My Blood Moon

Chapter 13

Honestly, I try not to make any snide remarks as I look at the building Coach says will be “safe” to sleep in for the night. The dark grey, almost black clouds overhead loom threateningly with the distinct promise of a terrible storm – when literally just ten minutes ago the sun shone brilliantly with golden light. Strong winds shove against the sad, scrawny trees – well, more like saplings – as they bend low to the ground, shaking their limbs furiously. A few of the roof’s shingles leap to their deaths as the wind catches them mid-air, only to throw them a good fifty feet away.

This long, single story building is obviously falling apart….so how is this anywhere close to safe? Especially with the storm coming – I mean, it’s already coming down so this storm may be its last. Seriously, I can hear a dog whimpering somewhere deep inside this death trap as it practically begs to be set free. All the other outside creatures are nowhere to be seen or heard – probably burrowed beneath the ground if possible.

“Okay, I have the keys and your assignments. Since we only have a few girls on the team Banks,  Sanders, and Bennett will share one room while Swanson, Gladstone, and…Haile take a room together. As for the guys we’ll have…” I quickly tune out the rest of what Coach says as I glance over at Anna.

She gives me an apologetic look as Laura – of all people to be stuck with – retrieves our room key…I’m just glad that Laura drove because I don’t think I could have handled her being on the bus. All the cheerleaders grouped up and drove in a tiny caravan behind the bus and Laura had invited Anna to ride with her – probably to talk her out of dating Jase, but it doesn’t exactly look like that’s actually worked.

“Okay, let’s go.” Laura says, glaring daggers at me.

I roll my eyes and locate my bags before trailing along behind them, not even bothering to follow along with Laura’s mid-spinning prattling – or is it bragging? Don’t care. As I follow them, an image of Derreck telling me not to search for him but just wait and let him be pops into my mind.

Suddenly my chest falls under an overpowering pressure as though I’m being crushed from the inside, my lungs no longer carry the ability to convert oxygen to carbon dioxide. I’d say it’s because of my side, but that pain has started to dull down to an almost numb feeling – almost like my brain recognizes that it’s there, but I just don’t feel it anymore. Although, there is a slight pulsing sensation along the surface of the skin protecting that area. A shrieking pain in my brain has me doubling over instantly and I have no choice but to drop my bags as my hands fly up desperately to somehow protect me from the unseen force.

Is this what happens when you lose your mate? Or is this horrible, mind-splintering pain the indication that I’m in worse shape than it seems?

“Hey Beks, are you okay?” Anna asks timidly, touching my shoulder with shaky hands.

The skin beneath her hand twitches in shock at the sudden contact before a small growl erupts from between my clenched teeth, making me straighten up – a shocked look on both our faces. “I’m so sorry…I-I didn’t mean to do that!”

She watches me very carefully for a moment as Laura disappears out of sight – completely oblivious to the situation. “Is this because something happened last night?”

My eyes widen in surprise at the fact that she guessed right before I nod. “How did you know?”

“Well…your pack has been training a lot recently – which I deduced when Jase kept making up the excuse that Mel had ‘family things’ going on. Besides, you look dreadful. I saw you boarding the bus this morning and it was just…bad.” She adds the last part awkwardly. “At first, I just thought you weren’t a morning person. But…you’re so pale and I swear I’ve seen you turn green a couple times. Now there’s this…I get the whole ‘we’re supposed to be mortal enemies’ thing but…but I’m scared for you. Even though it goes against everything I’ve been taught my whole life, I love you like a friend. Sometimes I feel closer to you than my own family at times.”