Golden: A Paranormal Romance

by Ellis Marie

  “Just let her go,” Trent chokes out, begging. “You’ve done enough to her for an entire lifetime, just let her go and we’ll settle this between us. Be a man for once in your life.”

  No.

  I can see Matt’s look of triumph, the way he quickly glances at Carter and lifts his lips in a slight smirk. This is exactly what he wants; he wants Trent vulnerable. He’s playing right into his hands.

  I begin to shake my head, and I try to reach out to Trent, to warn him of what Matt is holding and the real power that is in it, but Matt notices my frantic expression and pulls the blade away from me, quickly replacing it with his fist that flies into my chest and throws me to the ground. My head spins as it hits the floor. My arms bend awkwardly behind me as I land and shriek in pain, the air in my lungs gets trapped. My ribcage feels as though it may break as my body begs for air.

  “Stop!” Trent roars, and it feels as though even the air shakes with the anger in him. “I’ll do whatever you want just . . . just stop. Please.”

  Catching my breath is proving increasingly difficult considering I still can’t breathe from this tape across my mouth, and the ringing in my ears only seems to grow with Trent’s resigned tone.

  No.

  I try to lift my knees, but my legs sprawl out to turn me onto my side. The position lets air in easier, but it means my wrists are in full view of Carter so I stop trying to rub them free.

  Matt crouches down to look at me, pinching my chin with his fingers as he raises it to point towards Trent and his shaking figure.

  “Get a good look, Annabelle,” he whispers in my ear, his venomous tone so quiet that it’s like a nightmare from my head, like the whispers I’ve worked so hard to rid myself of. “Because you’re about to watch your beloved alpha die. Right in front of you, and there’s nothing you can do because you know you’re nothing but a worthless girl that doesn’t have the strength to stop this. You can’t save the man you’re supposed to love. How sad.”

  With a grunt, he shoves me back to the ground. My chin knocks to the ground and causes an ache to spread over my face, making my already sore body even worse.

  Matt whistles at Carter who moves over and stands beside my and Kristie’s crumpled bodies. His grin of delight makes my stomach coil in disgust as he presses his hands down, holding us in place. I try to ignore the painful way my ribs are being crushed beneath him.

  Kristie looks to me with tear-filled eyes, asking me what we can do, waiting for me to come up with a plan or see some way for us to get out of this, but I don’t.

  I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what I can do.

  Matt strolls forward, swinging the blade between his hands lazily as if he’s taking a pleasant walk down at the beach, without a care in the world. A serene day and not someone’s funeral.

  Trent walks forward, watching Matt and the weapon he holds. I can see his eyes flickering to the sides of the forest, where there’s no doubt more people waiting. Watching. Begging to be set free.

  I know he’s telling them not to attack. Because of me.

  I have to get out of these ropes.

  Trent stops a few steps away from Matt, his huge body seeming to dwarf it. For a moment, I have the hope that he can defeat him, that he is strong enough to foil Matt’s plan and leave victorious, but he doesn’t know that there’s wolfsbane in the blade. He doesn’t realise that with one good hit, he’ll be dead before he knows it.

  I can’t lose him, not after everything.

  “You know, she’s really not worth it,” Matt hums. I can picture his revolting expression as I stare at his back, trying to suppress my emotions.

  Trent seems to ignore his words as he looks at me and my shaking body while I struggle to climb to my knees, the tears streaming at a rate that I can’t stop them even if I want to.

  “Yes, she is,” he murmurs in reply, his lips softly tilting into a smile that seems to make everything else blur in the background. “She’s worth everything.”

  Even in the most terrifying moment of my life, with just a perfect smile and those golden eyes shining at me, he makes everything feel okay. Just for one brief, euphoric second.

  I can’t let him die.

  Matt begins to speak, his voice loud and exaggerated as though he’s doing a presentation. When he motions into the forest, I realise that he knows. He knows that the others are at the sidelines, waiting.

  “I’ve been told that you’re meant to be one of the most unbeatable creatures in history,” he says dramatically, his attention taken up by his own self-obsession. “I disagree. I think that you’re one of the most pathetic. Who in their right mind would give their life up for a girl that they’ve known for not even a few months?”

  There’s a pause. “And trust me, she’s not even that good in bed if that’s what you’re hoping.”

  In a blink, Trent is growling. His nostrils flare as he steps menacingly forward. His body begins to shake with fury, his mind no doubt going to the nightmares that I revealed to him and the things Matt used to do to me.

  Matt steps back, his laughter mocking as he continues to agitate Trent. Realisation dawns on me when I begin to see Trent’s muscles twitching and his eyes turning dark.

  This is what Matt wants. He wants him to lose control and attack. If he leaps forward, it doesn’t matter what strength he has or speed he moves; it’s the perfect way for Matt to not miss his target.

  Carter leans forward, his revolting breath washing over Kristie and I as he pulls our heads up and laughs, the sound turning my blood to ice.

  “You girls have the best seat in the house. You should enjoy this. Be grateful.”

  As he moves back again, clearly pleased with his taunts and the way neither of us respond, he loosens his grip ever so slightly. I carefully glance back, looking to find his eyeline. When I see it watching above us, I almost send a prayer.

  This is it.

  I look to Kristie, hoping that my eyes are telling her what I’m trying to say, so that she can see my plan and what I need her to do.

  She follows my gaze. When I, very slightly but sharply, lift my chin upwards, the light seems to return to her eyes. The fierce spark of determination that I’ve relied on most of my life comes back with a vengeance.

  Of course, I should have known that she would understand. She’s my best friend after all. We have to do this quickly.

  Slowly, I blink at her.

  One . . . two . . . three!

  We move, throwing our heads back together and there’s the resounding sound of impact as bone connects with bone. Carter’s yelp of pain comes right before the weight of him is removed from our backs. Without a pause, I scramble to my knees while praying that my balance is good enough.

  My legs buckle slightly when I first rise. I stumble forward, yanking my hands and ignoring the excruciating pain that etches across my skin at the friction.

  I move to step forward, towards Trent and Matt, but an arm reaches out from the side of me, aiming to halt me. Just as it begins to wrap around my waist and panic fills me, a body slams into the side of it. They both tumble to the ground, pained moans clattering with them.

  Kristie spins to face me with wild eyes, her body flattening Luke beneath her. A sound vibrates from behind the tape, and although I can’t hear it, I know what she’s screaming.

  Go!

  Everything seems to slow, like someone has pressed a button to make this scene drag out. Maybe that way my heart would sound almost normal and not as though a hummingbird has taken up a home in it.

  As I begin to see Carter’s furious face rising, I spin, forgetting about getting my hands free. Instead, I trust my body to be enough to stop Matt from hurting Trent.

  I have to try.

  They’re not very far from me, but it feels like an ocean is between us as I run.

  “Trent!” I scream, words muffled but still trying to reach for him. “Trent!”

  Please.

  His gaze moves from Matt to me, his eyes l
ighting up when he sees that I’m free and running towards him, but it quickly changes to confusion when he sees my expression. He’s confused at why I’m running towards him and not away from them.

  I can’t lose him. I don’t care that he said he would die for me because I’m not ready to let him go. I can’t let him go. I can’t imagine my life without him. I can’t picture walking into school and not having him by my side, waiting for me as the bell rings everyday. I can’t see myself laughing with my friends without his arm around me and his deep baritone voice joining the chorus. I can’t imagine growing old without his wrinkled but still beautiful face smiling at me, those eyes shining no matter what age we got.

  I can’t live without him.

  I love him. He’s my mate.

  Matt doesn’t turn to look at me, but I can see his ears twitch, pulling his arms back to lift the dagger in response.

  No.

  And the pack can’t survive without him. They need him.

  “Elle!” Trent calls, holding his hand out to stop me as horror fills his gaze, his legs lifting him in an attempt to reach me. “Dont!”

  I throw my whole body into Matt, circling my arms around his waist as I shove him to the side. Our legs knock against one another as we stumble.

  There are a few steps.

  He falls back.

  I stop.

  The world seems to stop.

  I hear the silence around us and the breath that I try to take as it shudders through me. Matt looks up at me with confusion coating his features as he pushes himself onto his elbows.

  I stopped him.

  “Elle?” Trent’s voice comes from my left. I turn to look at him, tears dropping as relief hits me.

  He’s safe.

  “Elle, what—” He pull his eyebrows together as he freezes, a choked sound catching in his throat.

  Everyone’s alright. Then I feel it.

  Numb.

  I follow his eyes down.

  Oh.

  My legs wobble as I stumble back, but Trent is there to catch me, quickly lowering me to the ground as he pulls off the tape from my mouth.

  I try to breathe in, to let my lungs feel the deep breath that they’ve been craving, but it catches. It catches on the hilt of the blade in my stomach.

  “Elle?” Trent whispers, his hand shaking as it hovers over me, not knowing what to do. “Mon coeur, what did you . . . why would you—”

  Although my body is beginning to shake, my heart warms at the feeling of his arm around me and the familiar nickname passing his lips.

  A shadow steps over us, their figure hesitant as they step.

  “Anna? How did you—” Matt’s blue eyes stare at the weapon embedded in my skin. “You weren’t meant to do that.”

  I can’t stop the smug smile that stretches across my lips at his disoriented expression. His mind seems to not understand how he’s failed as he twists his hand into his hair.

  “You don’t get to tell me what to do anymore, Matt.” I manage to shakily laugh with hatred spilling out of my lips. “I was never yours.”

  His momentary feelings of pain and shock seem to disappear at my words, the real anger and venom seeping into his features. He looks from Trent to the weapon. His figure shakes with rage as he tries to control his fury. He curls his lip and he steps forward with spit flying with every syllable.

  It’s like he’s done it so many times before—the intent to harm, to injure, to control me, but he can’t. Not anymore. Not ever.

  “You ruined everything,” he seethes as he stalks towards us. His murderous intent is palpable in the way he reaches for me, as if looking to squeeze the life from me. “You little b*tch, Anna, I’ll—”

  I can guess what he’s going to say, but he never gets a chance to. From behind him, someone’s hands wrap around his neck, cutting off whatever spiteful and venomous words are about to fly. His eyes widen in panic, and he reaches out as if to ask for help, horror sliding across his features.

  “Elle is my luna, and you’ll never disrespect her again.”

  There’s a cracking sound, like the crunch of a thick branch breaking off a tree.

  My breathing stops.

  And then, the blue light from the eyes of the first boy that I ever loved goes out. The breath leaves his body in a single swoop as it crumples to the ground.

  Gone.

  Relief floods through me when I see who is behind it, their familiar dimpled face making me let out a gasp of happiness.

  “Cole, you’re okay,” I cry before recoiling in pain, pulling back my arm that’s stretched out to him.

  He collapses at my side, quickly untying the rope from around my wrists. I almost want to tell him that it’s not worth it. I can’t feel them anyway.

  “I don’t think I’m the one we should be worried about, Elle.” He laughs but it’s humourless and strained. “We need to get you help. Trent?”

  I look to the man to my left, but he doesn’t look like a man; he looks like a scared little boy.

  “Trent!” Cole tries again. My heart thumps in my chest at how lost and distraught he looks. His eyes are unmoving from my stomach, his arms around me shaking as he silently sits there, tears falling from their cage.

  There’s a scream. “Alpha!”

  Cole’s roar shakes me straight to my bones. It seems to do the same to Trent, knocking him out of whatever limbo he’s put himself into as it ricochets across the field. He looks up at his beta with wide eyes, now alert in panic and power.

  “Get Scarlette. I’m going to apply pressure to this, but I need her,” he rushes out, nodding to his friend who slaps a hand to his arm before taking a deep breath. “Hurry.”

  “Cole.” I manage to grab him just as he rises to his feet and steps away, my plea making him falter. “And Kristie. Check Kristie. Please.”

  I think he might argue for a moment, but something in my eyes stops him. With a firm nod, he takes off in the direction of the people at the other side of the grass. When he’s gone, the air leaves my lungs and I sink into Trent’s arms, bracing myself for the sharp pain of his hands pressing into my wound.

  “Maybe we should have stayed in bed this morning.”

  A sound of disbelief leaves Trent’s lips as he presses them together, and I suck the air in through my teeth, my body jerking in response.

  “Why did you do that, Elle?” he whispers, his eyes burning as he looks at me. “Why would you do this?”

  “You came for me,” I whisper, warmth spreading through me as the pain begins to ease, and I shakily raise my hand to touch his damp cheek. “You came to rescue me.”

  “I came to take you home,” he chokes, wrapping his fingers around mine as he leans into them. “And I always will.”

  His arms feel like home.

  “You’re my home, Trent,” I reply, trying to lean up to him, but I hiss as pain shoots through my entire body. He drops my hand, looking around us, panicked.

  “Elle, we have to get you to a hospital,” he urges, moving his body as he begins to try and get me to follow his orders. “Come on, mi cielo, try.”

  I nod and begin to force myself, even though I want to curl up in a ball and stay still, but when I try, I can’t. It’s like my body has lost all function.

  “T-Trent,” I stutter out, making him look at me in panic as fear creeps into me. “I can’t move my legs.”

  I hear the panting breath of my best friend before she reaches us, her shouts of my name accompanying her heavy footsteps. She comes skidding to a halt beside us.

  When she sees the blade sticking out of my body, she falls to her knees as she begins to shake her head. Apart from a few scrapes over her face, there doesn’t seem to be any other visible injuries.

  Thank god she’s okay.

  “I didn’t know you were going to do that, you idiot!” she scolds. “If I had known, I wouldn’t have helped you. I would have—”

  “That was a killer headbutt,” I joke, cutting her off. “Scott would be proud
.”

  She guffaws, a sarcastic reply no doubt about to follow but a flurry of red hair appears beside her. Hands quickly start hovering over me but not before quickly squeezing my own.

  “If anyone ever wants to see what a real luna looks like, that was it,” Scarlette states. “You’re incredible.”

  My heart almost explodes at her kind words. I open my mouth to respond, but my body convulses in pain, stopping me.

  “We need to get her to a hospital, she can’t move her legs,” Trent explains, his words almost falling over one another. “Get your car keys.”

  Kristie nods quickly and presses a kiss to my forehead before she jumps to her feet, running in the direction of the house. I watch her run as Scarlette starts murmuring something to Trent. When she turns off onto the trail, I see the group further in the distance, following something.

  Luke seems to be making a run for it.

  “Don’t worry, he won’t get far,” Trent growls in my ear. Before I can even blink, I see a pool of wolves break through the trees with their sights set on the limping boy.

  As they reach him, his screams of terror and pleading howls flood my ears. I have to turn my away, not wanting to see what happens and the sound fades into the background.

  I can see that Trent’s mind is working a mile a minute; he’s checking for Kristie while also fumbling around my wound and the weapon sticking out of it, his hands shaking more and more with every second.

  “You’ll be fine,” he whispers. I’m not quite sure if it’s to himself or to me. “It’s a small wound. It can be fixed, but I don’t know why you did it.”

  “I just wanted to be a good luna.” I smile, trying to ignore the way my toes begin to tingle and my body aches as Scarlette cuts the material around the wound.

  He lets out a laugh of disbelief, cupping my cheek. “You’re already an incredible luna. You didn’t have to do that. I could have taken it, I could have—”

  “No. You couldn’t have, Trent.”

  Scarlette’s shaking voice makes us both look to her, her shaking hands hovering over my exposed midriff.

  I realise what she sees; it’s just like the sword, my skin has veins filled with yellow liquid that are slowly turning black. The lines stretch out over my wound and then spread in all directions, their branches racing to reach the furthest point.