Blood That Binds

Fear

Maya

I run on all fours through the woods, moving fast, but at a staggered pace from all the pain. My feet come to a stop next to a tree and I bring my clawed hands up to my head. It feels like it's splitting in half. I touch my face and feel something similar to a snout, but it's only half formed. Looking down to my legs, my jeans hang in tatters, and I see paws.

I stumble forward, whimpering from the pain as disorientation hits me once again. Everything is wavy and out of focus. I step into a creek and look down at the water. The reflection staring back at me is terrifying to behold. My eyes are no longer blue and hazel green like my mother's. They are bright green and my mouth has elongated to compensate for the long canines that protrude from my gums.

I look away from the rippling water and move forward, sloshing through it. My whimpers grow louder the further I walk. Climbing up a ridge is too difficult and I fall over. I move to stand, but find my legs won't work. A whimpered whine leaves my throat until I let a howl rip through me.

I drag myself through the forested area until I see feet.

"Maya?" I hear someone ask.

I whimper and roll onto my back. Breathing takes great effort through the pain. My head hurts so much it's making tears streak down my face.

"Help me carry her," Edward says.

"Why should I help you carry a half-dog?" asks Rosalie, disgusted.

"Shut up Rose and help us carry Maya," Alice says angrily.

"Jasper can you try to calm her?" Alice asks.

"I can try, but the amount of pain she's in may overlap the calm," says Jasper.

"Just try. We need to get her to Carlisle. Maybe he will be able to help her shift fully or revert back," says Edward.

I feel my body being lifted with great care, but it's still pure agony.

My whines and whimpers soon fill a bright room.

"Maya?" I hear Jake ask.

"What happened?"

"We don't know. We found her like this when we went out hunting. Where's Carlisle?" Edward asks.

"Daddy? Is she okay?" Renesmee asks as she touches my hand.

"We'll make sure she is," says Esme.

A light is shown in my eyes, blinding me slightly.

"She's completely disoriented," Carlisle says when my eyes barely react to the light.

"She's horrified and in severe pain," says Edward as my head flops from side to side wildly.

"Can you coax her back to her human form, Jake?" Bella asks.

"Maybe if I was her Alpha, but even then I'm not sure," he says as he looks into my face.

"Maybe Seth can," says Alice.

They place me in the makeshift hospital room in the back of the house. I growl, rolling my eyes back from the pain. I turn onto my side and curl into a ball as I shiver and whimper.

My bones start cracking again and I roar. Everyone backs away to the door as I fall off the bed, making me roar again. I scurry to the other side of the room and press myself against the wall.

"Please... Turn... The light... Off," I beg in a horribly gruff voice.

The light is switched off and my sight is returned along with less pain. I breathe a sigh that comes out as a snarl.

"Seth will be here in five minutes," Bella says behind Carlisle and Edward.

I wrap my arms around myself, pulling my legs up against my chest. I'm left alone in the dark room with the door closed until Seth bursts through. He looks around until I whimper. He moves up to me, crouching down as he gets closer. He reaches out for me, but I growl at him and move away.

"Maya, you have to let me help," he says softly.

I close my eyes and sit still, his fingers glide up my arm and over my shoulder, then he pulls me to him. My body curls up against his chest as he strokes my hair and rubs the top of my head between my ears. It soothes me until I relax completely. My bones begin to crack and break again, but this time it hurts less and it takes a matter of seconds.

"Carlisle," Seth whispers as to not disturb me.

He appears in the room and crouches down to our level as he looks at me.

"Bring her back to the bed. I think I know what caused this," he says softly.

Seth lifts my body and carries me bridal style to the bed. He gently lays me on it and I shiver, losing the much needed heat his body provided me. He holds my hand as Carlisle turns the light back on. I flinch and turn toward Seth, burying my face in his shirt.

"Maya, I need to look into your eyes. I know the light is painful, but I can't make an assessment until I look you over," Carlisle says and I turn with my eyes closed.

My lips are clamped into a thin line as I whimper and open my eyes.

The light sears them and tears pour down the sides of my face. I gasp at the pain and see a blurry Carlisle look into my face with his brows knit. Though his face is generally stony, I can tell when he's concentrating or worried and he looks a bit of both right now. I feel a swab run up the side of my face.

"Is that from the disease?" asks Seth.

My hand squeezes his tighter and I look to his face as my eyes fill with...tears?

All I see is red even after I blink a few times.

"I'm getting worse, aren't I?" I ask softly.

Carlisle looks at me and sighs.

"I need to call your father and let him know of recent events."

Seth helps me sit up and I rub my eyes with my hands only to find blood on them. He hands me a towel that Alice brings in with a sad smile. I wipe my face gently with the help of Seth and snap my head to the side when I hear Alice gasp softly.

"They're coming..."

"Who Alice?" I ask.

"The Volturi," she says fearfully.

My brows knit as I know nothing of the Volturi, but the fear on her face tells me that it isn't good.