Glass shards cracked beneath my feet as I walked over to the smashed window. I finally felt the freezing air biting at my skin, making every single cut known. I glanced down at my arms, swallowing at the number of cuts and the amount of blood dripping down, an alarming amount for such small cuts. I looked back out the window, ignoring my chattering teeth as I looked at the line of trees where the wolf must have disappeared.

"God, it's freezing out there," Akia chattered as she walked closer to me. She looked up at me when I didn't respond, raising her brows at my determined expression. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm going after it." I walked over to my backpack, which fell of my shoulder in the attack. I pulled my red jacket out of the zipper, tugging it on and wincing when the rough material rubbed against my wounds.

"You-you're-what? What do you mean you're going after it?" I looked over at Akia as I pulled my hair out of my jacket. "Red, are you absolutely insane? That thing could have killed you!"

I walked back over to her, raising a brow at her nervous expression. I mean, she's making a fair point, but I still had to do it. I don't know why, but I had to do it. I know it's stupid, I don't have to be told.

Geez, I feel like Darry from Jeepers Creepers when he crawled down the pipe. I'm just walking right to my death, aren't I?

Oh well.

"Yeah, I guess I am insane," I mumbled, waking back towards the window. I wiped away some fresh blood from my lip, glancing over at Amia's desperate expression.

"Red, I don't think you understand what I'm saying. That thing almost killed you! Why are you going after hi-it?"

Well, I just mentally answered that.

"I don't know," I spoke, turning to Akia and wiping at my lip again. She responded by pulling down her blue sweater sleeve and dabbing at the cut on my forehead.

I looked down when I heard my friend sigh. "Red..."

Grinning, I stepped closer to the edge of the wall. "Akia..."

Without another word, I jumped out the window.

Luckily, there was a hill on this side of the school, so the jump wasn't that dangerous. I toppled to the ground in an ungraceful landing, wincing at the sharp pain in my ankles. I groaned in annoyance, climbing to my feet and dusting the snow off of my jeans. With a huff, I took off running towards the woods.

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I sprinted past the large trunks and shoved myself through the foliage,forcing myself through the forest in a desperate attempt to follow the wolf. I used my arms as a shield to protect myself from the thorn bushes and low branches, trying to stop any more cuts from adding themselves to my facial collection. It almost never worked, though. It felt like hundreds of tiny knives were slicing through my skin.

I let out a gasp of relief when I finally broke through the thick expanse of trees, clutching my stomach as I panted. Just after I gulped in a large breath, it was scared out of me by a piercing growl. I looked up, finally noticing the blonde wolf that I assumed was there the entire time.

Suddenly, I'm really regretting my decision, but another part of my mind seemed really happy to see this creature.

"What big eyes you have," I whispered, only half-aware of what I was saying as I took a few steps towards the wolf. It's blue eyes widened as I approached, leaning away from me and letting out a snarl of warning. Isn't it impossible for wolves to have blue eyes? And why do they look so familiar?

"What big ears you have." Another few steps. The wolf's ears perked up after being mentioned, before flattening against its head as it let out another sound.

"What big teeth you have." The wolf bared it's teeth, drops of saliva glistening as they slithered their way down the razor sharp bones, a deafening noise emerging from behind them as I took the last few steps towards it. My body, still in control, forced me to push out my hand. My fingers reached for the wolf, barely even brushing the fur of his muzzle before I was shoved to the ground.

I grunted in pain as all air left my lungs, struggling to inhale as the beast pressed its front paws against my chest. I gasped in short breaths, struggling to push the monstrous creature off of me as its teeth got closer and closer to my neck. I forced my eyes open, looking around me for anything I could use as a weapon. Fortunately, luck was on my side as my gaze landed on a smooth, grey stone. Letting go of one of the paws, I reached a hand towards the stone, my fingers barely grazing the surface before they were ripped away. I let out a piercing scream, shoving the wolf off of me with a new found strength, dragging my body away from the creature. Tears spilled from my eyes as I cradled my wrist to my chest, peeling off my shredded glove and staring at the wound the wolf had left.

A deep, bleeding bite mark.

I gulped at the amount of blood pooling from my small wrist, forcing myself to look away and up to the wolf. The terrifying creature was stalking towards me with a predatory glint in its eyes.

Its eyes. Eyes...eyes that were always so familiar, but I didn't know why. At least....until now.

"Eiden," I whispered, crawling further away when the wolf froze, it's eyes widening at the simple word I spoke. A name both of us were very familiar with. "Eiden...is that you?"

I was terrified. There is no doubt that those eyes belonged to my best friend's older brother. My older brother. It had to be Eiden, but...why was he a wolf? How was he a wolf?

The creature stared at me, its mouth snapping shut and all murderous intent vanishing from behind its eyes. Silently, with only the grass of the clearing rustling beneath its feet, the wolf stalked behind the boulder I rested my back against. I could only just feel the chill of the frozen rock and the snow on the ground as I calmed down. I swallowed as I stared at the spot the beast vanished from, wincing when I put pressure on my wounded wrist. Gasping, I pulled my wrist to my chest, crying out in pain. I leaned against the boulder, a few tears escaping as I stared down at my bloodstained arm.

"Red?"