Waiting for Sunrise

Treading Water

It hurts. 

Everything hurts. 

I can't swim any longer. Hell, I didn't even know I could swim, but guess when you think you're about to die the body does strange things. When the first big wave hit me, I shifted into my wolf form out of shock. It was easier to block out fear and focus on instinct this way, but my fur was weighing me down and I was too tired to shift back.

I know Andy and his friends didn't mean to cause this much trouble. They just wanted me to come into the water. But they were dumb for not thinking about how rough the waves were and Theo was nowhere in sight to stop them. 

"Stop, guys seriously," I said kicking my legs in the air as Andy and Jared dragged me toward the edge.

"Don't be a spaz, Jonah, it's just a little water," Andy teased and tightened his grip. 

"Oh, the water's pretty nice today," Jared added. "It's perfect for a little swim."

My toes touched the water and my eyes grew wide. I started to buck like an untamed horse. No, please. I can't breathe. I can't think. Help!

"Guys, guys, I don't think he finds it funny," Eve said running up to us. 

"Relax, Eve," Kathy said pulling her hair up. "He's just being dramatic. Once he's in I'm sure he'll be fine."

Kathy grabbed Eve's hand and pulled her past us to go swimming. Eve gave me an, "I'm sorry," look as she was dragged away. The rest happened too quickly for me to remember all the details. The wave came and it forcibly separated me from Andy and Jared. It pushed down and spun me around, like a washing machine on it's final spin. 

I shifted and tried to claw my way up to the surface. Through sheer panic I managed to bob my head back up. The first drops of rain hit my face, like a gentle drizzle and then it came crashing down all at once. I could see Jared and Matty not ten feet away. Jared shook the water out of his ears already reaching the shore, while Andy was helping Eve and Kathy back to the shore. 

I could tell Eve was looking for me, but before I could let out a howl to let her know where I was, another wave washed over. This one was bigger than the last and it pushed me down farther than before. I tried to ignore the spinning while trapped inside the curl, but it left me disorientated and I spent most of the oxygen in my lungs trying to figure out which way was up.

I could see the surface, the sky grey and the clouds rushed passed, like a business man late for work, but not matter how hard I kicked, I wasn't going anywhere. Help! Please, I need help!

Oh no, it was happening again. I swore to myself I'd never be this helpless and yet, here I was. My lungs screaming, my muscles aching, and my brain shutting down. I hated myself for feeling this way and it gave me enough motive to push through the surface. 

I gasped hard allowing as much air as possible to rush back into chest. I looked around finding nothing, but water and howled over the rain. I howled until another wave pulled me under. This one was easier to overcome and I managed to pop up fairly quickly. What I wasn't expecting was another wave to follow shortly after. 

I had no time to breathe, nor think.

Exhaustion was making it harder and harder to fight against the current. I was alone, no one could hear me, and I was losing hope. I barely managed to make it back up and I knew the next wave to hit me, would be my last. It didn't take long for it to happen either. 

I closed my eyes as the water swelled around me. When I opened them again, the wave was right behind me and in my tired state I could see Asher coming toward me. I mentally kicked myself, even now I wished he was here. 

The wave crashed over me and my body naturally tried to protest against the water. I kicked a few times, but my attempts were futile and the surface was getting farther and farther away. I coughed and screamed feeling water burn through my throat and into my lungs. That's when I realized I wasn't going to die peacefully. 

When two bright blue eyes appeared in front of my face and looked hard into my own eyes, I knew I wasn't going to die at all.

He grabbed the fur behind my neck and started to kick hard. I tried to help, but too much water had entered my body and it was causing me to seize and shake. My conscious was fading fast. I gave one final thrust and stopped moving all together.

Then all at once, air came coursing back into my lungs. I let out several hard coughs as water was expelled from my body. When I could think straight again, I noticed Asher was holding me with all his might. He had a gash on his head and his face looked so angry, if this was any other situation I'd steer clear of him. But seeing his stone cold face, only made me want to lick it.

And I did. A lot. 

"If you don't stop fidgeting, you're going to get us both killed." Asher's gripped tightened. 

He was being a jerk! I licked his face harder. It was really him and I wasn't imagining it.

"Shift," He commanded. "Before the next wave comes. We're going to ride it to shore."

I whimpered and violently shook my head. I was too weak, too scared.

Asher grabbed my head and I stopped fidgeting. "I'm here now, I won't let anything else happen to you."

I only managed to stare at him for a few seconds before another wave rolled in. Panic hit me once more and I started kicking against Asher, but he never let go of me. I could feel my claws digging into his skin. He bit my neck and I stopped moving. Asher shifted our position and I could feel the wave pushing us toward the shore. 

We hit the surface and Asher growled, but said nothing. I could smell his blood and my heart lurched. He adjusted his grip on me once more and told me that it would take at least three more big waves until we are back. He told me when to take a deep breath and I listened. When I could see the shoreline, he said that the waves will try to drag us back so I needed to shift.I listened to him and he held me in his arms until his feet touched the sand.

Eve was the first to notice us. She waved her hands up and the rest followed. The current had pulled me so far away, they looked like ants. Asher had dropped me down and pulled my arm over his shoulder. My brows lifted in surprise. Even now, he was trying not to embarrass me in front of my friends. His free hand gripped my waist and didn't budge when the others reached us.

Andy and Jared started apologizing profusely, but knew better than to try and touch me. Asher's presence had created as sort of Alpha bubble around us and almost everyone knew not to pop it.

Theo had disregarded the "bubble." His eyes were wild with concern and relief. "Jonah, I'm so sorry. I should've-"

He went to hug me, but Asher put up a bloody arm covered in claw marks and pushed him back. "Don't you fucking dare."

Asher's voice was ragged and I finally took notice of how heavy he was breathing.

"Jonah," Theo's voice trailed off and I gave him a quick shake of the head as we walked passed. I didn't want him to get killed for being stupid and not listening.

The summer rain had finally settled, but the sky still looked threatening. Asher pulled out a blanket from the trunk of his car and wrapped it around me. His expression softened as he looked down at me and with a heavy sigh he dropped his hands. He said nothing on the walk up and was going to say nothing as he entered his car, but I couldn't watch him go again. I was older now and not going to let history repeat itself.

I grabbed hold of him as I wrapped myself around his chest and rested my head just below his neck. Tears brimmed my eyelids and I knew if I wasn't careful, they'd come pouring out. "Please, please, don't leave."

Asher lifted his arms around me and bent his head down on my own. He gently whispered into my hair, "I wasn't planning on it." 

He gave me a tight squeeze before letting me go and opening the passenger door. I let my jaw drop before pulling it into a smile.