Shadowed

Chapter 79

Kale's POV

Rage burned like white fire inside me scorching my veins and sharpening my vision and fuelling my predatory instincts. My opponent lunged, it was a last wavering attempt to get the upper hand of a fight he knew he had already lost. His fist hit my right palm with a loud slap, my fingers tightly enclosed it and I squeezed as I pushed him back against the tree. A gurgling scream burst from his lips as the bones in his hand were crushed. I watched as his eyes slowly rolled back in his head as his scream lost air and became a silent choke. Dropping his fist from my grip his arm flew back against the trunk with dead weight and his eyes slowly rolled back to look at me. Despite his physical state his amber eyes stared back into mine with challenge, something which to late I could not stand. My left fist snapped forward before he could blink and his mouth dropped open in a silent scream as blood bubbled and then streamed from his nose. I needed to finish him off before it got really messy. A growl rumbled from deep within my chest as I my hand enclosed round his throat. His arms flailed and his eyes darted around wildly. "W....wa...wait!" He gasped clawing at my hand desperately.

 I snarled tightening my grip and watching as the corner of his mouth lifted in a near smile. "W..wait!"

For whatever reason my grip loosened, and as it did the shifter in front of sucked in deep choking breaths of air and then started laughing. The sound of his laughter brought upon a sudden wave of dread which shook my body and my fingers twitched ready to crush his windpipe. Blood still streamed down his face and he stopped laughing slowly licking his bloodied lips. His amber eyes glinted wildly "You've lost" he grinned.

Anger raged and my fist tightened as he choked with laughter again, "You've...fucking...lost! He...has... her!"


SNAP

His eyes rolled back and his body fell limp against the trunk. No. She's inside, she's safe. My heart stuttered and my throat closed up as I suddenly felt cold. No. The forest around me wavered dizzily and I felt a rush of nausea as I stood my body beginning to slowly tremble. My heart was back and beating a thousand times a minute blood pounding in my head and blocking out everything else. Then ever so slowly my head turned to the left and my nostrils flared as I took in the scent. "KAELA!"

Then I was running. The trees were a blur around me as I charged through the forest. My heart felt like it was going to burst from my chest. "KAELA!" 

Loud hoarse screams erupted from my chest as I ran blindly following my senses, I could smell her, and I could smell two others. One of the male shifters was familiar, he'd escape my reach after fighting and leading me off into the forest. Fear spiked in my chest as I realised what he'd done and I ran harder. He'd been the diversion, the distraction away from her. My muscles bunched and ran harder and harder but her scent was fading and I knew it wasn't enough.

I could smell tarmac.

I could smell tarmac. The road. "NO! NO!"

My feet slapped the tarmac of the empty road and I stared out into the darkness. She was gone.

A pain I had not felt in a long time swarmed through me. It felt like a knife plunged deep into my chest and my head begun to spin as my body begun to surrender to my emotions. My knees hit the tarmac and a scream ripped through the night tearing through my body. I couldn't breathe. Fury, fear, panic, and loss churned inside me a vicious tornado trapped within the confines of my body. I was blinded. I couldn't see, think, hear, smell. All I could feel was the emotion wrecking havoc inside me, and my blood which still pounded in my head and my ears. I was vaguely aware of my body shaking as I stayed on the dark road on my knees as I stared off into the night. She was gone.