Selcouth • J. Hale ✓

xxv.

chapter twenty-five.

When Karina's eyes snapped open, she expected there to be some burning desire to rip someone's throat out, to feed. Instead, Karina found that she was cold, something she's never been when it came to Forks.

Groaning in pain, she attempted to sit up but found that she couldn't. Her body was numb and didn't seem to want to listen to her. Karina sighed in annoyance and decided that she would just lay there, it was still dark out and she wondered what time it was.

Suddenly there was a snap and Karina felt her body go rigid as she began to panic. Willing herself to move, she pushed herself into a sitting position. She didn't dwell on the fact that her eyesight was ten time better now, instead she sighed in relief at the sight of a large wolf stepping into view.

"Great, who's my savior?" Karina asked the wolf, letting her body fall back down. She turned her head to see that the wolf just tilted its head at her. "Well come on, shift."

With a huff the wolf left, and Karina closed her eyes. Something wasn't right and she could feel it inside of her, maybe it was the lack of her soulmate, but she didn't know. She decided to think about it later and instead waited for the wolf to return.

"How did you know?" The male voice asked her, and Karina tilted her head to look at him.

"My Grandfather was a shifter, though he never shifted himself it was in his blood." Karina told him nonchalantly. "Benjamin Clark was my Grandfather."

"Ephraim's brother." The man whispered and Karina nodded her head. "Why are you just laying here?" He suddenly asked her.

Karina sighed and attempted to move again but it was futile. "Well, I was attacked by a vampire, she left me here to die but instead attempted to turn me but something went wrong and now my body refuses to move." Karina explained in one go.

Suddenly Karina felt her body being lifted up at and she looked at the man confused. "Just tell me where to go." He told her.

"Javier." Karina blurted out.

She didn't exactly want to deal with her mother's questioning when she didn't have any answers for her. Karina didn't know what was happening to her, but she hoped that Javier's two year -almost three- relationship with Alice would help with that.

"You know Javier?" He asked her and Karina nodded her head, holding on tight when he started jogging. "How?"

"His imprint is my soulmate's sister." Karina told him and the man seemed to stiffen. "That's beside the point, I just need to get to Javier."

"I'm Paul, by the way." He spoke up after a few minutes of jogging.

"Karina." Her voice was small, and Paul looked down to see that she looked about ready to fall asleep.

"Sleep, I'll wake you when we're at Javi's." Paul told her and Karina didn't have the strength to say no.

Karina's head rolled to the side and rested against Paul's shoulder, he looked down at her in curiosity and wondered what the hell was wrong with her.

Paul didn't even notice that for the first time, since he shifted, that he couldn't hear Sam or Jared.

∞

"Javi!" Paul shouted as he approached the silent house, Karina didn't even wake up from the shout. "Javi, it's Karina!"

Javier didn't want to leave his bed, his wolf was in pain and agony from Alice rejecting him, but when he heard Paul's voice and the mention of Karina, he knew that he couldn't just lay there.

"Javi!" Paul practically pleaded, growing both worried about Karina and Javier.

Javier had cut off his ties to the pack, he was a lone wolf now and didn't follow behind Sam like everyone else did. Paul worried for his friend as Javier was one of the only people who understood his anger issues.

Javier dragged himself to the door and opened it, his eyes widened at the sight of Karina in Paul's arms. "What happened!?" He rushed forward and quickly took Karina into his own arms.

Paul followed behind him as he took her inside, "She said that she was attacked by a vampire but that something wasn't right."

Javier almost snarled in annoyance, "The same red head?"

Paul nodded his head and stilled when he heard Sam's voice pop into his head. "Sam's looking for me." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "I left my post."

Javier frowned, "And Sam barely realized?"

Paul opened his mouth to say something but then shut it as he realized something. "It was silent." Javier frowned and Paul looked at Karina curiously. "On the walk here, I didn't realize how quiet it was until I could hear the pack again."

Javier placed Karina down on the couch, which surprisingly was still in good condition. "Do you think Karina did it?"

"Like how the other bloodsuckers have gifts?" Paul wondered and Javier held back from snarling at the disrespect towards his imprint.

Javier sighed and pulled up a chair from the kitchen. "I don't know, and I'll just wait until Karina wakes up."

Paul opened his mouth to question Javier but quickly shut it when Sam barked an order in his head to return. "I got to go."

Javier nodded his head, "Go."

Paul had so many things he wanted to say to Javier, he wanted to question him and demand that he come back to the pack but with the look of heartbreak and exhaustion on his face, he stopped himself. Instead, he placed a hand on Javier's shoulder before running outside and jumping in the air where he then phased into his wolf.

∞

When Karina woke up, her eyes were glowing red, and Javier had to take a step back. Karina looked all around her surroundings before her eyes landed on Javier and she relaxed. Javier was in awe as the reddish color left her eyes and returned to their normal brown color.

"What's happening to me?" Karina whispered and it was then that Javier noticed that Karina's hands were glowing. "Javi, what's going on?"

Karina was now panicking, and Javier could see that that wasn't a good idea. Her chest was rising and falling at a fast pace, her eyes were watering, and Javier didn't know what to do.

Suddenly a red like mist surrounded Javier's entire first floor and things started to glow, before they floated into the air. Karina's eyes were glowing again but before she could freak out even more, there was sudden pain in her chest that caused her to snap out of it.

She let out a scream as she fell to her knees and clutched her chest, it was her heart, and it was throbbing painfully.

"Karina!" Javier rushed to her aid and placed a hand on her back. "What's happening?"

Karina opened her mouth to tell him that she didn't know but instead she started coughing violently. Javier was at a loss, this was all new to him and he was terrified for what could be happening to Karina. Suddenly, Karina stopped coughing and Javier caught her body as she appeared to pass out from extortion.

"What do I do?" Javier whispered as he held onto Karina tightly. "Tell me what to do, anyone, someone."