I woke with a gasp. I lay on the forest floor, alone. It was still dark out and I had no idea how long I'd been unconscious. I twisted my head to the side and couldn't see anything but the trees near me, with their skeletal branches reaching out at me like fingers wanting to kill me. The back and side of my head were throbbing and it felt like my face was on fire. My previously injured ankle sprouted with some more pain, inviting my newly damaged shoulder to join. I struggled to turn in the opposite direction, moaning as I rolled over.
And I came face to face with bared fangs. I reached out and grabbed a medium-sized stone and slammed it into the wolf's head, knocking it sideways. Then I staggered to my feet and ran again, picking my knees up high to avoid the roots this time.
Behind me, Claire howled and the sound made me stumble. I whimpered and ran faster. And then, it dawned on me that nothing looked familiar, and a terrifying feeling swelled in my chest.
Am I running away from the house?
I was lost and turned around—possibly heading even farther into the heart of the forest. And now I could hear the wolf chasing me again. I couldn't find it in me to worry about changing my course anymore.
I pumped my legs under me and tried to find other routes that might save me. I didn't think wolves could climb trees, but no tree offered a branch low enough for me to leap up and grab. And then, finally, through the pitch black, I saw a light.
Relief soared through me before the wolf hit me from behind and sent me flying, then skidding along the ground. Just as I slammed against a tree, I felt razor-sharp fangs sink into my leg.
An overwhelming wave of pain crashed over me. I tried to kick the creature off, but it held on tight. Then I saw a flashlight. Did I bring that with me? But then again, did it really matter?
I reached out, grabbed it, and brought it down on the wolf's head. It cried out in a high-pitched yelp, releasing my leg, and jumped away. I looked down at the blood oozing from my calf and pooling on the ground around me. I have to make it back to the house and get help quickly. I was losing a lot of blood and the sight of it made me light-headed.
I pulled my act together and tried to stand. My leg burst with pain, and along with my hurt ankle, I didn't make it far before I plummeted to the ground. But I never hit the hard dirt. I looked down to see strong arms tightly grasping me round my shoulders and gently laying me down on the forest floor. I glanced at Nathan and stared into his eyes, which were full of regret and worry. Why would he be regretful or worried?
"Elana! Stay with me! Don't close those eyes. Stay awake! Elana!"
The blackness that has been trying to consume me for a while started to eat away at the edge of my sight and I distantly heard my name repeated over and over. It didn't matter though, because I felt my heavy lids closing in on themselves.
I felt myself come to, but couldn't make myself open my eyes. My leg and ankle throbbed, along with my cheek, shoulder, and wrist. I felt as though I had been hit by a car.
I tried to open my eyes, but my lids seemed to be glued together, as if life depended on it. Just that little act left me exhausted, and I let sleep take me again.
I must have fallen asleep again, because this time, I could feel Nathan outside the door, but could also hear him talking this time. Yelling. But at who?
I tried to strain my ears to understand what was going on, but that felt nearly impossible. The voices seemed to get farther and farther away the more I tried and I felt myself getting utterly exhausted yet again, and this time, I didn't fight the sleep coming to claim me.
My mind came back and I could slowly feel reality settling in me again. My eyes wouldn't open, though, so I stopped trying and focused on what happened. Flashes of a wolf and a bright moon shot through my mind like a slide show. Then I remembered blood. So much blood.
Claire's blue eyes haunted my mind, surrounded by a salt and pepper wolf's fur.
Claire was a Shape Shifter.
My eyes shot open without any other protest. I have to go see Claire, make sure she's okay. I determinedly thought while rising onto my elbows to get out of the bed underneath me. My arms and shoulders felt stiff, however, so I looked down to see my full right shoulder and arm in tight bandages. Doing a more thorough search, I found my left ankle and leg matched. A dull ache echoed through my body, stopping to emphasize my injuries.
"Hey, calm down," a voice calmed me instantly.
"Claire," I breathed, but immediately regretted speaking as my stomach shot with pain.
"Shh, don't talk. You're still hurt," Claire responded, pushing lightly on my good shoulder to push me back into the bed.
"What happened?" I asked, despite the pain that sailed through my abdomen.
Shame and regret instantly filled Claire's eyes, fear eminent on her face. What was she afraid of? Her head dropped to her chest in defeat, her black hair falling like a curtain around her face.
"Are you okay?" I asked slowly, not wanting to upset her anymore.
Claire's head lifted and her eyes bore into mine. "I got you kidnapped, attacked you, nearly killed you, and you're worried about me?" She asked in surprise, shame still shining in her eyes.
I took in her appearance. It seems like she hasn't slept in days, dark bags apparent under her brilliant blue eyes, hair frizzing and a little greasy, and a baggy t-shirt so big it reached her knees. "How long has it been since you slept?" I thought out loud.
"You've been unconscious for five days, El."
What? Five days? I looked away from her and towards the ceiling, thinking about how long it has been since I was functional.
"Elana, I'm so sorry. I feel horrible," Claire said, staring back at her feet in embarrassment.
"Claire, don't even start," I warned, knowing she already placed the blame on herself for what happened. My chest protested with a sharp, direct pain in my heart as I spoke, but I continued anyway. "It wasn't your fault. You had no control, and it was my fault I came to you. I just—I thought you were in trouble and . . . Well, I'm the one who should be apologizing."
Claire's eyes were filled with even more tears as she looked back at me. "I remember doing it all, El. I smelled you, and just had this uncontrollable desire to tear you apart. I wanted it so bad. I couldn't control myself. I'm so sorry." Claire lowered her head again as I saw a lone tear escape her eye. "I'm a monster." Another tear slid down her face and my heart tore in half hearing her words.
"No." I said firmly. "You stopped. I'm here, alive, because you had enough self control to stop and remember who you are. You have such a great heart, Claire. You have from the first moment I met you. The first time I told you my secret. And you still have it. You will always have it. There is no way a heart like yours can belong to a monster." I surprised myself with how much boldness came from my voice. But I knew it was true. Ever since I met her, she has had the softest heart for anybody and everybody, trying to take care of anyone she came in contact with. I grabbed Claire's warm hand with my bandaged arm and squeezed it as another tear rushed down her face, and I brushed it away with my thumb. "You're my best friend, Claire, and I love you."
Claire squeezed my hand back and stared into my eyes for another moment, and I hoped the look she saw was confirming everything I knew.
"Am I interrupting something?" A shadow at the door called out, silhouetted by the darkness of the hallway. Trysten stepped out from the shadow and made his way over to Claire and I. "I need to heal your wounds, if that's alright with you?"
Claire smiled and released my hand, instantly making me cold. She rose from the chair next to my bedside and Trysten instantly filled the spot, resting his hands over my shoulder and leg first. "You suffered a broken shoulder, broken leg, fractured cheekbone, and broken ankle. I'm going to have to be let in a little longer, you think you can do that?"
"Why didn't you do that while I was sleeping?" My question was supposed to sound curious, but came out rude instead.
"When foreseers sleep, their brain kind of goes on lockdown mode, and there is no way into it. I can only get in when you're awake."
I nodded as I wondered about my chest. "What about my stomach or ribs?"
Trysten looked confused and looked at Claire, who was now on the other side of my bed. She shrugged. "What about them? Do they hurt?" I nodded. "I can check while I'm healing you, seeing if maybe you bruised your ribs?"
I smiled a little, but my cheek ached and I relaxed my face again. I closed my eyes, much more secure about finding my boundaries and opened them in seconds. For the first time, I stepped out of the way and closed my eyes and waited for the blue entity to leave my body.
I felt the aching in my shoulder and leg let up as it dissipated. Then the same happened to my face and ankle. I waited for my chest to stop hurting, but it never did. In fact, the pain intensified.
"Okay, you're fine," Trysten announced. I closed my mind first, then opened my eyes. I would have celebrated my success of my first opening and closing not resulting in me almost dying, the ache in my chest was worse than before.
Trysten's smiled evaporated soon after he read my look. "Still hurt?" I nodded again, now scared to speak, remembering how it was before and imagining how much it would hurt now.
Trysten frowned. "Why don't you rest while I go talk with Stephan?" I nodded again, too tired to do anything else. I saw Trysten leading Claire out of my room before he closed the door and my eyes shut involuntarily, sleep overcoming me again.
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