Bear No Malice | Paul Lahote

Eleven

"Emma! Rhett!"

"Emma!"

"I smell them over here, Sam!"

"I can't smell anything over that bitch's scent. She's all over the place!"

Somehow, by the grace of God, I slowly came to. The ticking of the engine and the groaning of wood was all I could focus on. I felt no pain, no fear, I was numb. My eyes lazily flickered open and I tried to lift my head to my surroundings. It was blurry, and I saw at least five different versions of the same face in front of me.

But each one instilled the same paralyzing fear in my bones.

"Hello, darlin'," she whispered seductively. "Nice to finally see your blood looks as good as it smells, even if you are covered in those mutts."

The faces converged into one as I started to regain more focus. Soon, pain followed. A searing, blinding pain that coursed through my entire midsection. Something dug into my collarbone, most likely the belt I'd slapped on before we took off from Billy's.

"It's a shame about your husband. He never stood a chance," the woman hissed as she lowered her mouth by my neck. I tried to move away as her tongue ran up it, tasting the blood that was running from my temple. "Dammit, you're gonna be good. I've waited too long to taste you, Emma Mason."

A threatening growl sounded from the darkness surrounding us and the woman straightened up immediately. She was eerily still as her red eyes focused on something in the trees. Another deeper growl came as she disappeared in a blink, as if she was never there. Snarls followed her as something crashed by the wreckage and chased after her. I slowly began to move my arms as the feeling came back to me, agonizingly slow as my entire body began to ache.

"R-Rhett," I croaked. I slowly turned my head to where I last knew him to be. His body slumped against the smashed driver's door, a tree taking its place now. The more I focused the more I realized the truck was almost wrapped around the tree from the force of the woman's throw. I reached up to wake him as a sharp pain exploded from my abdomen.

My baby.

I looked down trying to assess the damage done, but nothing looked right to me. Why was there a branch in my lap? I tried to follow it only to realize it went through my seat. Through me.

A choking scream left my mouth as something poured out with it. I turned my attention back to Rhett knowing we needed an ambulance immediately.

"Rhett. Rhett, wake up," I whispered. I was shocked to find how cold he was against my fingers but I kept pushing him as hard as I could. It really wasn't much.

A crack of branches pulled my eyes to the front of the smashed truck where three wolves, no, beasts, stood watching me carefully. I froze, knowing the smell of my blood was probably what attracted them. I breathed heavily as one of them, a silvery grey color, took a slight step forward at the sound of my whimpers. It walked around to my side before crouching down, muscles tensing. The sound of breaking bones and popping ligaments followed.

I watched in horror as the wolf transformed into a man, one I knew. One that I recognized but wished that I hadn't. Following suit were the black wolf and the russet toned one, each popping bones back into a more hominid form. It only caused me to panic further.

"W-what the fuck?!" I shouted. "How...how are you-"

"Emma," Paul whispered as he stood next to me. I tried to move away but I was stuck. "Emma I know this is scary, I know it's confusing but you need to trust me. We need to help you get to a hospital."

"Rhett," I demanded. "I need Rhett."

The absolute agony and guilt that consumed Paul's face shook my core. "I know, baby, I know. We're gonna get him too but we need to get you first. The ambulance is on its way. We need to move now."