Almara’s PovI’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t relieved to have Cathy walking beside me. I didn’t realize how much I needed to have a companion right now. At least this way I can project my thoughts rather than keep them trapped inside my head, just bouncing them around and driving myself crazy.We walk side by side, our footsteps fall into a matching pattern. I almost can forget we’re on a journey to vampire lands to save my daughter and restore the wolf nation and just pretend I’m going on a nature excursion with my best friend. Almost.“How are you feeling?” Cathy had asked me ten minutes ago and I’m still trying to unpack this loaded question. I wish I could say that everything is fine and nothing is new, as so many used to be able to automatically reply.Like when checking out at a store and the worker asks how you are, they aren’t really asking and you don’t actually want to tell. But that’s not how it is with Cathy. I know she’s genuinely wanting to know how I am and I could
Almara’s PovFinally, we come to the outskirts of the Vampire territory. My feet are swollen and my back is killing me, but above all else, my skin crawls. Something is off, every fiber of my being is screaming at me to turn back.It’s like my heart is in a tug-of-war match. My motherly instinct wants me to turn around and protect the life I’m growing inside me, but at the same time, I have to go get my other child.Fortunately, I’m not alone in this feeling. Instinctively, our pack has grown tighter together. Everyone is moving slower and chooses a spot to secure their eyes on and keep focus. We move quietly, discreetly.Roman is positioned in the front, carefully guiding us forward. The plan is to wait here until Robert calls us, or something happens and we call for him. I get the feeling the second option is more likely to occur.A place for cover would be nice, but of course, there isn’t any. The land leading up to the vampire territory is just like the vampires themselves, vacant
Almara’s PovWe stay in the forest, processing what just happened and how this impacts the plan.“Robert didn’t call, nor did he respond to our call,” Cody says with a half-shrug. “I think that would fall under the category of us going to rescue him,”“We can’t all go,” I say remembering how we promised to meet Arthur back at the meet-up spot.“We’re already at odds with our dwindling numbers. I don’t know if breaking up further is the best idea,” Cody says. I don’t tell him that it doesn’t matter. We’re all going to probably die anyway. It’s a miracle we didn’t all die back at the outskirts.“Almara’s right,” Roman says. I turn my head to him in surprise. Two words I never thought I would hear him say. “If none of us show up at the meeting spot, Arthur’s going to know something is wrong,”“Something is wrong,” Cody interjects and Roman gives him a look that makes him bow his head in silencing respect.“And I know my son. He’ll panic and create an entirely new plan that we know nothin
Robert’s PovMy eyes are swollen shut. Not that it matters much anyway, even if I could open them fully there isn’t much to see except four stonewalls and a leaky ceiling and even that is poorly lit.I don’t know how long it’s been, days at least. It’s been long enough that I’ve lost any resemblance of hope that the Pack would be coming for me.They’ve been trying to get rid of me for years now and this just happened to fall perfectly in their lap. I bet Almara’s comment about me being a traitor was preplanned between her and her beloved fated mate.The thought makes me laugh out loud and then the realization that I probably look crazy makes me laugh harder. Whatever. It’s not like anyone can hear me anyways, or if they can they pretend that they can’t.Maybe I should’ve been a traitor, that would’ve worked out better in my favor. I certainly wouldn’t be stuck here that’s for sure.The sad thing is, I can almost guarantee that I felt them howl for me. Something inside me picked up a c
Almara’s PovI feel like I have this route memorized by now, which is something I never thought I’d say nor wanted to say.We make our way back to the outskirts. I’ve thought about warning Arthur about the dead bodies that are probably still lying there, rotting and beyond recognizable, but I figure he’s probably seen more dead bodies than I can even fathom.It’s the middle of the night, at this rate we’ll reach the outskirts at the early morning. We walk in silence. Something about the forest in the middle of the night doesn’t breed the desire for conversation. However, the journey is far from quiet.The woods are filled with a concert of crickets, owls, and a few deer. I want to suggest hunting one but bite my tongue. I refuse to give Arthur a reason to say he was right in that I should’ve stayed behind.Technically, I am behind. Arthur and Cody are a few feet ahead of me. Occasionally, Arthur will turn back and wait for me to waddle my way up, and I tell him to keep walking. I can
Almara’s PovI wake up to Arthur gently pressing his warm lips against my shoulder. Despite his body heat, chills cross my body. I smile and burrow my head further into my pillow as he scoots closer from behind and holds me tightly.Maybe Arthur, Grace, and I can go out to breakfast today. There’s this cute little brunch boutique not far from our house that I’ve been wanting to check out- oh right. “What’s the matter?” Arthur breathes into my ear, and for a blissful moment nothing is the matter.“We still don’t have Grace,” I say suddenly feeling restless despite the high thread-count sheets and the fact that I haven’t slept in a real bed in like a week.“But, today is the day we get her back,” Arthur says and I realize he must have also slept well. He’s in a really good mood. Maybe my need to rest was felt by everyone and I wasn’t a burden after all.Unfortunately, the mom guilt starts to kick in. I needed a rest and slept in a warm bed while my daughter is out somewhere in the unkn
Almara’s PovWe’re halfway back to the outskirts of the vampire territory and we’ve seldom said a word to one another. There isn’t much to be said. My entire thoughts consist of Grace and of my mother and I’ve already exhausted expressing my worries.There isn’t anything new or left to be said about it, and the more I try to put them out of my mind to focus on the nearing mission, the more I find myself struggling to stay focused at all.With still no response from my mother, I’m beginning to think that she’s probably trapped by the vampires and it’s likely I’m heading towards her anyway. Maybe she’s with Grace.The land stretched before us is a grassy hill, trees are being scarce as we near the boundaries of the lifeless land. With less trees also means less opportunity to hunt. We have some snacks left that we took from the motel this morning, but I want to save those for when we’re a bit nearer.“We’re going to put an end to all of this,” Arthur tells me reassuringly. I numbly nod.
Almara’s PovThe familiar has us walk in front while it keeps a steady pace behind us. I can feel its eyes like daggers into my back, its every move causes my skin to crawl. Though I’m facing forward, all I can focus on is what’s happening behind me.I’d much rather be walking behind it. We could try and veer away and escape, launch an attack, or discretely communicate with one another. Though it’s for those very reasons that we are being walked ahead and though we are in front, this feels much more submissive. It’s humiliating.Zack, Arthur, and I walk in a straight line. I’m starving and my feet are swollen, but I don’t dare say anything about it now. The chirping birds seem to grow quiet as we near and pass them as if some evil force that even they can pick up on silences them.The bright sun that once illuminated the blue sky and cast sharp shadows has resided behind some thick clouds causing the drop in temperature and shapeless, diffused light to cover the land. If we hadn’t bee