The Eclipse (MXM)

CHAPTER 4: LEARN YOUR PLACE 🌖 TW: ATTEMPTED RAPE

I should've trained harder, fought back harder, but now, none of that mattered. It made me feel inept, and in this moment, I'd somewhat resigned all the achievements I had thus far as a result of my strength. Just when his teeth grazed my skin, I felt a jolt, and then the thundering sound of trees breaking filled the deafening silence. Johnny's touch, his presence over me, was... gone. A jacket was gently placed on my naked skin, and the feeling I'd had since morning was so intense my heart almost beat right out of my chest.

Looking upwards, I was met with the fiery gaze of glowing red eyes. Time actually did stop in that moment as the tall, obsidian-skinned man stood over me, wearing white clothes, red combat boots, and a long red trench coat. He was even taller than Johnny's wolf form, standing at 6'10". He had a slender frame, but you could see the clearly defined muscles ripple through his shirt. His silver hair was combed forward in a fringe style haircut, with the sides faded into an undercut. A breeze kicked up, causing his long bangs to dance in the wind. That's when I noticed a scar on his right eye, as if he'd been clawed by another wolf. His slanted, mono-lid eyes were beautifully hypnotizing, a sign he had some lineage from the eastern Luna wolves.

My attention was drawn away when Johnny groaned and began moving in the snow, still in his wolf form. There were at least five or six broken pine trees in the distance, but no other wolves around—just this strange man of the Luna. There was no way he could've done it, right? No one had that much power, not in their human form at least. Other than a member of the Sol wolves, and even then, that required magic. I looked back at the man I assumed was the one who saved me, for now anyway, but he was now leaned down so close I could see his hot breath in the cold winter air. It made me panic, but I also felt a sense of calm wash over me. I don't know how to explain what I was feeling because I'd never in my life felt anything like it before.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a deep, velvet-like voice, staring into my eyes.

I was captivated—no, enthralled—by how handsome he really was now that I could see him up close, and the thought made me feel odd. His face was very defined, with sharp, chiseled features; a slim nose with broad nostrils; and a strong jawline framed his handsome face. He had a silver anchor-styled goatee and mustache that encompassed his full lips, and I found my eyes lingering far longer than I'd ever admit in that area. His skin was smooth like marble, but he seemed sick, with a slightly lighter complexion compared to the normal rich obsidian color other Luna wolves had—almost like a faded black. If I had to guess, I'd say he was about thirty years old. When he repeated his question, it snapped me out of my trance, and I realized I hadn't answered him. "Um, ...yes. I'm fine," I said, obviously lying as I struggled to stand up. Somehow, I felt slightly renewed, but I was still wounded and in extreme pain with torn clothes and bleeding wounds.

I lost my balance as I attempted to stand from the pain of the puncture wounds in my thigh, and he caught me with one arm, pulling me into him with no regard for my grimy condition.

It happened in one smooth motion, entirely too fast for me to react. My face hit his firm chest as he held me close—too close. He felt strong—no, he was strong. I could sense it, and he was warm. I looked up at him, feeling the blush of embarrassment flutter on my cheeks, and he was surprisingly already staring down at me. His expression was apathetic; he seemed unfazed, but his gaze was so concentrated it almost seemed cold, like he wasn't sure if I was real.

He finally broke eye contact with me after a long while, looking at the blood running down my leg. Suddenly, he lifted me with one hand on my back and slotted his other arm under my legs. He made me feel as light as a feather, picking me up as if I were a bride being carried over the threshold of a new home. I didn't know if I wanted to be scared, impressed, embarrassed, or most of all angry.