Barely Breathing

Just as they would shift, I reached Xyrus' arm to stop him. I gasped as bolts of electricity pricked the palm of my hand and
pleasantly traveled through my body. My mind was engulfed by a foreign emotion I do not want to recognize.
The feeling was so overwhelming that it scares the heck out of me. He must have felt it too because he stilled and slowly turned
at my hand in his arm then to my eyes. The moment I met his warm gaze, I knew I was in trouble and it has nothing to do with
his mark on me.
'What did you do to me?' I thought.
'Just like what you are doing to me' His soft voice entered my mind like a melody lulling me to sleep.
"Don't read my mind." I intend to sound it strong but it ended in a whisper.
"I can't help it."
I glared at him. "This isn't your fight, I need to settle scores with him, not you..."
He shook his head and inched his face closer to mine, his breath cooling my face.
"Have you forgotten princess?"
"Forgotten what?" I asked breathless, affected by the intensity of those sea-blue irises.
He searched my eyes like he was reading my soul. "I told you... you don't have to face everything alone anymore.”
And for a moment, I want to believe his words, the sincerity of those words moved me. I felt genuine happiness. Something
lacking in my life for so long now. It stirred something inside, like a fire lighting up hope.
"Noone's going to die for me again" I blurted out unconsciously.
His brows creased and blinked twice. "What did you say?"
"She said she is a murderer." Jasper intervened with a haunting smirked that reminds me of his face years ago when we last
met. The same smirk he has back then.
"You killed them! You killed them all!" I shouted, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You and your disgusting pack!"
"Oh, come on Willow." He rolled his eyes. "It's not like they died for nobody."

"You killed my father!" I yelled and blinked the tears away, threatening to fall.
"And he died for you, does that make sense?" He shouted back. "If you just play along with me maybe he and your pack--"
"Shut up!" The guilt I felt all these years tripled a thousand times. His words cut deep, touching wounds bound to never heal.
"You heard her." Xyrus intervened. I can feel his intense stare burning the side of my face. But I dare not to look his way, afraid of
what he might think of me.
"Let's get this over with." Xyrus challenged.
"Yeah, let's get this over" Jasper agreed.
Bones snapped to realign that of a wolf, nails turned to claws, hands to paws, skin replaced by thick fur red as blood and blond
almost white. Their howls and growls echoed throughout the forest.
A thick cloak draped around my shoulder and I look to see Tash and the rest of our warriors emerging from trees that surround
us. Some of them in wolf form.
"We're too late." Luna Fae said worriedly as she covered her mouth with her hand.
"Willow, are you alright? What happened? Do you know that guy?" I heard Tash asked but I was too engrossed with the fight.
The fight indeed had commenced. Both alphas trying to get to each other's neck, claws outward intend to kill the other in one
strike. No mercy showed in every move as each trying to get the upper hand.
Jasper was thrown on the ground forcefully with one move, creating a scraping sound of claws. Yet he stood back in instant and
jumped over Xyrus again, determined to win the fight.
However, Xyrus was no doubt more cunning and wickedly elusive as each attack he managed to block or dodge. He moves
perfectly in tune like a true mighty warrior of his kind.
"Oh goddess, those eyes." Luna Fae whispered worriedly.
"Somebody must stop him before it is too late." I heard Alpha Caden said.
Xyrus was indeed merciless as attack after another attack he draws blood and inflicting fatal injuries that even with a werewolf
healing ability, would be hard to heal.

The blond wolf's fur was matted with blood everywhere and large open wounds could be seen clearly. Jasper was heaving and
gradually losing his strength.
"This is Sky... his unleashed beast! " I muttered both in awe and worry as I witnessed firsthand the legendary wolf.
"He won't stand for too long." Alpha Caden said in a hard tone.
The fight was fair yet unfair in all sense. For Jasper was sure betting on his death as the battle go on. A weak whimper came out
of him when Xyrus get a hold of his neck with canines buried brutally on his flesh.
"Xyrus...please don't do this." Luna Fae pleaded, shaking her head. "You knew all too well this is just a ploy."
'What ploy?' I thought. 'What are they talking about?'
"Xyrus..." Alpha Caden called out. "You know what's at stake."
He growled at his father still not removing his canines on now stilled Jasper.
Alpha Caden lifted his chin with dignity and looked at his son's wolf straight through his scarlet irises. "Son...do you think she's
worth the risk?"
And just what I felt he would respond, Xyrus looked at me, his eyes changing from red ones to their mesmerizing sea-blue, then
moved his head in what seems like a nod.
'He thought I was worth more than anything else.' And that meant a lot to me.
My own scream filled my ears with horror as he snapped Jasper's head still not removing his stare on me.
Slowly, Xyrus released Jasper, sending the latter's body on the ground, unmoving.
Step by step he walked towards me, still in wolf form, until he was only a breath away. I stood reaching half his height. My heart
thudded as he lowered his head leveled in mine. He nudged his moist nose in my forehead and I wiped it with the back of my
hand. But he got another plan as he licked my face and softly growled, nudging my forehead once again.
'Are you alright princess?'
He mind-linked.

'How do you feel?' I asked.
'Better, now that you are near me. I won't let anything harm you I promise you that.'
"Son." Alpha Caden intervened. "You know what this means...the war."
"What war?" I ask confused.
"A war has just begun." Luna Fae finished.