Red Moon (Colors of the Moon #2)

Chapter 4

I was loosing blood too quickly. At the rate things were going I wouldn't even make it through the night. I was already starting to feel light-headed as a result of the blood loss.

Still, it didn't make me stop and take a rest. I knew that the moment I would stop I wouldn't be able to get back up. No, I needed to keep pushing forward. Step after step, using the occasional tree as support.

My head was spinning and my senses were off. I couldn't smell nor properly hear if anyone was nearing me. The scents that reached my nose were an unrecognizable mixture, revealing nothing about my surroundings.

Stumbling across a tree root, I wrapped my arm around the trunk of a tree. It was the only way I could keep myself upwards. I rested my head against the wood, barely containing a groan. The pain was starting to become unbearable.

For a second I gave into the urge and closed my eyes, hoping that this would stop the world from spinning. I tried to calm down my racing heartbeat, but none of my usual tactics worked.

Just as I was about to push away from the tree and continue with my path, a voice stopped me.

"Rogue."

My eyes flew wide open, landing on a werewolf in human form a few feet in front of me. He was wearing a pair of red shorts, while the rest of his upper body was completely bare. Even in my weakened state I could feel the power rolling off of him. He was most likely a Beta. A supposed equal in power to me.

He had one of those baby faces, making him appear younger than he probably was. His warm brown eyes looked like they belonged to an ever smiling child. Even the scowl he was wearing wasn't intimidating. He just had one of those nice guy looks.

Without a doubt I knew I could take him any day. Well, maybe not in my weakened state, but any other day I could have easily beaten him in close combat.

Staring right back at him, I didn't even have the strength to move away from the tree trunk. I needed its support more than I cared to admit.

"What are you doing on our land, rogue?" he growled at me.

Damn it. This meant I had unknowingly entered another pack's land. Caught as a rogue on a pack's land meant certain death. I was screwed.

Moving back to assess him, I wondered if I could take him even in my current state. And if I didn't defeat him, I could at least get a chance to escape. It was all I needed.

A low growl coming from right behind me had my entire plan sailing into deep waters. Slowly turning around while still using the tree for support, I realized that the Beta wasn't alone. Three other wolves were forming a circle around me. The fire burning in their eyes told me they were looking forward to spilling my blood.

I was trapped. There was no way I could get past four werewolves in my barely conscious state. It meant only one thing. This was where my story would end.

All that was left for me to do, was to go down with a bang. I refused to die without bringing someone else down with me.

It was nice knowing you, Shyrin. We had a good run.

Ren, Shyrin sounded like she wanted to cry. I wasn't even aware that wolves could cry.

Then the first wolf lunged. I waited until the last possible moment and then moved sideways. The wolf crashed head first into the tree, making him indisposed for the time being.

The next one followed instantly after, but I managed to evade his attack as well. In a mess of limbs, he landed close to the other wolf. If my stomach didn't feel like it was on fire, I would have laughed at their pathetic antics. It didn't speak highly of the pack, if even in my weakened state I could block their attacks.