Fade

6

     Running is what helps me feel alive. It helps me feel safe. Free. It felt like I could run forever if I really wanted to. I ran as fast as I could, getting up even after tripping multiple times and getting scratches on my arms and knees. Find him. Find him. Find him! Tobias is the one I was meant to find. No. It's who I'm supposed to find. Howls in the distance reached my ears. I forgot these people can turn into wolves. They're crazy. I heard something approaching me at top speed. I yelled as I was tackled to the ground. I couldn't get up. As I struggled, a female voice spoke. I recognized it. It was Nikolas' Beta. Whatever the heck that was. "Are you insane? Your mates were hurt because of you and you want to run away? How could you be so despicable?" I continued to struggle. Grunts and cries echoed across the woods.

     "Listen to me! If you don't go back right now, you will always be running. They will stop at nothing to find you. And I can promise you, they will find you." You will constantly be running as long as you live. In one of my dreams I was told that. "It doesn't matter! It doesn't matter if I stay here or go. I will always be running." Using all of my strength, I lifted her off of me. "You should all just forget about me." She held onto my ankle. "I won't let you leave my Alpha. He knows you're here. And he is coming." I kicked her head and she passed out. "I don't care." I continued to run as far as I could. Then I recognized a small little stream. This is where I almost died. Where my memory began. I pressed onwards and ran faster. My sides were starting to hurt but I didn't care. I've probably ran four miles straight by now. "Little mate!" Fear grew in me. How could they have caught up so quickly? His hand wrapped around my wrist. "No!" I pushed him away with force I was unaware I even had. His clothes were burnt and he smelled of ashes. Soot covered his arms and he had a burn on his arm. "I found you." My chance to escape was gone. Something began to rise from deep within. The fight in me. I kicked him hard when he got close and he dropped to his knees. I ignored the sparks. My adrenaline was pumping too much for me to notice. I kicked his chest and ran off. I didn't turn back to see if he was okay. More like, I didn't care. Faster. I have to go faster. My lungs were on fire at this point. Find him. Find him.

     Tobias. Where is Tobias? I tripped and rolled down a hill. My body ached badly and I didn't know which direction to run in. "Little mate! Where are you?" Christian called from a distance. A vine suddenly wrapped around my ankle and dragged me. Something sprayed me and I coughed. I smell funny. I couldn't scream or else I would be found out. My body can't set itself on fire. I'll draw attention. My ankle caught fire but the vine was strong. I was dragged into a cave. The cave was dark but once we were deep enough there was a pool of turquoise water that reflected from wall to wall. Then I felt my feet becoming wet. It was dragging me in. I panicked and thrashed around. "Lightning! Lightning!" The water zapped and traveled to the vine. It disintegrated immediately. I scrambled to my feet and backed towards the wall. Heaving, I grabbed my necklace. "So you were able to escape." A voice called. I remained silent. "I've finally found you." A shadow emerged from another entry in the cave. My mouth hung open. His black eyes and long blonde hair gave him away. "Zeke!" How I knew his name was beyond me. His serious aura wiped the smile off my face. "We all thought you were dead. Where were you?" He slowly approached me. I could tell he was trying to be intimidating. Instead I jumped into his arms. Tears flowed down my face. "I missed you! I lost most of my memory and- and I don't remember who Tobias is. I was so scared and I was running from two Alphas who say I'm their mate and. And I don't understand!" He awkwardly patted my head. It felt kind of wrong for another man to be touching me, but I somehow knew him. "They won't find you. You were sprayed with one of my plants. They won't find you." "How did you know I was here?" I stared at him. He had on a long black shawl and sweatpants with a white shirt. His hair was neatly tied back.

     He revealed a necklace that was similar to mine. The only difference was the charm. His charm was a crescent moon. "We're all connected. I could tell you lost your memory. You would never hug me, or cry really." He grabbed my hand and led me through the cave. "You were our second leader. Tobias was our first. He strategized, and you somehow always knew our chances of it succeeding and our survival rate." "Where is Tobias?" "He went into that place you were in and never came out. He went in five days ago." I stopped. "He's...he's in there?" He nodded. "I have to go back." "Hold on, there. We have to take you to Dante. Dante can help you get your memories back." "Do we all have some kind of powers?" "Something like that. We're all special in our own unique way." After a couple of minutes, we reached a group of people. I instantly recognized them from my dream. "Celia!" She turned towards me. She had tattoos covering one of her arms and two piercings on each ear. Her once auburn hair was now fully black. Her honey eyes widened when she saw me. "My bff!" She tackled me into a hug. She squeezed me so hard I couldn't breath. She was petite but strong. "Can't. Breathe." "Dante." Zeke called. I looked behind Celia.

The guy with black hair in a fade style and redish eyes rose. "Still haven't heard anything from Tobias?" "No, but I think he's alive." "Not to ruin this reunion, but. How do I know you all? And who am I?" Their mouths dropped open except for Zeke. "She lost her memory. Also her personality. We need your help, Dante." The guy with pale green eyes and dull red hair approached me. "How much of it did you lose?" "Up to two and a half weeks ago." "This is going to take some time. We can't do this here. It's too risky. We have to be somewhere where we're guaranteed safe for at least two hours, maybe three. It's not much longer until they pick up on our scents. And we still need to get Tobias." He needed that long for me to get my memory back? Wow. "Do you remember your name?" Celia asked me. I sadly shook my head. "I was given nicknames but I don't remember my actual name." I explained. I tugged at my shirt. Was it starting to get hot in here? "You scared us when you disappeared. We all thought you had died. Tobias especially took it hard." She held my hand. "Your name is A- are you okay?" My body was feeling extremely hot and it felt hard to breath. My legs trembled violently as sweat poured down my body. "So hot. So very hot."

     "What's wrong with her?" "Amber, are you okay?" So my name is Amber. What a pretty name. Zeke rested a hand on my shoulder. It burned like crazy. "Don't touch me!" I angrily shouted. My hormones were going wild and something told me that males touching me was a big no. Nikolas' words played back in my head. I was going through a heat. I was going to go through this pain and arousal until my mates marked me by biting me. Then we would forever be bound to each other. I don't want that to happen. "According to werewolf mythology, since you found your mates you are experiencing a heat. Which means your mates have to bite you and make love to you." Zeke explained. "You're mates with werewolves?" Celia was completely shocked. "Yes she is." We all turned to see Christian standing by the water. We've been found. And he doesn't look to happy. "Mate, come here." "N-no. Stay away." "Come over here NOW!" My friends flinched at his tone. "Don't. Don't tell him my name," I whispered. The way Christian looked at me up and down sent my arousal spiraling. "You're not in control of your hormones. Other wolves could try to mate you. Now come here." My body began to shiver. "The cave is surrounded. We can't escape," Dante nervously mentioned. I remained stubborn and shook my head. "No. No I won't." Christian ran at us at incredible speed and I pushed Celia away from me. Bolts of lightning emitted from my body. My mate stopped inches from becoming electrocuted. The lightning helped keep him at bay. "Mate. Nikolas is injured. He needs you." Celia snapped and screamed at him. "Give us back Tobias! We know you have him!" The electricity traveling through my body mostly nullified the heat, but I could still feel it. "Give Tobias back. We know he's here."

      "Mate-" "Christian." I stared him down, challenging him to try me. I trusted these people more than I ever could him. "Give him. Please." He sighed in frustration. He ran a hand through his hair. I wanted to jump into his arms and touch him. But my rationality reeled me back in. I can't. I shouldn't. "If. If I go back with you, will you let him go with my friends?" "Of course." "No! Stop it! If you used your Awakening, you wouldn't have to be doing this!" Celia screamed. "She doesn't remember. We just have to trust her." Dante murmured. "No! If she won't use her Awakening, then I will." The water near us began to splash and move. The electricity went away as I stared in awe. Celia moves her hands and it moved with her. It engulfed Christian as it morphed into a dragon. I screamed when Nikolas entered the cave. He had burns on his legs and most of his clothes were burned. His eyes were pitch black. "MATE!" He screamed out. A dark mass enclosed around us as a hand grabbed mine. Then everything went black.

To finish my birthday off here is a new chapter. Hope everyone's summer has been good so far!