A/N: Unbeta'd.
Chapter 27
EPOV
Seeing her drive away hurt. I was too much, but it's hard not to be when the woman you love is hurting.
Walking inside, I drop my keys on the shelf, close the door, and strip off my coat, draping it on the back of the couch; I have no care to hang it right now. I take a moment to look around my cabin and can't help but notice the silence around me. Its unnerving how lonely and empty it makes me feel without Bella or Seth around.
I sigh and remove my boots. I need a drink. Taking the steps needed, I open the fridge, eying the two bottles of beer. No. I need a clear head in case she changes her mind. I turn and grab a glass from the cupboard, the fridge door closing on its own, and fill it with water from the tap. I take a drink, then another and another, just staring out the window above the sink. The light flurries of snow fall like careless feathers to the ground and I suddenly wish mine and Bella's lives could be just as fluid-like. I wish that we could have a life together that's like this dance of flurries.
I'm brought out of my wishful thinking by a slight movement in the tree line that I almost miss. Upon closer inspection, I see a white wolf sniffing and walking. At this point, I'm not surprised by its presence, but I am surprised at what I see when it turns its attention to me. Even from across the yard, it stares right at me. The once normal-looking eyes are now blood red and boring into my soul like it's trying to convey the darkness I feared is here.
I'm startled by a sudden onslaught of blackness. The gaps of white in-between and loud caws of the crows flying by my window is frightening. My phone rings and then the crows disappear like the noise offended them. The red-eyed wolf is still there, staring and unmoving. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I look down to swipe to answer Bella's call. Glancing back up as I put it to my ear, the wolf is gone. What I hear next makes my blood run cold.
Shuffling fabric, grunts from a stranger mixed with Bella's grunts and yells, and then a hard thump followed by a deep voice saying, "Fucking bitch."
I hang up and call 9-1-1 as I get my coat and boots back on. Against the dispatcher's advice, I jump into my car and high-tail it, nearly sliding into the ditch at the end of my driveway just as I go to turn onto the road.
"Hold on, baby. Help is coming."
A/N: I'm working on finishing this up so I can post/mark complete while my classes are going. In case I can't, or get busy with school work, updates will slow down quite a bit. I don't want it to, but I don't want to lie to myself or you, my wonderful readers. Much love, K.
