The Pack - On the Run

The muzzle was digging in the side of my lower back, my right kidney to be exact. I slowly lifted my hands up, my pulse picking up, blood whooshing in my ears as a small growl left my mouth.

“Nah-ah. Don’t even think about it. The gun’s loaded with silver,” The same raspy voice mumbled so softly I wouldn’t have caught a word he said if it wasn’t for my abnormal hearing.

“Stan, hurry,” Another voice joined in, more frantic than the first one. “They’ll see us any minute now.”

“Open the bloody doors,” Stan ordered me, and, though a part of me was rebelling against the idea, I pressed the auto-lock, praying to all gods above for someone to notice my little peril.

My thoughts drifted to Mikey, and I felt relieved. He, at least, was safe with Jonah. “Get in, Sweetheart. And no funny business. Rich here will pull the trigger before you say ‘Mummy’.”

Oh, I didn’t doubt that. I took a driver’s seat, peeking at said Rich in the rearview mirror. He was covered in dirt and muck, and his tangled, brown hair was jutting out in all directions. I also noticed his blue eyes seemed feverish and not exactly there. He smelled of blood, and he was pressing his left hand to his tight that was wrapped in the oversoaked bandage. The right one held a gun. And it was directed at my head.

I heard the passenger doors closing, and my attention shifted to the other guy, Stan. He faced me, pointing the rifle at my liver. He, on the other hand, sported a broken arm. It stuck out at a funny angle that made my stomach churn.

I gulped the bile down.

“Now slowly reverse and drive us out of the town. If I don’t like where you’re going, we’ll kill you, comprende?” The man instructed, leaning forward so he wouldn’t be visible from the outside. His clear brown eyes met mine. “Remember, slow and inconspicuous.”

“You know you have actually taken the wrong hostage?” I asked, licking my lips as I slowly put the car in reverse. The nerves were taking the best of me, so my leg was shaking on the clutch so damn hard the ride was rather bumpy. “I’m not exactly the most inconspicuous person at the mo-”

“Shut up and drive!” Rich burst out, making me wince in surprise and press the accelerator with all my mind. Not the smartest thing to do. The car leaped ahead with a loud squeaking noise. I whirled the wheel, trying my hardest not to hit the nearby lamp post. Stan loudly cursed when he was thrown to the side, Rick moaned in pain while I fought to steady the car.

“Shut your goddamn trap, you twat! You’re stressing the girl out!” Stan barked at his friend/colleague/companion. “And you, girly, one more move like that, and the paramedics will be unsticking your bowels from the doors, ya hear me?!”

“Loud and clear,” I gulped, straining not to imagine my insides on the doors. I turned right, and we left the car park, the truck somehow more steady underneath me now that we hit the main road.

“Good, drive straight ahead and don’t stop unless you’re told to. Nothing difficult about that, ain’t it? We’re leaving this goddamn hole, and if you’re lucky enough, you’ll live through it.” Stan informed me, still crouched down.

Well, because that was encouraging.

I gripped the wheel tighter, feeling my nails elongating and cutting through the material, my gums strangely itching as something in me wanted to immediately eliminate the threat. To distract myself, I peeked at Rick. He was leaning heavily on the rest, his head lolled back, blood oozing from his tight down onto the seat.

Jonah wouldn’t be pleased. I frowned.

“You sure you don’t want to take your friend to the hospital first? He doesn’t look too good,” I murmured, worried in spite of everything. I actually didn’t want anybody to die on me, friend or not. I wouldn’t stomach it.

“Shut it. He’ll be fine,” Stan retorted, but he wasn’t that convinced when his eyes quickly darted to the side to check on the guy in the backseat. I didn’t argue as I returned my focus to the road. You generally didn’t argue with a guy pointing the gun at your stomach. I bit the inside of my cheek as my thoughts returned back to Mikey. I hoped he would be safe with those weird people/werewolves should anything happen to me. I hoped he wouldn’t miss me that much. I hoped...

A large dark grey wolf jumped in front of the car.

I hit the breaks, immediately whirling the wheel to avoid the animal.

We were tossed to the side as I heard the gun go off and felt a searing pain in my arm. I cried out.

Stan yelled something, leaping at the wheel.

A gigantic tree emerged on my side.

Then all I saw was black.

* * *

There was a hissing sound coming from the engine. The driver’s doors were ripped on my side, and the cool, sweet air mixed with the comforting smell of woods and musk wafted to my nose, replacing the stench of blood and exhaust.

“Josie, can you hear me?” A frantic voice that I vaguely recognized.

I blinked, trying to get rid of the haze, my brain all jumbled and mushy. I groaned, feeling something wet trickling down the side of my face. My hand automatically went to the pulsating place... and I cried out as the searing pain immediately shot through my right arm. I clutched it, moaning softly and leaning my heavy head back on the wheel.

“Shh, it’s okay. Don’t move, let me check,” The voice whispered softly, and strong, gentle hands slowly helped me lean back on the rest. My eyes wandered to the passenger seat, a bit bloodied and definitely vacant now, and then left, only to meet with quicksilver orbs.

“Louis?” I blinked, frowning, still a little bit light-headed. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, thank fuck,” Louis murmured under his breath. “Let me get you out here,” he said, sliding his arms underneath my knees and behind my back. He lifted me up as if I weighed nothing, hugging me close to his body, his warmth embracing my shivering form.

“What happened?” I asked, trying to remember but finding it hard to focus. “What about those two men?”

“Don’t worry about them,” Louis growled grimly, his eyes eery and light silver. “Let me get you home.”

I didn’t even have a home at the moment, but I was too tired to point it out. I only leaned my head on Louis’ hard chest.

“Enforcer Everton,” A deep voice I didn’t recognize pulled me out of Morpheus’ clutches.

I lifted my heavy eyelids and peeked at the man in front. He was tall and broad in a bulky way. He also exuded power I now assimilated with Jack and Louis - dark and dangerous at times. He had a crew cut dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and he was naked as a day. He was also covered in blood that was smeared around his mouth. I didn’t dare to think why.

“Same ones?” Louis asked, his voice stone-cold and deadly serious, his expression predatory. The other guy nodded. “Good, you know what to do.”

The man nodded once more as he quickly turned around and trotted towards the woods. I tried to peek around Louis’ shoulders, but he had none of that. He hugged me closer, caressing the skin on my arm with his thumb in a calming manner. A second later, my oversensitive hearing caught the muffled cries of pain and begging coming from the woods, however, I was too distracted by Louis to actually care. Whenever he touched me, a pleasant shiver shot through me, and something in me purred. I was becoming a pool of mush and need. This wasn’t like me.

I coughed to cover my embarrassment.

“You can put me down, you know. I’m feeling better now,” I said hoarsely, as Louis proceeded towards the car parked on the other side of the road.

Jonah was leaning against the driver’s doors, sporting a black eye that was already turning yellowish-green - all thanks to his healing skills.

“Not a chance,” Louis murmured in my head, squeezing me lightly, his nose buried in my tangled hair. He was sniffing me, God even knew why.

“What happened to Jonah?” I asked, trying to change the subject and distract myself from Louis’ heady presence.

The teenager proceeded to open the back doors.

“Just brothers’ squabble, nothing to worry about,” Louis brushed me off as he neared the car.

“You gave him a black eye?” I asked, puzzled. He put me on my own two wobbly feet. “Why?”

“Josie, leave it,” It was Jonah now. He was oddly serious, his voice tired. But there was also another emotion peeking through. Frustration.

“But-”

“Just... Leave it, please. I’ve earned it,” Was all the teenager said, not even once looking at me, or his brother. It worried me.

“Go,” Louis lightly pushed me, ending my interrogation.

Suddenly, I just felt really, really tired. I sighed, getting in, my whole body still shaking. I wanted to ball myself and cry. I probably should.

Louis sat next to me and wrapped his arm around my waist, pressing me to his warm and comforting side. I sniffed softly. I was too exhausted to fight him or feel embarrassed. I just snuggled closer while Jonah started the engine.

My eyes felt heavy, so I closed them. In no time, I drifted off to sleep.