Wolf #2: The Beast Within [COMPLETED]

Chapter 1

Media Citation: @karelchladek. "Analog & Digital Photos on Instagram: '@Karelchladek.'" Instagram.com, i.pinimg.com/564x/ac/7c/91/ac7c916eb9badef6dc704fa654612ddd.jpg.

Chapter 1

Beads of sweat drip down my breasts. The pulse of the lights and bodies around me is intoxicating. The sound drowns out every, single thought around me. My fingers entangle in my messy waves and I shut my eyes. I breathe in the hot air of swaying bodies and booming music. It's freeing, exhilarating, and makes me feel untouchable.

My hips and arms move in a fluid motion to the music that the DJ is pumping through the speakers. Rhythmic and physical euphoria.

I whip my hair back and grin at Young-Jae as he grabs a hold of me.

His hands rise from my hands, and I step into his space. Raising our hands above our hands, we entwine our fingers together and laugh loudly. A massive grin is plastered to his face like mine is.

The beat of the music is like a puppeteer to my heart. I need to dance to relieve the pressure building up in my chest.

Ripping away from him, I drop down to the floor as the base drops. The partygoers around us break apart as I hit the ground in a splits, cheering me on. Young-Jae pulls me to my feet, launching me up high enough to spin myself. I land on the balls of my feet, lifting my foot up to my head and reaching out to Young-Jae. He shows off to the crowd for a second more before taking my hands.

Amelia. The whispers crawl towards me, only to be drowned out by the music. Amelia. They want me to acknowledge them—their pain, their suffering, and their lives that have long since passed. Their voices are like claws dragging down my throat.

We dance forever, lost in the rhythm of the music and the movement. He lifts me into the air above his hand and I look out to the lights. They blind me, washing me in warmth and freedom. For a brief moment, I forget who I am.

I'm just a girl dancing in some club in a late-night city.

"That was great," Young-Jae claps his hands as I drive towards Heceta, "Oh I can't wait for us to go back!"

"Yeah, I think we got lucky this time," I smile, "Eventually, they're going to figure out that the one window in the basement is broken."

"Ugh, I just want to be twenty-one already!" He pouts when I burst out laughing.

I adjust my rear-view window and chuckle, "We're just about to graduate. Let's take it one milestone at a time."

He is quiet for a moment but a slow, excited slow grin lights up his entire face, "Amelia, can you believe that we're graduating in two days!"

"I can't."

"Girl!" He screams in frustration, "Say it with some feeling!"

"I can't believe it!" I shout.

He rolls his window down and I follow suit, "Again, Amelia!"

Sticking my head out of the window, I scream into the night, "I can't believe that I'm graduating!"

He hollers me on. It's like this the rest of the drive back from Portland—just him and I laughing and having way too much fun. My cheeks hurt from smiling for so long.

"Drive home safe," He hugs me as I pull up to his driveway, "I'll see you at graduation."

"See you at graduation," I kiss the top of his head and wave him goodbye.

The drive home is quick, but the silence is loud. Now that I'm not consumed by the volume of the music, my thoughts come to me in a rush. Thoughts of Orion—the maniac who has been strongly implicated in the death of my sister and responsible for countless others. Thoughts of the Goddesses and the fact that I am one of their messengers—a High Prophet of The Order of The Huntress. The fact that I have two mates...one being Orion, the man who wants nothing more than to destroy the world that has become my own.