The Male Luna (MxM) (Complete)

Chapter 33

Brayden

I cry out as my left shoulder hits the dirt. My skin rubs against the dried ground and I can feel some of my scars stretching and breaking open from the friction. My old injury takes the brunt force of my body weight, and I let out another groan as a wave of pain racks through my body.

I keep my eyes closed as I simply lay on the ground, too exhausted at the moment to think or do anything.

I'm in a lot of pain.

Everything seems to hurt, from my strained muscles to my aching lungs. My skin feels as if it's been rubbed raw from all of the underbrush of the forest, and the sweat dripping down my body stings some of the areas where the skin was ripped open by some particularly nasty branches.

I'm in pain, but...

My eyes immediately open in shock.

I take several deep breaths as I stare at the bright moon above me in bewilderment. A few seconds pass, and then a few more. The night almost seems to go quiet at my revelation, allowing me some time to process my condition and the current reality.

I'm in pain, but I'm alone...

In desperation, my head whips to my side, and I choke out a silent gasp of disbelief at what I see.

Lying parallel, mere inches from my disheveled body, a white line fills my vision. I stare at the line for a while, unaware of how much time passes. It feels as though this white line has been in the forefront of my thoughts all night. From my first entering of the field to the desperation I felt in getting Damien or me to cross it. It has been a troubling force, a weight that constantly seemed to hold me down with worry throughout the night. But for the first time, this damned white line fills me with relief.

I let out an incredulous laugh and once I start I can't seem to stop. All of my pent anxiety and worry filter out through my loud cackling and the surrounding forest echoes my moment of lunacy. I feel something stream down my face, and I don't know if it's just more sweat or if tears of both anger and joy have finally broken free.

I don't know how long my insanity lasts, but a loud whine brings my attention to a creature just across the white line.

A few feet in front of me a large, panting wolf stares at my strewn form. Unlike at the hospital, I don't feel fear of the beast, and I don't feel any anger.

I simply feel nothing.

My reaction to the creature surprises me a little, as I genuinely can't muster up the energy to have an emotion toward the dark animal. With a blank stare, I watch as the wolf paces in front of the line a few times. Its tongue hangs from its mouth as the jaw of the animal greedily gulps down air. Every once in a while a pitiful whine leaves the wolf, but other than that, there isn't any aggression to the animal, merely an endless pacing of the back, and forth, and back, and forth walking the length of my body from the other side of the endzone.

With a loud groan, I decide to push myself off the ground and try to get into a more upright position. My body practically screams at me in protest, but with great effort, I'm able to sit up. Very slowly I straighten my back and stretch my legs out, deciding to give them a break for the time being. I grab my backpack and quickly reach in, deciding to drink the last of my water.

While I'm finding my chosen item, I hear a grunt coming from my side and flinch as the following sound brings up the memories that started this whole evening. I purposely don't look to my side as I open my bottle and finish off its contents.

There's another length of silence, and the more time passes the harder it is to keep my eyes away from the creature. As I tip the last bit of water back into my throat, my eyes unconsciously look over.