\[Elise’s POV\]
I let out a howl, attacking the rogue closest to me, but as its blood explodes in my mouth, I feel something in me stir that leaves me scurrying back. Gagging, I attempt to get the overly sweet taste to go away in hopes it will stop the stirring that I feel.
‘What is this?’ I hiss, trying to ignore the sudden desire I feel to taste more of it. ‘What’s happening?’
‘The bite,’ Anna responds, causing my heart to skip a beat.
Looking down, I examine the wound on my leg and feel a wave of horror rush through me as I realize the spot of my injury looks just like the rogues bodies, rotting and dirty.
‘Fuck.’ I growl, understanding beginning to flare. ‘So that’s how they came to be. But where did the first come from?’
As this thought hits, a rogue slams into me, sending me crashing into a tree, and when I hit, I feel a rib break and the air puff out of my lungs.
Ugh, I really need to pay attention. Otherwise, I was going to end up getting myself killed here. Or would I? Could I be killed if I was turning into one of these fuckers? I didn’t know, but I was half tempted to figure it out. However, I don’t move to try to attack as the fear of tasting that sweetness hits me again.
‘What are you doing?’ Anna demands when I don’t move. ‘Why are you just standing there?’
‘I’m…’ I begin, but stop as a loud whistle fills the air, causing all the rogues to stop their attack and turn in the direction it came from.
With wide eyes, I watch as the teacher who was in charge of assigning the disciplinary committee their job for the evening strolls forward. As he moves, the rogues start circling around him, all but creating a barrier to keep everyone away.
‘Oh no, you don’t,’ I hiss, starting to move while the man grows closer. ‘I won’t…’
The rest of my words get lost as the man’s eyes come to rest on me, and I feel something in me scream to obey whatever it was that he wanted.
“Aren’t you a pretty one?” He chuckles, moving forward and grabbing my jaw so our eye contact remains. “It’s too bad that you’ll be just like these nasty wolves soon.”
As he speaks, I feel a war beginning to rage in my body while one part of me says to fight and break free, but the other says to let him do whatever he wants.
“You can already feel it, can’t you?” He murmurs, releasing me and standing. “All you have to do is follow me, and your suffering will end.”
Follow.
The word softly drifts around my head, urging me to go along with whatever it is that this man wants, but as it does, another part of me screams not to do it, causing me to remain in place.
“Not quite ready yet, huh?” The man sighs, looking disappointed. “That’s too bad. I’m usually not one to force anything, but I can sense that you’re a special wolf, and I just can’t afford to miss out on this opportunity.”
Smirking, he lifts his hand and then snaps, causing his wall of wolves to shift and sway, slamming their bodies into me until I find myself being sucked into them and my world turning dark.
When things come back into view, I find myself in a small room that reeks of rot and moisture. I’m lying on a bed that seems to be made out of pallets. It’s hard, and my skin is covered in splinters.
“What the hell?” I hiss, trying to make sense of what is happening until the door to my room opens and the man who has been haunting my visions appears.
“You’re awake,” he announces, moving forward and beaming. “That’s great; it’s about time for the grand feast.”
Feast. What the hell was this about a feast? As this thought hits, the man leans forward and begins to unhook what I realize are chains that are attached to my wrists.
“Come along, pet.” He murmurs, pulling a collar from his back pocket and clipping it onto my throat. “Don’t try anything funny.”
“Wait!” I gasp as he pulls the leash that is attached to the collar he put on me, sending me crashing to the cold, hard ground, scraping my already torn-up skin. “What are you…”
“You’ll see soon enough.” He chuckles, giving me another tug, so I’m left scrambling to my feet to avoid being dragged along the ground. “The blood moon has finally arrived.”
Blood moon. Why did those two words leave me with such a feeling of unease and fear? There was something else that happened on the blood moon, wasn’t there?
Serenity. The small voice in the back of my head screams, showing me images of the vision I had on the day my niece was born.
With wide eyes, I focus on the man in front of me as we move down a long hall. As we move, the scent of blood reaches us, and with each step, it grows stronger and stronger until it is damn near suffocating.
Fighting the gag that wants to escape, I find myself yanked into what seems to be a dining room where a large group sits at a table, but the one leading me doesn’t go to join them. Instead, he takes his place on a large throne that overlooks the whole scene and then forces me to kneel beside him.
“Is everyone ready?” The man calls, drawing the attention of all those present toward him. “Tonight, you too will become immortal just like me!”
Immortal. Did this crazy bastard just say that he was immortal?
Feeling my stomach churn, I start to examine those who are present, and when I find Maverick and the twins, I begin to understand what I’m seeing.
“This is how you did it.” I hiss, drawing the man’s gaze toward me.
“What was that, pet?” He asks, picking up a bell and ringing it. “I don’t quite hear you.”
“No!” I gasp as the ones sitting at the table begin to devour the meat in front of them that I now realize is human meat. “You can’t do this! You have to stop them, otherwise...”
“Shut up!” The man growls, smacking me and sending me crashing to the ground, scraping my cheek. “Who do you think you are to go against me?”
“I am,” I say, slowly rising and facing him. “Your worst fucking nightmare!”