In a Heartbeat (MxM)

Chapter 19

Michael unfroze, standing up from his spot across the room, and started toward us, slow and deliberate. My heart dropped, as his unforgiving gaze never left mine. It was like I was the one frozen now, unable to even move a finger as he got closer and closer. Simon was shaking, his hand retracted from my arm as he held his hands close to his chest, curling in on himself. The cold feeling from his hand still lingered, as I watched with trepidation as Michael stood over us hesitantly. The corner of his lip raised in a smirk before snatching Simon's upper arm, yanking him away a couple of tables down from where I sat. Still paralyzed, I watched helplessly as Simon flailed about, while Michael wrapped his other hand around his neck.

My chest tightened, the air coming out in short gasps. Michael's previous threat was becoming all too real. It no longer felt like just a nightmare. The sobering thought hit me, he was going to kill him. Just as I had David. And I could do nothing but simply watch. My body ached to just shoot out of my seat. To grab Michael by his throat and make him stop. To do anything to get him away from Simon.

This newfound desire to protect him was unsettling, to say the least. No, I thought. It's more than just about Simon. Michael would ruin this pack, ruin its reputation. And if that meant killing Simon, I would stop Michael at all costs.

But to no avail, I couldn't move. Michael's grip on his neck didn't lessen, Simon gasping for air at this point. He was clawing at Michael's arms, trying desperately to get out from his vice grip. With Simon pinned to the table, I watched in horror as Michael's claws broke skin leaving a bloody trail on the desk, as Simon screamed. His cries were agonizing, telling him to stop, only for it to be all in vain.

But what was worse was Simon's eyes. Full of tears, terror, staring at me as if asking me to make it stop. To help him. And when he reached out towards me with an outstretched arm, as if desperately trying to get to me, my breath hitched.

And through it all, Michael's bloodthirsty stare never looked away from me. An upturned smile as if he was mocking me.

His eyes glowed dangerously as he squeezed tighter, crushing Simon's windpipes, his body fighting it for a few seconds before slumping, his arms dropped with a thud on the desk.

Dead.

It was like my world swept out from underneath me. My heart stopped, I'm sure of it.

My chest hurt, and I wondered if this was what a heart attack felt like. I couldn't breathe. My cheeks felt wet suddenly, tears I hadn't noticed, was falling steadily now, my vision blurring. What was happening to me? My head felt like it was going to burst any second, the pain was like those damn migraines tenfold.

Michael dropped his body unceremoniously to the floor, his body crumpled, limbs strewn in awkward positions, as the blood from his neck still oozed out from the small punctures from Michael's claws. He stepped over him before stalking towards me, as I still sat frozen to the chair, the fear intensifying.

"That was for David," he said lowly, stopping in front of me, before reaching for my neck.

My head slammed against the back of the chair from his forceful hold. I could feel his claws threatening to cut through the delicate skin, my arms still stuck to the armrests. Unlike Simon, I couldn't even attempt to pry his hands away as he leaned in, his nose nearly touching mine, that awful smug face the only thing I could see.

"And this," he snarled, before crushing my neck in the same manner, leaning in to whisper in my ear.

"This is for Simon."

----

I woke up screaming.

Maybe I should've been grateful that it was a dream, but it didn't stop the panic that consumed me. I could feel it. The claws, the pressure around my neck. It still felt real, even though I knew it was a dream. They weren't here. They weren't in the pack. Everything was fine, I was telling myself.