Don't stop. Do not stop! I yelled to myself.
Adam was sniveling at my shoulder, he had just stopped crying and I thanked God for small mercies. He had been crying for the last couple of hours. And nothing I said had stopped him or even calmed him like it used to do. It drove me insane, and me snapping at him had only made the childs crying worse.
I was exhausted and on the verge of crying too. But I had to stay strong, I had to protect Adam. I had to run. Which I had been doing for over two days.
Two days.
My body was breaking at a slow and steady pace. I knew that it was only a question of time now. I had been hopeful in the beginning. I had thought that I was strong enough to get me and Adam out of harms way. How wrong I had been.
The wound on my left shoulder kept reminding me that I was not invincible. And I had to carry him on my right side instead. Which bothered my hip after a while. But he was to tired to walk himself, and we had to keep going. At least a little more.
I had a big gapping wound at my shoulder and cuts and bruises all over my body. And I still kept going, hoping and wishing that I somehow would be able to hide Adam somewhere he'd be safe.
The dice was rolled for me, I was already doomed. There would be no help for me. I had already been mated and my life was no longer my own.
It didn't really matter that it was against my will, and I did not matter that I was running away from my mate. Since he and his pack was the ones chasing me halfway across the world.
"I'm hungry," Adam wined. He still had some problem talking English. But I still forced him, we were in America now. And he would not utter a word of Swedish. That could alert us to others around, others that knew that we had run away. Especially the ones that know of me and Adam. I would rather die then go back, I just needed Adam to be safe. Then I would gladly take my own life.
"I know baby," I answered and felt a pang of guilt, "I'll get you something soon I promise. Try to sleep." There was no way for me to continue. My body was screaming and I was not alert enough. Which would put us into risks along our way.
So I stopped and put Adam down. I sat down on the ground, with my back against a tree. I had nothing to keep Adam warm with, but the child was a lot tougher than anyone gave him credit for. He put his head in my lap and fell asleep within minutes. I kept stroking his hair well after he'd fallen asleep. It calmed me somehow, to feel his soft childish hair under my hand.
My breath came out in a whoosh. I hadn't even noticed that tears were swimming in my eyes. I was so tired. I was so weak. I was so hurt. I drew in a ragged breath and bit my lip. My vision grew blurrier by the second, I leaned my head against the rough bark and felt tears rolling down my face. I couldn't do this. I sniveled and tried to choke my broken sobs.
"Don't cry," Adam said with a sleepy voice. It only made me cry harder, and I laughed humorless at him. He was such a wonderful child. So strong for being so utterly small. "It will be alright. Don't worry, we got each other."
I dried my running nose on my jacket, since I didn't have anything else. I looked down at him and gave him a genuine smile even though despair gripped me from the inside. "I know baby. Sleep now, you need to rest."
"You do too," he argued and yawned.
"Don't worry Adam, I'll be alright." He didn't catch the lie in my voice. And it was good too see that some childish innocence was still there. I kissed the top of his head and kept the groan of pain to myself.
"Jag älskar dig," he whispered before he fell asleep again.
I should have told him off, but I couldn't. Not now when his voice was so small and tired. I took a deep breath and felt the last tear leave my eye, "I love you too," I answered.
I came awake with a jolt and a curse.
Images from my past was still clouding my eyes, and my nightmare had not left me yet. I shrugged and stretched. I groaned out loud, my body was in pure agony. And I knew that Adam and I would have to keep on moving now.
"Adam?" I called and looked around me. Not that I would recognize my surrounding, we were in a different forrest, one that I had never been in. I knew that we were on the right way, nothing more.
I grew worried when he didn't answer me, he usually didn't stray far from me. Too much had happened to the two of us, we rarely left each others sides. He always kept within hearing distance, so he would hear me call.
My hearing was advanced compared to his. One perk of being wolf. I could smell a lot better than him too. He would be able to hear and smell better one day too. If he lived long enough to go through his first change.
"Adam!" I yelled and stood up. My legs almost gave up on me and I had to put my hand out on the tree to steady me. My adrenaline started to pump inside of me, it grew with the same pace as my fear. "Adam!" I roared at the top of my lungs. Anger was masking my fear.
I whimpered and started to move. My body no longer hurt thanks to my adrenaline. I started out in a jog and took deep breaths in all directions.
Adams scent was heavy, he was near. I started running, my fear no longer agreeing with my slow pace. And thats when I heard him scream.
A high pitch that hurt my heart to hear, for it was not the first time I'd heard him scream out in fear or pain. I ran as fast as I could towards his screams, I heard him call out for me and I wanted to beat myself for sleeping. For not keeping him safe and watching him.
My heart skipped a beat when I finally saw him. There was a wolf just a couple of feet away from him. Adam was pressed up against a tree and I didn't need to see his green eyes to know that he was afraid.
The wolf was black, and bigger than a usual one. He was downwind from me, but I already knew without smelling that he was like me.
My smell must have hit his sensitive nose, he turned my way and just looked at me. "Back away from the child," I warned with a deep voice. The wolf turned too me and gave me a confused look. His head was turned slightly to the side, as if he was sizing me up.
We hadn't come across any mutts yet. But there was a first time for everything. I just hoped that I was strong enough to take him on. Which I probably wasn't. I would have been if had been healed, my parents had taught me how to fight. Especially males since they were the biggest threat to me.
If I had not known that this was a werewolf I knew it now, from looking into his eyes. They were black, and not at all like a wolf. He took a step away from Adam, but I did not relax at all.
"Adam, spring," I told him to run. Not caring if my Swedish would unravel our true identities or not. He didn't argue with me like a usually did, he obeyed me for once in his life. I exhaled loud as his small form became smaller and smaller for every second and step he took.
The wolf did not turn to him, he kept his stare fixated at me. "Did Jonathan send you?" I growled with hatred.
I didn't expect him to answer me, but I did expect some kind of acknowledgement. But the male in front of me gave nothing away. I could smell more wolves coming up behind me. And I sucked in an angry breath.
I didn't wait for the wolfs friends to reach us, I started running and he barked out loud. I knew that he wouldn't be able to keep himself from chasing me. And I knew that the others would follow too. That meant that Adam would get a headstart, I would not stop. And I would use every dirty trick I knew too keep them on my trail for as long a possible.
Changing was out of the question, there was no time. And I truly doubted that my pursuers would allow it, or wait for me to finish. So I ran, and I heard a wolf behind me. I turned and saw the black one coming after me fast.
I was quick, absolutely. But I was no match against a wolf. Not when I was running in my human form. I quickly bent down and gathered a large rock into my right hand.
The rock would harm the wolf, not kill. But it was better than nothing since it was my only weapon. I moved it into my left hand, I was a lefty, and I would not be able to hit the wolf with my right arm. My aim was way better with my left arm, even though it hurt me to move it.
The wolf was right at my heels when I turned around and threw the stone at his head. He yelped and fell to the ground.
I knew that it was only going to momentarily knock him out of his game. Wolves were tough and I would not have a lot of time before he came out of his daze.
The other wolves was circling me, and I knew what trap they were trying to set. I quickly changed my course so they wouldn't be able to trap me.
A blond wolf was in my way and I stopped for a second. He growled in warning and I knew that he would leap at me. I raised my lip and growled back, as if I said 'come at me' – which I actually was.
He jumped a second after, I waited until the last second before I moved. I put my hands in the wolfs fur and threw him with all my might. He sailed away with his own speed and a little bit of my help. He wouldn't get far though, he was a heavy one and I had not been strong enough. My mission had been to throw him into a tree, but that was a no-go.
I didn't stay to watch the wolf find his balance again, I kept on running. My adrenaline was still pumping inside of me, and I didn't feel any pain. But I knew that I would the second it stopped. My shoulder would bother me for days thanks to that stunt I just pulled.
I shook my heard sharply. Stay focused. Think about Adam. And I did. Or tried too. I cursed loud, I saw a flash of blond hair and was tackled to the ground. Thats what I got for staying alert.
My attacker and I rolled on the ground and I used the speed of our collision to make sure he landed on top of me. That would make him think that he had the upper hand.
I wasted no time and kicked him in his groin before he could secure my hands or even utter a word. I saw that he was middle aged or older and that he was blond – I also saw that I didn't recognize him. Not that it mattered right now.
His expression was one of pain, which I understood. I'd kicked him hard enough to sterilize him. I immediately pushed him off of me and stood up. And then I got tackled again, by another blond male. I growled in anger and tried the same trick with this male. But he made sure I couldn't move my arms or legs. He sat on my thighs and held my arms above my head.
"Who are you?" he tried and failed to sound friendly. He was angry – very angry. So was I. He leaned in and growled when he saw my determined look. I knew that I gave him a look that said, I'll give you shit, bastard!
He came even closer with his face, but still far enough for me to do any damage. So I spat in his face, his face instantly showed how pissed off he was. And I smiled at him. His hair was blond, almost silver blond but with dark dark blue eyes.
If the situation would have been different I might have found him handsome, beautiful. He had a strong face, with hard lines, telling me that he was a bit older than me. I didn't have any childish features, not really. But compared to him, it felt as if I did.
"I will ask again," he almost growled, "who are you?" I knew that he was stubborn, I could tell by the way he set his chin when he looked at me. He would keep this up until I spilled my guts. And something told me that his patience was greater than mine.
"As you wish," he said completely calm now, "I will keep this up until nightfall if I have to." And there it was, I'd known he was stubborn, damn.
The older male that I kicked came over, he grimaced badly when he walked and I couldn't help it. I laughed. The young one that was holding me in place looked over and instantly got a look of concern on his face.
"I'm alright," he said with a southern drawl, "but watch out for her. She fights dirty." I actually tried to get away while the older one spoke. And I'd almost succeeded in casting him off when he growled and pinned me to the ground again. I roared in anger and lifted my upper lip, revealing my sharp teethes, which wasn't human any longer.
"Don't," he threatened. He flexed his muscles in a display of his power. And I would have lied to myself if I'd said that I wasn't impressed. He was well built and muscular. I was no match for him, with or without my fighting skills. He was stronger and I had no chance to get away from him what so ever.
"What do we do with her?" the young wolf asked the older one. The more I looked the more similarities I found between the two of them. They had the same eyes, and both of them were built big. With impressing muscles and a big frame.
"We take her back."
I pretended not to understand their words for now. So I did my best to look as confused and frightened as possible. Like a cornered predator, it was a look they would buy and understand. "I will let you go now, momentarily, and you will not try anything stupid," he told me, his blue eyes seemed to spark with barely controlled anger. I met his gaze and tried to look as stupid as humanly possible. "Do you understand me?"
Yes you idiot, I thought, but kept my dumbstruck face. He exhaled and looked at the older wolf again. "I'm not completely sure that she knows any English."
"Maybe not. We'll find out sooner or later. Take it easy for now."
We stood up, and the young wolf still held a tight grip on me. They quickly cornered me, with the younger one on my right arm and the older one on my other arm. I looked around, with big eyes and made sure that my breathing came out heavy. I needed to acted like I was scared and didn't want to show it.
I idly wondered where they wanted to take me. But dismissed the thought quickly, since I would not follow them all the way. I just needed for them to relax, put their guards down a little.
We walked for about ten minutes when I felt the grip of their hands relaxing, not by much, but enough for me to get ready.
Another wolf came walking towards us, and I cursed myself for waiting too long. I could see that one side of his face was swelling up, and his black eyes also told me that this was the wolf I had thrown the rock at. He looked a bit asian, his eyes were a bit slanted, so I guessed that he was a mix. I saw that he was older than the other two, but not by much. He had black hair, with a bit of silver streaking it. Or maybe he wasn't that much older, werewolves and age rarely agreed with each other.
"Has she said anything?" he had a calm voice, that still demanded an answer. Fuck fuck fuck. Don't tell me that he is the alpha.
"We don't know if she speaks any english."
"She does, she spoke to me in the woods." He'd barely finished his sentence before I broke myself loose and started to run again.
I felt a hand on my wounded shoulder, trying to yank me back with force. I yelled in pain and could no longer stand on my legs. They gave away like twigs and my vision turned black. My body screamed from the pain, and when my vision came back, I saw that I was sitting on my knees, with my hand on my wound.
My shoulder was warm and sticky. I didn't need to take a look to know that it was bleeding again. My arm was shaking badly, and I could not keep my growl to myself. I heard steps behind me again, and I decided that I could not run or fight. There was three of them, all male. And one of me, a wounded female.
I started to get dizzy, I knew that I was passing out. I had done it so many times before and I knew that this weightless feeling was the beginning of it. My last thought was of Adam. I saw his green bright eyes, his dark curly hair and his childish heartwarming smile.
How was he going to make it without me?
Not sure if the swedish thing is overkilling it or not.
And yes, answers will come, in time. When she's done sulking.
