Page 45 of Wolf's Whisper

She let out a hoarse, breathy chuckle that despite everything, sent a twinge down to my core. What was happening to me?

"Oh wait, silly me. Your parents didn't teach you anything. They didn't want you," Cece darkly grinned, her tongue toying with my earlobe.

I could feel her soft hand slip between my thighs. She was so close to touching my core. And I should be stopping her. But I didn't want to... It felt so nice... So soft. I wanted her to touch me. I wanted her to... Stop... I should stop her. But maybe just a little... No... I... Stop...

... Ash.

A loud howl echoed out of the cave and then suddenly everything happened in a flash. A whirlwind of black fur shot before my eyes as I felt my body snap out of the spell I had been under. A high-pitched scream filled the cold winter's night but was quickly drowned out by the loud growls and snarls from wolf attacking her.

Ashleigh.

She came. She came for me.

By the time I managed to turn my body and look at the fight happening in front of me, the Puma was clawing furiously at my mate, while the black wolf was angrily biting down on the girl. Both Cece and Ashleigh were covered in blood, but I couldn't tell whose it was. They were both so badly wounded, I wasn't sure if that could've happened in what I thought was only ten seconds. How long had I just been standing here? Why was my body so sluggish?

Come on, Akira. Move. Move!

I dug deep into myself, panic arising when I felt my empty chest. What was this? Where was my wolf? She was always here. She had been here for as long as I could remember. Where was she?

Where was my wolf?

I felt around again, panic crashing over me like the waves of the untamed ocean. Why was my chest empty? Where was my wolf?

No, this couldn't be... This couldn't be right. This couldn't be true either. How could she be gone? Could Cece...?

Mate.

As if someone suddenly turned all the sound of the world back on, the real noises of Ashleigh's fight suddenly attacked my eardrums. An ice-cold howl froze the blood running through my veins as I saw the blood pouring out of her side.

Ashleigh.

The black wolf bared her teeth and as the moonlight reflected on her razor sharp canine teeth, suddenly everything moved in slow motion. I trailed Ashleigh's deranged look in her eyes and ended on Cece's bare neck. I suddenly felt myself move like I still wasn't in control of my body.

My arms snaked around the warm pelt of the wolf and with a strength that wasn't my own, I pulled Ashleigh off of Cece.

She snarled and howled as she knew well enough I had just ruined her kill. But I didn't care. As much as I was disgusted and shocked by Cece, I couldn't let my mate taint her soul by killing someone, even if it was to protect me. Especially not to protect me.

"Ash, please calm down!" I called out to the wolf thrashing in my arms, her blood hot as it splattered against my cold skin.

Right in front of our eyes, Cece jumped up on all fours as her eyes had turned into slits. She hissed loudly as she circled us, waiting for the perfect moment to attack the wounded wolf. The dress that barely covered anything up before the fight, was now torn to shreds. Blood was pouring out of a gash on her chest as it drew red lines on the forest floor.

The sound of multiple running footsteps found my ears and without even having to look, I knew the rest of the group had come to my aid.

They were here so suddenly, Cece didn't have time to flee. I didn't even have time to wonder who would reach me first, as the second wolf this evening flashed in front of my eyes.

Aspen.

A loud howl and a cry mixed in the night as more blood splattered over me. This time the blood was Chesca's. Aspen had torn out her throat without the slightest hint of hesitation.

As the coppery smell of her blood finally seemed to hit my nose, I felt my stomach churn as I stared at the lifeless body in front of me. His kill had been so swift and efficient, she wasn't even twitching anymore.

She was gone. Dead. Cece was dead. Aspen killed her.

This time, my stomach did more than churn as for the third time, bodily fluids splattered against my skin. Bile. My own bile.

Aspen killed Cece.

I tried to catch my breath, but that one thought kept running through my head. Even if it was to protect me, he had just killed someone.

---