Chapter 17
An eerie calm filled the air, causing the hair on the back of my neck to stand up. I locked the doors and looked on helplessly. It suddenly sounded like a stampede of elephants coming toward us, but it wasn’t. I gasped when a pack of large wolves charged out of the woods, heading straight for William. He ducked as one leaped at him and it flew into the windshield of the car, shattering the glass.
The remaining wolves snarled and growled as they slowly drove William backward. I held my breath, but was unable to look away. I couldn’t sit by and just watch them tear William to shreds. With my eyes fixed on William I felt around on the door until I found the lock button. When I hit the switch unlocking the doors another pack of wolves emerged from the woods, they were even larger than the previous pack. I thought for sure William and I were going to die. Then they did something shocking. I don’t know if they were there to help us or not, but they tore into the smaller wolves.
William joined in the fight, moving incredibly fast, much faster than humanly possible. I couldn’t keep up with his movements. Most of the time he was nothing more than a blur. Between the shattered glass and the muddy fur mixed with blood, I was having a hard time seeing out the windshield. At one point, I saw William tear into a wolf’s throat, and I swear it looked like William had grown fangs.
Some of the wolves made it to the car, but the larger wolves kept circling, keeping them from getting in. That didn’t deter them, though. They kept lunging at the car, the sound of their bodies slamming against the metal was terrifying. And they were biting at the glass, each time cracking it more.
The larger wolves were stronger, but the smaller ones were faster, and finally broke through the back window. I had to run. That was my only chance to live, and… the only way I knew to save William.
Adrenaline surged through my body, as I crawled across to the driver’s seat, because my door was too smashed in to open. After a deep breath I threw open the door at the same time one of the wolves lunged through the back seat. I slammed the door, but I knew it would only deter him for a few seconds.
As I ran toward the path we’d drove in on, I heard William scream my name, but I didn’t slow down. My heart pounded erratically in my chest, forcing the blood to rush through my veins. I ran as fast as I could, but when I glanced back I saw one of the wolves gaining on me. I tried to be smart thinking maybe if I kept changing directions I could keep the wolf from catching me. I ran faster than I ever had before. Maybe it was because in the past I hadn’t been running for my life. I was starting to tire quickly, which made me run slower.
When I glanced behind me again, I didn’t see the wolf. Relief set in, and I slowed even more thinking I’d outrun the wolf. That was a stupid assumption on my part. Wolves are silent hunters, and just because I didn’t see him that particular time didn’t necessarily mean I’d out run him.
When I turned started to leap over a rock, I felt something grab at the back of my leg, and then a sharp pain burning pain filled me. I fell to the ground, my face hitting the muck.
At first, I thought I’d pulled a muscle in my leg. When I reached bag to rub the tightness out, I heard a series of low growls, and I scrambled to turn over. Four huge wolves were inching their way toward me. I promptly pulled my hand back and looked down at it. Blood dripped through my fingers and onto the ground. The light blue jeans I wore were muddy and my left pants leg was shredded and bloody. I swallowed hard, trying to fight back the tears. The pain in my leg was intense, but I managed to slowly inch my way backwards away from the wolves. I only made it a few feet back when I bumped into the base of a large tree.
I was injured and trapped. The wolves had won. It would only be a matter of time until they tired of staring at their prey, and pounced. I closed my eyes tightly, not wanting to see their fangs tear into me, ripping me apart.
I screamed when I felt something touch me.
“Everything’s going to be all right, Genevieve,” William said softly.
My eyes shot open, and William was scooping me up into his arms. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and squeezed. “But… but, how? I thought for sure you were dead.” I sobbed into his chest.
“Shh,” he whispered softly. “I’ve got you. Everything’s going to be all right now.”
Even though William had me and I knew I was safe, my heart still raced with fear, and the tears kept coming.
“Your leg is bleeding out. If I don’t slow it down, you’ll bleed to death before I can get you somewhere.”
He stopped down, and tried to set me on the ground, but I was still terrified and shaking violently. He pulled my hands from his neck, pushing me back enough where he could see my face. “Gen, you’ve got to let me sit you down for a minute, so I can wrap your leg.” He spoke sternly, but not unkindly.
“But, where are those wolves that had me surrounded?” I frantically look all around us, but saw no sign of them.
“They were protecting you. Not trying to hurt you.”
I didn’t have time to think about what he’d just said. He pulled off his tee-shirt, and I swear every muscle in his chest bulged when he flexed to tear a long strip of material from his shirt. I couldn’t help but stare at his honey colored skin, so firm and buff. William captivated me and I completely forgot about the pain in my leg, until after he wrapped my leg and pulled the material extra tight, causing me to scream out in pain.
“We’ve got to hurry. Your leg is still bleeding pretty bad.” He scooped me up effortlessly.
“How are we going to go anywhere? There’s nothing for miles, and the car is trashed.”
“I’m going to carry you.” William gazed at me. “Do you trust me?” he asked earnestly.
I brushed my fingers gently across his cheek. “You know I do.” I whispered fiercely staring into his eyes. I had such a euphoric feeling whenever I was with him, and I couldn’t explain how I knew, but I knew he would always protect me, even if it meant him giving up his life to save mine.