Page 40 of Until The Moon Ends

I leaned back and had only just closed my eyes when heavy, thumping footsteps made me jerk awake. I couldn't see anything in the black, wet night around me. The clouds offered no reprieve for the Moon, and the rain made everything in the distance grey and hazy.

I jumped up and grabbed a thick, fallen branch. I held it out defensively as I crouched near Joon and Lex's limp bodies.

The thumping footsteps returned, closer this time, shaking the ground. I glared out into the night as a guttural bellow overpowered the sound of the rain.

Something darted out of the darkness toward me, and I swung.

Under The Trees

Joon

A booming roarrang in my ears and heavy footsteps vibrated against my cheek. I begged my body to open my eyes, but it refused, fighting hard against me. I was so exhausted. My body pulsed with a sharp pain that ripped through me, leaving me unable to make even the simplest movement.

Tzidal grunted and yelled out, forcing my eyes to finally snap open. I could see the Omega swinging a stick at a pair of flat, fat lizards. They were massive, almost the same size as the Omega. They lunged hard and fast at her, baring their teeth and whipping their long tongues at her feet. The reptiles swung their heavy tails, hissing and roaring. The sharp talons on their saucer-like feet dug into the soft earth, and their eyes shone like mirrors, putting off a pinkish glow in the otherwise black night.

I tried pulling myself up, desperate to help, but my flesh hung on my bones like dead meat, unwilling to move. I begged my wolf for strength, but he was utterly silent within me. I was so empty and weak. A few tears fell from my eyes as I watched helplessly.

Tzidal snarled and swung at the horrid beasts, moving quickly in the heavy rain. Her soft body drenched and panting.

I did nothing to protect Fennah from death, I did nothing as Byna dragged her hands over Tzidal’s trembling body, and now I did nothing as she was attacked mere feet from me by wild creatures. I was a horrible Alpha, not fit to protect. This was why the Moon had ripped my mate from me and why Tzidal was so quick to reject me.

I didn’t have the right to lay claim to anyone.

I let out a desperate moan, letting my despair consume me. I hoped, come morning, Tzidal would leave my body here to rot, saving herself and Lex. I wanted her to get to Vaesen and take the life she was owed. She deserved a happy ending to her story. She deserved so much better than I could ever give her.

My eyes pulled themselves closed, too weak to stay open anymore. And I slipped back into a black fog, listening to the sounds of Tzidal yelling and grunting, her voice becoming smaller and softer as she drifted away.

Into The Cave

Tzidal

The skyslowly turned from black to a dull grey as the morning set in. I clung to the branch, still clutched tightly in my fist. My torso was draped over Joon and Lex's bodies, sweat and rain dripping down the side of my face.

My eyes darted around, terrified the lizard-like monsters might return. The creatures spent almost the entire night trying to get to Joon and Lex, eventually abandoning their attempt just a few hours before dawn. Or at least it felt like a few hours. I tried to sleep the best I could, but every little sound that managed to cut through the pounding of the rain caused me to jerk awake. I glared long and hard into the storm, looking for any movement, before allowing my body to relax again.

Staring up at the heavy clouds, I understood why people just laid down and died here. It was so tempting just to let my exhaustion and the relentless water push my body deep into the soggy earth, never to get up again.

Groaning, I forced myself to my feet.

I heaved at Joon's arms and shoved hard at his back, pushing his body upright. He finally stood, his face blank of all emotion except the pain etched around his eyes. He swayed for a moment, but his legs appeared to be steady enough. I eyed a small cut on his arm. One of the lizards was able to get close enough to scratch him before I fought it off, but, thankfully, it was barely skin deep.

I turned my attention to Lex, quickly lifting him to his feet. His body curled tight in on itself, and he fell over quickly.

I pulled my cape off the ground and secured it before leaning down and hoisting Lex over my shoulder. It was shocking how light he was, but I knew I'd feel his weight before mid-morning. I was concerned, though. He looked even smaller than yesterday, and I wondered if it were possible that he could melt into himself and disappear altogether before we made it to safer ground.

My head hurt from the rain beating the trees and ground, and my shoulders ached from the weight of Lex's stiff body. Joon dragged his feet in front of me, his cape softly swaying at his knees. I was careful to keep him within my eyesight, too terrified he'd keel over and I wouldn't notice.

The day slipped by so quickly, and it felt as if we had barely moved more than a few feet. I glanced around, looking for a decent spot to put Lex down, when I saw a slumped-over corpse wedged under a huge, wine-capped mushroom. The waxy skin of the long-dead creature hung to its bones. Vines tangled around its limbs and wove through what used to be its mouth, and a tight grouping of fungus bloomed out of an otherwise empty eye socket.

I swallowed convulsively, trying to push back the nausea that rose up my throat. A low whine forced its way out of my chest, and hot tears ran down my cheeks, mixing with the cool rain. Lex's stiff form pulled hard at my body, making my back and knees ache.

We might die here.

I softly placed Lex on the wet grass and gave myself a moment to cry. I tilted my head to the sky, allowing fat raindrops to lance my cheeks, lips, and eyes. Pain melted into my skull and I hissed at the sensation. Joon shuffled forward in the distance. I needed to get his attention, but I was sure there was no way he'd hear me over the deafening storm.

"Joon," I said, my voice holding no strength. "Joon, wait."

My eyes flickered just beyond him, and I jerked when I saw it, praying my eyes weren't playing tricks. A cave.