Saving Nicole

Chapter 9: Where's Shock?

Nicole's POV
--

"Here, boy." I pat the undisturbed, blue bedding next to me. The dull lamp in my room watches us, it's light pouring over our skin and fur and eyes. The desk it sits on is old, an antique, and I never use it. Ever.

My room is actually pretty big, but it feels small compared to Dallas's. Rarely does he come over and I used to wonder why. Why am I always going to his house?

But now I know. I think he doesn't want me to feel lonely, because despite how small my house is compared to his, despite how I have Shock, I'm still lonely. His house seems to offer comfort to me, his mom being there, and him being there. They talk to me and listen to me and laugh with me.

Rarely did I laugh before Dallas came. Rarely did I smile. Rarely did I even talk. There was no one to laugh, smile, or talk with. Now there is.

There always is.

Shock's head lazily tilts, his slimy pink tongue hanging from his mouth. With a small yawn, his powerful hindquarters launches him onto my bed, his big head flopping onto the rumpled comforters. I just pat his head, his eyes slowly closing from the feeling.

The cold wooden floor creaks as I walk towards my lamp and twist the knob. The light shuts off, not much of a difference than what it was before, and I head back, climbing into the unwelcoming cold sheets.

The only warmth I feel is the lump of fur pressed against my back. I don't know how it's possible, but I hear the wind outside of my closed and latched window. I hear the heartbeat of my dog and the washing machine down the hallway from my room. I hear everything. And it's amazing.

--

My eyes snap open, and I'm not in my room.

I'm in the forest.

How'd I get here? I don't remember waking up...

Oh.... I'm dreaming. 

The forest looms above me, the leaves above casting shadows all over the soft earth floor. I'm barefoot, so I can feel it seeping between my toes, filling me with warmth and odd happiness. I feel free.

Suddenly, a twig snaps. Leaves on scraggly bushes swish and I smell something. It smells furry, and I woder how I know what fur smells like and how I can smell it. A fluffy head emerges and my eyes widen in shock at well, Shock.

He pads through the bushes to where I'm standing, making me stumble back. He shakes his beautiful silver fur, now caked with mud, his eyes glinting from the winking light streaming through the treetops. Is this where he disappears to? And why? What does he do? 

A howl sounds to our left and both of our heads snap in the direction. What now?  

Two huge wolves emerge from the bushes, their gray fur dull even with the light shining on them. Shock looks reagal compared to these two and he is all muddy. They growl, revealing a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth. 

Worst of all, their muzzles are stained red. Blood red. 

I want to scream at Shock to run, to hide. I want to grab him and take a break for it. But I know there is nothing I can do. So I watch.

Shock gives a furocious bark and they all quickly trot behind some trees. A moment later, three people walk out, dressed in nothing but shorts. Their bare feet squelch from the dirt until they are facing one another. 

One of them is Dallas. 

Dallas's back is to me, but I can tell by how stiff he stands that these men mean bad news. 

What is he even doing here? Where did Shock go? 

"What are you doing on my father's land?" he growls, his voice thick in his throat. Did he catch a cold? 

His blond hair is ruffled in his usual way, and I can imagine his eyes are intimidating. But these men don't look the least bit intimidated. They laugh without humor and shake their heads as if thinking,' What do we do with this guy?' 

"This land belongs to Alpha Spencer now or have you forgotten, pup?" One of the men speaks and I notice he has an ugly scar running the length of his face. His dark brown hair is long and shaggy, but somehow kind of attractive. 

"He doesn't own the land yet." Dallas retorts, his accent making his words ten times more powerful. Even I can't help but feel the slightest bit frightened, and he's not even directing his words at me. His hands are clenched, and the angle and way he stands makes it feel like he's shielding me from  these men. Though, I know he can't see me. It's just a dream after all. Right?

"That doesn't matter. He will." The second man snarls. His face is scarless, but he's missing a huge chunk from his right ear and his hair is lighter than the other's. 

"Well, you just admitted. He doesn't have the land yet. So you better be going." Dallas's voice is harsh, not at all like it is when he speaks to me. Who are these men? 

"Hm. You're lucky we're just the messengers, pup. Or you would be long dead and Alpha Spencer would have been much more victorious."  Scar-face says dismissively. 

"Well, if you're the messengers, then why don't you deliver the message?" Dallas crosses his arms, the muscles in his back shifting slightly. 

On my hands and knees, I crawl from behind him, the soft dirt feeling rough against my hands. When I sit off to the side, I brush my palms on my jeans, leaving brown handprints streaking across the blue material. 

"Alpha Spencer wants everyone off this land by tomorrow, or else something bad will happen." Chipped-Ear states, clasping his hands behind his back and shifting from foot to foot. 

"We were already planning on that." Dallas narrows his eyes and tilts his head. "What is your real message, pup?" He grins, revealing his charming dimples, as he uses Scar-face's nickname for him. 

Chipped-Ear and Scar-Face laugh, throwing their heads back. 

"The message wasn't clear? Why else would we seperate the Alpha's son from the rest of his pack? Why on earth would we do that? " Scar-Face glances at Chipped-Ear. "What do you think, Ian?" 

Ian grins and says,"Oh... I don't know, Mason. Probably to make the message even clearer." 

That's when at least ten pairs of eyes show through the bushes, a loud rumbling coming from them. Wolves. Their growls mix together, creating one growl in unison. 

Dallas's eyes widen and he stumbles back, making me glad I moved. He's hopelessly outnumbered and they surround him; they surround us. His face is pale and his face is filled with fear.

I want to wake up now. I want this horrible nightmare to end. Dallas is going to get mauled by wolves and I can't even do anything in a stupid dream. This is going too far. Way too far. Why would I dream about this? I know it's just a dream....

But even as I think it, I know that it's not a dream. This actually happened. I don't know how long ago, but it did. And I wish I could have grabbed him and ran when we first had the chance. 

This happened. 

And I have a feeling that it was recent. But I just saw him today! And he was fine! 

Oh no... Maybe this is going to happen. No. No! I can't let that happen... 

That's when the dream or vision or whatever this is shifts. This time, though, there's nothing. Just a peaceful sleep as if my dream didn't even happen. 

No more forest. No more leaves. No more soft earth underfoot. No more mean men. No more Dallas.

-- 

My eyes shoot open. I remember everything. Everything is how it was when I fell asleep. My pajamas, my hair, my bed, my lamp. Wait. There's one thing missing. 

Where's Shock?