Lupo Nero

Chapter 3

"We'll be safe here for the night. We'll continue running tomorrow, okay?" Embry was trying to get rid of the dust that settled on the mattress in the middle of the cheap ass motel room we rented for the night.

I raised my eyebrow at his statement. "You mean you'll continue running tomorrow as I ride on your back and tire you out twice as fast as if I were to shift as well." We've been running for over twenty four hours, only stopping to hunt for food and use the comfort room (also known as that spot behind trees) when needed. We travelled in the forest while I rode his wolf the entire way. This boy is dead set on keeping us safe.

He cringed when he noticed several suspicious stains scattered on the surface of the comforter.

"Fuck this." He whispered to himself as he took off the beddings all together and sighed as he turned to face me.

"Hey, sausage?" He approached me with a gentle smile. I growled at the nickname. A few years back, the idiot thought it would be funny to call me sausage because "Aviana sounds like Vienna" . Haha. Real cute.

I hated sausage.

He chuckled but soon turned serious as his eyes went back to mine. "We'll be fine, okay? Leave the worrying to me. I'll take care of you. I'm not leaving you." He kissed my forehead and flashed me that genuine smile he knew I loved, his hazel eyes filled with gentleness and sincerity. He smiled so frequently and so brightly that the edge of his eyes had a slight hint of crow's feet on them at the age of fifteen.

Damn this boy and the things he does to my poor heart. I couldn't help but smile back.

We took turns using the poor excuse of a comfort room before lying down on the bed. I turned to face him as we lie down in silence. Having been with this guy for as long as I can remember, I was willing to bet my life that he's my mate. Even before we were born, our fathers, being best friends, often joked about how their children were going to be mates. We had always been close and practically grew up beside each other. Everyone believed we were mates. We did so too. We were only waiting a couple more weeks for him to turn sixteen to confirm it since I've still a month before turning fifteen and then another year before my wolf could recognize him as my mate.

Father would've been ecstatic to finally confirm that his daughter was mated to his beta's son.

I frowned as tears threatened to spill down my face for the hundredth time in the past twenty four hours as I thought about my family. Embry only mirrored the frown on my face and brushed a lone tear that made it's way down my cheeks.

I hadn't seen Embry cry since we left the pack house. I wish I had that amount of strength in me. I scolded myself for showing such weakness in front of Embry. His load was just as heavy as mine, we both lost everyone but each other and yet here I was, being such a weakling and weighing him down, forcing him to be strong for me. I wasn't being fair.

I sniffed and wiped the remaining tears in my eyes as he flashed me another smile. I wanted to tell him just how much I adored his strength and appreciated the comfort he offered right now. I wanted to tell him I'm glad he's here, with me, still breathing and able to flash that stupid, blindingly bright smile of his. I wanted to tell him I love him. Instead I gave him a simple "Thank you, Embry. For everything. I couldn't have asked for a better friend."

If possible, his smile got even wider. Does this kid ever not smile for more than five seconds?

"You know I love you right, Vi?"

"I know." I chuckled at the frown that appeared on his handsome face. I kissed his cheek as compensation.

"I would've preferred if you said the words back but I'll take what I can." He said as he gave me one last soft peck on my forehead before scooting closer towards my body, wrapping his arms around my waist whilst tangling his legs with mine and tucking my head under his chin.

I smiled in contentment and drifted off to sleep.

<---------->

I woke up with a start as the object I was clinging to was torn away from my embrace and towards the wall beside the bed. I later noticed that the object was a half-awake Embry. Our eyes simultaneously widened in shock as we stared at the five masked men inside the room.

I could already tell that we were no match for the masked men. They were all fully grown wolves. I could sense they were pack fighters and had to belong to a second ranked pack at the least. Although I'm gifted with strength that overpowers one of the average wolf, I was not mature nor trained enough at the time to put up a fight and Embry sure as hell can't handle all five of them.

In almost no time at all, Embry sprang up and stood in between me and the masked men, growling in warning despite his obvious disadvantage.

When I attack, you leave. Embry called calmly through the mind link.

I turned to him, eyes wide in shock. Is he serious? His gaze never left the men in front of us.

NO. I replied firmly as I tried to move beside him but he wouldn't have any of it.

Okay so maybe I was being a tad bit irrational thinking I could take down even one of these adults despite zero training but like hell was I going to leave Embry here to die. He's all I have left...

Aviana... He growled in warning as one of the men made a move to lunge at him. He blocked the punch with ease.

You're only going to make this harder for me and have us both killed! I can't lose you like this! Leave, NOW!

Another man lunged at Embry, this time, he barely dodged his attack since he had to move me along with him.

As much as I don't want to leave him, he was right. Without any experience in fighting and combat, I was dead weight in this situation and would only increase the chances of him getting hurt.

Fine. But if you die, I swear I'll revive you just to kill you again for breaking your promise of not leaving me.

There was a window right behind me, big enough for me to slip through. We were on the fifth floor but I would be able to land without injuries.

He smirked despite the situation. I'll see you ten miles north in two hours. If the link fails, we'll smell each other out. He assured me. Take care, sausage.

Without warning, I dashed towards the window, out the building and towards the forest in mere seconds.

Although I was running for a different reason, I have never felt as much of a coward as I did in those moments. I tried as much as I could to keep Embry on link as I moved deeper into the forest, running in human form after deciding against shifting.

Embry was blocking me. His mind was blocked but I could feel him there. He wasn't dead.

I slowed down five miles into the forrest. It took at least an hour since I took a lot of detours and ran around in circles for a while in the hopes of losing the wolves who were hot on my tail. The link was at it's weakest because of the distance. A couple steps further and it would be cut completely.

Embry was still blocking me.

Dammit, Embry fucking talk to me! I was getting more impatient by the second.

Just then, I saw a slight movement from where I came from and caught sight of two werewolves from a distance.

Shit.

If I don't leave now, there's no chance I could outrun them.

Did I say I've never felt as cowardly as I have a while ago? I take that back. What I'm about to do is the most cowardly act that I would forever regret and be ashamed of as long as I breathe.

I'm so sorry Embry...I love you. I felt the link completely disappear a few seconds after I continued my sprint, water pooling in my eyes at the thought of losing the only person I had left.