My breathing came out short and ragged. Around me, I could hear the sounds of James and the other wolf fighting. I could hear Raven climbing out of the ditch. The smell of smoke was thick in the air as the person standing before me advanced, gun in hand. My world came to a standstill just long enough for me to whisper one accusation.
"Bray."
He shot me a frozen smile. His eyes were narrowed and stance wide as he stalked toward me. Though I scurried away, I didn't get far. Arms that I now knew belonged to Raven wound themselves around me, holding me in place. I didn't bother fighting her off. My attention was still focused on the man in front of me who was holding my fate in his hands.
Bray tilted his head and the gun followed. "Didn't expect to see me here? You humans are terribly naive."
His smile turned into a glare when a loud snarl sounded. James had shifted into a wolf, and now had the other pinned to the ground, teeth hovering over his neck. They were both panting, and for just a moment, the darker colored wolf shifted his gaze to me. I saw Will's eyes within the beast, screaming at me to run, fight, or do anything to save myself.
Raven's grip tightened. She locked my elbows and pushed my hands up, arching my back in a painful position. Mangled cries lingered in the back of my throat, a few escaping to pierce the silent night.
After a moment, Bray turned his glare on me. "You're not worth all this trouble."
Will's wolf sprang forward, getting another few gashes in on James before he was pinned down again. Payton watched the encounter with tangible fury.
"And you," Bray turned to James' wolf, hovering over my brother. "You can't do anything right. Always with the extravagancies. Always with the games. Never able to deliver."
While keeping his gaze trained on the pair of wolves, Bray began a slow walk toward me. Raven tensed and pulled me closer to her body, sending a spasm of pain throughout my limbs. I struggled in her grasp, but there was no fighting her strength. Soon enough, Payton was standing before me, too close for comfort.
He towered over my frame. When our chests were only inches apart, his gaze darted back to Raven and he smiled. She held me steady, long enough for Payton to tilt his head and regard my shaking frame.
"How nice it is to have friends who have your back, isn't it, Samantha?" Bray sneered and paused before his light eyes flickered to Raven. "Despite my best judgment, you came through, Raven. I have to say I am surprised. Though, I think I am not the only one."
His smile grew wider, enhancing the glaciers supporting his expression. "Tell me, Samantha. Did you truly think it would be this easy, that everything you did simply worked in your favor, or are you as stupid as Raven's told me?"
My heart fell out of my chest and despite my best efforts, my gaze fell to the floor. Tears of betrayal stung more than just my eyes. I wanted to scream. I wanted to turn around and curse Raven for ever letting me believe I could trust her kindness.
"That's what I thought," Bray continued.
"What the hell do you want?" I spat out, interrupting his monologue. "Why do you even care about me? About her?"
"Oh, I don't," He mocked. "This is not about you. You're just caught in the crossfire."
Payton lifted the gun to my head, letting the barrel rest against my temple. My neck tensed as I drew in a quick breath. "If this isn't about me, then let us go. We just want to leave without any troubles." I paused, trying to gain control of my trembling voice. "If not me, then let Will go. He doesn't have to be apart of this."
"That's where you're wrong, once more. He'll be coming back, with me."
My shoulders stiffened, pulling against Raven's grip. "I-I don't understand."
"I know." He took the gun away from my temple to pat the top of my head, shifting his eyes to Raven. "Do not screw this up, now."
One of Raven's hands stretched forward, and Bray placed the gun in her palm. Without hesitation, she brought the barrel to my head. While this was happening, Bray backed away and began a purposeful walk toward the two wolves. He picked up a bundle of fabric on his way over, tossing the clothes next to James when he got close enough.
Without another word, James retreated from Will. The minute Will tried to jump up from the ground, Payton came around and kicked his head to the side. A terrified scream left my lips as his body went limp.
James appeared moments later, glaring at Bray. "I had it under control."
Payton's expression darkened and his voice turned sinister. "I could hear this encounter from miles away. You should consider yourself lucky I was the only one. And this?" He nudged Will's snout with his foot. "There is no ounce of control in this situation."
"You didn' let me finish."
Bray moved faster than my eyes could follow. He was chest to chest with James in an instant, growling his words. "I shouldn't have had to let you do anything. It was supposed to be taken care of."
James took a deep breath but stepped down. His chest fell and he shuffled backward. Payton seemed to grow taller with the distance put between them. Instead of having to face Bray, James turned to glare at me. He looked me up and down, eyes lingering on the blood coating my body. With just one glance, I felt symphonies of fire erupt from every wound.
Without taking his eyes off of me, James spoke to Payton. "You have the boy. Let me finish her. Let me finish the deal. You know I can or else you wouldn't have come to me in the first place."
"No." Bray placed himself between me and James. "I came to you because you were my last resort. Now that I'm here, I will finish things the correct way." He paused, taking a deadly step forward. "I do not give second chances."
The entire forest stilled with the implication of Payton's words. The gun grew heavier against my head. James cowered and shuffled several feet away. Not a breath of air passed into anyone's lungs. Then, James stopped moving. A strange expression fell upon his face. He glanced at everyone in the clearing, muscles tensing with his intentions.
Then, he charged.
He leaped over Bray and shot toward me and Raven. I screamed as I was pushed forward just in time for Raven to dodge James' attack; however, she was not his target, and the minute my knees hit the dirt, the top half of my body slammed to the ground.
James pulled back as he propelled over me, his momentum overtaking his control. As I sunk into the ground, he flew to the side, skidding to a halt on his knees. His body began to morph as bones cracked and an enraged howl left his lips.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Raven taking small steps toward Bray, the gun hanging limply at her side. An expression of pure rage had befallen Payton, but he made no move to stop James assault.
I felt him coming before I saw anything. Without waiting for an impact, I sprang from the floor and dove for Raven's arms. Her screams echoed my own and she jumped away, stumbling as I latched onto her ankles. She fell to the ground and the gun clattered next to her. The minute I reached for the metal, something sunk into my leg.
I screamed in agony and my hands dug into the dirt. Despite the pain, I scoured the floor for my saving grace, letting James' teeth dig deeper into my flesh. My legs kicked and flailed, ignoring the tremendous pain springing from every limb of my body. By the time my hands grasped the gun, I knew that when I looked down, my legs would be no more.
James dragged me toward him with his teeth. He was no longer a man, but a snarling beast ripping at any piece of me he could find. As he tore at my body, I forced myself onto my back. When the gun was steady, I didn't hesitate.
I pulled the trigger. Again, and again, and again.
The gunshots rang louder than my screams. Following its deafening echo was nothing more than a soft whisper of wind. The claws and teeth ripping away at me had ceased. A heavy weight had fallen upon the bottom half of my body. I was left panting, struggling for air amidst smoke and terror.
"And here I was, thinking you didn't have it in you." Payton's voice was the thing that finally broke the silence. It was thick and dark, and I couldn't tell where it was coming from. "I understand your desire to kill him. He was much too impulsive for me. I was going to do it myself after this ordeal was finished."
Though my vision was dancing with black dots, Bray came into focus, standing next to me. My hands whipped to where he lingered, pointing the gun to his head. When I pulled the trigger though, nothing happened.
He came closer. My finger frantically pulled, again and again, shaking the gun to work. When he was close enough, Bray kicked the metal out of my grasp and crouched beside me.
"You should have saved a few bullets."
Tears sprang from my eyes as panic began to ease into space where adrenaline escaped. I kicked at the deadweight upon my legs, but I was stuck underneath James' wolf's carcass. There was no escaping. There was no running. And now, there was no fighting.
"I wish I could say I regret everything," Bray mused, a cold overtone hanging on every word he spoke. "But, I don't. Everything happened exactly as I planned. At first, I thought you might be an annoyance to what was to come, but here you are, making everything right."
My mind was running on the last of its strength. Words tumbled out of my mouth before I knew what I was saying. It was a last desperate attempt to find some way to save my life.
"This isn't right," I panted, continuing my fight to push James off my body. "None of this is right! You don't have to do this!"
"On the contrary. This was how it was always supposed to be."
"I don't understand!" My words were the loudest scream I'd cried, yet. The words echoed through the trees, my panic traveling with them.
Payton growled and eyes the forest. He caught sight of Raven, standing motionless on the treeline. Without another glance my way, he stood at stalked over to her.
"Retrieve the boy."
Raven stumbled over her feet, meeting my wide eyes for the first time that night. Her gaze paused on my broken body for only a moment. "Are we leaving her?"
Bray stopped dead in his tracks. He eased his body back to face Raven, rage lining his expression. "Are you questioning me?"
"N-no," she stuttered.
"If you chose to do so, then my end of the bargain will expire, as well. Is that what you're doing?"
Raven stumbled toward Bray, clasping her hands in front of her. "No, please, I'm not-"
He sent her a cold glare, quieting her words. "Retrieve the boy."
Raven disappeared from my sight. Bray turned back to me, a cool expression having replaced his earlier fury. Something long was glinting in his hands, and as he stepped toward me, I knew the end was near. I could already see his knife dripping with my blood. When he crouched beside me again, it wasn't a surprise to feel the sharp end cut into my throat.
"Thank you for allowing me to set things right, Samantha. For that, I will make this quick."
He pushed the knife deeper into my skin. A scream echoed through the night, though after a moment, I realized it was not my own. Bray's knife was held stagnant against my neck as he whipped his gaze back to where Raven disappeared. When her cries sounded again, he dropped the blade and disappeared.
I was left on the forest floor, bleeding out, as the world around me came to life. Raven's cries of pain continued, but they were now partnered with inhuman howls of violence. In their midst, I heard another creature, but they soon all blended together in my clouded mind.
My legs were abruptly freed from the crushing weight of James wolf. It took me a moment to realize this, and when I did, it took another few for my mind to focus. Another dark colored wolf was hovering over me, watching me with a careful expression. It was not holding me down though, rather protecting me from what lay beyond.
The wolf shifted his weight, glancing at the rest of the forest, then back to me with worried eyes. They were dark brown, matching the color of its fur, and the appearance of my brother. Just as I realized this, he whipped his head forward, muscles tensing.
I eased up onto my elbows and lifted my head to gaze around Will's large wolf. Every movement took every ounce of strength I had left, but I kept on moving. After a long time, I was kneeling, clutching Will's back leg for support.
When I raised my gaze, I saw that Bray was watching my every move with narrowed eyes. His hands were bloody and outstretched. Behind him was carnage. Tree limbs were shattered, littering the forest floor. Every inch of ground held claw marks. Raven's body was limp on the floor.
"You know you can't overpower me," Bray growled. "You can't even shift out of your uncontrollable wolf."
My fingers twisted in Will's coarse fur. He snarled at Bray's remark, shifting his weight from side to side.
"I need you alive," Bray continued, "but that does not mean I need you in one piece."
His face began to morph and bloodied hands cracked into paws. In another moment, Bray was gone, and a black wolf was in his place. It blended in with the night, seemingly disappearing within the shadows of the trees.
Will was the first to move. He lunged forward and began a gruesome battle with Bray. They tore at one another, fighting for dominance and their lives. When the wolves drew nearer to me, I gathered my senses and strength, and stood.
I stumbled out of the way just as the two wolves crashed into the spot I lay moments before. Without waiting for them to collide with me again, I continued forward into the trees and away from the battle. They continued tearing at each other behind me as I drew nearer to the carnage of the forest where Will's once lifeless body laid. In almost the exact same spot, was Raven.
As I drew near to her, I noticed the blood pooling around her body. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as if each breath was a great struggle. My legs gave out as I fell by her side, and her wide eyes bore into me. Her lips moved with phantom words and whispers that I was never able to hear.
As if sensing my lack of understanding, Raven raised a shaking hand. Her mouth continued to move as she pointed a finger into the forest. Her hand, though trembling beyond control, never wavered in its direction. My gaze followed where she gestured, but the only thing I could see was trees.
When I looked back into her eyes, she was staring at me with an urgent expression. I flicked my gaze back and forth between her and the forest, before finally making a decision to follow her command.
Though I realized I didn't know Raven like I thought I had, I did know that she knew me. She knew I would never leave my brother, even if it meant I would die. She knew I would fight until that last moment. She knew I would always look for a way out, even if that way was stupid and reckless. So, when she pointed into a seemingly tree congested part of a forest, I knew she wasn't indicating for me to run. I knew there was something more just beyond the treeline.
I stumbled to my feet and ran. My hands clutched passing trees for support as my body threatened to give out under the weight of my injuries. Soon, my vision danced with black spots and I grew lightheaded. Still, I ran. There had to be something there. There had to be something Raven was pointing me to. This couldn't be the end.
***
Please excuse grammar, wording, and/or any other mistakes! I'm posting this late at night after a rough edit because you guys deserve an update.
The story is taking longer than I thought to wrap up, so there will be a few more chapters than I initially anticipated. (Story of my life). Not too many, but you can expect at least another 3ish. Maybe 4. Who really knows.
So, what do you guys think Bray is up to? How are he and James involved together? How does Raven fit in the picture? Will Samantha make it out of this? Where is Samuel??
Don't forget to comment, vote, and follow if you enjoyed!
Love you guys!
Mquistey