When Worlds Collide

Eight

I stumble in my heels as I suddenly stop dancing, the music coming to a dead silence, and I spin around in William's arms to find the cause of the scream, my eyes wide and heart hammering in my chest. William grips me tightly, all social etiquette out of the window, as we stare at the scene in front of us. 

Several men, some shirtless, stand beside the wide open alley-gate that Bri and I tried to open before. They have quietly walked through, making almost no noise, and are now stood surveying the human villagers before them. Not even the trees or birds dare to make a sound. We are stood at a stalemate and nobody dares to move a muscle save for the screaming woman who had bolted through the town hall. My heart thumps loudly and I'm aware of my chest rising and falling as my breathing increases. 

I take notice almost immediately of the largest man leading the small group of Lycans. I recognise him from his tent, his long, black hair a tell-tale giveaway that this is King Callan stood in our little village. He is shirtless again, wearing a pair of khaki-brown shorts and nothing on his feet. If I didn't know him to already be a wolf, I would definitely have suspicions that the man in front of me could not be human. The fear throughout my whole body doubles as I realise that there is no good reason for him to be here. Either he is looking for his mate, or somebody has committed treason against the crown. 

I wasn't sure which was worse. 

The short couple of minutes that we stand in the middle of the field feels like a lifetime, like time has slowed to give King Callan chance to inflict whatever pain he wanted to do on our innocent, little village. I watch as he looks around, his eyes lingering on each person before slowly moving along. I knew right then that he was searching for somebody in particular and the memory of our eyes locking over the hedge sent my blood running cold. 

"I'm going to vomit," I whisper as quietly as I can, my whole body shaking against William's. He rubs his hand slowly over my arm as though to comfort me, but it doesn't nothing to stop the rising nausea bubbling in my stomach. I can't take my eyes off him as he continues his search; I know that soon he will lock eyes with me again, and I pray to every God or Goddess that he simply skips over me. 

But that doesn't happen.

Instead, his eyes land on mine, he takes a deep breath in and shoots his now coal-black eyes upwards to the man holding me. His posture becomes hostile, his hands become fists and he takes his first step in our direction. 

"William what did you do?" I whisper-yell  as the wolves begin to move towards us. William's arms continue to stay locked around my body as I struggle to get out of them, my fight or flight response has activated and there was no fighting bone in my body.

"Let me go!" I cry, and it seems to shock him back to the present as his arms release their hold on me so I can back away. 

My cry seems to ignite some kind of herd reaction as people start to run left, right and centre to avoid the wolves. Women are screaming, men are shouting and I stand still, searching for Bri and my parents. I spin in a circle, my panic rising with every moment I can't see them. 

"Phina!" I hear my name and turn to where I heard the sound. I take off running in that direction, ignoring the King who has somehow gotten so close that he reaches out an arm for me and it almost grazes my shoulder. I hear the growl that emanates from his chest and snarls through his teeth. I don't look back to see if he has found William, or if he is coming after me, I just keep running until I am close to my parents. Once I am close, they also turn around and begin running in the direction of the town hall. 

I feel a hand grab mine and I close my hand around it, not even having to look to know that it is Bri. 

"Move!" She screams as she pulls me through a crowd of panicking villagers.