Wolf Eyes

Chapter 20

I tugged at the hand wrapped around my wrist, but his grip tightened ever so slightly before pulling me into his arms. “I would do anything for you, Taryn. When I become human, I will protect you until my final breath because you are the best thing that has ever happened to me and no words can tell you how I feel about you.”

When. Not if. He made it sound like I had already made my decision when in reality I was far from it. 

This time when I pulled away, he let me go. 

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“Taryn? Do you need anything?” A gentle knock came at my bedroom door with Jacob’s soft voice. A second later, the door opened to reveal the tan-skinned werewolf, his near black eyes shining in concern. He took a step towards me and I blinked, as if snapping out of a trance.

“What? Oh, uh, I’m fine. Just tired I guess.” I answered, turning my head to rest it against the glass of the window and stare out of it. 

Jacob came closer and sat down on the edge of the window seat. “Do you want any water? Are you feeling okay? You seem…I don’t know, off.”

I shook my head. “No, I’m fine, really. You go get some rest yourself. I don’t need to be babysat like a little kid.” 

The boy looked uncertain, but after a moment he nodded and got up. “Okay. Remember, I’m right in the other room if you need anything.”

I didn’t acknowledge him but he left the room anyway, the door closing without a sound as I continued to stare through the window. The moon was plump in the sky, waning from its full phase just a few days ago. Sebastian had told me what would happen even though I wouldn’t listen to him. 

All of the wolves in the pack would shift under the light of the full moon and run together, giving into their urges as a wolf. They would always return either at midnight of an hour or two after, so that they would be able to go to school the next day if it was a school night. If it wasn’t, it was more common for them to stay out most of the night. 

As much as I tried to fight it, that night I sat in the same window seat, pretending that I didn’t think every dancing shadow was Sebastian running by my window.

Even as I had the thought, the shadows flickered beneath me. My eyes shot to the place, but it was only the moon playing tricks on me again. 

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Dreams are a chaotic thing. 

Sometimes they can be pleasant and everything that you could have ever wanted. Reunited with loved ones from the past, entering into a fantasy universe, learning how to fly. Some people go to sleep only to experience dreams. 

Sometimes dreams can be inflicted upon you in a half-awake state, influenced by events happening currently to your body. If one says something during this state, your entire dream might be shaped around that phrase. 

But sometimes, they bring to life your deepest fears, making them so real that you can’t help but be terrified even when you are awake. 

But what’s a dream that one can’t tell what it is? 

Mine. 

At first, it felt like I was looking through a TV screen, watching light warp and darkness pulse before it dragged me in. Silver light from the moon danced all around me, making the shadows swirl into strange shapes. One flickered just in my line of sight and I whirled around to meet it. At the sudden movement, my head throbbed and made me stumble but I forced myself to keep standing. 

When I opened my mouth to call out, no sound would leave. A flash of bright blue at the edge of my vision made me spin around again, the throbbing in my head only getting worse. Panic coursed through me. Was it Sebastian’s father? Another flash of color, but this time it was light green, so light, in fact, that they had seemed blue at first glance and made my heart ache. 

That moment, the skies opened up, clouds that I hadn’t noticed were there started spilling fat drops of rain and drenching me within seconds. 

As if each drop weighed twenty pounds, my body became heavy and I collapsed, knees buckling underneath me but felt no pain. I only realized that I was lying flat on my back staring at the sky empty of clouds and any presence of rain. 

A ghostly touch swiped across my arms and I released a gasp, trying to jerk away from the touch but found I couldn’t move. The touch only lingered for a few seconds before I was completely dry. 

My body wouldn’t let me sit up, no matter how much I tried, and soon I began shivering. Whether from cold or confusion, I didn’t know, but my hand gripped into a fist just as warmth settled over me. It was comforting, that warmth, almost familiar. 

Bright green hovered over me, tinged with auburn. At first it was just a small pinpoint  but it spread like blood until it covered the entirety of my vision. 

A strong tug pulled me out until I was staring at the TV screen again. I watched it for a few seconds, of the green ringed in reddish-brown that filled the screen before the TV turned off, leaving me in darkness.

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*Sebastian POV*

“She’s gone.”