Three

Those last couple of weeks were hell in that village. Everyone, and I mean everyone, glared at me. Graduation was the worst. They threatened to take away my diploma just because I didn’t “respect the hunt.”

“Terrell the Terrible, the name rings so high!”

Just like Ivan the Terrible, or the Hitler of their town, they taunted me. My father hired an outside human lawyer when they threatened my diploma. The attorney made some wheels and deals, and on the 17^th of June, I walked with my class, got my diploma, tossed my tassle to the side and flipped everyone off as I walked off that stage.

There was nothing they could do to me now. I knew the plan. Graduate. Get in the car.

And get. The. Hell. Out. Of. Town.

My father had made up his mind that he was coming with me to Stanford. He said he could use the change of scenery. But I knew better. He needed to get out of town before they banned him from the pack.

He had made arrangements with a different alpha in the Stanford area. We were to meet with him in a week, giving us the time to make the drive up there from the sweltering Georgia heat. No more of this wretched humidity.

No more taunting of the shit stains that this town called their heroes.

No more Anastasia.

Anastasia…Anastasia…. her name was bittersweet in my mind. I hadn’t decided what to do. My father had pleaded with me to reject her back so I could move on while in college. I hadn’t.

I felt her. I knew her, knew her tastes, touch, smell. I knew her favorite colors, her fears, her worries for Gavin. It was enough to make any romance novel disgustingly sick.

But I was, sick, that is. Sick in love with her and until I made up my mind to release her, I would always be that way.

As my father and I were packing the last of our suitcases into the car, I felt a sudden stab in my side. I wretched out, dropping to my knees. Then there was a instant shock that went through my skull. I grabbed both sides of my head, wailing at the pain.

“Terrell! Oh my god! Terrell!”

I barrowed out in agony, the pain piercing and blinding.

And as soon as it had begun, it stopped. I sat up, and without thinking, I began to howl.

Long, lonely, miserable howling came from deep within my lungs from a place that I had never had before. My father put his hand over his mouth, gasping.

He quickly fumbled for his cell and called the doc.

“Doc? Yeah, it’s Richard. Something’s wrong. No, no. We’re fine. Find Anastasia. Something’s wrong with Anastasia. How do I? What? Oh my god, just find her!”

He hung up the phone and came over to hold me. I snarled at him and took off, my human form shedding in front of him and at a full run. I smelled the air. I had to find her.

But I couldn’t be seen. My mind kept telling me that. Don’t be seen. Just run until you find her. But don’t be seen.

I could hear her now, her faint gasps for air breaking with each struggle to take them in. I could smell the blood. So much blood. I could hear her trying to move, feel each twinge of skyrocketing pain that escalated through her broken body.

I found her.

The curve on the outskirts of town was historical for taking those who wouldn’t be wary of it for a spin of their life time, and the last of their lifetime. I saw the broken guard rail, smelled the smoke, the gasoline as it left the broken fuel tank. I had to get down there.

Don’t go. I heard the voice in my head, but it wasn’t mine. It was Doc Havard’s.

We both shifted back. He looked at me, his eyes knowing but unable to speak. My father approached us in his car, and brought us both a set of clothes.

“Is she…?” my father asked.

“No, not yet,” I replied, without hesitation.

“Are you sure son?” Doc asked.

“Positive, but it won’t be long. She’s bleeding internally.”

“Well, let’s not just stand here. Come on doc!” My father started heading down the hill.

“Richard, wait!” Doc screamed after him.

My father stopped, and he suddenly knew. He climbed back up the hill, slowly.

Doc looked at me. “Terrell, don’t let her suffer. Release her from the pain. As long as you two have an attachment, she will never be able to live fully. And if she dies down at the bottom of the ravine, you’re going to die with her, little by little.”

My father looked at me, “He’s right Terrell. Let her go. Let her go in peace.”

Again, my eyes burned. I could feel the heat from the fire that had started when they spoke.

“Anastasia, I re….I re….”

“Go ahead son, we are both here for you.”

“Anastasia, I reject you as my mate.”

As if the car understood me, it exploded into an awesome fury. The pain was gone. The tears were still there, with a loss I would never understand fully. We all knew that there was no saving her. Doc had saved my father’s life, smelling the gasoline as strongly as I had.

My father’s encouraging strength around my shoulders, he guided me back to his car. The ball of flames burned courageously behind us, taking up anything in its path.

I suppose we won’t be leaving for a few days then, I thought to myself.