Werewolf Bride

Terror in the Village

The village was buzzing with commotion. The Prince has been reported missing, as expected, and he can't be seen.

Ducking through the streets was never something that Carlos had ever done before, and it's been quite amusing to watch him try for the first time. 

Amusing is perhaps the wrong word. 

It would be amusing if this were a different situation, but it isn't. 

Thankfully, the sun is falling from the sky and the darkness will be our friend tonight. As long as we make it out of here in time. They are bound to have noticed that there wasn't a body left behind, that I wasn't killed. I was spared.  

Perhaps, they even tore down Genevieve's wall and found her hidden bedroom. Perhaps, Carlos' parents will even face punishment for losing track of their escaped daughter. The Beast is guaranteed to have a temper, after all this mess, and they'd be the easiest target. 

I don't point out this possibility to either Carlos or Genevieve. The first reason being Carlos can't hand more on his conscience. The second reason being I have a feeling Genevieve already knows, and that is why she so silently trudges ahead, not pausing to catch her breath once as we fly through the village, unwilling to stop for anything. 

"Where will we go?" I have to finally ask. The uncertainty is weighing on my head too heavily. 

"I know a place. Our aunt once fled there, Carlos." Genevieve finally speaks to her brother. 

He continues on wordlessly. I'm sure he's not pleased to know he has had family in danger like this before and they left him and the rest of his family behind. I know exactly what he's thinking as if we're connected somehow. 

What kind of coward would leave and save herself but not her family? 

At least Genevieve stayed behind to watch over him instead of running to a place she clearly knew existed. 

"How safe is it there? Does the Beast not know of it?" I fill the silence as we finally catch sight of the forest ahead. 

"Yes," Genevieve says simply. "He doesn't stray far unless he knows exactly where we're headed. This particular path will make it nearly impossible to track us if we're careful." 

Carlos still says absolutely nothing, a silent killer for his sister. "Carlos!" She hisses, stopping us all in our tracks. "I am sorry I never told you, but now is not the time to be holding onto that grudge!" 

He hisses back angrily. "And this is not the time to confront me about it in the middle of the street. We don't have time to spare and we can't risk drawing attention to ourselves, you idiot." 

He continues on without her, me stuck in the middle of their squabble. 

I want to rip my hair out. 

"Carlos is right," I say softly to Genevieve. "We have to get out of her first and foremost." 

"Stay out of it, please. I don't want to snap at you too." She says, refusing to look at me with crossed arms. She is clearly waiting for her brother to turn back. 

I shake my head and nearly follow him, assuming she will have to keep going eventually...but I can't get over the fact that she is being so foolish at a time like this. That isn't like her...

Unless-

"Carlos!" I scream after him. "Run!"

He listens to me, thank goodness, bolting the second the words come out of my mouth. I sprint as well, looking straight ahead at the forest. The second I get there I can shift and sprint even faster. I don't know what path Genevieve spoke of but running will have to due. 

The Beast must have discovered her anyway. It's too late for her now. 

Carlos quickly looks back to make sure I am keeping up. I send him a breathless nod. I will keep up if it kills me. 

Today can't be the day that I die, and I'm not letting him die either. 

To my horror, Carlos looks back a second time, his eyes red and wide with shock. 

I can't help but look back to see the doom behind us.  

I had expected the Beast to track us, yes, but our main weapon to conceal ourselves until we could get to the forest was the village. The Beast doesn't allow humans to see him, and never comes into the village in broad daylight when the humans aren't in for the night. 

We had assumed today wouldn't be any different. 

But we were so terribly wrong. 

The sight hits me directly in the heart, wounding me terribly enough to cause me to lose my footing. Even if I wasn't' clumsy, I was already on my way to the ground by the time I saw what had happened behind us. 

Genevieve did not follow. 

Yes, the Beast had discovered her bedroom. Yes, he had gotten to her. 

And yes, she was meant to delay us with some pitiful fight against Carlos, which I think a part of him knew, but none of us could really bear the thought of it being true. 

And both Carlos and I had seen it. 

As I hit the ground, my nails dig into the dirt, my grief taking over my body. I cannot even bring myself to weep. My body is too in shock for that.

Before I have the strength to get up strong arms thrust me back into the air. "Come on, we can't stop," Carlos says weakly. "We can't have the same fate. Not after everything." 

"I'm sorry." I sob, my legs wobbling beneath me. "If we don't make it. I love you." I assure him. "Even after everything. Even if you want to kill me." The words stung as they came out. They might be my last, after all. 

"No, no." Carlos kisses my forehead. "Don't let yourself get caught. Run with me. Please." He says desperately...and as I look to him I finally realize it had begun to rain on the two of us. The gloomy weather couldn't have matched the state of my hope any more perfectly. 

"You've exposed the Beast for what he is. Now let me save you." Carlos finally concludes, throwing me back into his arms and begins to run. 

And I can't help but look over his shoulder once more. Genevieve lay beneath the front paws of the menacing Beast, her blood dripping from his lips. He watches us flee as the humans pelt rocks at the giant creature with terrified tears in their eyes. The humans will draw their swords and hold him off, but I know he won't be far behind soon enough. He'll make sure we share the same fate as our fallen sister. Even if he has to slaughter every single person in the village to get to us. 

"Goodbye, Genevieve," I whisper.