Chapter 68 The strange cry
Milo pov
The night air was thicker and colder than I remembered. My feet matching the damp soil was the only sound around me,as I cautiously made my way back home.
My brain was still trying to come to terms that James, a proud wolf and master loyal Beta, had been infected.
The sight of him reduced to a writhing and thrashing body, sent shivers of dread down my spine. James had been untouchable. Strong, feared, respected by all the people, it was evident from the way people were crying for him, but to think that he even could fall for the disease, what hope was there for the rest of us? For Rachael who was just a little girl?
Without thinking, I had rushed to his side, to lend a helping hand, but before I could even reach a mile from him, a hand had roughly shoved me back.
“It’s him!” someone spat.
“The little curse”
“He is responsible for this. Send him out of here” Another roared, their eyes glowing red
Their pure hatred and disgust struck me from every direction. I froze,
But, Daphne’s hands held onto my shoulders snapping me out.
“Go!” she hissed fiercely, her eyes wide with fear and urgency. “Now, Milo, You can’t stay here anymore!”
“B…but…”
Whatever I was about to say died as I saw the crowd already turning towards me, their intent clearly written on their faces.
Without wasting time, I blindly ran out of the hospital into the quite deserted pack without looking back.
Cold nipped at my exposed skin. I pulled my cloak tighter around me, while quickening my steps as I tried to push James’s haunting image away from my mind, but I couldn't stop it. The sound of his groans filled with pain. The way his eyes, wild and desperate, had met mine before Daphne shoved me away.
I made sure to keep to the shadows, just like Daphne had taught me. My heart was still racing, and every creak of the trees or whisper of wind made me flinch. I knew it was too late to be going back to the palace on my own. Normally, I would have called Cornel… but i couldn't bear the sight of his ugly sneer And Daphne, she had her hands full. She was probably in the hospital fighting tooth and nail to keep James alive.
“Please Milo, run straight home” I could still hear Daphne's concerned voice echo in my head. I stopped to find my bearings and know which direction to go, when I heard it.
At first, I thought it was just my nerves that were running helter skelter. But the feeling of being watched continued to press on my back like a heavy weight. The hairs in my body stood up erect, as I strained my ears tk hear any other sound in the surroundings.
“Some people are behind us” lior warning came like thunder in my head, at that moment, the sound of twigs snapping reached my ears.
I froze.
The wing shifted, carrying the sound of the soft paws against the earth, not just one… more than one pair.
No… it can’t be.
I forced my tired legs to move. My steps quickened, but so did theirs.
“Wolves ” my wolf lior growled furiously in challenge.
My heart sank.
“wolves”
That was the last thing lior had said before all hell broke loose.
I ran.
The sound of my legs stepping on dried leaves and twigs echoed louder than anything else in my. Followed by the sound of wolves growling around the bush, it became clearer and closer.
I turned, running opposite from the pathway that led to the palace.
Their howling increased all around the surroundings. They were everywhere, and now were all at once. They were drawing nearer.
“Milo…” Lior’s voice flickered in my mind filled with urgency. “They are herding you.”
Herding?... Like they were trying to bait me...
a sound cut through the forest before my brain could process what lior said. A child’s high pitched cry rang in the distance.
I stumbled to a halt, my head snapped towards a particular direction. My ears twitched towards a faint cry that reached my ears. It was faint, barely anything but for no reason, it rang like a bell inside me. And from the look of things it came from the distant bush.
A child? And he was alone in the woods? Maybe he got lost in the rush when the pack entered the state of emergency. My instincts flared, my compassion overriding everything else, and before I could react, my legs was moving again, but this time, into the bush where I had heard the cry
“Milo!” Lior snapped. “i think it's a trap. Don’t fall for it!”
But my feet betrayed me. My heart clenched with each cry, as I got closer to the sound. I couldn’t ignore it, that almost familiar broken sound that I have known all through my life. It had struck me and no matter the risk, no matter how Lior tried to dissuade me. I couldn’t let that child suffer.
I pushed deeper into the woods, my heart beat increased as I continued to get closer to the source of the cry. Wounds began to appear in my legs but as soon as it came, it disappeared. I could feel it healing before even a drop of blood could come out.
After a while I stumbled into a small clearing.
There he was, the source of the cry was from a boy!
He lay crumbled on the forest ground, his lips cracked, his skin pale and yellow in colour, for a moment I thought he was dead. Without thinking I rushed towards him, but at the last moment, I froze.
Something was wrong. Everything was not adding up. Like why did the bully wolves suddenly stopped chasing me.
My brows scrunched in suspicion, but when I wanted to turn back, I caught his scent, my mind froze.
It wasn’t just sickness that had plagued the entire pack. Noo, this one was rotten to the core, and smelt like decay.
My breath seized.