Ryan
Fear. It runs through me, surging through my veins. Fear for my life, my Pride, my wife and soul-mate. The sound of screams and roars fall to my ears. There’s absolutely nothing I can do to help my friends and loved ones.
I’m too broken to move from my spot slumped against a tree. Turning to my right I glimpse a small child, Eve, screaming and clutching at her father, begging, pleading for him to wake up and help mummy. Looking over to her father I gasped. His blank, lifeless eyes were staring in my direction. Eve is still clutching to her fathers shirt, weeping.
A sharp stabbing pain to my stomach makes me curse and whip my head back to the hooded man in black. Vision blurring with the movement I tried to focus. He is crouching down in front of my broken body, smirking, a short dagger dangling between his thumb and forefinger. “Tell me Ryan, how does my knife feel sliding through your flesh?” He asked, amused. His eyebrow slightly rose as if waiting for some kind of response. Glowering at the man I summoned the strength to spit right in his face. “Fuck you.”
His face turned to one of disgust as he used his shirt sleeve to wipe my spit off of his face. Lashing out with his armed hand, he slit open my throat. Gurgling and struggling to breathe I tried in vain to hold my throat closed, my fingers slipping through the blood that's gushing out.
Baby.. I pictured her smiling face, beautiful long, dark brown hair, full rosy red lips, bright hazel coloured eyes. My world. And I ruined it all for her. I took away her family and friends, her loved ones. Closing my eyes I felt the pain throughout every inch of my broken body. Eliana, I’m so sorry...I love you.
Hearing a chuckle my eyes shoot open. The man dug his dagger into my stomach, again, his eyes shining with satisfaction. Looking into my eyes he whispers over my harsh breaths. “How does it feel, knowing that you were the cause for your entire races extinction?” With that, he slammed his dagger to the hilt into my barely beating heart.
Eliana
So much pain. My heart is beating so fast it feels like it’s going to fly out of my chest. Fear. So strong is my fear that it’s seeping through my pores. Except it’s not my fear. It’s Ryans. ‘Ryan! What’s happening? What’s wrong?’ A sharp pain in my stomach brings me to the floor, tears streaming down my face. ‘Ryan? Oh my goddess, Ryan.’
Tears are streaming down my face. So much pain. Curling into a ball on the wooden floor of my kitchens hotel room I wept. ‘Ryan? Please answer me.’ My throat is on fire, I can barely breathe. Panic bubbles up inside of me as I feel Ryans heart spluttering, my heart beats in sync with his. ‘Baby..’ He sounds so broken, so lost. ‘Eliana, I’m so sorry...I love you.’
All of a sudden I hear a mans chuckle and my eyes shoot open. Except I’m seeing what Ryan is seeing. The mans face lights up in satisfaction as his dagger goes into his stomach. Looking into Ryans eyes he whispers over his harsh breaths. “How does it feel, knowing that you were the cause for your entire races extinction?” With that, he slammed his dagger to the hilt into Ryans barely beating heart.
Screaming I jolted awake hands searching frantically for the knife I know is not there. My body is covered in a cold sweat, my heart beating through my chest. Searching the room I checked to see everything was still exactly where it was before I went to sleep. No sign of movement, no scent of anyone having been here. Heaving a deep sigh I swung my legs over the side of my king sized bed.
Glancing at the clock I noted it was barely past 2am. Great, barely 2 hours sleep. Grumbling to myself I got up and opened the French doors to the right side of my bed. Stepping out into the night I inhaled the fresh, slightly damp air, stretching my tired limbs. Looking out into the woods I felt a deep sadness settle in bones. Ever since that dreadful day not once have I seen, heard, even smelt another werecat shifter.
Like that unknown man said, our entire race was wiped off the earth. Well, not entirely. I thought bitterly as bile rose up my throat. I wish I had died that day, so I didn’t have to live with the thought of never being around my own kind. We werecats craved the touch of one another, whether it be a simple brush of the fingers on the hand or a hug.
For months I was just an empty shell, just existing. Then followed rage, an intense rage never in my life had I felt. At the man who took away my Pride, and Ryan. Ryan. The thought of what that man had said right before he struck the killing blow still puzzles me. “How does it feel, knowing that you were the cause for your entire races extinction?” What on earth did he mean by that?
The sound of a howl ripping through the air tore me away from my thoughts. Body rigid I turned my nose up into the air sniffing. Two other howls followed the first and then several more. Sighing I tried to relax my body at the familiar scents. Moontide Pack is by far the smallest wolf pack in the country, and also the nicest. Sure they’re a little rough around the edges, but that is to be expected.
Not one of their pack members nor any other wolf pack know what I am. It’s common knowledge that werewolves and werecats never got along very well. Sure, some got along but never were they best buds. Luckily the goddess blessed me with the ability to hide my scent, otherwise I’m almost certain I would’ve been captured by a wolf by now.
Looking out across the treetops I sighed and stepped back inside locking the door behind me. Walking into my room I stepped in view of the mirror. The girl staring back at me has black bags under her dull hazel eyes. Her cheeks look sunken and her full lips are down in a frown. Her hair is greasy and reaches her sweats covered hips. Her once white tank top is loose around her stomach. Turning to my side I lifted the top and realised I had lost more weight.
Frowning I strode towards my bathroom stripping off as I went. Turning on the shower to cold I jumped in and scrubbed myself clean. It’s time to find out who that man is, and what he meant when he said that to Ryan, before he took his life.
Getting out of the shower I blow dried my hair and got the scissors out. Time to make change and give that slimy, murdering piece of shit exactly what he deserves. Then something amazing happened, something I haven't done in nearly a year. A small little smile crossed my face. A smile that was filled with determination.
