Chapter 39

Scarlett's POV

I was barely out of the house when I heard Franklin break the chains that held him down so tightly. I immediately knew that I was finished. I should have just listened to him from the onset.

I ran into the woods where he knew best, and I heard the doors fling wide open. I heard him roar rather than howl. There was only one way to survive this, and it was in my wolf.

Rather than shifting, I just kept running. I couldn't bear losing my phone, or having to shift in front of the guards if I get to safety. IF!

My legs burned with pain, but I couldn’t stop. The sound of Franklin’s roar echoed behind me, shaking the trees around me. I tripped on a root but caught myself just in time.

Run, Scarlett. Just run.

Branches whipped my face, and the darkness around me felt like it was closing in. The full moon was the only thing that lit the path only slightly, and even that didn’t feel comforting anymore. I could hear him crashing through the forest behind me, fast and wild.

At one point, I slipped on wet ground and almost fell into a ravine, but I caught a tree just in time. My heart was pounding too hard to even let me scream. I kept moving, panting, breathing short and sharp.

Then I heard him snarl, so close that I felt the vibration in my spine.

I turned sharply, and there he was.

Franklin was standing just a few feet away. His eyes were glowing blood red, and his claws dug into the earth. He came at me.

I screamed and ducked behind a tree.

But then, he didn't hit me.

Instead, I heard a loud thud and a painful growl.

I peeked and saw him crashing into a tree on purpose, shaking his head wildly like he was trying to wake up from a nightmare. Blood was running down the side of his face. His claws had scraped his own chest.

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I couldn’t stop, not yet.

I ran again. I was bleeding now, a deep cut on my leg, but I didn’t care. I needed to get to the Academy's boundary. Just a little distance away from that place!

Suddenly, a huge dark shadow leapt in front of me.

This was a huge silverback.

It was black and silver. It was definitely not going to survive against Franklin. It roared at me, and I froze. I couldn’t move. My whole body locked up in fear. My lips trembled as I whispered, “No…”

But out of nowhere, Franklin tackled it.

They both crashed into the trees with so much force that the ground shook. I stumbled back, falling hard. My ankle twisted, and pain shot up my leg.

I couldn’t run anymore.

I looked up, and Franklin had ripped into the Silverback’s side, but he was badly hurt. Blood covered his body. He was panting, limping, but still standing.

Then, he turned to me. And this time, he wasn’t fighting it anymore. The monster in him was in control.

He started to move toward me again with slow, deadly steps. I cried, crawling backward, trying to scream, but no sound came out. This was it. I was going to die.

But as he got very close to me, he stopped. The color of his eyes almost changed.

He looked sad.

Then, before I could even process what was happening, he stabbed himself. Right in the stomach with a sharp, long piece of wood on the floor.

He dropped to his knees.

I screamed, dragging myself toward him, but he growled, not out of rage, but to push me away.

“Go!” he managed to choke out.

I cried harder, not knowing whether to run or help him, but he didn’t let me choose.

He slammed his claws into the ground, causing a small quake that sent me rolling back down a hill. I was still shaking profusely as I ran into the Academy.

Thankfully, none of the guards were there. I was barely breathing properly. I ran into my room and locked the door behind me, breathing hard and fast.

I slid to the ground, trying to breathe, and that was when Thane's voice came on.

“I thought you are at the movies with everyone else?” Thane asked, and I sprung up immediately.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? And why are you breathing like that?” He asked, and before I knew it, I ran into his arms, seeking solace as I cried my eyes out.

Thane was nice enough to just let me be. He didn't ask me questions, nor bother me with words that would not comfort me. We just stayed there, and I cried my eyes out.

I was actually scared for the first time in a while. I could have died, and the thought of that shook me.

Franklin had lost control, and he could have killed me.

I stopped shuddering after a while, and my heartbeat became normal. I had even stopped crying, but I liked the hug.

Thane pulled me gently away from the hug when I was a little stable.

“Hey…” He whispered, gently cleaning the tears on my face. “What's wrong?” He asked, and I sighed, knowing I couldn't tell him.

“Just stuff with my mom.” I shrugged, rolling my eyes.

“I'm sorry.” Thane whispered, and we just remained locked in that eye contact.

I couldn't take my eyes off him, and in all honesty, I didn't want to.

“I should probably go,” Thane whispered, not straying his eyes from mine, “the movie is still on.”

“Yeah, you should.” I responded, looking at him still.

“Oh fuck it.” Thane growled, cupping my neck with his hand as he kissed me.

I kissed him right back, holding his back as our tongues collided. I was now moaning as he lifted me off the ground, pressing my body against his. His lips left mine and travelled to my neck. My eyes rolled of their own accord. I moaned as it was a very pleasurable act. We went back to kissing, and I was already getting rid of his shirt.

I completely removed his shirt, and was pressing my body against him when there was a knock on the door. The person tried to open it without permission, but thankfully, I had locked it before sliding to the ground.

“Who's there?” Thane managed to ask in a normal door.

“Man, come out. You're needed at the theatre. How long would it take you to just take one instrument?”

“I'm coming.” Thane said, calmly dropping me. He kissed me while wearing his shirt again.

“You should come to the theatre.” He said, picking the instrument he came for, and then he left.

I scratched the back of my neck as he was out of the room. I fell on his bed, staring at the ceiling. I like kissing him. Maybe I'll even enjoy having sex with him if that ever happens.

I tried thinking about anything else that wasn't Franklin, but nothing worked. And to worsen everything, he dies in less than a year.