Bubbles filled my vision, and I twisted, trying desperately to get to the surface. But Sarah's grip was like iron, and she forced me deeper underwater, using her arms and legs to keep me trapped. My lungs were already burning from not having enough air when she'd tackled me into the pool, and bubbles burst free as Sarah locked her arms around my waist and squeezed. I tried to cover my nose and mouth to stop what little air I had from escaping, but it was no use, and I felt my body convluse, the burning in my lungs growing unbearable. And though a small part of my mind screamed at me that taking a breath underwater was a bad idea, my body's need to breathe was too strong.
Mercifully, Sarah's grasp was ripped away, just as I felt myself taking that first, fatal breath, and though water rushed in, I managed to cough it out when my head broke the surface. Sarah was screaming curses, but I ignored her as my rescuer helped me out of the pool. I turned to thank them once I was on dry land, only for the words to die in my throat when I saw it was Uncle Ben who'd saved me, and my face paled.
"I'm not letting her drown you before you've had a chance to apologise for your disgraceful behaviour," he said, seizing me by the arm and dragging me to where Sarah stood, eyes blazing as she continued to scream curses, flailing as she tried to break free from Jesse's grip. His face was like stone as he held her, his wolf's strength easily overpowering her's, and I let out a sigh of relief. But it was short-lived when Uncle Ben approached them. "Let my daughter go," he said coldly.
Jesse glared at him. "Like hell I will," he snapped. "She tried to drown Charlie, for God's sake!"
"Mind your tongue," Uncle Ben warned him. "Charlie deserved it for spouting her disgraceful lies. Now. Let. My. Daughter. Go."
Marcus intervened. "That's enough," he said, glaring at Uncle Ben, who actually took a step back. Marcus had a fearful reputation, and it showed as he directed his glare at Sarah, who'd finally stopped screaming. But her eyes were still blazing, and it was clear to all that I'd be dead if Jesse let go. Thankfully, he had no intentions of doing so. "Sarah, you need to apologise to your cousin," Marcus said, his voice even colder than Uncle Ben's. "You had no call to try and attack her for telling the truth."
"She's a whore!" Sarah screamed. "She bewitched Jesse against me!"
"I did no such thing!" I protested. "You never let me be within shouting distance of any male, so how could I bewitch any of them?"
Uncle Ben turned and slapped me across the face. "Mind your tongue," he said, his voice like eyes. "I've a good mind to cast you out tonight. If you don't wish to be exiled in naught but what you're wearing, you will shut your mouth."
I glared at him. "I'm not going to be bullied into silence," I said angrily. "If anyone's in trouble, it should be your precious daughter, not me!"
Uncle Ben took a threatening step towards me, but Marcus intervened once more. "Leave her," he said. Uncle Ben, however, wouldn't be cowed this time, and he turned his glare on Marcus. "Step aside," he warned. "I won't have you interfering in business that doesn't concern you. My niece needs to answer for her lies."
"What lies?" I snapped. "I'm telling the truth, if you'd just stop being so blinded by your daughter's wiles for five minutes!"
Sarah screamed again, and Jesse's face showed the strain as he fought to keep her contained. I glared at her, but this had little effect, and I decided to just get the truth out there. "She's hated me for years," I said. "Ever since Dad died, she's depsised me because Uncle Ben took me under his wing, and promised to care for me like a second daughter. She stole all my things because she thought I didn't deserve them, and she always excluded me from the daily goings on, all because I have no wolf."
Uncle Ben's face was dark with rage, but I gave him no chance to speak. "And she wants to keep me chained to her for the rest of my life," I said firmly. "She plans to never let me go, and when Uncle Ben dies, she's going to use her wolf to give me a long lifespan, so she can torment and abuse me for as long as we both live, as revenge for having no wolf, and for daring to think I had some shred of importance in this pack."
Shocked gasps followed this pronouncement, but I had no time to savour the fact that I'd finally got through to most of my pack; with an inhuman howl, Sarah launched herself out of Jesse's arms, shifting as she did so, and the breath left my lungs once more as she slammed into me, knocking me to the ground. I tried to break loose, but before I could do so, she backed off, only to then snarl and lunge, fangs sinking deep into my left foot.
And my world exploded once more, this time in a red blaze of pain.
When I came to, Jesse had me cradled in his arms, and I pressed my head against his chest, focusing on his heartbeat. I didn't need to see my foot to know it was a ruined, mangled mess; the pain told me louder than words the damage that been done. Two blood-soaked towels lay nearby, and I could just make out another wrapped around my foot. I shivered, feeling as if I might just be sick from the pain, but I fought it down as Uncle Ben approached, his face like stone. I could hear sirens approaching, and though I felt relief, knowing help was nearby, I felt dread once more as I looked up at my uncle.
"You are a disgrace," he said. "I am ashamed to call you my niece."
I felt cold, both inside and out, as he bit off each word, the disappointment cutting me to the bone. "Uncle Ben..." I began, but he held up his hand.
"Save it," he said. "Jesse, let her go. She can stand."
Jesse stared at him incredulously. "Her foot's a mess," he protested. "She's losing blood by the second. If she doesn't get treatment, she's going to die."
Uncle Ben gave him a frosty glare. "Let. Her. Go."
Jesse gave him glare for glare. "Not on your life," he said.
"Fine." Uncle Ben then suited words to actions, seizing me by the arm and hauling me to my feet. My head swam at the sudden motion, and the moment my feet - both good and bad - hit the ground, I hit the deck, gasping as fresh pain overwhelmed my senses. Uncle Ben simply hauled me to my feet again. Again I collapsed, my senses just registering the cold deck under my cheek, the stabbing pain as he pulled me up again. Once more I hit the deck, only now, I felt nothing, just grey, a mist covering my senses before snuffing everything out altogether. My last thought was how disappointed Dad was going to be when he found out his brother-in-law had failed him so badly in protecting me.
And then the grey and the black took over, snuffing me out like a candle. 146Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cCEWBWmDu
