Wolf and a Mask (Eyeless Jack Romance)

Chapter 16

Luna's P.O.V.

I opened my eyes to birds chirping and sunlight beaming in my eyes. I shot up, my surroundings unclear. Where am I?! Then I remembered the argument, and me leaving. My shoulders slumped down and I leaned against the tree again, groaning. My stomach grumbled, and my bones ached. I missed sleeping inside already. Though I'd only been there for maybe a week, I liked the feeling on indoors.

Sudden images of Jack raced through my mind, making me sad. I shook my head, pushing them away. He's gone now, and I had to accept that. I looked down below me, staring at the grass covered soil. My hair was covered in twigs and dried leaves. Winter was coming. 

I shivered, holding my shirt close to me. I was suddenly grateful for my long bottom length hair, and the clothes I had, even if it only covered my arms and chest, and showed most of my skin. My warm breath was slightly visible in the cold air. 

Usually I'd be used to this whether, but sense I was in that house, I'd gotten used to heat. I shook as I placed my chest against the tree bark, digging my nails in and targeting a lower branch. With a large leap, I jumped down and landed on the branch. I gripped on to it, afraid that I would fall. The ground was closer now, but would still hurt if I jumped. There were no more platforms to jump onto below, so I carefully lodged my claws into the tree and slid down. I looked underneath me, and jumped, knowing I would fine at this height.

My feet collided with the hard soil and I crouched, avoiding leg injury. My hair floated around me in the air and then fell onto my back. I stood up straight, stretching. A small scent of bird hung in the air, making my stomach growl at me again. I sniffed the air, searching for any recent traces. I smiled when I picked up one on a rabbit.

It wasn't very far, maybe half a mile or so. I took in another whiff and crouched behind some brush, tracking it down. It had been a while sense I last hunted, and I was partly excited to start again. I crawled around, smelling the ground. My heart race began picking up as I drew closer. I hid behind a tree and looked around. It was close. Very close. I bent my knees, keeping low and out of sight.

I moved slightly and went behind a bush, peering inside it. I was happy to see a little brown rabbit hopping along the grass. The light shined off its clean hazel coat and I readied myself to strike. I took in a breath, and leaped forward, jumping over my hiding place and pouncing on the little bunny.

I squirmed beneath my grasp, trying to get away, but I held fast. It back legs kicked at me, making me dig my nail deeper into its back. Red liquid began to sprout from its back as my nails broke skin. It continued thrashing around, so I craned my neck and sank my teeth into his throat. Metallic bliss filled my mouth as I tore away a chunk of fuzzy flesh. It twitched and jerked slightly before falling motionless.

I pulled away, grabbing its back leg and throwing it over my shoulder. I smiled at my work and stood up, leaving the pool of blood on the leaves. No matter how much I wanted to, I had to wait to eat it. I would have to save it for later on tonight.

I was already getting back onto track, and my senses were beginning to return all the way. I was more aware of every sound and scent. The human part of me regretted running away. Many times I'd considered returning home, to say sorry, but he'd yell at me again. But the wolf-like part of me knew he'd call me a freak. He only saved me because of my features, not because he wanted to. He thought I was unique, and he wanted to learn. That bastard never cared.

I grit my teeth, which were now layered in blood. The rabbit lightly tapped on my back. My sleeves were full of blood and there was now blood scrapings on my back.

I sighed at how my shirt was ruined now, but I was also happy. It meant that I was returning to my old life. My old life. Meaning the life I had before he saved me. I thought he cared. It made me want to scream. I would never admit it, but I thought for a while I was falling in love with him. But then again, how could I ever love? You're not human. You're a cross. A voice spoke softly in my head. 

No matter how much I didn't want it, I knew it was true. I was a cross. But how? Were one of my parents a half-wolf as well? I wouldn't know, considering they left me to die. But that's just it. If one of them was a half-wolf, why would they abandon me? Leave me to die when winter was at start? If it wasn't for my foster mother taking me in and raising me as one of her own, I wouldn't be here. 

I remembered my family. My wolf mother was white, with blue eyes. She was a lone wolf, an alpha over her children. When she took me in, she had three other pups. Two male and one female. I didn't know my moms name. My sisters was Emerald. She was brown with dark eyes. My two brothers names were Corey and Des. Corey was silver, with grey eyes, and Des was black, with green eyes like mine. I remembered running with them, with mom, from these... these things. Mom hid us in a old foxes hole, and she attacked them. All I heard was loud noises, almost like thunder, and all sounds were gone. 

I then saw it. I peeked through the hole, looking outside. There were five of them. They were huge, and all held these weird stick things. My mother lay on the ground, covered in red liquid. She wasn't moving. They grabbed her tail and dragged her away. Her eyes were still open, but no breaths passed her muzzle. Her empty blue eyes just stared into mine. I tired jumping out, to run to my mom and comfort her, but Des bit my tail, pulling me back. I let out a silence yelp as they pulled her out of view, leaving us four all alone. 

After that, we had to make our selves stronger. We had to learn how to hunt, and how to live. Then... one day, it happened. I was hunting down a rabbit, when there were more of those thunder noises. Muffled cries erupted from the distance, and I dashed towards them. What I saw, horrified me. It was them. Those things that took mom. They saw me. One pointed at me and they raised their sticks again. They had a weird look on their face, and one of them held their hands out to me, crouching down to my level. Scared, I howled, trying to find my siblings. I heard no reply, so I ran from the things. They chased me, shouting weird languages I didn't understand. I out ran them, stopping at a creek and panting. I cupped the water in my hands and drank, trying to slow my heart.

I searched for my siblings again, but I couldn't find them anywhere. Each cry of mine went unheard, and I knew it. I was all alone. Every once in a while, I would stumble in someones house, and they would give me food, offering to help. I slowly picked up on human words, and languages. They all treated me kindly from afar, but when they saw my ears and tail, they all screamed. They would attack me, chasing me out. I didn't understand why, but I learned it was because of my features. I wasn't like them.

I snapped myself out of my thoughts and realized I was sitting on the ground, leaning on a tree. How did I get here? I guessed that I was so deep in thought I hadn't noticed. A breeze went by and my face was very cold, so I reached up and touched it. There was a liquid on it, and I realized I had been crying. I shook my head. "That was so long ago." I whispered, standing back up. The sun had began to fall, and shadows of the trees casted down on me. I carried on. I reached a little clearing and grabbed two sticks. I'd learned how to make fire a long time ago. I grabbed two rocks as well and smacked them against each other. Sparks flew and landed on the sticks I placed down. I hit them together again and a small yellow lame erupted.

I placed two thicker sticks over the flames and put the rabbit on it. It would take a while, but the amazing taste of food was worth it. The sun had fallen beneath view and I sighed. 

I looked up at the moon, which was near full. It reminded me of something weird that happens every month. Each month, on a full moon, the sky would light up for me. The color around me would sharpen and the sounds became more clearer. I would feel... odd. Not myself. I would run on all fours and everything would become bigger. It's like I would fall asleep, and wake up something different. I wouldn't be able to speak, only bark, and a weird brown fur covered my body. My hands would turn black and padded, and all I would do is stalk around, searching for prey. In that time, if there was something around me, I would attack it. No matter how hard I would try to stop myself, something would make me pounce and kill. It made me wonder. The thought struck me like lighting.

What if the next time this happens, I kill Jack?