The Bitten Wolf

Chapter 23: Sacrifice

   There were murmuring voices everywhere trying to speak to me, but they were so distant and faint that I couldn't make out their words. I strained to pick up at least one word, something that would tell me who was trying to reach me.

   "Hazel..." someone breathed, but I couldn't place who it was.

   "Will?" I whispered back, taking a wild guess.

   My eyelashes fluttered against my cheek as my eyes drifted open, taking in my surroundings. Dark branches pierced the smoke-covered sky, lit up from below by an orange glow. A single black crow, almost invisible against its background circled above me, cawing loudly. Somewhere close to me I could hear ragged, pained breathing.

   "Will?" I whispered again, but the person who entered my vision wasn't him.

   "No, Hazel, it's Luke." His voice was filled with pain as he clutched his leg. Through the small gaps between his fingers I could make out freshly burnt skin, red and blistered.

   I stared at him in silence, trying to figure him out. Were we enemies? Were we friends? Flashes of the past few days shot through my mind, memories I didn't even know I had. Even though he had tried to kill me multiple times, I couldn't shake off the feeling that he still cared about me. After all, I would most likely be dead if he didn't.

   "Thank you Luke," I mumbled, a lump rising in my smoke-clogged throat.

   Luke wrapped his arms around me, lifting me into a sitting position that made my muscles scream. My first tear carved a path down my ash-covered face as I held onto him tightly, wondering what would happen to us, what would happen to my pack. What would happen to Will.

   "Where's Will?" I pulled away enough to see his face harden as he averted his eyes. My heart pounded in my chest, but I pressed on, "He's alive, right?" My voice sounded too high, too hysteria-filled.

   "I don't know," he answered truthfully, "Do you still feel... whole?"

   I didn't feel any different. When I had accepted Will as my soul mate, I had felt as if we were connected, and the connection hadn't faded. The only difference I felt was that I was in human form.

   "I'm human," I realized in shock, looking at my hands and blinking a couple of times to make sure I wasn't imagining things.

   "I think being so close to death made the wolf melt away," Luke replied, watching me with a strange look on his face.

   "I don't feel any different," I offered, wary of his expression. He sighed, moving closer to me. He turned his blue eyes on me, studying my face.

   "Hazel, I would do anything for you," he began, "And if this will make you happy, I'll go find Will. But promise me that you'll let me do one last thing first." His eyes were pleading and I couldn't stand the thought of saying no to him.

   "I promise."

   Luke's lips were on mine in a second, urgent yet gentle. Though I knew that I could not love him like I loved Will I kissed him back, trying to memorize the feel of him against me.

   He pulled away fast, eyes telling me everything he needed me to know even before he said, "I love you, Hazel."

   Then, he was gone and I watched as a black wolf with a badly burnt back leg limped off in the direction of the forest.

   I should have gone with him, I sobbed as the tears came, I can't lose both of them.

   I tried pushing myself up off of the ground, but the effort made my head spin and my muscles ache. I would have to wait until they got back.

   I woke with a start, not having realized that I had fallen asleep. Above me the sky was even darker than before. I stumbled to my feet, ready to get away from the growing fire when I realized that it wasn't smoke covering the sky. It was storm clouds.

   There was a flash as a fork of lightning crossed the sky and rumbling thunder followed a second later; the storm was near. Soon, I was standing in the pouring rain as the clouds opened up.

   The cool water felt good against my heated skin, washing away the pain. Farther away, I could see it putting out the fire, taming the flames slowly but surely.

   Too busy staring at the fire, I didn't notice the figure walking towards me until it was almost in front of me. His hair was slicked back because of the rain and he smiled at me wearily, green eyes dull.

   I ran into his arms immediately, holding him so tightly that I thought we might mold into each other. He kissed my wet hair gently, as if I was fragile and would break apart at any moment.

   Suddenly, I pulled back, studying the forest for any sign of movement. Though the trees moved with the harsh wind, no one appeared between them.

   I glanced at Will, who shook his head.

   "He saved me," he replied to my unspoken question, "He said that it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. I was choking and surrounded by fire when he found me and he got me out of there. We were running towards here when the flames caught up to us and he... he..." Will turned his head away from me, his voice too choked with emotion to continue. I pressed myself against him, offering him comfort.

   "I watched him burn and wanted to help him, but he told me to save myself. So I did. The rain came to my rescue, but too late to save him," Will finally sobbed, "I'm sorry."

   Will leaned his head on mine. I could feel his body shaking with emotion and I wanted to say something that would ease his pain, but couldn't think of the right words.

   "He did it for you," Will continued, "He loved you."

   "I know," I whispered, swallowing back tears, "But I couldn't love him the way I love you."

   Will gently tilted my head back and pressed his lips to mine with a sad smile. He tasted of tears and sorrow and I reckoned I probably did too.

   The storm broke us apart as the rain began pounding down harder. Taking my hand, Will lead me through the dead forest.

   We reached the edge of it to see light coming from the brick house, as if welcoming us home. Together, we stumbled towards it, our hope that the pack was alright rising when we saw a figure in the window.

   Tommy met us at the door, eyes concerned. He quickly gave us a list of who was there and my heart fell as I realized that we were very few in number. Besides the three of us there were only six others: Leah, Matthew, Kiera, Sheila and Augustine, who had joined us, and Penny, who was still unconscious.

   I knew I should do something about our new additions and go visit Penny to check if she would be alright, but I could feel my eyes floating shut as I tried desperately to stay awake.

   So, as alphas, we decided that everything would be sorted out tomorrow and that everyone should rest, though I had no doubt that Tommy would stay awake by Penny's side all night.

   I, however, fell asleep as soon as I hit my pillow.