Claws Against Petals✓

35•|Morning Dew

Grayson's POV:

The breeze was cold, and the morning was light. The aroma of blood was all I could smell, this scent...it's strong. Opening my eyes, they felt heavy as the taste of iron lingered on my tongue, what is this? Staring up at the dim sky, sunrise was slowly appearing. Giving off a low growl, I felt my body slightly heavy. Squinting my eyes, I tried to adjust to the lighting that was coming into my vision. Stretching out my hand, I was surprised to see that I was back in my human form.

Strange, last night...I felt as if I was on the verge of dying. It was almost too hard to breathe, so when did I shift out of my wolf form? My confusion raised more awareness the moment I saw the edge of my fingertips! The color of dark amber stained my skin as well as beanthe my fingernails! What the hell is this?! Quickly bringing my hand down, I looked closely at what it could be. It wasn't until I smelled it and licked the flavor of what it was that my body instantly jolted forward in a panic once I recognized this taste!

"Orchid!"

I shouted with worry as I looked at where I was, this place...the meadows. I remember now, I came here...so I could... Judy, she was here last night. But then- soon all the memories began to resurface as I felt my heart beginning to race in agony!

"No... Orchid!"

I called out to her once I frantically looked around my surroundings. And that's when I saw her from the far-off distance, immediately rushing towards her. I stared in horror at the condition she was in, she lay lifeless on the ground...her skin looked pale, and the only source of color she had was the stain of blood coating her flesh. Bite marks had cut deep within her skin as well as the many claw marks that had torn her beautiful white canvas. Was this my doing, no...I don't want to believe it!

"Orchid! This isn't real...I don't want it to be real! Please...don't do this, I told you...to stay away from me! Orchid, how could you let me do this to you!? No, please...I beg you...don't let your heart stop beating! Please... open your eyes... forgive me..."

I begged in sorrow as I held onto her cold naked body, but seeing the damage of what I'd done. I felt I had no right in asking for forgiveness, her breasts were swollen, and her vaginal region was covered in blood along with her lower abdomen and inner thighs. But what had me in a panic was the severe bite wound on her neck. It's deep...and I'm afraid to even hold her. Such a delicate body and I ruined it!

Embracing her closely, I clenched my jaw as tightly as I could until I felt my gums bleed. Snuggling close to her chest, I couldn't stop my shoulders from shaking as I felt pure agony taking over me. This isn't what I wanted...not like this. Nothing is worth more than Orchid's life, I wanted to protect it. But I couldn't even do that! A monster like me... doesn't deserve to have a mate like her. So why did she accept someone as horrible as me!? I'm not worth it...what right did I have in making her mine?!

It wasn't until I embraced her more closely that I was able to hear her faint heartbeat! Without thinking, I quickly placed her down as I immediately shifted to my wolf. Scooping her to my back, I did my best to be careful so she wouldn't fall off as I sprinted through the foggy woods! Right now, I need to get Orchid some help. As panicked as I am right now, I have to set that aside and focus on what's important! But what had me worried was that I felt my back becoming warm, and I knew it was her blood that was coating my back!

My heart kept racing and the muffled growls I was releasing were covering the agony of what I wanted to suppress as I was finally reaching my father's house. But not too long after I arrived, there was already someone waiting outside. Watching her coming towards me, her expression grew distraught once she saw the condition Orchid was in. Feeling ashamed, I crouched myself down as I let her take Orchid away from me...