Chapter Thirty one
1145 Words
I trip again, f**k, my trousers get caught on something rooted in the earth, pulling me down.
"Mauve!" Rose's voice pierces the mist, panic tinged in her tone.
I yank my leg free, pushing through the fog.
"Where are you?" I shout, dread coiling in my stomach.
Nothing , i get no response. f**k, f**k f**k.
A branch snaps nearby, and I freeze, heart racing.
"Rose!" I scream again, voice echoing against the thickets.
The mist swirls, cold and thick around me, blurring my vision. I push forward, desperate to find her before whatever lurks in the shadows catches up. "Stay close!" I shout into the mist, my voice trembling.
Silence swallows my words, panic creeping in.
"Rose!" I call again, my heart hammering against my chest.
A rustle stirs behind me, sending adrenaline surging as I pivot.
Branches tearing up my clothes and skin only add to the panic coursing through me.
"Mauve!" Rose's distant voice shatters the stillness.
I bolt toward the sound, breath hitching as I push through the underbrush.
"Hold on!"
A growl rumbles from the shadows, freezing me in place.
"You need to run Rose , now" I shout.
Suddenly, a figure lunges from the underbrush, and I scream, my legs propelling me forward despite the terror gripping my heart.
I dash through the foliage, branches clawing at my skin.
"Find the path!" I shout, desperation fueling my legs.
The ground shifts beneath me, and I stumble, casting a frantic glance over my shoulder, fear spurring me to keep moving.
"Rose!" I fall into her.
We crash to the ground, breathless, tangled in a mess of limbs.
"Are you okay?" I gasp, scanning her face, desperate for reassurance.
"I'm fine, just scared," Rose breathes, wide eyes reflecting the jagged shadows around us.
"Stay down," I whisper, heart pounding, the tension thick in the cold night air.
I hear the loudest howl i have ever heard, like something from a film, come from our left, another from the right.
Something jumps over us, I freeze , holding Rose beneath me.
"Shhhh" I say quietly
"I'm sorry" she whispers
I turn to face her , "shhh" I squeeze her hand.
Something knocks me off her and scratches down my arm. I scream out in agony.
Rose's eyes widen, fear radiating from her.
"Get up!" She gasps, scrambling to her feet, tugging me along.
"Run!" I shout, pain still biting at my arm.
We push through the underbrush, heartbeats thundering in sync, adrenaline driving us onward.
"Faster!" I shout, desperation igniting my legs as branches scrape against my skin.
Rose glances back, eyes wide with fear. "I can't believe this is happening!"
"Just focus on the path!" I urge, pulling her along as the howls encircle us.
I see lights in the distance and we reach a dimly lit street, but we don't stop.
"Keep running!" I shout, pulling Rose closer, the safety of the street giving me strength.
Then Lyle appears, eyes wide, arms outstretched. "What happened?"
"Something chased us!" I gasp, the fear still clinging to my voice.
"Your bleeding" Lyle's eyes widen, scanning my arm where blood trickles down.
"Did it get you?" Concern etches his features as he grips my shoulders.
"No time for that! We need to get inside, now!" I urge, tugging Rose toward the safety of the house.
We stumble into Lyles house, the triplets follow shortly after.
Everyone is breathless just looking at each other.
"Lyle get in the kitchen" Brett commands, urgency etched across his face.
Lyle nods, moving with purpose, eyes darting to the door.
Brett's POV
"They've crossed the border again. It was too close this time." I look at my brothers and Lyle
"They nearly took out the girls, and Mauve is catching on," Jax urges
"What do we do now?" I glance between them, heart racing as tension mounts.
Miles clenches his fists. "We keep it quiet. No one needs to know."
"But they've seen something," Lyle interjects, eyes narrowing. "We can't let this escalate."
"Agreed," Jax says, determination hardening his expression. "We need a plan."
"Umm guys, I think Mauve got scratched," Lyle says with unease
"f**k" Miles and Jax say at the same time.
"This is bad , so f*****g bad" "Do you think it got her?" Jax's voice drops, tension sharp in the air.
"We can't take that risk," Lyle answers, pacing. "If it's infected—"
"Then we need to act fast," Miles cuts in, fists clenched.
"She's going to be suspicious, we can't just brush this off," Jax warns, urgency edging his voice.
"Let me talk to her," Lyle offers, determination setting his jaw.
"You think she'll buy it after tonight?" Miles counters, arms crossed.
"She has to. We can't let this get out."
"Umm guys, guys help" Rose shouts from the lounge.
Mauve is passed out on the floor.
Lyle rushes to her side, kneeling as he checks her pulse, worry etching his features.
"Is she breathing?" He glances up, panic rising.
Jax hurries over, eyes wide. "We need to get her help, now."
"Grab some water!" Miles snaps, his voice steady.
"I've called the doctor, if she turns... this is not good"
Lyle shakes his head, urgency in his gaze.
"We can't wait for the doctor. If that scratch is infected, she might not have time."
Jax grabs a clean towel, pressing it against Mauve's arm, eyes darting between her and Rose.
"Do something!" he presses, panic rising.
Miles rolls up Mauve's sleeve, revealing the jagged scratch glistening under the dim light.
"What if it's worse than we thought?" he murmurs, the fear thick in his words.
"Focus on her," Jax commands, urgency snapping through the room.
A knock on the door snaps us out of the panic.
It's the pack doctor, he rushes in "clear some space and keep your distance "
He asses the wound and reaches into his bag and pulls out some viles of liquid and a orange cream.
He smoothers the cream over the wound, she sturs, he tilts her head and tips in some of the liquid. "I don't think it was deep enough to turn her, if it was a bite , well that would be a different story"
"Your going to have to come up with something believable" he says looking at us all.
"We will " I sigh with relief.
Miles head home alert dad of them breaking over the borders again.
"Roger" he says before leaping up and heading out the door.
"You need a lift doc" he says looking at the doctor.
"Sure Miles, I have to head to yours anyway" the doctor nods
"Thanks again Alaric" I nod to the doctor
"Keep her hydrated and any concerns call me " he says before walking out the door.
"What's the plan now then" Jax says
And we all look at each other.
- Writer
