The Dying Fate (The Umbra Chronicles Book 1)

by Willow Ravenheart

  "What's for dinner?" I ask as I walk up behind him.

  "Elliot made some fucking awesome shepherd's pie stuff. This is like my third plate!" he exclaims. I look him up and down, noticing the bulge sticking out around his middle. Yep, he's being a pig and eating everything before I can get a scrap.

  I grab a plate sitting on the counter and dish out a serving before following him to sit on one of the red suede couches in the living room. I take a bite and a moan of ecstasy hums in my throat. Holy shit, this is good!

  "Macy, I've got a few things I need to ask you...." Elliot says from his seat on the couch across from us.

  "Ask away. I'm not stopping you," I tell him with my mouth full of food.

  "Well, Alpha Ronan wants to introduce you to the pack. Do you think you're ready?" he asks, making me choke on my food.

  "I don't know...." I mumble, setting my plate on the table before me. Well, that made me lose my appetite....

  "I'm sorry if this all seems to be going too fast, we just need to assure your safety. If you're a member of the pack, you acquire our protection," he says.

  "Don't you mean to say that you're scared that the person who attacked me may come back to finish?" I snap, trapping my lip between my teeth a moment later.

  "That's one of the fears. It's just...when you become a part of the pack. We will know when something's wrong. There's a thing that we can do called, Linking. Basically, you could concentrate on me and we could communicate telepathically. That way, I wouldn't have to be at your side all the time," he tells me, piquing my interest. Well, that sounds interesting!

  "That's fine," I sigh, "it's just the fact that I'm not even used to all of this yet. I mean...it's been only a few days to me. Sure, it's been a little longer, but I've only had a few days conscious to get used to all of this."

  "I can ask him to give you a while longer if you'd like...." he says.

  "That'd be great," I tell him before standing. My head is beginning to throb and all I want to do is lay down, “I’m going to go to bed, goodnight, Elliot."

  He gives me a small, sad smile before I turn around. I'm in a haze as I walk to my room and drop onto my bed with a heavy thump. The sound of the door opening behind me draws my attention and I turn to see Denny standing in the doorway.

  "What do you want?" I groan as I shove my head into my pillows.

  "I'm sleeping with you tonight," he says, "Just like old times."

  I move over in the bed and he curls up behind me. He pulls the covers over our bodies and pulls me close to his chest.

  "How are you doing with all of this?" he asks, his breath fanning against the back of my neck.

  "I don't even know...." I sigh.

  "Tell me what's going on in the pretty head of yours," he says, his hands working a lazy rhythm across my arm.

  "I want to go home...." I say, "I want to go back to the morning of the accident and ask Henry to stay home. Everything would be normal then..."

  "Nothing's meant to be normal." he sighs, kissing the back of my head.

  "Yes, it is," I whine, "that's what I've centered my entire life around. I was going to be a completely normal human being and now.... I'm not even sure what I am. This shit's just too fucking weird."

  "I'll admit that your situation is pretty fucked up, but I can also say that normal is boring as fuck. You're more than that, you always have been. Accept the fact that you're a new person and go out there to rock that shit. Only you can."

  Chapter Fourteen

  The only thing I know is that I can't breathe. I open my eyes and it takes me a moment to remember where I am. I'm in Alabama, in the middle of a Shifter commune located in the middle of fucking nowhere, in a spare bedroom of the house belonging to a long-haired man slash wolf named Elliot.

  "Stop moving around so much...." Denny mumbles from behind me, his voice hoarse and deep from slumber.

  "I'm not moving," I tell him before sitting up. I nearly jump out of my skin when I see a pair of silver eyes staring at me from the foot of the bed.

  "What the fuck, Elliot!" I scream, reaching behind myself to grab a pillow to launch at him, "Get out! Go!"

  He finishes what he was doing, which is a lazy attempt at scratching at his ear. I swear to God, if he infests my bed with fleas...I will kill him. He plops onto the ground a nanosecond before my pillow flies from my hand. A wolfish huff escapes his jowls before he shakes himself, launching a puff of ebony colored fur into the air.

  "What the hell was that about?" Denny asks as he sits up beside me, his curly hair looking like something that's been stuck in a blender for too long.

  "Our host," I hiss at the wolf who's retreating through the bedroom door, "decided that our bed wasn't full enough and that he needed to join us."

  "That's kind of creepy...." Denny says with a yawn before crawling out of the bed. His batman pajama pants hang low on his hips, showing off the two perfect dimples along the base of his spine.

  Denny leaves the room and I lay back with a loud huff. What is it about Shifters and their lack of understanding when it comes to personal space? Well, maybe not all of them, but definitely Elliot. This is all going way too fast for my taste. I know it's unavoidable, but it doesn't mean that I must be happy about it. I mean, first...I woke up and he was in my bed, I fell asleep in his arms, he kissed me in the dressing room, now he's in my bed again. Ugh, I don't know what to do....

  I crawl out of the bed and turn around to pull the sheets up and fluff the pillows. I spy a large area around the bottom of my quilt that's covered in black, long hairs. Oh, he's going to pay for that! I'll have to put my foot down and insist on a 'No Shifting in My Bed' policy. Wait, he might just take that as an invitation to crawl into my bed as long as he's human and I have no intentions of sharing my bed with him.... Yes, Macy...calm yourself. He. Stays. Out!

  Denny walks back into the room and gives me a tight hug, nearly squeezing me to death.

  "What's going on?" I ask, knowing that he only does that when he has bad news for me.

  "Hank and Sebastian are here...." He whispers into my ear, his arms still tight around me.

  "What?" I sigh. Am I not allowed even an ounce of privacy. First, I have a long-haired cowboy and a psycho blonde Barbie as bodyguards. Do I really need a Viking and Irishman as well? I think that's a little bit of overkill.

  "Yeah," he sighs, his arms loosening around me, "I saw them when I went to the bathroom."

  "Great!" I mumble sarcastically before pulling away from him to approach my closet. I rip a shirt and pair of jeans off their hangers and turn to Denny who's taken the clue and is closing the door as he leaves the room.

  It takes only a few minutes to change into my new clothes and I pause in front of the mirror for a moment to look myself over. My curly hair surrounds my face in a halo of untamed ringlets. The white shirt I picked doesn't quite cover my stomach, revealing a small band of pale flesh between the hem of the shirt and the waistband of my pants. I grab a belt and pull it through the loops of my dark jeans before stuffing my feet into a pair of flats that we picked up before leaving town yesterday.

  I reach for the door handle and take a deep breath before opening it. Honestly, all I want to do is curl up underneath my fur covered sheets and sleep for the next twenty of so years, but I know I can't. Denny wouldn't let me. My feet carry me through the threshold and into the living room where four pairs of eyes turn to stare at me.

  Denny, of course, is still sporting his pajamas, but he's at least pulled on a black tank top. Hank and Sebastian take up most of the sofa along the furthest wall. The little Irishman is dwarfed by Hank's size. It makes me wonder, if I grew so much when going through the first stage, why is Sebastian still so small? I mean honestly, the man's tiny!

  "Good morning!" Elliot calls from the attached kitchen. I look over to see him dishing out scrambled eggs into plates. The smell of food fills my nostrils and I can't control the saliva flooding to my mouth.

  "Morning...." I grumble as I snatc
h a plate from the counter top and walk to the couch opposite from Sebastian and Hank.

  "Ya look good, Macy," Sebastian compliments me, causing me to simply roll my eyes before digging into my food.

  We sit in a very uncomfortable silence for a while as I eat. Denny sits on a bar-stool in the kitchen, a cup of coffee clasped tightly in his hands. Fucking traitor, you should be over here with me!

  "So, Macy, how are things going?" Hank asks, breaking the silence. Little does he know, I have little to no interest in talking to him.

  I shovel my food into my mouth while staring out the large windows, wishing that I could just escape their staring eyes....

  "Macy, the silent treatment is only going to work so long," Elliot says as he walks into the room, his hands full of plates stacked with food which he passes to the men across from me. I slam my plate on the table between us and curl myself into the smallest ball possible as he sits beside me.

  "I don't feel like talking...." I mumble before deciding to ignore them and stare out the window instead.

  The view is astonishing here. I can see the lake a few dozen yards away, its lazy waves lapping against the shore. What I wouldn't do to be walking on that shore now instead of being stuck in a room with this much weird testosterone.

  "It might help ya to talk...." Sebastian says. I look to him, wishing that I could make daggers leap from my eyes and shred him to pieces.

  "I. Said. I. Don't. Want. To!" I growl. My body feels as though it's bound, ready to pounce and I don't understand. Where the hell is this coming from?

  "Macy, you need to calm down," Elliot sighs from beside me, only causing my blood to boil.

  "Why don't you butt the fuck out?" I snarl, jumping to my feet, "Worry about yourself and leave me the hell alone!"

  Elliot reaches out for me and I slap his hands away from me, trying to ignore the tingles that run up my arms at his touch. I run as fast as I can, ripping the front door open. I jump off the porch and let my legs carry me to the lake. It's calling my name and I just need to get away from them.

  I reach the shore and collapse onto my hands and knees. The stones along the waterline stab my hands, but I ignore the pain. What the fuck's wrong with me? If I could have hurt Elliot, I wouldn't have hesitated in doing so. I've never been the type to feel that way. What about me is going to change with this...infection?

  I crawl to my feet and pick up a few stones, wasting no time in launching them into the flawless surface of the lake. It feels as though I'm just merely a passenger in my own body now, governed by the parasite inside me that I never asked for. I think that's what bothers me the most about all of this. I wasn't given the same rights as the other Shifters like me. They had the choice to Turn and I didn't. I had that choice yanked from me the night that monster attacked me. It doesn't matter that it was against their laws, it matters that it was me. Why me?

  "Macy?" Elliot calls from behind me?

  "Please, leave me alone...." I groan before launching another stone into the lake. Why does everyone feel the need to hover over me? Hell, my parents even gave me more room than this after the accident.

  "I can't do that...." he says, his voice closer than before.

  "Why the hell not?" I cry, swinging around and launching a rock at his face.

  He ducks out of its path just in time and scowls at me. He takes another step closer to me, his hands outstretched to show me that he means no harm. I'm not a fucking animal and he doesn't need to approach me like this! Just leave me alone.

  "I've been given orders to watch over you at all times. That's what a Guardian does," he says, his voice low and soothing. Well, it would be soothing if I didn't want to kick him in the gonads.

  "Why?" I scream, "I want to be alone! I've had enough of this crazy shit to last me a lifetime. Just let me deal with this on my own!"

  "I can't do that…." he sighs as he boldly steps closer to me.

  "Don't come any closer!" I warn him, feeling my body grow warm as I clench my fists at my side.

  "Macy, just talk to me...." Elliot coos, his arms outstretched as he walks closer to me.

  I swing my leg back and kick him hard on the shin. The moment he drops to the ground I spin around and take off down the shoreline. I have to put as much distance between myself and my long-haired stalker as possible.

  The sound of footsteps echoes behind me and I pick up my pace. The lining of my lungs are burning and the muscles in my legs feel like jelly. I must get away from him, even if it's only for a few seconds. Why can't I have my old life back?

  "Macy, slow down!" he growls from behind me. I turn my face to look behind me and nearly lose my footing when I see the expression on his face. His face is scrunched in concentration, his eyes a bold, bright silver that glows in the morning light.

  "Leave me alone!" I scream over my shoulder before jumping over a large log of driftwood.

  My feet hit the pebbles scattered along the shore and I lose my balance. I stretch my hands out in front of my body to keep my face from slamming into the ground. Pain shoots through both of my palms as I hit the ground with enough force to rattle all the bones in my body. My body flips a few times before I settle on my back, my eyes and mouth wide open as I attempt to catch my breath. Elliot's face pops into my line of vision and I close my eyes.

  "What the fuck did you think you were doing?" he snarls as his hands reach out to grasp my wrists. The familiar electrical shocks run up my arms and I yank my arms from his grip.

  "I want to be alone!" I cry, unable to control the flow of hot, fat tears rolling down the sides of my face and into my hair, "No one will leave me alone! You're always around and I can't breathe. Y-you treat me like a wild animal and I'm not! I'm just woman who's been given a shitty hand at life. Let me suffer in peace!"

  "I can't do that...." Elliot sighs as he pushes his hands underneath my body and lifts me in his arms. I can't control myself and I curl into his chest, the sobs wracking my body even harder. It's impossible to breathe and I can feel my body going numb.

  "W-why?" I stutter between sobs, "Why m-me?"

  "Oh God," he whispers, "you can't think like that. It will all work out, Macy."

  "N-no it w-wont!" I wail, my heart fluttering in my chest, "N-nothing will b-be okay!"

  "Everything will be fine...." he coos, his lips a hairsbreadth from my face, "You're a strong woman. Don't let something like this pull you down. I'll help you through it."

  "B-but I don't w-want you!" I cry, my heart seizing in my chest, "I want Denny! Get D-Denny!"

  I wail, unable to control the cries that fly from my lips. I want Henry, but there's nothing in this world that will make that happen. How do I deal with things without him when I've never even had to pick out wallpaper by myself? The only person who can pull me out of this right now is the only true friend I have...the one I pulled into this crazy shit.

  A hiss escapes Elliot's lips and I can feel wind whipping around my face as he runs, carrying me back to the house. I arch my back, a strange ache beginning to build at the base of my spine. Why can't I stop hurting? It feels like every time I wake up, something else goes wrong. I wish this was a dream and that I'll wake up with my love at my side. But, I know that's just me wishing impossible things. Nothing will ever be normal again.

  "Denny!" Elliot screams as we approach the porch. Through my tear-filled eyes, I see my friend toss the door open and launch himself down the stairs to run to my side. Elliot shifts me into his arms and a cry crawls up my throat as an unbearable pressure builds behind my eyes. It feels as though my head's about to explode!

  "What's going on?" He asks, his face pinched as he gazes down at me, his eyes full of concern.

  "She wants you...." Elliot says, his voice flat and emotionless, "We need to get her inside. She's burning up.... She needs rest. "

  The world spins as I'm carried through the threshold. Sebastian and Elliot curse, following close behind us as Denny basically runs with me in his arms. I close my eyes when Denny kic
ks my door to my room open and lays me on the bed. My body protests as I lay on my back, all my muscles tight. A hiss escapes my lips when his fingers run over the shredded skin of my palms.

  "What happened?" he asks, his voice soft as he glances in my face, his features masked with worry.

  "I fell...." I mumble, turning on my side, away from his gaze. He holds me for what feels like hours. I can feel my body finally calm down and I lean into his arms. His hands rub up and down my spine as he hums in my ears, the thing he's always done to calm me down when my anxiety attacks hit full force.

  "I'm going to let you get some sleep. Call out if you need anything...." Denny says with a sigh before kissing my shoulder.

  I wait for him to close the door behind himself before I flop onto my back. The ceiling fan spins in a lazy rhythm above my head, the blades casting a gentle breeze across my burning body. I don't need anyone to tell me, but I know I'm entering another stage. My body feels too...overwhelmed. Honestly, I'm not the type of person to snap on someone. I always resolve my issues with a calm mind and say my peace. Why can't I do that now?

  My eyes grow heavy and I close them, taking a deep breath as I'm sucked into a comfortable darkness.

  ∞∞∞

  'Macy, things are changing. Right now. You need to be strong....' Kana whispers in my mind, making my eyes snap open.

  With her words, I feel a weight brush against my thigh before disappearing. It feels as though there's an entirely new space in my mind now, like a door has been opened. I look around the room and finally notice how vivid everything seems. I can see the rays of sunlight breaking through the pale blue curtains, particles of dust dancing in the tiny breeze wafting into the room through the cracked window. The paint on the wall is mesmerizing. I can see every single stroke of the painter’s brush....

  I jump from the bed and walk to the wall, my nose inches from its surface. I can smell...cedar. The walls are made from cedar! Curious, I rush over to a candle I picked up from the store yesterday and open it. My mouth salivates as the smell of buttery and sugary goodness hits my nostrils. A loud growl vibrates in my stomach and I touch my torso with my hand gently. Elliot told me that things were going to be a lot...bolder with the second stage, but this is amazing! How were things not like this before? This is amazing!