Werewolf Bride

Flee

I couldn't bear to keep my eyes open as Carlos fled with me in his arms. I listen to the twigs and leaves crunch beneath his feet. His struggled breaths were becoming impossible to ignore. I don't know how close the Beast follows, but there's no way we can outrun him like this.

"We need to shift." I whimper into his ear.

His pace slows and I swing my legs back to the ground and begin quickly undressing. "What about your gown? You won't have anything to wear when you shift back." Carlos whispers as I toss it aside.

I shake my head. "We'll worry about it later." I ignore his gaze as he reads my hidden meaning.

If we are even alive to worry about it later.

Without speaking we both shift and abandon our clothes in our sprint.

I dart through the trees, looping in and around all obstacles smoothly, but it all to no avail. We hear the heavy-footed monster behind us before long, blood dripping from its jaws after its last kill. Who knows how many bodies are laid out in the street after his massacre. Who knows how terrified this discovery has been to the village people. 

He revealed himself for the first time in centuries just to catch us. What is so damn important about us? 

I look to Carlos for one fleeting moment before the jaws of the Beast rip in my back thigh, crunching through bone. I squeal in agony, flopping over onto my stomach with dots in my eyes. I know I've stopped screaming but it still continues to torment my ears. It is so ear piercing I have to close my eyes and a sob rips from my throat. 

I've lost. 

I'm too injured to run even if he lets me go. 

My leg is spurting blood now, I can feel it soaking my leg. I want to hold it and comfort myself from the pain but I can't move. All I can do is weakly change back to my human form, shaking and shivering. The change only makes it hurt worse, but I couldn't stop it. My body just wanted to go back to its original self, I suppose. 

As the ache throbs over and over again like a panicked heartbeat, I finally bring myself to look up, meeting eye to eye with the magnificent God before me: the Beast. The creator of my species, of Carlos' species. 

Perhaps, what he once created is what he is now destroying. 

Is that what he has decided? Will he kill Carlos too?

I whimper as the yellow eyes of the monster come closer, antagonizing me with their promise of death. I could see his intentions. I could read it all...and it will come sooner than later. 

I lean back, desperately grasping at the dirt and pulling myself backward. He only comes closer, allowing me to weakly attempt at my pathetic escape as if he were enjoying the idea of humouring me...I feel like the mouse to his cat. 

"Don't fucking touch her. You've done enough." 

I turn my head to the sound of my husband's voice. Astonishment isn't a strong enough word to express how surprised I am to see him standing there. Any reasonable person would run....or, well, half of me expected to see him break until the Beast's will. It must be impossible to resist compulsion with him so close. 

But no, he stayed for me and resisting the compulsion. 

"Run..." I swallow hard and weakly drag myself away. "Carlos, run." 

"No." He sighs. "I'm not leaving you alone to die." 

The words hit hard and I slump in defeat. I know he speaks the truth. He isn't here to save me. We both know how impossible of a feat that would be. He's here so I don't have to close my eyes one last time alone. 

I let myself sink into the dirt, prepared for the Beast to swipe my throat and get it over with. I even close my eyes for the blow...

But it doesn't come. 

The Beast growls lowly and diverts his attention away from me. Ever so slowly, his left paw grazes my body as he changes direction and goes straight for Carlos. 

I open my eyes and let out a short-lived breath of relief. 

But I clearly see now, Carlos is now the one who is doomed first. 

I am the weak, injured girl, and Carlos is now the one the Beast wants. For defying him, for resisting him, for protecting me. 

No, no, no..." I whisper under my breath. I can't let this happen, and yet, I have nothing. 

Just as I once stood clueless in front of my mother, picking berries instead of her helping her...I am now laying here just as helpless. The only difference is now I have to watch it happen. My ultimate failure right before my eyes. 

If he dies because of me I may as well just lay here and bleed out. What other reason would there be to keep fighting? 

I should have just laid down and cooperated from the start. 

Oh, how pathetic am I? Always dreaming of being some knight in shining armour, but when it comes to the fight I am the weakest one there. The pitiful victim laying in the dirt, watching the horror happen before her. 

'It's okay, Charlotte. He won't kill me." Carlos murmurs to me as the Beast stares him down. I whimper an illegible reply as the Beast stands on its hind legs. 

"You are possibly the most disloyal Prince I have had yet." The Beast muses with his guttural voice. "But that will change."

"No. It won't. I would never be loyal to you." Carlos says weakly. I can hear his voice shaking from the pressure. 

"Oh, I have to disagree." The Beast seems amused. "Come with me." He says menacingly as he rips Carlos from the ground, holding him up with one of his claws high enough to leave him dangling. 

I struggle to sit up as I watch him hang from the air. I can see the fear in his eyes but he doesn't protest. "Fine. Let's get out of here." He agrees neutrally. "But what about my wife?" 

"You will have a new one." The Beast chuckles. "That's another guarantee, my Prince if I decide to keep you." 

Carlos swallows and looks to me apologetically. He's doing all he can, and I never expected this much. I nod to him. He needs to know I thank him for his attempt regardless. 

He nods back, and we both wait for the Beast's reply on my fate. 

"What of her?" Carlos repeats. 

"She can bleed out. She's useless to both of us now. She was too weak, and stubborn to rule properly anyway. I will find another." The Beast replies proudly. "I will find you a better one." He looks back to me mockingly. "Perhaps, even a prettier one."

I tremble at his words. They're leaving me to die. I am being replaced. Carlos will be forced to along with it while I remain here to be picked apart by hungry, scavaging animals...it will be just as it was meant to be.

I wasn't meant for great things after all. I wasn't meant to be a Queen, nor free werewolf. I wasn't meant to run through the forest in happiness in the mornings. I wasn't meant to come home to a husband I loved and cared for. I wasn't meant to raise his child...

Suddenly, a thought hits me and I sit up higher with a newfound strength. I shake even harder as my teeth grind against each other with hatred. 

I am no longer trembling in fear. 

I am shaking with absolute anger.