JESSIE
Yes, it's the same monster, he looks just as I remember him. The large black eyes, the horns, the whiskers, the large head, the sharp teeth, the ghost-like demeanour. Okay, now he looks like Cheshire Cat, but the only difference is he's scary as hell.
I don't do anything, I just lie there and watch him with fear in me. He was the one who killed me in the first place, so forgive me if I'm scared he might kill me again. He lifts his long claws, the same claws he used to kill me instantly, and I watch him while he lifts his hand.
But I don't have to watch, so I close my eyes and I purse my lips. Ready to see the light, but then I hear groans and screams. A heavy weight has been lifted off my body, so I open my eyes to see the veyraths jumping on the monster and fighting it so valiantly.
They're better than me.
The monster is still stronger than them, standing at six foot seven, it throws some veyraths off it. And it tries to attack them with its large claws, but the other veyraths stop it from doing anything to harm the other.
Wow, I sit on the floor, admiring the way they work together to make sure no one gets hurt. They fight the monster like they've been training for this for years. But I don't think they've been training to fight this monster because the monster kills Nytheris, so I'm sure they couldn't care less.
But they're protecting me, they stopped the monster from hurting me, and I am so grateful. Now, why the fuck did I not at least try to do something while it was on top of me? Why did I freeze and accept my fate?
That was stupid of me.
"JEZZY!" I look to my left, and I see Sebby running toward me. Great, my hero.
He goes down to my level and he puts his hand on my face.
"Are you okay?" he asks, and I nod my head. The fear in me is gone, I think.
"I came as soon as I saw the monster attack you. He says, and I look at him with a furrowed brow.
"You saw? Were you in the woods the whole time?" I ask.
"I-uh…" he stumbles with his words, and I don't understand. Why does he look like he's hiding something from me?
God, I really wish I knew what he was thinking.
A roar almost bursts my eardrums, and I look to see the monster has successfully gotten the veyraths off of it, and it runs as fast as it can away from us.
"We should go after it," Daniel says.
"No!" Thankfully, Raina pulls him back. "He's very powerful, Daniel."
"What? We're powerful too," he attempts to chase it, but Raina stops him, and so does Alex.
"Daniel, he will kill you," Alex says, and Daniel tries to be stubborn, but when he sees the worried faces of his pack, he steps down, and he doesn't try to chase after the monster.
Wow, Daniel is a leader. He might be stubborn and impulsive, but at the same time, he listens to his pack.
"Ugh, fine. That fucker is still dead though." He walks away from them, and he's headed my way.
"Are you okay, Jessie?" he asks, and I get up from the ground and I dust myself.
"Yeah, I am. That was a bit scary, but I'm fine, it's all good." I say. "Thank you so much, guys, if you didn't step in, I would have died."
"You're our friend now, we couldn't have just let that beast hurt you," Raina says, and I smile at her.
"Wow, we're calling a nytheri a friend. How the fuck did we get here?" Daniel asks, and he's also smiling at me.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sebby asks, and I roll my eyes. Oh, please, he shouldn't start this right now.
"You know exactly what I mean, De La Rosa. You and your feline family treat us veyraths like we're savages. The reason why we saved Jessie here is because he doesn't treat us like shit."
"Maybe because you are savages, and maybe you should be treated like shit."
"That's it, you are so dead." He groans, and his eyes flash, so does Sebby, and they're headed toward each other, not to hug each other but to beat or kill each other.
"Stop!" I shout angrily, coming between them with my hand on both of their chest. "There's a monster out there going about killing Nytheris."
"Ha, sounds great to us," Daniel says, his vicious golden eyes looking straight at Sebby, and I look at him.
"You don't really mean that," I say to him.
"Oh, I do, it's about time you nytheris just disappear from the earth!" Daniel spits, and then he walks away. "Come on, guys, we're done here," he says, and they don't hesitate; they follow him. The only person who hesitates is Raina; she feels bad about all this, and so do I. I feel like a child in the midst of divorced parents.
"Sorry." Raina mouths, and then she follows her family. I watch them as they run like they always do. Wolves do love to run.
"Huh, pathetic," Sebby says, and I fix a harsh gaze on him. I'm so annoyed right now.
"The only pathetic one here is you." I spit, and then I move away from him because I don't want to be standing next to him right now.
"What? How?"
"They saved me, Sebby. You didn't even thank them; you just attacked them."
"Thank them?" he says in a grimaced tone.
"Yes, they saved me from that beast, not you."
"I would have saved you."
"Yeah, because you saw the beast try to attack me, and by the way, how? Were you following me?" I ask, standing in front of him with my hands folded.
He sighs, and he doesn't look me in the eye.
"Yes, I was following you because I saw you leave your house."
"You were by my house? What are you stalking me now?"
"No," he says. "I mean, yes, but it's not what you think. I was at home when I saw you leave your house."
I am more confused now than I am angry.
"Huh?" I ask, not understanding what he's saying.
He sighs once again. And he looks like he's debating with himself on whether he should tell me something. I knew it.
"I- have been keeping things from you."
"Yeah, no shit."
"I-I am more connected to you, meaning I can't just read your mind, I can see what you see, I can also feel what you feel. Remember when you asked if I could see your dreams if I was awake."
"Yes?"
"I lied, I can see your dreams even when I'm awake. I-I saw the dream where we kissed by the lake."
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no.
What is this? What is happening? Why is he sharing my brain? Why are we so connected? I don't want to be this connected. How do I unconnect myself? This isn't happening, this can't be happening.
"Jezzy, are you okay?" he asks me, and I don't answer. I just turn around and walk away.
"Jezzy, wait!" he tries to grab my hand.
"Don't touch me!" I yell at him. "And don't follow me either!" I storm away from him. I don't want to see or talk to him right now.