Chapter 76

• Ruby POV: A drop of sweat dripped into my eye, causing my sight to blur, but I kept running. My heartbeat was pounding in my ears as I ran through the woods, the muscles in my legs now sore and aching. I could hear them behind me, chasing after me as I ran. I forced all my energy into my legs to keep pushing me forward. A howl echoed through the forest. I wiped a hand over my forehead as I ran behind a tree and stopped. Pressing my back to its trunk, I tried not to breathe too loudly, but I was exhausted. I looked down at my right elbow and grimaced at the scratch there from where I had tripped earlier. It wasn't bad, but it was bleeding. As more howls echoed through the forest, I pushed away from the tree and started running again. I tried to mask my scent as I had done with the vampires. But since my scent had become more robust ever since it changed, I doubted that anything could cover up my smell now. All I'd done was cover myself unnecessarily in dirt and mud. With it being late afternoon to evening, the sun still shone through the canopy of trees above, something I felt thankful for since I could see where I was running. It hadn't stopped me from tripping earlier. Nor did it prevent me from tripping again, as I stubbed my toe and fell forward. I bit down on my lip to hold back my scream as I fell, my arms outstretched to cushion my fall. Groaning, I remained on the ground for a few seconds to catch my breath. A twig snapped behind me, and I spun around onto my back. I swiftly rolled to the side as a dark brown wolf jumped at me, its massive paws coming down hard where I had just been. I got to my feet quickly, my tangled dirty hair covering my face somewhat. I had to duck to the side again, as the wolf charged forward while slashing its claws at me. I rolled away swiftly and rose to one knee as the animal growled, its black eyes watching me closely. I gripped a stone firmly behind my back as I slowly rose onto my legs. The wolf stopped pacing a circle around me to snap its jaws in my direction. I threw the stone suddenly, but the wolf easily dodged it and charged at me. I raised my hand as I tried to use my powers, and the wolf skidded to a halt. I looked at my hand and then the wolf. Nothing happened. I sighed heavily, and my hand fell limply to my side. "It's not working," I stated the obvious to Xavier. He made a snorting sound and sat down. I smiled. "Maybe it's because I know you won't hurt me. Good chase, though." The enormous paws of a black wolf appeared from behind a tree. It belonged to Axel, the other wolf that had been chasing me. When he fully emerged from behind the trunk, I frowned. His head was still dipped aggressively and his sharp canine fangs were still on full display. I glanced at Xavier, who had gotten up, and I threw a look Axel's way when he growled. "It didn't work, Axel. You can stop now." He snapped his jaws at me with a growl. My eyes widened as Xavier growled and moved closer to me. "Axel, what are you doing? I told you it didn't work. Stop!" It didn't seem to matter what I said-he wasn't listening to me. His eyes were still black pits of rage as he snarled. Xavier answered with a loud growl. Xavier thought it would be a good idea for Axel and him to chase me as if to hurt me to see if it would trigger my powers. When I first used my powers, I was scared. The second time I was angry. Maybe if they re-created those feelings, I'd be able to access and eventually learn to control my powers. Yet, nothing had happened. No matter how they had howled, growled, and looked as if they might attack me, I knew deep down I wasn't in any real danger. However, my heart was beating rapidly as I looked at Axel now, and not from the exertion of running either. He didn't look like he was faking, and it didn't feel like he was either. He looked angry, furious even as he shook his head, his ears flattened to his head. "Listen," I tried to deflect what was happening. "I'm exhausted, and we should probably head back to the camp. It's getting late. There is a full moon tonight, remember?" Axel kept circling Xavier and me. Xavier lowered his head as he sent a warning growl Axel's way. Axel raised his head and snarled louder while he bucked forward as if to attack us. "Axel?" I entered in a soft voice but jumped when he snapped his jaws at me. Xavier moved to stand in front of me and then stepped back, using his body to push me backward. I knew he was telling me to run. I couldn't, though. I was too confused as to why Axel was still pretending he wanted to hurt me. At first, this seemed like a good idea, even a little fun, but Axel was really starting to scare me. "Shift back, now! Do you hear me, Axel? You're freaking me out. Shift!" Maybe that had been the wrong thing to say because he quickly lunged at me. Xavier reacted swiftly, slamming into Axel. They both fell to the ground. I watched with wide eyes as they bit and clawed at each other, my skin tingling as my slight fear turned to panic. This wasn't fake anymore. Watching two wolves big enough to swallow me whole fight, was something I'd never seen before. I felt like this fight had been building up between them from the very start, and I feared it would only end with the death of one of them. I gasped as Axel bit viciously into Xavier's side, and Xavier howled in pain. My body started to shake as blood sprayed from the wound in Xavier's side. That's when I turned and ran. I ran past them to head back to the pack, but this time I didn't care about the ache in my legs or the branches grabbing and poking at my skin. I needed to get to Mathieu or Randoll. I had no idea what had gotten into Axel, but if he caught up to me, I felt it in my soul that I would be a dead woman. Maybe shifting so close to a full moon had been a bad idea. If it hadn't been safe for them to shift, why would they do this, knowing the risk? Like before with Randoll, I started to feel pulsing energy within and around me. I tried to hold onto the feeling, but it kept fading only to return and then disappear again. I groaned as I pushed forward when something barreled into me, throwing me to the ground. I landed with an oomph sound and rolled to my back as I heard a contorted growl. I held my head back as I looked up Axel's towering pure werewolf form. Being jet black, unlike the other wolves-he was truly something to look at. His long-clawed fingers twitched at his side as I pulled myself back on my hands to get away from him. A deep resounding growl met my ears, and I stopped moving. "Axel, it's Ruby. You need to calm down, okay. You're not hunting me for real, remember?" He bared his white teeth and took a step towards me. A chill went through my body. "I swear, Axel, knock it off right now! What the hell do you think you're doing? Are you going to kill me? Huh? Don't force me to hurt you, Axel. I have no control!" He took another step forward. Now, a buzzing sound rang in my ears as my fear grew stronger. I could see blood on the tips of Axel's teeth, no doubt from biting Xavier. My heart grew heavy as I remembered Xavier and wondered if he was all right. Had Axel killed Xavier? This wolf couldn't be Axel. It couldn't be. Why would Axel turn on us like this? Why would he turn on me like this? We weren't best friends, but I thought we were becoming closer. "Axel!" I screamed. His name left my lips before I had the chance to stop it. He howled loudly as he dove at me. I screamed as I threw my hand up, and a tingling sensation ran down my arm to my palm. Axel was thrown back. He slammed into a tree and fell unconscious on the ground. I held my hand to my heaving chest as I heard his bones crack. I got to my feet while trembling. I felt weak but not faint, thankfully. I walked over to him slowly. I stared with my heart in my throat as he changed into his human form, his body breaking as he shifted. I bent down and placed my hand behind his head only to take my hand away to see blood coating my fingers. I had done it. I had used my powers. Yet, in the process, I had hurt someone. I had hurt my mate. A sick feeling settled in my chest as I placed my hand on his cheek. "I'm so sorry," I whispered to him as my eyes teared up. "Can you hear me, Axel? Please, wake up." The rustling of bushes caught my attention, as Xavier appeared in his human form. I paid no attention to the fact that he was naked. All I could focus on was my panic, regret, and worry that I might have killed Axel. "Let me carry him. He's fine. I can hear his heartbeat." I moved away instantly. Xavier picked Axel up and took off running. I did my best to keep up with him. Despite my effort, Xavier was soon so far ahead of me, all I could see was his perfect backside. I slowed my pace until I started walking, the tears I'd been trying to hold back running like little rivers from my eyes. The feeling of the sun's rays on my skin shining down through the little openings in the canopy of tree leaves above wasn't filling me with happiness like it typically did. I leaned my head back and screamed as loud as I could, and like before, an unseen force left my body to blow the canopy of trees above me back. I placed my hands on my head as I now stared at the sky above. I looked back down to see Natalie watching me and I rapidly wiped at my tears. She walked over to me, a look of pity on her face. We said nothing as we stared at each other for a moment. "Come on," she urged after a while. We ambled back to the house in silence.