Lycan (Monsterverse)

22. Mia

TWENTY-TWO

MIA

I huddled with my legs bent to my chest and arms wrapped around my knees. I should have worn something more substantial than a sweater and sweats. Maybe about like five pairs of layered sweaters would have been enough if I didn’t have Fenrir keeping me warm.

I scrubbed my palms against my thighs to build friction. Fenrir had been gone for only a little while and I was itchy about it.

What if he left me?

Should I go search for him?

What if he was harmed and he couldn’t return?

The thoughts wouldn’t stop.

A grunt echoed to me. I held my breath, listening intently.

It echoed again.

“Fenrir?” I whispered. I received nothing in response. I crawled toward the ledge of the drop and poked my head out of the hiding spot. It had sounded pained and guttural. Had something happened to him? The thought pounded in my chest, raising my pulse. The scratch of claws glided against cement, the sound loud and screeching.

What if he was injured to the point that he was dragging himself? He would return for me, I knew he would, even if it meant he dragged his half-dead carcass back to me.

I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t check if it was him. Just a quick peek. I nibbled on my lower lip. Images of his torn-up body lying in my shack kept floating to the forefront.

But if it wasn’t him, I’d put myself in harm’s way. Then Fenrir might end up killing me for putting myself in that position.

I tapped my finger on the cement edge as I weighed my next decision. Dropping my head forward, I let out a sharp breath. I wouldn’t be able to climb up to this little hiding spot. And calling out for him just seemed stupid of me. No, I best wait for him. It’d only been a short while.

A sudden rumbling huff blew my hair back. He was back!

“Fe—” I screamed and pitched to the side. Claws slashed so close to my face I could almost feel them. I scrambled across the little cement patch so fast my pants ripped. The monster, one just like Fenrir bared teeth at me, lunging again. I tipped over the side of the ledge, my scrabbling hands scraping against the brick on the way to the ground. I landed on my feet so hard my ankle buckled and I staggered forward. But I couldn’t focus on the agony.

There. I could hide in the small, jagged hole at the base of the broken cement. If it was deep enough, then the monster wouldn’t be able to reach me. It was my only choice, out running it wasn’t a possibility.

Sunlight beamed across the path, no longer hindered by the tall buildings. The sun hung high in the sky, at the highest peak. Only a few feet left. I pushed my legs harder.

Breathing fluttered my hair to my cheeks.

Behind me.

I gritted my teeth. A few more steps. Claws sliced into my back. I screamed and the force of the blow spun me around and knocked me to the ground, causing me to land on my injured back.

A large beast stood bipedally. Looming over me.

It snarled, showing every bit of its sharp blood-coated teeth at me, eyes flaring with inhuman red light. Large, curved claws headed toward my face. Screaming, I threw myself backwards to avoid the hit.

I hurriedly scooted, using my heels to shove myself. Those claws would have taken my head off. I whimpered as the monster kept coming. The lycan, as I now knew they were called, was much smaller than Fenrir, but no less frightening. The monster’s red glow flared. The brown-furred monster dropped to all fours.

“Don’t—” Fangs sank into my ankle and I screamed. Vomit crawled up my throat. I’d never experienced such pain. I could no longer see because of the blinding tears. Shards of agony ripped up my leg. The teeth met resistance from my bones.

I could no longer breathe and my arms grew weak. I fell flat on my back with a thump. Instead of biting down harder, it removed its teeth with a wet suctioning sound. Blood leaked from my injury, painting the brown muzzle.

“You smell of male lycan.” Male . . . that must mean she was a female. Her head twitched slightly to the left. She prowled closer so her face neared mine, hovering over my cheek. Her copper-tinged breath wafted across my face.

“You are not the human I have been hunting.” The thick voice vibrated through my chest. Her clawed hand settled on my stomach. The sharp tips sank into my stomach. I cried out, scrunching my face with pain. Her weight turned excruciating while her eyes remained on me. A pop blazed agony through my side and I whimpered, unable to make more noise because my lungs emptied. Something else started to give under her weight.

I screamed, tears flooding my eyes.

The female lifted her head with a huff. I followed her gaze to a massive, black furred lycan.

Fenrir! I wanted to cry out for him, but I was paralyzed from agony. A human male lay in an unconscious pile at his feet.

Wait, he hadn’t made any move toward me. He seemed calm—too calm. I returned my attention to the female standing over me. One of his species.

Would he turn from me to keep her? I curled my hands into fists.

A soft hum echoed from her chest.

“You,” she said with a slight purr in her voice. With interest. The panic swelling in my chest combined with the shards of pain pinching my side, back and ankle.