Blood moon

Chapter 10: Protected or hunted

The day came and went quickly, more quickly then either James or Lucy expected. The night fell and James grabbed Lucy heading for the door. He kissed his grandmother's cheek and left the little hut house. Walking past another set of woods James stopped and Lucy stop right behind him.

"What is it?"

He hushed her and they stood there silently. A howl broke through the silence and James grabbed Lucy's wrist and duct into the woods running as fast as they could. A wolf jump from a small cliff in the trees and landed in front of James stopping them both.

The wolves stood two people tall and had a thick white and black coat. Its eyes were yellow and it bared its teeth, sharp and slightly stained red.

"Back away from her," a deep voice came from the wolf.

Lucy stood in utter shock and thought back to when she heard Mia talk to her. Maybe she was hearing correctly.

"No, you have to go through me first," James said standing up to the wolf.

"Back down James, I don't want to hurt you."

"You aren't going to hurt Lucy," he said, his voice seeming more vicious.

The wolf started circling and James pulled Lucy close to him, following the wolf's moves.

"Look at the brave little boy."

"Why do you want her anyways?"

"I don't have to answer that, I'll get what I want by the time to blood moon wanes."

"Over my dead body," James said strong and unafraid.

"That can be arranged," the wolf said lunging at James and pinning him to the ground.

"Please don't," Lucy pleaded.

The wolf's eye made contact with Lucy's.

"Why not, what is so special about this traitor?" it snapped at James.

"Why is he a traitor?"

The wolf's eyes gleamed with a devilish like sense hidden beneath them. "You don't know what you

running with do you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Lucy, cover your ears!" James yelled as the wolf stepped on his chest trying to keep him quiet.

Lucy ignored James' plea for her not to listen to what the wolf was going to say but how could she not when she might figure out an answer to one of the many secrets being held from her.

"You don't know what James is, do you?"

Lucy shook her head both not wanting to hear it but wanting to know.

The wolf gleamed that devilish look again and stepped off James. "Show her James."

James got to his feet and stood in front of Lucy, "No."

"Have it your way," the wolf knocked James back to the ground with its paw and grabbed a hold of

Lucy's shirt shaking her like a chew toy. Another wolf attacked the one holding Lucy and she dropped to the ground. Lucy picked her head up and looked over where James had been pushed to but he wasn't there. Lucy panic and started running further into the woods hoping to escape both of them. Unfortunately she couldn't escape because the woods were filled with wolves. They were hunting too. Lucy froze and held her breath but it was too late, the wolves had already smelt her. Lucy took off back toward James and the other wolf hoping James would still protect her. The full pack of wolves chased Lucy but it was a futile chase. Lucy tripped on a fallen branch and hit the ground hard knocking herself unconscious.

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Lucy opened her eyes to see passing trees and laying on a...fur blanket? She lift herself up holding her head and saw she was lying on a wolf. Lucy instinctively duct back down into its fur.

"It's ok Lucy," it was James voice.

Lucy froze hoping she was dreaming but she wasn't, she jumped off his back and started to run the other way. He jumped in front of her, his full wolf form, black with yellow piercing eyes.

Lucy started crying and said, "You were the wolf on the roof not the man who saved me."

James didn't say anything but he changed back to his human form so Lucy wasn't as scared. "Yes, but

I..." he was cut off.

"You were going to kill me."

"I was, but something in your eyes stopped me," he approached her trying to wrap his arms around her.

"No, get away from me. You're nothing but a murderer," Lucy took off in the other direction running as far as she could without looking back. She reached a clearing in the woods and paused. Her breath was sharp and coming out in puffs of steam. She looked back but James wasn't following. She walked back the way she was taken by James and followed it all the way back into the village.

It was daybreak but the village was dark and there was no movement at all. Lucy looked around and saw a little girl sitting at the edge of the now death fountain.

"Are you ok?"

The girl looked up at her and Lucy saw it was the same girl that had made her the crown but the girl got up and stepped away from Lucy as if she was a monster. Lucy stood up confused and realized it had been two days since she left with James. There was a piece of paper flapping in the wind attached to the stone wall in the square. Lucy stepped up to read it and saw a picture of herself on the front. The caption stated, "LUCY CARIEN, MURDERER AND TRAITOR". Lucy's heart dropped and knew it had come from Justin.

"You're the traitor," a drunken man said stumbling out of the tavern.

"There's been a mistake, I have done nothing wrong."

"That's not what this say," he pulled a knife from his belt and Lucy dropped the paper and ran towards

the manor. She banged on the door and Brandon opened the door.

"Lucy!" Brandon seemed shocked to see her.

Lucy was crying and could barely speak, "Why?"

Brandon bit his lip and grabbed her by the arm and pulled her inside.

"Why did you father put those things up?"

"Who said he did?" his face was straight and angry.

Lucy felt her heart break and realized exactly what Brandon was saying. "You did it?"

"You can't run off with a wolf and not expect consequence."

"You knew?"

"Of course I knew, and he was right you probably should have stayed away from me."

"What are you talking about?"

Brandon started closing in on Lucy and said, "I'm talking about how dangerous I am."

"No, you're not dangerous."

"Oh, Lucy, you always were the one to see the good in people, too bad there's no good in me too see."

Lucy heart was racing and she felt as though she couldn't breathe.

"You see, my father couldn't have put those flyers up, his been dead for a full day, oh and so have the

king and the prince."

"You killed them?"

"No, you did."

"What are you?"

"You're worst nightmare," Brandon growled and Lucy duct under his arm running upstairs.

"Come on Lucy, I don't like when my food hides," Brandon said walking up the stairs after her as he bone structure started shifting.

Lucy looked for a way out but the only way was her window. She pushed on the window but it didn't budge.

"Little pig little pig, let me in..." Brandon quoted mockingly.

He broke the door open and there was no escape. Brandon had her cornered and he intended to kill

her.