THE LYCAON'S BRIDE

Chapter Three - Out Of The Frying Pan & Into The Fire

Chapter Three

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Luna awoke with dry mouth, feeling as if she chewed on sawdust. Her head pounded viciously, and she swore she'd never touch alcohol in her life again. She didn't remember drinking on the job last-night though. 

Rissa must have dropped us off.

"Leo?" she managed with a rasp. Luna pried her eyes open and realized she wasn't familiar with her surroundings. Toto, I've a feeling we're no longer in Kansas. She felt the sting of a cold metal brace around her neck, as she sat up the chains following the brace jangled. Luna didn't remember ever buying a white dress like this before.

I died.

Luna was sure of it. She remembered her body losing feeling last night when that guy ate at her neck... he had fangs, there was so much blood. Oh my god, Christie! She died!

Christie's dead, I couldn't save her.

Luna began to hyperventilate. This really happened. Monsters were real. She needed to get out of town; she needed to get to Leo!

What if he comes back? Okay... calm down, Luna. Think.

She looked around and noticed she was outside, surrounded by many other females in the same condition as her. All wearing the same spaghetti strapped dress she wore.

Luna pulled at the torque, looking for a way to detach it. It needed a key. No way she'd find a key lying around somewhere, so she glanced around wildly for the next best thing; a strong and heavy rock. When she finally found something that looked like it'd work, she heard a chilling roar far away.

"He's come for us," they murmured in awe, hope, and even a bit of fear.

She frantically worked at the chains in haste, gripping the rock with both hands, thrashing at the links, causing sparks to fly from the impact. Who's come for them? Whoever it was, she didn't want to wait to find out. Luna needed to get to Leo, and fast. Her handcuff's clanked with urgency.

Screams echoed through the forest, causing the nearby crows perched on the tree branches to flee towards the twilight sky. The hairs on the back her neck stood up at the sound of a beast's roar from the distance. Luna's heart sped at the sound of gurgled screams getting closer. She could smell the scent of blood waft pass her.

I'm going to die for real this time.

Someone yanked her by the hair from behind, pulling out a few strands along with a surprised yelp. "I'm not leaving without you," Jax sneered, while unlocking the torque around her neck in hurry.

It's him; it's that monster that killed Christie!

At the sound of the click as the torque fell from her neck, she heaved the rock in her hand towards his face and heard the crunch of his nose from the impact. Jax yowled, blindly reaching for her and caught the strap of her gown as she ran for dear life, not caring that he tore it off. The cold wind burned her throat while she raced away from the scene, her heart nigh jumping out of her chest in paranoia.

The beast's roar grew closer behind her, and she heard twigs snapping from a distance.

Don't look back, Luna.

Goosebumps spread upon her arms as she heard the panting of the creature catching up to her. In an instant, she was knocked to the ground, her knees and palms skidding across the dirt, stinging in pain. Luna's breath left her with a whoosh as the beast fell on top of her.