Forever Luna

Affliction

noun ~ something that causes pain or suffering

CHARLIE

From anger to fear, the scent of my mate's blood would forever haunt my mind. The trees shrouded the demons, the oncoming rain vibrated the very ground.

Fear.

It was something I did not envy.

Nobody wanted fear and only the sickest enjoyed causing it.

I knew from experience what fear could do.

The fear of being alone and losing my family had once taken over my soul, so much so that I lost myself.

For months, for years, my beast took over. Left in the shallows of an empty mind, I never knew when I would come back. You knew when it was happening, could feel the ripple within you, but you also knew when you lost it.

Being a wolf with no soul was no easy trek. The amount of times I would wake from a fight in my human skin, my wolf torn to pieces as I tried to knit myself back together. Hours, days, sometimes weeks to heal an injury that nearly caused my death.

All because of fear.

And now, as the tingling whoosh ran past my ears, I knew I was losing myself to my wolf once more.

Please. I begged him. Not right now.

He growled as we fell onto all fours, our dark fur blending with the shadows as we charged straight for the one that harmed my mate. The scent of her blood drove us wild, and for the fastest of moments, my wolf took over.

I only came to my senses when a dark wolf broke the treeline and distracted the beast I was fighting. Axel immediately recognised our luna, releasing some of the restriction on our bond. I inhaled deeply, feeling the aching pain on my sides and the burning of a broken bone in my front leg. Weakly, I rose back to my feet when the beast turned to Nova.

But she surprised me. Instead of defending herself or waiting for help, she charged. The two wolves collided with a snapping of teeth and growls, and soon a softer coloured wolf joined in. Sean. The two of them wrapped themselves around the large wolf and just as I stood to all fours, Nova tore out their jugular.

A soft whine caught my attention and through the burning breath of pain, my head spun to the source.

And there lay Calida.

The clouds rumbled, threatening its downpour.

My eyes widened at the sight of her, a sharp cry escaping my snout as I charged toward her. Within a second I was shifting, uncaring of my wounds, as I collapsed beside her. Weakly calling her name, her eyes grew hazy.

She was nothing more than a piece of meat at a butcher shop, her beautiful, smooth skin torn to shreds by claws of death. I wanted nothing more than to seek revenge on the beasts that hurt her. My jaw ticked, agitated when I realised I could not bring them back to just to kill them again.

My wolf and Nova's had made sure they would not see another spark of daylight again.

Darkness shrouded my mind, threatening to take over as I helplessly tried to piece Calida back together. Our faint bond was dull, pathetically hanging on by a thread.

"My mate..." I whispered.

She winced, barely able to turn her head toward me. A faint, sad smile lifted her cheeks, words I could not make out escaping her lips before they fell quiet.

She was so hurt.

I wish I could take away the pain. I wish I could do something.

What was I supposed to do?