Excerpt from MoNsTeR - Chapter Twenty Five.
I close my eyes, my acute senses carrying me through the woods. Everything is so calming; the tender scent of bark and leaves, the taste of the chill in the night air, and the never ending towers of trees spread out all around me. The raw, effortless beauty of the forest rolls through my mind. I drink it all in until one sickly sweet scent corrupts the beauty. I recoil in disgust, my eyes cracking open. Parasite.
My body curls backwards before rocketing forward. It takes a mere second for the pack to snag the thought from my mind. Every wolf bolts ahead at once, howling as they leap into a heated pursuit. Paws pound on the damp forest floor, soil flying at pack accelerates.
Galloping with inhuman speed, I gracefully soar over a fallen tree that blocks my path as a sea of bodies glide behind me in a synchronized motion. My knees bend ever so slightly, cushioning my landing while allowing me to continue pushing forward again in just a heartbeat. The scent is strengthened on our tongues as we close the distance between us and the location of our prey. The blazes of excitement crackle as they cook the air. Baying wolves propel themselves forward, anxious at the arising scent of our target.
There! Seth calls out, slipping the sound of footfalls heard in his sensitive ears into the pack mind. Quil and Seth both wheel in sudden panic as the thought of what is happening settled in. Leah crashes into them, cursing and slashing at the air as she does so. The pack falters before a wolf sends a different image through the pack mind; a flash of a white figure against the ink black sky just to our left, swift like a fish in a stream.
A moment later, Jacob blows by me, his muscular shoulder prodding mine. He does not notice me, though; his thoughts have only been focused on the human girl all night. Jacob is blind to the world around him as he rockets forward, the name Bella on the throne of his thoughts as he pushes himself to his limits. I snarl at him as he shot out, taking the lead. In my peripheral vision, I see Nicole's ears perk up as Jacob races ahead. She huffs, lengthening her strides as she pushes herself faster.
Sam, Paul and Jared, with their long legs and extra experience, are soon gaining on Jacob. They fly across the squishy ground and lead the pack forward in a snarling mass of powerful, vicious wolves. Jacob remains ahead as no other wolf can match his speed. Soon, the scent of muck and river filters into every wolf's nostrils, followed by a familiar perfumey stench we all know by now. In a matter of seconds, the pack is zooming down the treaty line, parallel to our Cullen enemies.
The leech we came for is visible from across the river, being trailed by the pale shadows of Cullen vampires. The pack's thoughts pick up on her, all of them focusing hard. A flame flares in the night sky, distracting me from the chase. It takes a minute for me to realize the flame is not a flame and is actually the hair of the leech as she dodges a swipe of a pale hand and leaps towards our side. With a deep, impatient breath, I blast forward, giving it all I have. The scene ticks in slow motion before racing into fast forward as a Cullen stupidly leaps after the parasite, his snow white hand reaching after her. Our prey is forgotten. Every wolf averts their attention to the Cullen, breaking out into a mad fit.
"Emmett! No!" A female voice shrieks, her voice echoing around the forest. Nobody hears her as her voice fades off, her shout useless.
Rip him to shreds! Jacob, being the first one to make it to the cliff, snaps his teeth together, growling furiously as he skids to a stop, ignoring the other wolves as they all halt beside him, ramming their shoulders together as they all try to lunge up towards the Cullen.
BACK! I got it! Paul stalks ahead, not waiting for an answer. He braces himself on the rock, his curved, pointed teeth showing while his eyes locks on his target and his weight shifts from side to side; he is ready to kill.
Sam gives out direct but hushed orders, leaving Paul to stand tall on the rocky edge of the line, dangerously close to the rushing water. There is only the sound of soft breathing and thundering heartbeats for a long, long while. Time drags on until suddenly, the large male Cullen came short in his lunge and crashes down top of Paul.
Paul's temper bursts. He snarls and violently wheels around, sending the Cullen off of him. Its body disappears under the disturbed surface. Instantly, other wolves leaned forward. Paul slammed one paw down, eyes scanning the water while he shook, snapped and snarled. It crossed the line!
All attention is centered on Paul and the Cullen; even the forest seems to hold its breath. I do not t move, but allow my eyes to cautiously study the forest around the pack. Our original target has disappeared, slipping through our grasp. She is lucky, but only for now.
Finding the forest empty, I slip into Paul's mind for a second, just long enough to watch a red wave of color sweep over his vision. Nobody else take him, I'm gonna get that damned bloodsucker, I'm gonna rip him to shreds. I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna. . .
Paul. . . He didn't do anything wrong. I press my ears flat against the sound of Seth's thought as they try to pull us back.
Can it, Seth. Paul snarls back, letting the aggression flow through his bared teeth. I mimic him, shifting my weight around. The pack's excitement is buzzing in the air again as we wait for the bloodsucker to show himself. Paul and I have him surrounded now. If he decides to charge us, we'll chop him like a vegetable. If he tries to run, we'll be on him before he can even turn around. Paul senses my thoughts and nods curtly in approval, stepping to the side as if to give me my space. I let out a slow snarl, my shoulders quivering with impatience.
Paul, Jordan. Sam snaps in our minds. If he retreats, you are to leave him go.
And if he doesn't. . . Paul's mind flickers into my own as he waits for me to finish his own thought.
We'll slaughter him! I let out a contained howl, feeling the pack rile up behind me. To my amusement, the Cullens across the border flinch at the sound, but the leader stretches his arms out, holding them back. My heart gallops at the idea of a fight. The pack shifts behind Paul and I, their voices all slurring together as they shout at once, but I don't hear them. I am solely focused on my prey, my mind working out all the possibilities of how I can kill this seconds drag by as every pair of eyes lock on the still river, waiting . . . Waiting . . . Waiting. . . .
After an excruciating few seconds, the Cullen leech shoots out of the water. He screeches with rage, shaking his head violently and spraying the pack with water. There's a flash of white as his teeth bare and he crouches, facing the pack with a feral hiss.
After two and a half years of hearing the same defensive hiss, the sound triggers a natural response in me - attack. I do not even think of the pack around me as I push off the rock, launching past Paul and into the water. My weight knocks the vampire clean off of his feet, my paws finding his chest. The vampire snarls and swings a hand at my front let, but I intercept his swing with my jaws. My teeth slide through his wrist like butter, his hand disconnecting from his arm with a snap.
I spit the hand out and lean forward, my weight pinning the vampire as my hind paws slam down on his knees. The vampire screeches in rage, thrashing in the water as I hold him down. A growl rolls through my body as I hover over him.
The pack's explosion of excitement and thoughts race into my mind all at once. Sam's sharp words are the only thing that holds them in place. I can see flashes of the crazed vampires on the other side through the back mind, all of them only held back by the arms of their leader. Through all of the thoughts, only Paul's makes it through clearly.
HELL yeah, Jordan! That's it, 'bout time someone had the guts to catch one of them. Now do a favor for your tribe - KILL IT!
I huff in triumph, feeling the leech tense and struggle beneath my weight. I know, deep down, that I never will be so selfish to break the treaty and dishonor my ancestors, but the pressure of the moment overtakes me, pulling the monster in me out of the shadows. I study the leech for a moment as my teeth slowly lean down to his throat. For some reason, my eyes catch more detail than they normally do.
The leech wears a white shirt that seems to be a little lighter than his skin, but it is hard to tell because his skin is so pale, it seems to be glowing. I can make out every detail of his muscles and every angle of his broad body. His hair sticks to his forehead, almost touching his blazing, coal black eyes. He is big and muscled, but no threat to me. My jaws spread, my teeth slipping over the leech's throat. I am just about to rip his head clean off when the gives a strained grunt yanks back into the water.
Howls of impatience rise into the air as the pack throws themselves around, all of them wanting to get at the prey. Sam's orders grow in volume as he launches himself before the back, forcing them to fall back slowly. Jacob follows behind him, supporting him with a stream of words and a low growl. A few of the Cullens are lunging towards the river, thrashing and screeching, only to be dragged back by a few others. The wind whistles through the trees and a light mist of rain drizzles over the forest. I am deaf to it all as just for a moment, the Cullen's gaze flickers into mine, his coal black eyes sinking deep into my gaze as if he is seeing straight through my wolfish face and into my true being.
The world pauses. My breathing stops and the pack's thoughts blur from my mind as if I am listening to them from underwater. Nothing else is there anymore. It is just me and the leech as he relaxes under me, his brow furrowing as he studies me, seeing something beyond the outside world.
Just one glance locks my body down. Just one glance causes me to back down for the first time in my life. Just with one harmless glance, my life is changed forever.
In that second, all need to fight and kill blows away like a seed captured by the wind. My gaze freezes on the vampire. Everything, right then and there, changes. The world around me stops spinning and whirls in reverse. The need to rip this vampire to shreds dies in that moment, disappearing. Everything I have ever thought, every memory, pain, and need leaves me in that second. My heart pauses before bursting into a rapid frenzy. My head spins, whipping around like the churning water below as I lose control of myself.
A glowing heat dances inside of me. My heart feels like it is about to explode, and my muzzle trembles. Memories shake my mind and the strings of my meaning to my life snap, right then. I vision myself turning to my pack and forcing them back in a flurry of snapping teeth, but I am unable to move. Voices, memories, emotions, words. . . Everything pours through my mind, all at once.
"You're too far over the edge. Hopeless. Nobody will see the reason to help you, because you have no reason to live."
"This is a dangerous, wild animal, not a human being. Who would be one to show sympathy and understanding to such a monster? "
"Face it. You're a freak. No guy is ever gonna want you."
"You always act so weird all the time. They must have really screwed you up over on the Makah rez."
"I can't believe I had the guts to pretend like I loved you! Nobody should, nobody ever will."
"You're too much of a mess. A blind man could see it."
"Leeches. Leeches are the reason for everything. Why your parents are dead, why we are here, why you changed that girl, and why you can't be a normal girl. If anything, they need slaughtered, one by one. It's about time we got some justice around here."
Suddenly, all those memories are cut away. The pain, the constant boil of fury, and the need to slaughter pours out of me. I am light enough to fly; no weight holds my body to the ground. My veins are clear and filled with an icy new purpose. No longer is my life only about fury. No longer am I charged by an insatiable burn of fury. No longer is my only purpose of this world to kill and then fade away.
All it takes is one little glance. I am changed. I go completely stiff as my mind takes notice of what has just happened.
None of the pack seems to notice this; all of it happens in the time it takes for lightning to flash. I exhale, the air leaving my muzzle in a sharp whistling sound. I force my thoughts into the aggressive loop of the pack mind before any of them can catch onto mine, my body locking down.
I do not break my gaze, although I feel my lip drop back over my teeth and my head tilt to the side. Before I can actually look him over, the vampire finds his chance to escape. He hops to his feet with a splash of water and darts back onto his side. A blonde female leech is there, standing next to him, her black eyes burning with hatred at Paul and I. Normally, there is a death penalty when I receive looks like that, but I cannot move. I feel as if I have been electrocuted; I am filled with bolts of energy, too shocked to move.
After a brief nod, the leader Cullen nods, his eyes showing his gratitude. A wave of calm sweeps through the pack before the Cullens are gone, leaving nothing behind but their scents.
We were so close! If that bloodsucker didn't jump, I had the red head. Damn thing was pretty stupid for having such a big head. Just an oversized, fanged ice cube. That's what they all are. He was all hissy and pissy too! Snarling at me like he had a chance against me in a fight. Ha! Paul rants to himself.
Yeah. . . I keep my voice light, focusing on the infuriated thoughts of the pack to hide the vicious, screeching voices inside of my own head.
Paul glances over his shoulder at me, his lip curling back slightly. I thought you were supposed to be some hardcore leech killer. What the hell happened back there, J?
I do not answer him. My gaze stays trained on the waves of the current as they thrash against the rocks below. Disappointed wolves head back into the shadows, snarling and spitting a stream of curses, ready to call it a night. I feel my shoulders quiver with irritation at Paul's snap, but for some reason, my mind no longer tells me to lash out at him for his words.
Give her some space. Sam murmurs, his voice fading as he starts to shift from wolf to human. She did the right thing, but she's probably just disappointed.
Paul attempts to meet my eyes, but I do not remember how to move my body. Paul heaves a sigh before sauntering back into the brush, his own mind fading away. I wait until the past thought trails into nothing to open my mind up.
Sam can say I am disappointed all he wants, but I know that he is wrong. There is something more behind that black gaze. Something has . . . Clicked. I am well aware of what has happened, but my mind has yet to come to admit it.
Breathing is my main focus. My chest expands and relaxes with my heavy breathes. The rippling waters settle back into the gentle flow of the current. I stare, and a white wolf stares back. Her fur is ruffled with the wind and her dark blue eyes are distant, glazed over with some sort of look that even I cannot explain.
I huff, swinging my head from side to side to shake the thoughts away as I retreat. My head pounds as I close off my thoughts. With a foreign ache in my heart, I set off towards Sam's house, wondering if I am more messed up then everyone thought, and knowing deep down that the plan to destroy the Cullens is now far behind me.
Wonderful.