{can we just discuss how beautiful this is? thank you! @Leeful you made my day. :') also at the end of this chapter is a little sneak peak/description of what's coming next since this book is almost at its end :((}
Everything was silent in the house, so silent that Grey didn't even want to breathe in fear that she might breathe too loud. She had her back against the wall opposite of the door with the dresser in front of it, the knife Maksim gave her sat on the nightstand only a few feet away. Her eyes never strayed from that door, no matter how badly she wished to look out the window, she was terrified, her body frozen in fear.
Truly, deeply terrified of what lurked outside. She knew that the moon didn't bring any good when it hung full and ominous in the night sky. And after all that Maksim had told her she was left alone and shaking, unable to will her body to hold that beautiful knife that could save her life.
"If he somehow breaks free and comes here. Do not hesitate to stab him. Get his arm, his leg, anywhere to make him immobile, but if you have to kill him. Do it."
She knew that if it came down to it, her or him, she'd never be able to kill him even if he was a beast. She would let the beast tear her throats out and feast on her guts as long as Alexei would live. Why she'd give her own life before his was beyond her, but she just knew she would.
Out of the silent night, broke a wild, feral howl that seemed to shake the entire earth. It sounded far away but Grey knew those creatures were fast and powerful and they could be near her in no time. She watched the digital numbers of her beside clock turn to a hour after midnight, and out of nowhere it came; that bond. It crept through her veins and coiled around her lungs, she felt like she was drowning as the urge to find him, see him, touch him overwhelmed her entire being. It was taking over her senses and any sense she had left was swept from her mind as if common sense was useless. And yet, despite her better judgment, she crawled over to the window, slow and quiet, and squatted down low so she could peek out the window without being fully seen.
Outside, the world seemed peaceful and beautiful. The world now turning green was filled with fireflies, where she usually watched little creatures scurry across the grass there was nothing. Everything seemed out of place except for those fireflies floating around the trees. The outside world called out to her. She could see the wind rustling the tall tree and if her window had been open, she was sure she would've heard that eerie little voice beckoning her into the trees. Her finger twitched with the urge to pull her window open and breath in the night air or even to creep down the stairs and step into the world illuminated by moonlight.
Grey had been so entranced by the seemingly magical world, that she hadn't noticed she was no longer crouching but standing at her full height, peering out the window. Her wide eyes scanned the tall trees that swayed in greeting, begging her to come to them, but the only thing that planted her feet in their place and kept her inside that room, were the big blue eyes peering from behind the lights of the fireflies.
And she was mesmerized, it was like seeing them again for the first time. Frozen in her spot high above the beast, she watched it slowly emerge from the trees. The beast seemed larger than normal, it's legs thicker with muscle and teeth sharper, with each step it took she could see the muscles ripple beneath its shining fur. It was far more intimidating as it made it's presence know in the night that now lacked that magic vibe with the fireflies gone and trees still and sinister looking again.
As it looked up at her and she looked down at it, Grey felt her heart drop when she realized that it's huge claws and teeth were stained with blood.
Maksim.
The spell broke between their locked gazes and she fell down as her legs gave out, her body sprawled across the ground, chest heaving with fear. As quick as she could, she scurried over the door, pulling herself up so she could press an ear to it, trying to listen for any signs that could indicate there was any more danger than that which she was already in.
With her ear pressed firmly to the door, the knife that glistened in the dark was in her direct line of sight. It taunted her. It's silver blade and handle that was carved with designs that matched the big doors that hid the room filled with generations of portraits. She knew she'd need it if he got inside but right now, it was only her in the house and she wouldn't dare touch it until-
The long scratches at the front door were sinister and she froze before the whines filled with false innocence followed and made goosebumps rise on her skin. He wanted in. He wanted her. He kept at that pattern, scratching and whining for what felt like hours before it all got silent and was replaced by a menacing growl. Grey froze, a shiver ripping down her spine.
Yet despite her fear of what would happen if he got in, she could only think of Maksim. Where is he? Is he okay? Is he alive? Her thoughts were running rampant, forgetting about the situation at hand. She didn't hear the silence that followed the growl, nor the growls that rumbled through him as he move around the castle, therefore Grey didn't hear the sound a downstairs window shattering.
She froze again when a low growl tore through the silent air, the beast's claws clicking on the linoleum echoed upstairs. Her heart dropped; that meant the beast was inside.
He was coming for her.
Moving as fast as she could she ran to the window in her room, but not without grabbing that silver knife first. With a hard pull the window slid open and Grey had one leg dangling out of it when her door rattled. She froze in her place, unable to will herself to move. The door shook as the beast threw all it's might against it. She watched the cracks grow up the wooden door, creating thick, jagged lines that signaled her demise.
Throwing her other leg over she looked down at the ground below. It's only two stories. She told herself she'd be fine, she could handle a fracture in her leg or foot but a beast she could not. Throwing that silver knife down first, far enough to the side that she wouldn't fall on it and impale herself, she took in a deep breath. And as the door burst open and the beast walked in, Grey was giving the final push off as she hurdled towards the ground.
Her own scream covered the sound of the beast's angry growls as he peered down at Grey who lay on the ground coughing and gasping for breath. She sobbed as she pushed herself up and onto aching legs to reach the knife and run. No broken bones (that she knew of) but her previously injured ankle was throbbing beneath her weight. With the knife gripped tightly in her hand, she took in a final deep, shaky breath before she took off into the forest as quick as her recently injured legs could carry her.
The beast's growls ripped through the air around her as she ran through the dark trees. Where she was going was beyond her; maybe she was going home, maybe she was looking for Maksim, maybe she wanted the beast to chase her. Anywhere, even the cursed trees seemed better than a beast that lusted after her body and blood.
Grey kept running and she didn't dare to stop for anything. She knew she was lost but she didn't care, she was determined to keep running until daylight.
But that was soon broken.
When she broke through the tree line, she realized the trees had moved. They had done their sick job, and Grey was somehow facing the side of the little castle that was in ruins. She froze and stood there, shaking her head in disbelief. She was not back here. She began to hyperventilate as she looked around before darting back into the trees. They can't trick her.
Running and running and running. Grey's legs burned and ached, her lungs were struggling to pull in air, she was even crying but she didn't falter in her pace. She just wanted the sun to rise so she could tell an alive Maksim that she was going home and that she was sorry for abandoning them. She missed New York and its civilization, where no beasts chased her through haunted trees.
But as she was preparing herself for daylight, she found him in the nighttime. She almost tripped over something large but thankfully caught herself and happened to look down. Grey tensed up as she looked down at a bloodied Maksim.
Her hand came up to cover her mouth as she sobbed, collapsing next to him. Her hands moved to grab his hand when she noticed his shallow breathing and she moved one hand off of his and onto his bruised cheek.
"Maksim, what has he done to you?" Her voice was soft, tears streaming down her cheeks as she took in his form. The gashes down his side, chunks of skin missing surrounded by teeth marks, they were slowly healing and closing but they still looked brutal. She could tell the beast hadn't desired to kill him, but it had come so close.
"I did what I had to do."
The voice echoed around her, making her jump to her feet and spin around in search of the owner. She knew his voice, of course, it was burned in her brain, and now as it bounced of the trees it carried something different in the tone. Something darker that made his voice drop a few octaves. He was hidden in the trees again, just like the first few times they met and she felt like his prey all over again.
"You almost killed your brother." Grey spat, taking a protective stance by Maksim and not letting her fear show despite her shaking hand that held the knife tightly.
"He wouldn't have let me get to you otherwise." His voice was behind her, his breath on her hair.
Grey spun around but no one was there. "You could've waited until morning to find me."
"Now where's the fun in that?" He hummed a low chuckle. "I like this game we've got going on, and now that the moon's out it's so much better."
Grey's eyes were darting around, searching for his figure in the darkness. "What game?"
"I haven't figured out a name yet but you should know the rules. You've played it far better than I."
"The only one playing games here is you, Alexei."
His growl filled the air and the next thing she knew, Grey was pulled away from Maksim's body, her back was pulled against a hard chest, thick arms wrapping around her torso. She gasped as the bond buzzed in her veins with the feel of this man - this beast - pressed against her. Her hair was fisted on one side in his large hand and he tugged her head to said side, exposing the side of her neck with his mark to him. Her own fingers were digging into the skin on his forearms in an attempt to pry him off her.
His lips brushed the mark on her neck with each word he spoke. "You've been playing the greatest game of all, Grey." She shivered as he whispered her name. "You pretend to loathe me, to fear me, to hate me but I know you don't. I know you dream of me at night. I know you ask Maksim about his past and mine. I know you want me just as much as I want you. I usually enjoy a good game of chase to tease my prey but I'm quite bored of chasing you and I want you now."
And when his lips were locked on her neck, Grey knew she was done for. There was no going back now.
~~~
HERE IS THE DESCRIPTION OF MY NEXT BOOK: ATLAS
(if y'all want more as in a prologue lmk i'll give it to you lovely people)
Atlas Reign was a lab experiment. She couldn't remember what the world outside of the colorless walls of the facility looked like; it'd been too long. She'd been taken by the government after the exploitation of her species, they wanted to know what made the lycans tick and how to defeat them and that's why they had Atlas.
Day after day they broke her, experimenting on her in the worst ways imaginable, bringing her to the brink of death before pulling her back to life, torturing her and the wolf inside of her until it was gone.
And just when Atlas was ready to give up, His pack was there to pull her out of her hell.