Little Red Riding Hood

Chapter 11 Regret

Winter's Pov.

I watched Asher get shot. I felt the phantom bullet pierce through my lower abdomen creating a pain so harsh that it forced me to shape-shift. Regret emanated off of me in waves as I saw him remove his hand from his wound only for it to be drenched in his own blood. Sorrow filled every crack of my now broken heart as I saw my own mate fall to the ground in agony, crying from all the hurt that one should not feel. Resentment fueled my every movement towards those men who had hurt my mate, the one who I had protected from his own flesh and blood; I couldn't even protect from a stranger who he had never known. Fury even made me hurt that man who shot him, ripping off his head slowly to make him feel the heartache he had caused me. Destiny had told me that that groups' goal was to make me suffer for all eternity whether it be hurting me or hurting someone I care about.

The life that I had seen in his eyes this morning no longer lived there. The innocence left like a coward in a fight. Everything that I had seen in his eyes that I had wanted to guard was gone. Thinking of what would have happened if it was me who had taken the bullet, I realize that those men did not come to kill me, they came to kill the two men in my life that I cared for because they wanted to torture me before they took my own life later on. Realizing that fact, my thoughts begin to take darker turns with each passing second, slowly turning sinister and dark, like a person whom you thought you knew but truly had only scratched the surface. I think of the moment where he threw himself in front of me without hesitation, shielding me from a deadly bullet, and I crumble on the inside knowing that he saved me. All I can do is stand frozen in place, a bleak cold wrapping around me. I could not believe that the person that I had just met, used their life to save mine. Then me, not knowing how to control my emotions, threw the first punch.

Instead of feeling stuck in one place anymore, I was able to get over my shock and walk towards Asher. Sitting down with my legs crisscrossed, I put my hand on his stomach with the intention of healing him, only to receive this jolt of electricity run through my arm and into my heart. It shocked me so much that I pulled my hand away as if I had been burned.

'You can not be scared at a time like this!' Destiny screams inside of my head as though if she screamed loud enough it would change my mind faster.

'I realize that. But, there was a shock that came from his body, almost as though I'm not meant to save him.' I say trying to gather up the words to use.

'But nothing! We failed to protect our mate as we should have. Like you should have!' Destiny's voice rises with anger towards me. I feel the air in my lungs slowly leave my body. Realizing that she had cut off my oxygen supply, I try to gasp for air but only feel small pockets enter my lungs.

'I-I do not understand? What are you trying to do to me? You are my wolf and should protect me, not try and kill me.' 

'I am trying to say that You. Failed. Your. Job. You did not do the single most important task that you had to do. Protect your mate from harm.' Destiny speaks with such a bitter and hateful tone, cutting my air supply to nothing.

'Why are you blaming me? This is as much your fault as it is mine.' My voice losing its hurt tone and becoming angrier by the second sentence. On the outside, my body begins to weaken as I am forced to kneel and hunch over on the ground.

'I-I don't know why I'm blaming you. I-I guess I lost control.' She says honestly. With the sudden realization of what she had done to me, she releases me from her hold allowing me to gasp for air. Finally being able to breathe again, I look over to my left to see my father holding onto me tightly. Rubbing my back to comfort me. Speaking again she whispers, 'I feel ashamed of how I acted, Asher would be disgusted and the Moon Goddess is alarmed by what I've done. For punishment, she is forcing me to leave your mind and give the reigns of your mind over to Chase.' At the end, she began whimpering in pain and yelping.