Dark Woods

Chapter 5

Jasmine’s POV

"Jasmine! Jasmine! Where are you?!" The voice cuts through the forest like a blade, desperation seeping through its commanding tone.

I fight to lift my head from the snow-covered ground where I lie broken. When I try to speak, agony rips through my throat like shattered glass. Every muscle screams in protest, leaving me paralyzed despite my frantic attempts to move. What's happening to me? The thought barely forms before violent coughing seizes me. I press my hand to my mouth, only to pull it away slick with crimson.

Blood. My eyes widen in horror.

The metallic taste fills my mouth, making me gag. How much blood have I lost? The snow around me is stained red, creating this horrific contrast against the pristine white. It looks like a crime scene, and I'm the victim.

Summoning my remaining strength, I manage to push myself against the rough bark of a nearby tree. Dizziness crashes over me immediately, forcing me to close my eyes as the world tilts dangerously. When I open them again, warm tears stream down my cheeks. Even through my blurred vision, I recognize the towering pines of Everdeen Forest.

How did I get here? Why can't I remember?

Pain radiates from my throat and side in relentless waves, each breath a monumental effort. Only then do I truly grasp the extent of my injuries—blood seeps steadily from wounds I can't remember receiving. My clothes are torn, hanging in tatters around my body.

"Jasmine! Jasmine! Where are you?! Answer me!" The man's voice thunders through the forest again, closer now, laced with panic and something else—desperation so raw it makes my chest ache.

I try to call out, to scream for help, but my voice has abandoned me entirely. The sound that comes out is nothing more than a raspy whisper, barely audible even to my own ears. Pressing my palm against my throat in a futile attempt to stem the bleeding, I realize with growing terror that I've already lost too much blood. My body is failing.

Weakness creeps through my limbs like ice water, and I feel myself beginning to slip sideways despite my efforts to remain upright. The tree bark scrapes against my back as I slide down, leaving traces of blood behind.

Just as darkness threatens to claim my consciousness, a blurred figure emerges from between the trees—a man running toward me with desperate urgency. He drops to his knees beside my fallen form, and through my fading vision, I catch glimpses of sandy blonde hair and dark eyes filled with anguish.

"Oh god. No! No! Nooooo! Come back to me! Don't leave me!" His voice cracks with raw anguish, the words breaking like waves against the shore of my fading awareness.

Those are the last sounds I hear before darkness finally embraces me. In that final moment, I feel weightless, as if floating free from my broken body, all pain dissolving into peaceful nothingness.

My eyes snap open, my body trembling as cold sweat clings to my skin. Just a dream. Goddess, it felt so real. What the hell is happening to me? My heart hammers against my ribs with such violence I fear it might burst from my chest.

The sheets are soaked with sweat, twisted around my legs like restraints. My throat feels raw, like I've been screaming, though I don't remember making any sound. The taste of copper lingers in my mouth, so vivid I have to run my tongue over my lips to make sure there's no actual blood.

"Hey J, are you okay?" Sarah's voice carries genuine concern as she studies my pale face from the driver's seat.

I struggle to push myself into a sitting position, forcing my breathing to slow and steady. I must've fallen asleep during the drive to Kylie's house. Earlier this morning, I'd planned nothing more than wallowing in my exhaustion—last night was another sleepless mess of tossing and turning. Those plans got completely f****d the moment Sarah showed up on my doorstep with her crazy enthusiasm. Before I knew it, I found myself buckled into Sarah's passenger seat, heading toward Black Eclipse territory. Kylie's part of the Black Eclipse Pack, while both Sarah and I are Winter Moon.

The drive through Black Eclipse territory is always a little intimidating. Their pack lands are well-maintained, with imposing stone markers every few miles reminding visitors exactly whose territory they're entering. Everything here screams wealth and power—from the perfectly manicured landscapes to the expensive cars we pass on the road.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Sarah. Just a shitty dream." The words finally come out after what feels like forever.

"Wanna talk about it?" Sarah's tone stays gentle.

"Not really," I reply, hoping she'll get the hint and drop it. The last thing I want is to relive that nightmare, especially when it felt so real I can still taste blood.

"I'm here if you need to talk," Sarah offers.

I nod, relief washing over me as Sarah backs off. I turn to the window, watching landscapes blur past, but my mind's going crazy with questions I can't answer. I don't get why these f****d up nightmares keep happening, or why they feel more real than being awake. Deep down, I know these dreams mean something and that scares the s**t out of me. I've always hated not knowing what's coming. Somehow, I know these visions are warnings, and if I don't figure them out, someone I love is gonna pay for it.

The worst part is how vivid they are. It's not like normal dreams where everything's fuzzy and doesn't make sense. These feel like memories—like I'm watching something that actually happened or something that's going to happen. The thought makes my stomach churn.

Lost in my thoughts, I barely notice we've arrived at the Black Eclipse Pack House. Pack protocol says visitors from other territories need the Alpha's permission before entering pack lands—something I learned about but never actually experienced.

This is my first time in foreign pack territory, though luckily Sarah's been here a few times. "It's okay, Jaz. Alpha Thomas expects us—we just gotta sign in at his office," Sarah says, sensing my nerves.

We walk up to the huge pack house and wait after telling an omega why we're here. The building's intimidating as hell—all stone and timber with these massive columns that make you feel tiny. Everything about it screams power and dominance.

"Hey Sarah, you're back so soon," calls some guy I've never met. He looks college-aged, and judging by how Sarah's face goes pink, I think I just figured out the real reason she was so pumped about tonight's party.

"Hey Jacob, yeah I'm here for the party," Sarah manages, blushing harder.

"Oh, really? That's cool. And who's this?" Jacob looks at me curiously, his smile friendly enough.

"This is my friend Jasmine. Jasmine, meet Jacob," Sarah introduces us, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Hey, Jacob," I say, shooting Sarah a look. Girl, I want all the details, and I want them now, I mind-link to her, making her blush even deeper.

Sarah starts asking Jacob about his day, and I quickly realize I'm being a third wheel. Deciding to give my friend some space to flirt, I wander off and check out the place. Everything screams money—polished marble floors, fancy furniture, paintings that probably cost more than most people make in a year. This place is dripping with wealth, and I guess all pack houses are like this, though I've never even seen our own alpha's place.

The artwork's incredible—original paintings, sculptures that look like they belong in museums, and tapestries that probably have centuries of history. It's like walking through some rich person's private gallery. I can't help but feel a little intimidated by all the luxury.

I walk over to check out one of the massive paintings—some expensive looking thing of a woman in a field. The colors are so rich and detailed, I find myself getting lost in studying the brushstrokes. It's probably worth more than my dad's truck.

The sound of a door closing makes me turn around.

Gabriel Preston stands there, shirtless and covered in sweat from what looks like an intense workout. I suck in a sharp breath at the sight of his broad chest, ripped abs, and the way his muscular arms flex as he grabs a towel. My heart starts pounding as I stare, taking in every detail of his perfect body.

Holy s**t. Heat shoots straight between my legs as my eyes trace every line of his perfectly carved torso. Sweat's dripping down his chest, and I suddenly want to lick every drop off his skin. What the hell is wrong with me? I've never gone crazy over a guy like this. My n*****s get hard under my bra, and thank god I'm wearing a jacket to hide how my body's betraying me.

Then he starts walking toward me with that cocky little smile, and I panic.

Wait, why's he coming over here? I think frantically, my face burning as I look away and try to get my s**t together. But even when I'm not looking, I can feel him getting closer, can still picture how his skin looked all shiny under the lights.

The air between us seems to crackle with electricity. I can smell him from here—sweat mixed with something that's uniquely him, something that makes my head spin and my body react in ways I don't understand. It's intoxicating, and I have to fight the urge to step closer.

"Hey, Jasmine."

"How do you know my name?" I ask quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. My throat feels dry, and I'm hyperaware of every inch of space between us.

"I heard Nick talking to you the other day," Gabriel says, his voice deeper than I remember. There's something in his tone that makes my pulse race even faster.

I can't stop staring at his lips and chest. It doesn't help that I'm way shorter than him—he's like a damn giant compared to me. Being this close is doing crazy things to my body that I don't understand. The smell of his sweat mixed with whatever cologne he uses makes my head spin and my core clench.

Oh, goddess, even his sweat smells amazing, I think, fighting the urge to press my face against his neck and breathe him in.

"So, what brings you here?" he asks, still wearing that little smile that makes my knees weak.

I blink a bunch of times, trying to stop the dirty thoughts flooding my brain. All I can think about is what it'd feel like to run my hands all over those muscles, to taste his skin, to have him push me against the wall and—

Stop it, Jasmine. Get your f*****g act together.

"Um... party. Tonight," I manage, since those are the only words my brain can come up with while it's completely fried from being near him.

"A party, huh? Interesting. I guess I'll see you there," Gabriel says, his voice dropping super low in a way that makes my knees weak.

The way he says it makes it sound like a promise, and I'm not sure if that terrifies me or excites me. Probably both.

"Gabriel!" someone yells from another room, and he turns toward the sound.

"Anyway, I'll see you later," he says softly, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead before walking away.

The second his lips touch my skin, electric tingles shoot down my whole body. My core clenches hard, and I have to bite my lip to keep from moaning. What the f**k just happened? Heat floods between my legs, and I squeeze my thighs together, trying to deal with this sudden, desperate ache.

I just stand there, shocked by what happened and how intense my body's reaction was. I've never felt anything like this—this crazy need that makes me want to chase after him and beg him to touch me everywhere. My panties are wet, and my skin feels like it's on fire where he kissed my forehead.

Oh, my god, what the hell is happening to me?

That wasn't just a friendly kiss. There was something possessive about it, something that made my entire body respond like I belong to him. And the worst part? Some part of me wants to.

I'm still standing there trying to process what just happened when Sarah appears beside me, grinning like the cat that ate the canary.

"So," she says, drawing out the word with obvious glee, "that looked interesting."

"Shut up," I mutter, my face burning with embarrassment.

"Did Gabriel Preston just kiss your forehead?"

"It was nothing," I lie, but even I can hear how unconvincing I sound.

"Right. And that's why you look like you're about to spontaneously combust."

I hate that she knows me so well. But I can't explain what just happened because I don't understand it myself. All I know is that everything's changed, and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do about it.

Tonight's party just became a lot more complicated.