps towards it.

  "Oh my gosh," I fall to my butt, and place my legs in it.

  The cold, sweet sensation sends a chill into my bones, making me shudder sweetly.

   I'm finally enjoying some peace and quiet when something.. or someone groans heavily.

  I jerk my legs away from the water, my eyes darting around to see who it is.

   "What the hell? Did someone follow me here?" I place my hands over my mouth.

   I hold on for a few seconds, and the groans sound off again, this time more heavier than the last time.

  I stay still for a little a while longer, trying to pay attention to whatever is moving that way.

  The groans don't exactly sound like the object is in some sort of struggle, but it doesn't sound so threatening either.

    It seems it's calling for help indirectly.

   I slowly get to my feet to see who it might be, but something makes me pause.

   Is it a trap?

  Is someone out to get me and sell me as a slave?

  But what if someone's actually in trouble?

   I take in a deep breath, then move forward, in the direction of where I hear the groans coming from.

   I walk steadily along the lake, until I get to some rock, where the groans have become even louder.

   I heave heavily, then peek my head out to see what it is.

  It's a person.

A person who—

   I finally walk to the other side of the rock to see what's happening with him.

    Ah yes. A person who is struggling to get a big ass silver sword from his chest.

   "Wow, I'm so sorry. How did this happen?" I blurt out, standing there in awe of his injury instead of helping.

   Did I ever mention what a weird ass I was?

   The man slightly tilts his head in my direction, and says something I don't quite grasp.

   I just stand there like a moron, still staring right at the sword that has been driven deep into his chest.

  It's so.. huge.

   The man groans again, and my eyes snap to his. He weakly points to the sword, and that's when my head finally snaps.

  "Oh right," I laugh nervously, and grab the butt of the sword.

   "This will hurt, hold on a little," I say softly, and with all my might, I pull out the damned sword out of his chest.

   Whew, two years of hard labour paying off.

    I throw the sword in another direction and look back at him.

  He still looks all weak, worse, I think he might be dying.

   I kneel at his side, and place my hands on his chest, "Hold on a little, I'll heal you."

    The healing gift, which I think I got from my father, was awakened in me when I turned eighteen. Apart from my mother, no one else knew I had this gift.

  It is unlikely wolves have powers like this. If ever in rare cases, they do, someone exploits the hell out of it, or they're sold to the Alpha.

    Mother was scared this would be my fate, hence she made sure I never told anyone.

   I place my hands on his injured chest, feeling the faint thrum of his heartbeat. As my hands make contact with his wounds, a faint glowing light emits from my hands into his wounds.

   Then boom, it hits me like lightning. A prickly feeling at first that graduates into a electric sensation. I feel a heavy weight tearing into my skin, and forcing itself into my skin.

  Suddenly, my pulse duplicates, I can hear a literal growl in my head. My body shifts, and my vision blurs for a fraction of a second before it temporarily goes black.

    After what seems like eternity, my eyes go back to normal. I look down at the man who's now staring at me puzzled, his eyes widening with what I believe to be terror.

   'What is she? A witch?'

  I retract my hands from his chest, and look around, wondering who said that.

  'I'm having a weird feeling about her. I don't know why, but I know something left me the minute she touched me.'

   The voice comes again, louder.

  Excuse me? Who is saying all that?

  The voice seems to be talking in my head. A shrill voice. Too shrill to be considered that of the moon goddess.

  'But my wounds are healed. Is she a good or bad sign?'

   Wounds.. healed— hold the fuck on!

  I whip my head towards the man now sitting in front of me, his right eye twitching.

  I can.. I can hear his thoughts! No, wait, I mean I can actually hear what he's saying inside loud and clear, like he's having a conversation in my head!

  Is that something to be worried about?

   'Wait.. my wolf.. I can't feel my wolf!'

   I gasp, placing my hands over my mouth, my eyes wide with confusion.

  What's happening? Why's his voice inside my head?

  "Who are you? What the hell did you do to me?" He asks in a deep, silky voice, which is surprisingly different from the shrill voice I hear his thoughts in.

     I blink back at him, still registering the fact that I can hear his thoughts.

  'Is she some sort of moron? Why isn't she saying anything?'

   I grimace at his thoughts, and cross my hands over my chest, "I saved your life, the least you could do is at least appreciate me. Hmph," I raise my nose in the air.

   He feels his chest– which has been healed of course. He looks back at me again, his pupils now dilating with each passing second.

  "You stole my wolf?"

     I pull my head backwards, "No I didn't. Why would I do that?"

  He points a finger at me, "I can't feel my wolf!" He snaps angrily at me.

   I snort, "Then feel him? What has that got to do with me?"

   He holds his head, his veins popping up all over his neck.

  'Now she's pretending to be innocent? What exactly is this creature before me?'

     "I'm Asha, thank you very much. I didn't steal your wolf, but I did save your life–"

  A different voice, different from serena's calmly replies in my head.

   Mine.

   I shake my head, and hurriedly get to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest.

    The voice comes again, louder.

  Mine.

   This doesn't sound like the man in front of me, but it sure is masculine—

  The realization hits me like a bullet.

  I look back at a fuming man who looks like he'd explode any minute.

    "I- I don't know how this happened!" I shake my head and hands, "I'm not a witch, I promise you," I wave my hands trying to prove a point.

   Mr. fuming face forces himself to stand up, and oh boy that's a really tall creature.

    'What is a Lycan supposed to do without his wolf?! I'm a nothing if I don't have Lucien inside of me.'

  Lycan? Did he just call himself the Lycan king?

    I'm about to say something, when an arrow sticks itself in the ground, right in the middle of us.

    My jaw drops. "An arrow?"

  We both exchange puzzled glances for a fraction of a second.

  Before I know what's happening, he sweeps me off my feet, and dashes in the opposite direction.

   "What's happening?"

    More arrows rain in our direction. Most of them are sticking to the ground before they even get to us, but the attackers are relentless, and they keep the arrows coming.

   One of the arrows whistles past, grazing my cheek.

   I can't breathe.