Annalise

Dark Figures (Editing)

I sighed and fell to the ground. My knees sunk into the wet soil as the weight of my world collapsed on top of me and extinguished my light. My throat was dry, my legs burned, and the coolness of my sweat sent chills down my spine. At that moment, the anger dissipated, and a deep sadness washed over me.

I sat there, staring at the soggy leaves and brown of the earth until a tear hit my leg. And then another. I threw my hands up to my face and wiped away the evidence of the salt water that had coated my cheeks. 

I won't cry, I thought, but another tear welled and threatened to betray me. Had it not been for the fear that came with the forest breaking under heavy footsteps, I couldn't have stopped it. My sadness was gone the minute the sound of the crackling forest hit my ears and I knew I wasn't alone.I jumped up, scanning the area for the culprit, but the sky was growing darker and the woods too black for me to see. I could make out the trees and the fading blue of the sky, but nothing much beyond that.The minutes had turned to hours, and I'd lost the time. My thoughts had become the center of my attention and I wasn't sure how far I'd come. 

I listened as the twigs cracked and snapped, and my eyes darted to three distinct locations. I backed up and focused my eyes to find the figures in the dark.

The eyes appeared first and I saw the first wolf. It was to my right, big, agouti colored, and scarred. A snarl from the left and the second one appeared. It was gray with sprinkles of brown that ran along its back as it sported a chipped fang. I didn't recognize either. I couldn't be sure that they were even a part of our pack. There was no way for me to know. I'd only seen Cristian, Luke, and a few others in wolf form, so I stepped back.

The wolf to my right snarled and stepped forward. The gray one let out a loud howl, as the others followed, and I clapped my hands over my ears. It was like a siren exploding in my eardrum, and though it only lasted a few seconds, it left behind a deafening ring that thumped along with the sound of my heart.

I took another step back and prepared myself to run. They didn't seem friendly, and I wasn't going to wait to find out.

I cursed out loud as I tripped over a broken branch and landed on my ass. My heart pounded against my ribs as I shook with fear at the thought of them attacking me. My chances of having a heart attack before being done off by the unknown wolves were higher with each second.

As the thought of my death crossed my mind, a figure approached, shirtless, shoeless, and in the center of the two. I let out a loud breath and dropped my head as Eric approached and silenced the two. They were his wolves. I scoffed at the realization and shook my head. 

"Get up."

I was still sitting on the ground, but I couldn't believe it. I was sure my mother had sent him after me. 

"What are you doing here?"

He stomped towards me and pulled me from the ground with a yank. I snatched away from his grip but it tightened as his fingers dug into my skin and remained. He pulled me forward with an unwavering grip as we moved through the forest and back towards the house. He kept his hand on my arm, fingers to thumb, and unrelenting against my struggle.

"Wait."

I tried to keep up. My instincts telling me he would pull me through the forest, whether I was on my feet or not. 

"Eric!" 

He kept walking as if he didn't hear me, or feel my awkward movements, and only increased his pace against my fighting. 

"LET GO OF ME." 

I punched at his and arm and dug my nails into his hand until he had no chose but to stop. He yanked me to a halt in front of him and released his hold. His eyes were still the bright blue, but what was inside of them was dark. I flinched at the new sight of him as his dilated pupils glowered at me. 

"WHAT?" 

I collected myself, determined not to show fear, and pushed at his chest. "What the hell is your problem?" 

"My problem?" he growled, "My, problem? YOU RUN OFF LIKE A SPOILED BRAT WHILE YOUR MOTHER WORRIES, AND IM THE ONE WITH THE PROBLEM."

"I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOU TO COME AFTER ME, AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT-"

"I HAVE EVERY RIGHT... " A growled slipped from his throat and he turned his back to me and suppressed his wolf.

He dismissed the anger that had quickly built up and turned to me with warmer eyes before grabbing my arm again and marching forward. 

"I can walk on my own." I yanked my arm from his hand and made it only a few feet before he spun me and shoved me into a tree. 

He stood in front of me with his arms outstretched on the side of my head, as his lips thinned, and his jaw clenched. Startled, I looked at him and feared the returning black that he was fighting as his body trembled. I tried to duck under his arm, but he pushed me back into the tree and dropped his head. I bit my lip and held back the sound that wanted to escape my lips from the pain and cursed.

He looked up with his sharp eyes and spoke through clenched teeth. "I am really trying here, and I would appreciate it if you didn't test my patience, Annalise." 

I squinted at his threat and tried once more to distance myself from him. Again, my back hit the tree. This time harder than the first as I felt the ache in my back, and the bruise on my chest. I brought my hand up to meet his face and delivered with a loud smack.

The wolves growled behind us as they stood to protect their Alpha, but he turned and growled back, and they ran off. His hand came up and fingers were around my neck as my air was being stolen. He leaned forward, just close enough to whisper into my ear, as the warmth of his skin brushed my cheek. 

"You will learn to respect me, whether you like it or not... " His words came out slow, and drawn, as he squeezed. "I prefer to be as amicable as I can about this... situation," He lingered as I clawed at his hand, and arm, to free myself. My human body was no match for his wolf strength and warm tears slid out of the corners of my eyes as I felt myself fading. "I didn't ask for this," he continued with enthusiasm as I struggled against his hold, "and neither did you. But how we proceed from here is up to you." 

His breath was warm against my ear as he spoke, and with a shove, he released his grip and stepped back. I grabbed my throat, and inhaled big gulps of air, as I coughed, and gagged from the lack of oxygen.

He raised his brow and cocked his head. "Care to hit me again?" I shook my head. "Good. Now let's go, your mother is waiting.

Again I was being pulled, stumbling in stunned silence, with a pained neck, and a burning arm. We reached the house, and my mother grabbed me into a hug, with the same worried look from before. I pulled from her grip and stormed up the stairs. She thanked and then apologized to Eric. "I'll speak with her," she finished.

"She needs to learn her place." 

I slammed the door. I had never in my life despised someone so quickly as much as I did him. My angry thoughts filled my mind as I made my way to the kitchen. Lucas was sitting at the island, eyeing me as I walked through the door. 

"Can we talk?" He asked.

"Go right ahead?" I responded as normally as I could but my throat ached, my nerves were on edge, and I was angry. Being candid with my brother right now was not something I was interested in.

"This is important Anna, and I want to make sure you listen." My brother wasn't the severe one in the family, and I didn't like his tone.

"I'm all ears." I knew what he wanted to talk to about, but I didn't want to listen.

"Anna."

"I said I was listening, Lucas." 

"You're being hard on Mom." He rubbed his lip, "He's a good match and..." 

"And what Lucas?"  I shook my head at him. He wanted me to do it. He himself wasn't paired so why'd he care so much that I was. "Marry him?... I don't even know him... Do you even know him, Lucas, does Mom know him?" 

They didn't see what I had in him in the woods, and I doubted they knew the true Eric. I'd seen, him, in his eyes. Behind their sickeningly blue hue that made you uncomfortable, was anger, and behind that was impulse. 

I folded my arms and waited for Luke to look up but he didn't. I couldn't take it. I had nothing else to say to him, so I left.