JEROME
The signs where right in front of our eyes, but we were too blind to notice it.
Brielle… She was always hinting on the color green. From flower to clothing, to decorations… It was a clue all these while!
I kept running with speed, looking back multiple times to see how close Brielle or Bane was. And whenever I turned to see the distance I had cover, I was met with those scary green eyes!
It’s either I spotted her standing and staring when I turn to look, or I see her settled on a tree branch, watching me.
This was beginning to terrify me to the marrow. She wasn’t making any effort to chase me. It’s like she was playing a sneaky game with me.
“I have a bad habit of playing around with my toys,” I recalled her words from the truck, feeling my heart beat pounding with speed.
It’s just like that night at the company. She wasn’t putting much effort, but she did leave a mark on me that night. Fear! She ignited a new level of fear, and that’s Bane!
“Despite the headstart, you’re still slow, ” Her voice echoed from behind, so… So close!
I looked behind and couldn’t find Brielle. She wasn’t behind me nor on any of the trees!
“Where is she?!” I panicked, still running ahead into the dark lonely road.
That’s when I felt my Wolf letting out a troubling howl from within. That was a warning! She’s close by!
As soon as I turned forward to look at the path I was running straight into, I was almost welcomed by the large teeth of Bane, which came wide at my head from the front.
Quickly, I held the bag closely and bent over, tumbling and dashing ahead with speed!
She almost chopped my head off! She… Shit!
“Run Beta, RUN! I’ll like to see how far you can escape me!!” She roared, laughing menacingly from behind.
This time, I didn’t make the mistake of turning around to see how close she was. I just kept on running ahead without stopping.
Soon, after all the struggles, I found myself diving into the busy road of Wolf Crest, panting out heavily! Luckily, I stopped a cab and dived in, tapping the seat of driver immediately, “Drive! ” I ordered, looking at the window of the backseat where I sat.
And there she was, back in her human form, staring at me from behind a tree. She had a creepy smile on her face, as her eyes flashed green, before disappearing into the darkness.
The horror was too much for me to handle. I placed my hands on my chest, feeling the intense beat coming from within. It felt like my heart was going to bulge out of me.
I… I can’t take this anymore. I just can’t.
The cab was driving on the road, away from the creepy path where Brielle was. I thought I could relax and get myself from this shocking realization, when something unexpected happened.
“Hey! ” The cab rider brought me out of my thoughts. When I looked, I noticed the latter looking at my reflection from the rearview mirror, with anger on his face. “You’re that banished Beta that tried to tarnish our Luna’s image! GET OUT! ” He yelled, stopping his car in the middle of the road.
When I saw this, fear gripped me at once. “Wait, wait… Let’s talk about this, ” I said, trying to reason with the driver, but the fellow wasn’t ready for any chit chat. His mind was set on violence.
He furiously stormed out of the driver’s seat, ready to pull me out from the backseat. But before he could open the door, I flew out from the other door with my bag still clutched across my shoulder, running away.
“Get out of our pack!” He yelled at me, throwing his shoe towards my direction.
I didn’t bother to look back. I just didn’t want anyone spotting and recognizing me.
As I made my way off the road and into the pedestrian way, I spotted a phone booth close to a store and quickly rushed over there to make a call.
“It’s important for Estelle and her father to know what’s happening. They need to be aware of the danger we’re in!”
Entering into the booth, I called Deron’s line, getting restless while waiting for him to answer. And when this old man picked up and heard my voice… “You bastard! How dare you contact me after what you did?!”
“Listen to me! We have a major situation!”
“Don’t say we! Any problem you’re facing is yours alone! Get lost!”
“Just listen!”
BEEP! He ended the call, leaving me mad. “Damn you!” I slammed my fist against the booth, not knowing what to do next.
“Argon!” My mind went to the Alpha. He has no clue that his Luna has a deadly wolf in her, and it’s the same wolf I’ve been telling him about.
“He has to know. I need to tell him so he’ll take immediate action, ” I reasoned, dialling Alpha Argon’s line immediately.
His line began to ring and that got me praying for an answer. “Just pick. This is very important!” I hoped, tapping my feet restlessly.
And just as I wished… “Hello?” He answered!
“Hello, Alpha!” I responded, ready to drop the shocking news to him. Only for me to hear the phone beeping out loudly.
The call, it has been disconnected! But how?
All of a sudden, I heard someone tapping on the glass from the left side. On turning to see who it was, I gasped out in fear, dropping the phone.
It was Brielle!
She stood outside the booth, showing me the wire she had disconnected from the booth. She was the one who ended my call with Argon before I could even speak!
“Shit! Shit!! SHIT!!!” Frightened by her presence, I managed to run away from the booth and into the streets, trying to get away from that demon.
But this became a problem because most of the pack people spotted me and began to express their hatred for me.
“It’s him!”
“What’s he doing in the pack?!”
“GO AWAY!”
“GET LOST, YOU MONSTER!” They all lashed out, chasing me! I had to make a run for it, trying to avoid this people. But no matter where I run to, the people of Wolf Crest would spot me, ready to tear me apart.
This was a sign that I had to leave the pack before they all pounce on me. It’s important to escape alive. How else will I sell these documents and start my future? Worst, I need to escape Brielle! She’s the main problem here. She wants me dead!
With the constant bullying from the people, I ended up running into the forest and away from the city. I couldn’t bear their attacks anymore.
“Be fast, Jerome!” I ordered myself, racing through the woods. “Even if it means fighting with the guards at the entrance to leave this pack, then so be it, ” I accepted my fate, having no other choice out of this mess.
As I ran ahead, trying to locate the nearest entrance out of Wolf Crest, something suddenly tripped me off track, sending me tumbling into a tree with full force.
My head came in contact with the tree, almost giving me a blister to the face. But I didn’t get any, just a bump. Only the arm of my bag got cut off from the impact, sending it falling into a different corner.
On turning to see what caused my fall, I froze in my spot, staring at Brielle. She just stood there with her hands in her pocket, looking straight at me with those terrifying green eyes.
Despite all my running, she still caught up with me. It’s clear… I can’t outrun her no matter my speed. She’ll still catch up with me.
“You’ve wasted your time here, Jerome, and I’m getting impatient,” She said, making her steps towards me.
I wanted to try and get to my feet, but felt something right next to me. It was a big tree branch. I didn’t look at it, but carefully took hold of the bottom of the wood, preparing myself for anything.
“Make your choice now. It’s either you stay down and let your death be painless or…”
Swiftly, I pulled the branch out of the bushes, throwing it at Brielle like a spear with my strength.
She saw this and immediately slammed the wood to the ground with force, giving me an opening to attack her.
I pounced on Brielle, grabbing her neck with both hands, squeezing it with my strength. But she managed to use her legs to kick me off, sending me tumbling off her.
“No more running! I am also a werewolf! I know if I face this monster, I’ll put her down for good! ” I believed, motivating myself.
Accepting this battle, I gave out a roar, unleashing my wolf. My whole body came shifting into my beast form, as I glared at Brielle, who stared with delight all over her face.
“I see you’ve taken my second choice before I even mentioned it. Perfect!” She grinned, flashing her green eyes at me. And just like that, her body began to change into that demon she calls a wolf.
As soon as my body was fully shifted into my werewolf, I charged at Brielle, trying to make an attack before she transforms fully into her wolf. But it was already too late.
Bane grabbed my neck with speed, sending my head into many trees, bringing the tall woods down to earth.
In her grip, I managed to wrap my legs around her own neck, using force to toss her to the ground.
I thought this would break her grip on me, but it didn’t! Bane used my own attack on me. She didn’t fall or tumble as I wanted, but flipped over, standing firmly, and launching me into a large rock settled close to an open road. My body came in contact with this big stone, feeling my neck cracking a bit.
“Damn! I’ve always craved for a serious fight with someone,” Bane said, getting fired up.
I was on the ground, slowly getting to my feet from the impact. My eyes spotted the road leading to the next exit out of Wolf Crest.
A voice told me to make a run for it, but my ego… “Isn’t this a slap to my face? A woman is beating the hell out of me like I’m a weakling! No! I am Jerome! I will not take this!” I raged, refusing to take this insult.
Now I was fired up. I got to my feet and said, pointing at Bane, who was cracking her knuckles restlessly, “If someone’s going to be leaving this forest alive, it’s going to be me. I’ll make sure I end you, you abomination.”
“That’s every Ivy’s middle name. Abomination!” She grinned, springing her claws out, ready for the fight.
Since that’s what she wants, then she’s going to get it!
With speed, at the same time, Bane and I charged at each other, running our claws and fists at each other.
There were so many times I almost had her, but this beast was flawless in combat! She ran her fists at my body from different angles, causing my bones to shiver at her blow!
The punch that reminded me of who I was fighting with, landed straight on my face, causing my nose to bleed! I was shocked when I saw blood dripping out from me! It sent fear into my Wolf’s body. It began to wail, slowly submitting before the green-eyed wolf!
That’s when I realized that I had no chance against this wolf. If one person is going go be leaving here dead… It’s me!
“What happened? Are you tired of fighting? You can’t give up now, Beta. Remember you said you’ll be leaving this forest alive, so you still have to take me down, ” She said mockingly, grinning.
Don’t listen, Jerome. She knows I don’t stand a chance. She’s just playing with me! “I have to go. Bag or no bag, my life is important,” I decided, using my brain.
Quickly, I got to my feet and began to dash from one tree to another, trying to run away from that woman.
But to my horror… “GET BACK HERE!” I heard her terrifying voice from below, followed by a grip on my left leg and my body being pulled down to earth from the tree.
And as soon as I fell face flat to the ground, I began to feel an excruciating pain from my leg. When I looked, terror filled my eyes!
My left leg… It’s gone! All I saw was a fleshy opening with blood gushing out!
I lifted my eyes at the beast that was standing before me, and found my left leg in her hold, as it slowly transformed into human flesh!
“Mmmm, the smell of blood. It’s so sweet, “She chuckled, tossing my leg into the bushes.
Witnessing my own leg being taken from me… “HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME!! ” I screamed, letting out a loud cry!
The pain was too much and I couldn’t stand it. Even my wolf had fallen weak from this brutality. It couldn’t do anything!
“HELP ME! HELP!!” I cried on, crawling away from Bane, who immediately stepped on my surviving leg, stopping me from going anywhere.
With fear, I began to cry, “Please, spare me! Spare me!”
“That word doesn’t exist when an Ivy is at war. If we say an enemy must die, then he or she must die.” She grabbed my other leg and forcefully pulled it off my body.
“AHHH!” I screamed, grabbing the soil in pains.
My second leg was also tossed into the bushes like the first, before feeling Bane’s large hand grabbing my head, and pulling me deeper into the forest.
I cried and screamed out for help, but no one heard me. Nobody came to my rescue.
I’m… I’m a goner.