A Little Too Late

Chapter 6

   

“NO!” Percy shouted next to me. I pushed him behind me before I shifted growling in warning to keep him there. “Ginny!” he yelled as I pushed off the wolf from Claire. Claire was whimpering and crying in pain which drove my wolf wild, all I saw was red. The black wolf smirked jumping to his feet right in front of me as I stood protectively over her. “Claire?” Percy asked shaking her underneath me. How did he get there? I guess it doesn’t matter as long as I could keep them safe. I growled in warning, baring my teeth as the wolf stepped closer to us.  His ears flattened in shame, accepting the warning I gave but he continued to come closer.  Does he want to die?
   

“Claire? Come on wake up.” That snapped me out of the death stare with the black wolf and caused me to look down at Claire. Her neck had a bruise and a small wound that was quickly healing, faster than anything I’ve ever seen before. I thought she wasn’t a wolf? At least that’s what her mother decided. I was so scared that she wouldn’t be able to heal like us, that she’d be hurt like the humans do. I sighed in relief as the wound grew smaller and smaller every second.
  

  The relief only lasted a second because the next I was flat on my back with the black wolf peering over me. I growled at him trying desperately to push him off to no avail, he only pushed me down into the ground harder. “Ginny!” Claire and Percy both screamed in panic and my heart broke. They were going to watch me die, the only person who truly cared about them and I couldn’t do anything about it. The black wolf barked in happiness as I stopped struggling and submitted to him. He leaned in closer to me loosening his hold on me. I shoved him off of me and jumped to my feet. He growled in annoyance lunging at me and I quickly dodged him, that was all I could do. I didn’t know how to fight. I didn’t know anything about winning these things but I had to at least try, if not for me, for Percy and Claire. I needed them and they needed me. He lunged again and I dodged him as quickly as I could which apparently wasn’t good enough because his teeth sunk into my hind leg.
   

I threw my head back in agony, howling for help that wouldn’t come. I fell to the ground in pain whimpering as the black wolf stalked closer to me. “Leave her alone.” Percy shouted from the top of the playground. The wolf growled at him and Percy flinched back in fear but his eyes hardened. “I said leave her alone.”
   

The black wolf ignored him and lunged for my throat, I turned my head away from his razor sharp teeth just in time so he face planted the hard ground. It didn’t hurt him in the least, it just made him more annoyed with me and prolonged my death. The wolf’s breath was ragged in anger his jaw clenched and I closed my eyes waiting to feel pain. I soon felt his teeth puncture my skin and I whimpered, tightly holding my eyes shut as they desperately wanted to open to see one last thing before my life was ripped away from me. I didn’t want Percy and Claire to see the life leave my eyes, like I my mother’s.
   

My heart beat began to speed up pounding away my short lived life. I shivered when I felt his presence and heard his powerful growl pierce through the park. My eyes flew open in surprise when the black wolf was pushed off of me. I quickly scrambled to my feet limping over to Percy but he had his gaze set on the beautiful dark brown wolf and killer black wolf. I whimpered in pain as my left leg hit the ground and I fell to the ground. The brown wolf looked over at me, concern clear on his face his shocking blue eyes holding mine for a second until the black wolf lunged at him. My heart ached at the thought of this wolf getting hurt or worse. I needed to get out of here. I pushed myself up again and steadied, I felt small cold hands brush my fur but the familiar touch told me it wasn’t a threat. Percy helped Claire on carefully before he hopped on. Their tiny grips pained me as they pulled tightly but I didn’t mind as long as they were safe I could handle it.
   

“Ginny, Look out!” Percy screamed. I turned to look behind me to see a brown wolf close on our heels. My heart fluttered and my running slowed on its own making me whimper as my leg rest on the ground. “Ginny!”
   

The panic in his voice scared me but the presences of the brown wolf made me feel protected but I couldn’t quite place my finger on what it was about him. Until he shifted.
   

“Are you alright?” His deep voice ask dripping in concern and worry that mirrored his face. He reached up for Percy and Claire making me growl in warning at him. He sighed, “I won’t hurt them besides they’re my siblings.” he shrugged as if that made it clear he wouldn’t hurt them but it didn’t make a difference to me. My own brother, even though not directly hurt me more than anyone else. “I just want to make sure you’re all okay.” He sounded really worried so I let him come closer.
   

He gently picked up Percy form my back and set him on the ground. “I got her.” Percy jumped up to get Claire who had tears running down her face. I bent down a little to make it easier but I ended up collapsing on the ground.
  

  “Ginny!” All three of them shouted but Wes was the first one to me.
  

  “Are you okay? Shift and talk to me.” He told me and I shook my head. I sure as hell didn’t want to be naked in front of him, or Percy and Claire for that matter. I didn’t want them to see my scars, I didn’t want them to know that I was weak. I was always so strong around them. I was their rock and I didn’t want that to change. “Please.” he asked quietly making my heart ache in the pain I was causing him. “here.” He handed me a shirt that was around his ankle.
 

   I sighed taking it into my mouth and limped over to the trees. I shift and hurriedly put on his shirt. It smelt amazing causing me to lose my balance and fall face forward onto the solid ground. I groaned in pain as a stick scraped my thigh drawing blood out of the barley healed wound. I pressed my hand down to stop the bleeding but the silver must have been still in my system because it didn’t stop, if anything it only made it bleed more.  
  

  “Ginny?” Wes’s voice called out, my heart sped up in fear, I didn’t want him to see my arms or my freshly cut legs.
   

“J-just a minute.” I replied shakily pressing down harder. Stop. Stop. I mental chanted. Please stop.
   

“Are you sure? You don’t sound alright.” His voice was closer and I heard a twig snap. Oh no.
   

“I’m fine, honestly. I’ll just be minute.” I called out to him closing my eyes, praying he wouldn’t come any closer.
   

“I don’t-” He said right in front of me. I heard him gasp and I was suddenly thankful for having my eyes shut. I didn’t want to see the look of disgust on his face. But the tingles that ran up my leg surprised me and my eyes flew open.  His fingers lightly trailed the cut on my thigh carefully not to press too hard. “Why doesn’t it heal?”
  

  “I-I,” I stuttered helplessly as I saw he was really concentrating on the cuts, he looked up his eyes meeting mine. They held deep sadness, worry and regret. “It’s silver.” I told him when he pulled his gaze back down to the blood that was flowing out of one of the cuts. He gently removed my hands and covered the cut with his own.  I hissed and screamed in pain as he pressed down but he didn’t let up.
  

  “I’m sorry. I need to stop the blood.” he told me softly.
  

  “Ah!” I screamed in agony, my vision blurred with the tears that were building.
   

“Ginny?” Percy and Claire’s voice rang out as black spots started dotting my eyes.
 

   “I’m sorry.” Wes whispered again as darkness overtook me.