The Bite (Book 1)

Original Edition - Chapter 65: Little Lightning Bug

"Charlotte," it whispered to me, making me stir under my bear skin.

"Come see," it whispered again.

"Charlotte," it called to me in my sleep like a lullaby. I stirred some more and inhaled the faint traces of Ethan; pushing away the voices so I could sleep.

"It's time to see," it said a more firmly.

"See," it said again.

"Charlotte," I called gently to me.

"Wake up!" it yelled.

I sprung up in my bed but when I did a pained cry tore through my lips. My body was in pain. Pain that hurt like hot knives, bitter sharp cold bites, and achy ocean waves that rolled off of me.

As I felt back on my pillow, then the realization came to me. What happened. What the hell had happened? All I could remember was Ethan, and the collar, and the crowd–God that crowd was so angry. Everything was coming back in bits and pieces; too many bits and pieces like shards of glass being thrown at me.

"Ethan!" I gasped out in a hoarse cry.

My breathing picked up as panic started to set in. Rogues. We were attacked by rogues. Oh my God, Andrea! I felt my beast start to stir and pace; my friend had been beaten up badly the last time I saw her. More than that. She looked like she was on the cusp of death. 

"Ethan?!"

Larissa.

That traitor! I saved her damn life! I pulled rogues off of her!

Collar.

I felt my heart twist. I could feel a dull pain from the pull; he was in pain. I bit back a cry and tried to pull myself together. Why the hell did he do it?! Why didn't he fight it?!

I was going to kill her. I was literally going to tear that bitch apart. I was going to tear her apart and serve her intestines to Ethan on a platter.

Guilt.

I felt so guilty. I should be out there. It should be my neck, not his. I've put him through so much shit and he's taking a damn collar for me. The bond twisted some more as I reached out to him.

"Ethan?"

I could feel something stir in the link, something that was trying to reach me, but it was like it was just out of grasp. I bit back a cry and let out a shaky breath. My body hurt badly but I tried to sit up again, which was a mistake. The pain ripped through me and drew another scream from my lips.

"Don't!" a young female rushed out as she ran towards me. A voice I knew well. I looked over as shock tore through me. "Lyanna?"

"Hey Char," she replied with a gentle smile. She knelt down beside me and pushed some of the hair out of my face.

I held her silver eyes in mine for a confused moment. She looked so calm, so collected, so much more mature. She reminded me of her mother as she looked me over while her fingers played with my hair.

"Why the hell are you here? What's going on? Is Levi here?"

She sighed and looked back at me. "We have a lot to catch you up on."

"Ethan," I breathed out. "I can't link him Lyanna, you need to take me to him. Please Lyanna, what happened? Why is he out there! We were attacked by rogues, please, take me to him," I said before my voice cracked a little, a sob wanted to break through as I thought of him. The pull twisted a little; the pain, his pain, started to dully throb some more. I touched my neck where a ghost pain was starting to dully throb and felt tears prickle from behind my eyes. How had it come to this?