Fallen Love
Chapter 9

Esra.

I watch as he transforms and runs into the forest, then into battle. I watch as all the wolves fight and my vision begins to change under the effect of the spell I cast on the last attack. The wolves in Chris’s pack all turn white against the black wolves, who are the enemy. Chris helps a member of his pack by jumping on the black wolf who was about to give him the final blow. Several explosions rang out and I heard evil laughter. Shit, witches, they’re all collaborating with werewolves now? We’ve got to get rid of them or we’re in trouble.

– Witch Chris,” warned Lisa, surrounded by children.

Chris raises his head in the air as he hears them arrive, looking at them and wondering what to do, given that there are at least six of them. A clan if you ask me. I help Lisa get the children to safety by sending them to a place Lisa knows. Watching the battle, a witch rushes towards Chris, who is preparing for an attack, but he won’t be able to escape.

I’ve got to act, I’ve got no choice.

Resigned, my eyes closed and then opened to take on Em’s emerald-green irises. With my hand I stopped the witch, who placed her hands on an invisible wall, not understanding what was going on, which made me smile. I must admit, using my powers without restraint against witches delights me to an unimaginable degree. They never suspect that a witch is right in front of them.

When Chris saw the witch blocked, he turned around in search of the person responsible and saw that it was me, because of my outstretched hand and my eyes. His gaze turned to me in disgust. Unable to watch it any longer, I concentrated on the witch and sent her away with a wave of my arm.

– ESRA,” Lisa shouted.

Turning my head towards her, I see her holding back two witches who are trying to destroy the shield on her bracelet. With Alice behind her to protect her, running as fast as I can, I enter the circle just as Lisa’s shield breaks and my shield is activated, forcing the witches to retreat. By several meters.

– You!” says one of them. Are you alive?

– Too bad for you,” I taunted them.

I don’t know how she recognized me or if she’s confusing me with someone else, but I don’t care. The two sent me fireballs which I stopped with ease, Em appeared behind them and lunged at one of them, suffocating her by surrounding her before she succumbed for lack of air. I took advantage of the situation to bring out my bow and snake arrows and shoot the second witch, who fell dead with my necklace arrow. I always shoot the first one to fully activate the venom on all the other arrows I shoot, since venom is bound to be deposited on the bow. Lisa comes over to me with the little one in her arms.

– Thank you,” she whispers in relief.

– Go and put her in a safe place, I’ll get rid of the witches.

– I’ll be quick.

Lisa leaves in a hurry after giving me back my necklace, which she has picked up, and I climb onto a picnic table near me, which gives me a better view for shooting. Wolves are being strangled off the ground and the poor things can’t defend themselves. My necklace becomes an arrow that shoots one by one at all the witches responsible for casting the spell on the wolves, poisoning them. The freed wolves fall back to the ground, fortunately none of them fall badly. Chris’s pack give me a surprised look, realizing that I’m a witch after all. I fire again at a few black wolves who had too much the upper hand on white wolves, and without my realizing it, I’m propelled against a tree.

My bow disappears as it slips from my grasp, and as I try to stand up, a grunt comes to me but I ignore it as I lean against the tree to get up. I put a hand to my forehead and feel a liquid on it; I can easily guess that it’s b***d. A gasp of pain seeps through my ribs as I take a breath. I see a white wolf on the ground. As best I can, I crawl towards him and, once within reach, I place one of my hands on his paw and try to concentrate on healing him. The energy needed to heal him leaves me, but I cry out in pain as I’m pulled by the ankle, the fangs of a wolf sinking deep into my flesh making me cry out again. Suddenly, I fall into the void and tumble down a slope, rocks, roots, branches… nothing spares me on my descent, and it’s paralyzed with pain that I arrive in a clearing. A growl circles around me, which doesn’t reassure me at all.

I can’t activate my shield, I’m far too stunned. I can’t die like this, not now when I’ve decided to change my life and fight. I’ve got to explain to Chris, he thinks I’m evil like all the other witches, I can’t let him think that. I’ve still got so much to do and I’m not going to die so stupidly because I didn’t have my back.

I close my eyes tightly, praying to all the gods and goddesses in existence, tensing all my muscles in preparation for an attack, but nothing comes. I dare to half-open my eyes, since opening them wide is impossible, and see a white wolf in front of me, ready to defend me. Lisa. The fight is fierce as I see them clawing at each other, pouncing on each other and biting like mad. Turning to the other side, I hope to be able to move, to get back up the slope, but I’m stuck, even moving a hand is an ordeal.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt worse in my life than when I got out of my prison. I try to call Em with my thoughts, but the connection sizzles and blurriness replaces my vision. No, I mustn’t lose consciousness, it’s the beginning of the end for sure. The last time this happened to me, I found myself locked in. I’m trying to feel the elements around me, but it’s difficult. Frankly, I’m OFF and I’m certainly not going to sit around waiting to get better because Chris and his pack aren’t going to help me because I’m a witch, an infamous creature. God, Chris kissed me and he must hate me for not telling him my secret. His priority now will be to kill me, like everyone else, and Lisa won’t be able to do anything for me.

– Esra,” shouted a voice.

After several calls, I turn my head towards her and recognize Lisa’s voice, she runs down the slope and kneels beside me. Other voices reach me but I can’t make them out clearly and I’m too exhausted to open my eyes again. Several hands rest on me to assess the damage, which is unfortunately quite extensive. Wait, if Lisa’s here, who’s the wolf who saved me?

– Esra, how are you feeling? says a male voice.

Nick.

– Not great,” I muttered.

Luckily, they’re werewolves and can hear me just fine. But their overdeveloped hearing isn’t going to help me. There’s a sharp pain in my ankle, but I just let the tears fall. The wolves are still fighting by the sounds I hear as hands compress my injured ankle. My eyes close but I’m slapped awake.

– You mustn’t close your eyes, Esra,” says a man who turns out to be Emmett. CHRIS COMES QUICKLY.

Hearing his name sends shivers of fear down my spine, now that I’m out of the race, nothing can stop him from killing me. Without my realizing it, I’m lifted off the ground a few minutes later, groaning in pain. My eyesight is too blurry to see, but the smell tells me who it is. Chris carries me and I wonder where I’ll end up – in a dungeon? A table to dissect me? A grave? I don’t bloody know, but if I have to add an option I’ll take the one on my bed.

Chris climbs back up the slope and stops for a few seconds so that I can put my ear to the ground and try to pick something up.

– Shit,” I heard someone say as they passed me.

– We’ve got to do something or he’ll die,” says Lisa to who knows who.

All I understand is that a wolf is seriously injured and will die if no one helps him. I try to move Chris’s arms and he closes them firmly on me, hurting.

– Chris is laying here next to Franck,” Lisa tells him, understanding my intentions.

– What’s the point?

– Just do as I say.

After a moment’s hesitation, he moves and I find myself lying next to a fur. I reach up and stroke his warm fur, but it’s sticky. There must be a lot of b***d.

– I’m so sorry to ask you this, Esra,” Lisa breathes to me with sobs in her voice.

– Don’t worry, I can help her,” I assure her in my mind’s eye.

A hand rests on my cheek and I know Lisa is thanking me, at the same time my snake comes over me to give me enough energy without taking too much of mine. I inhale and exhale, then let the magic leave my veins to heal the wolf at my side. There’s a lot of whispering around me, but I ignore it. Em comes into my body, transmitting his strength, and after a few minutes the wolf regains all his strength. He stands up, his fur brushing against me as he stands, then walks away. After that, my eyes close and nothing can keep me awake.