Awakened

XXIII

After a few more moments of dead silence, I decided to retreat. I was getting more creeped out by the moment.

I jumped up, letting my wings catch me in the air as I prepared to fly away when I heard it again, this time it was more specific.

"SARON! HELPPPPPP!!!!"

The scream was so loud and Earth shattering, I covered my ears as I felt my ears tingling. I hesitated, despite knowing that this was probably a trick. That hesitation was all it needed before clamping down on my foot and dragging me down.

"AHHHHHHH," I screamed, as I felt a mouth close on my foot, claws piercing through my foot as I went tumbling down to the ground. I looked up to see a pack of dogs, well it was one dog with 9 heads. It's eyes were tar dark, boring into my soul as it advanced towards me. I scrambled up to my feet, flitting as fast as I could away. The dogs were faster than I thought, gaining on me quickly. I considered flying upwards but that would take time, time I didn't have. The dogs only needed a second to catch up to me. As much as I wanted to run, the only option was to fight.

I focused my magic into my hand, feeling it rush through my body before reaching my fingertips. I imagined my finger tips aflame and my body quickly complied. I turned around, shooting the fire directly at the dogs which stopped their advances as they howled in pain, rolling on the ground as they struggled to quench the flames. That was all I needed to transform. I tapped into my werewolf strength, crying out as I felt my bones break one by one, quickly. In under a minute, I was in my werewolf forms while the dogs were still struggling to extinguish the flames from my blast. Taking advantage of their state, I charged towards them, tearing them to pieces with my sharp talons. I ripped each head off one by one before ripping into the body, scattering their body parts across the forest. When I was done, I took off charging towards the cave as fast as I could before another animal came to kill me, or worse.

Once I arrived at the cave, I jumped straight in finding Zion sitting up, wide awake and staring at me with righteous anger. I transformed quickly until I was in my human form before nearing him. He pointed to the boundary that I had created which thankfully still held. I touched the boundary, allowing it to melt away as I thanked the Earth for helping me.

"Where the hell were you?"

"Thought I heard Crexus but it was a trick."

"And you thought you'd go out on your own and get yourself killed? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You were sleeping. I didn't want to bot-"

"That's bullshit and you know it. You can't stand the idea of anyone protecting you."

"That's not true!"

"It is and you're going to get yourself killed if you keep doing this. Do you know how that feels, not being able to protect your own mate?"

"I'm sorry but I couldn't let anyone else die for me. This is my fault. All of this is my fault."

"No it's not. You have to stop blaming yourself."

"But it is. If I was more careful, the Five would've never found out about me. You all wouldn't be in danger. Saira wouldn't have died. Crexus wouldn't be missing. I deserved to be tortured, but you don't. None of you do."

"Is that what they did to you?" He asked, quietly.

"What?"

"When you were gone. Did they torture you?"

"No. I did that all by myself."

"What do you mean?"

My silence spoke volumes as I looked over at him, pleading with him to drop the subject.