For a Moment at Least (Age Gap)

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Alice glanced back at me as if she were trying to tell me something with her eyes. I ignored her and kept my gaze behind us. I wanted Deacon to find me. The car came to an abrupt stop, I lurched forward and felt the seatbelt lock around me.

A large grey wolf stood in front of the car and from the looks of it, was no friend to Cornell. I had an overwhelming feeling to run. I quickly unbuckled and opened the door, practically falling out of the car to get away.

"Ellis!" Alice yelled. She quickly followed me out just as another wolf came barreling at the large grey one. Alice pulled me away from their fighting. We both took steps back watching the vicious animals snarl and jump at each other. The ground seemed to shake at our feet with their weight hitting the pavement.

"Get back in the car now!" Cornell demanded. I took off into the woods, I knew it wasn't the best idea but I didn't want to risk them taking me away again. Deacon was close, the grey wolf felt like a friend, deep down I knew he was one of our people.

I ran as fast as my feet could go, the dark forest was not forgiving. I felt every branch and sharp plant assaulting my skin as I sprinted deeper and deeper into the trees.

I was quickly snatched around the waist. The action knocked the air out of me, before I could catch my breath I felt his firm grip tighten.

"Get back to the car now." James gritted. Deacon was so close, I felt him, I felt his safe presence.

"Fuck you." I spat in his face and tried squirming out of his hold. His grip tightened, I wheezed feeing my air supply shorten.

There was a deep bone chilling growl from behind us. I heard his heavy paws hit the earth with each slow threatening step. James turned around but still held me close. That's when I saw him, Deacon. His yellow eyes were brighter than ever. The thick coat of his wolf blended in with the dark trees, if I didn't know who he was I would have been scared out of my mind. But I wanted nothing more than to run toward the scary beast. I watched as he shifted, he didn't want to attack James with me being so close to him.

"Put her down." Deacon spoke menacingly. James chuckled.

"Come any closer and I'll collapse her lungs." He threatened, squeezing me tighter. I whimpered. Deacons jaw clenched.

"Put her down James, fight me like a man." Deacon mocked him. James breath became ragged, he was getting angry.

"You think I'm stupid? We both know you'd kill me. My pride doesn't out weigh my will to survive." He spat back.

I felt James hold me closer as several other wolves came forward. Standing their ground behind Deacon. James was a dead man and he knew it.

"If I go I'm taking her with me." James whispered. Deacon lunged at us just as I felt James arm tighten around my rib cage. My ribs gave way under his strength, the air forced itself out of my lungs. I closed my eyes ready to die along with him.

We both fell to the ground, James' arms released me as he screamed in pain crawling to his knees while holding his head in pain.

I glanced over to see Alice chanting incessantly while making her way toward us. Her words were incoherent to me but she was speaking them with passion, her face drawn with anger toward James.

He screamed and curled himself to a ball on the forest floor. I held my ribs as I struggled to stand from the ground. It hurt to breathe but I was grateful I was still breathing.

"Elle." I heard Deacon whisper as he made it to my side. I latched onto him, wrapping my arms around his torso immediately. I was okay, I was safe. The pain in my chest was dulled by the euphoria I felt being in his arms.