[1] The Witch And The Wolf // Kai Parker

Five - Woods

Woods

Abbie's head felt heavy, like a thick fog had settled in her mind, blurring her senses. She forced her eyes open, but everything around her was fuzzy and spinning. The rough feel of the ground scraped against her skin, and she realized someone was dragging her through the forest. A vague memory started to come back—she'd been talking to him just a few minutes ago. That's when he must've done it. He'd handed her an already-open beer, which had felt off, but she hadn't questioned it at the time. Now, a soft groan slipped from her lips, startling him.

"How are you not knocked out?" he muttered, sounding annoyed. His breath came in shallow gasps, a mix of adrenaline and exertion weighing on him. She could tell he was running out of strength, and while that might give her a chance, she also knew what it meant when they finally stopped.

He leaned over her, resting her head against an old tree. "It's nice here, don't you think? Quiet, no one around for miles." His voice dripped with something dark and twisted as he brushed a finger down her cheek. Her vision was clearing now, and she could see his face. Looking at him made her stomach turn, so she shifted her gaze upward, catching sight of the full moon. It shone through a break in the trees, casting her in an eerie silver light.

The boy leaned in, pressing his lips to her neck. "This'll all be over soon," he whispered, ignoring the disgusted look on her face. She clenched her jaw and whispered, "No." She wasn't done, not by a long shot. Her body seemed to be shaking off the drug faster than he'd expected. He ignored her again, continuing his twisted attempt to be gentle. "No!" she said louder, her voice filled with defiance. He paused, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Are you some kind of superhuman? You're processing that drug way too fast," he said, almost amused.

That was all she needed to hear. She shoved him off with a surge of strength, adrenaline flooding her system. He stumbled back, but was quick to respond, swinging a fist into her face. Pain flared, but she didn't let it stop her. She tackled him, the two of them hitting the ground hard. They wrestled in the dirt, throwing punches and clawing for control. Abbie was winning. She pinned him beneath her, fueled by pure, unfiltered rage.

With each punch, she felt a strange, unsettling satisfaction. He deserved this—every bruise, every bit of pain. She kept hitting him, barely even feeling her raw knuckles, her mind blank except for the need to make him pay. Finally, she glanced down at her hands, now sticky with blood, and reality crashed over her. She pulled back, breathing hard, her hands trembling.

"What am I?" she whispered, horror mixing with the adrenaline. She'd lost control, and she'd liked it. Tears stung her eyes as she forced herself to touch his chest, feeling for a heartbeat she wasn't sure she wanted to find. It was faint, but it was there. She wanted him gone, but she couldn't bring herself to let him die—not like this, not by her hand.

"What do I do?" she whispered, the words barely audible. Her hands were shaking as she dug into her pocket, pulling out a pager. She needed help, and the only person nearby that she knew was Kai. He'd given her his number earlier that night, joking about how cool it was: 555-HYA-KAI.

Quickly, she punched in "help" on the pager, hoping he'd get the message. She stayed by the boy's body, listening to his heartbeat slowing, wondering if help would even come.

It wasn't long before Kai showed up, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene. "What's going on?" he asked, but his gaze fell on the bloodied boy beside her, piecing together the story without words. Abbie turned to him, her face streaked with tears. "I... I think he... I think he just died," she said, her voice breaking. Before she could say another word, a sudden, sharp pain exploded in her arm.

"Aaaah!" she cried out, clutching her arm as it twisted at an unnatural angle. She fell to the ground, the pain spreading, bones snapping and shifting under her skin. "What's happening?" she screamed, looking up at Kai, who watched with eerie calm. "Interesting," he murmured softly, more to himself than to her.