A Werewolf's Demise

Chapter 28: Guiltless

I took a heavy breath and blew dirt on my face. I coughed spasticity trying to get the dirt out of my nose. I slowly raised my head up off the soft ground.
I realized in the middle of the forest.

"Wait! What? Where am?" I wiped my nose.

I quickly looked down at my hands.The dirt stuck on to my bloody hands making a dirt paste. I noticed my clothing was gone and my body was drenched in blood. I crunched the leaves beneath my hands. I stepped to my feet as the fog gave me chills all over my body.

"Where did all this blood come from? More importantly where's Derek?" I started to walk down a wooded path.

The soft red and yellow leaves fell from the sky like rain. The sky was a light orange as the sun began to rise above the horizon. I hugged myself trying to sustain warmth. I walked a long time and my bare feet became sore and red from walking. The small twigs and acorns broke under my feet making popping noises.

As I Continued to walk every step Caused immense amounts of pain. I brushed my hands across the barks of the trees as they passed by. Then I saw
Derek lying limp on the ground at least five feet in front of me.

"Derek! Derek!" I ran to him and fell on to my knees.

I shook him to try to wake him up. He opened his eyes and they were blood red. I jumped back not knowing if it was him. Derek then sat straight up.

"Derek?" I asked softly.

Within a blink of an eye they back to green. He started breathing very heavily.

"Hey! It's okay! I'm here!" I rubbed his back.

Then Derek launched over to his left side and started puking blood. I Continued to rub his back. He finished and wiped his mouth.

"Alex-I-" Derek sharply took a breath trying not to gag. "I think I killed someone."

My head started to spin as I played out every scenario.

"What do you mean?" I let out a breath.

I could hear the desperation in my own voice. I was waiting for a smile or a laugh to tell me he was joking. I wanted him to tell me that it was just a joke.

"The blood that is all over me and you isn't animal blood. It's human!" Derek looked over at me.

I hung on to every last word he said. Clinging on just to hear the words. Just  him to mention he was joking. He wasn't joking, his face was filled with all seriousness. My heart started racing and I pulled my legs into my chest. I almost had a panic attack.

"Look will figure it out! But right now we have to get out of here! It's not safe, hunters are still out." He stood up.

Derek grabbed my arms and pulled me off the ground. He led the way back on the same wooded path.

"Do you know where we are?" I asked.

"Yeah we are at least three or four miles off the reserve." Derek said.

It got quiet again and I was left with my thoughts. I felt slightly guilty about it. We walked through the silence for an hour or two.

"Alright we finally made it to the reserve! Home sweet home!" He walked faster.

The crunching and popping of the leaves under our feet came to a stop.

"Alright here's the plan" he continued."we are going to get clothes out of my truck and try not to get caught."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because they can't find out about you." Derek pinched my cheek.

"Ohh right I have to stay a secret." I mumbled softly.