Chapter 4 Taken Out

Erica's POV

The first thing I noticed in the overwhelming dark was how heavy it felt, like a thick blanket pressing down on me. This darkness seemed to sink into my bones, a cold emptiness that took away all light and hope.

My head ached hard, a dull pain that throbbed with each gasping breath. Confusion, thick like a heavy fog, filled my mind, hiding any clear thoughts. Where was I? How did I end up here? The scary, unanswered questions chewed at my thoughts.

Then the bumps started. The sudden shakes of the vehicle, whatever it was, threw my body hard against the hard walls of my cage. My hands and legs were tied up, rough ropes pressing painfully into my skin, cutting off blood flow and causing a wave of burning pain. Panic hit me, cold and sharp, cutting through the confusion and breaking apart what little calm I had left. I was stuck. I was in the back of a car.

My heart raced in my chest, pounding hard in the heavy silence. I fought against the ropes, my muscles aching from the sudden effort. The rough ropes rubbed painfully against my wrists, tightening more and cutting off circulation. But my fight was useless; the ropes held firm. My usual strength, which gave me pride and confidence, felt weak and small like a soft voice in a loud storm.

The car jolted forward again and then suddenly stopped, slamming me into the back of the trunk with a painful thud. There was a moment of complete silence, a heavy pause filled with waiting and fear. Then, I heard a metal latch click, the loud clang ringing in the small space. The trunk opened with a creak, a beam of faint light cutting through the thick darkness like a beam of hope.

Two shapes stood against the dimming light, their dark forms creating a scary outline in the deepening night. They were hard to see and shadowy, their faces lost in the dark, but I could feel a real danger from them.

They grabbed me roughly, their hands like iron grips, pulling me out of the tight spot with harsh speed. My head hit something hard, a sharp pain that briefly blinded me, making stars flash behind my closed eyes.

And then, I saw her.

Erin. My sister, her face glowing in the dimming light, a harsh, proud grin on her lips. It was a cold change from the warmth and love I once had for her.

"Well, well, well," she said slowly, her sweet voice hiding something sharp that made me uneasy. "Look who's here."

Anger, fierce and overwhelming, filled me, pushing away all other feelings. "You horrible, betraying person!" I yelled, the words bursting out, rough and honest. "How could you? You'll regret this, Erin. The moon goddess will punish you for your betrayal!"

"Oh, Erica." She chuckled, a noise like nails on a chalkboard, harsh and annoying. "You're always so dramatic. Always so sure of how special you are. It's kind of cute."

"You'll suffer the worst pain in hell!" I yelled, filled with a strong need for revenge. "You and your... your... partner Jaxon!"

"Jaxon?" Erin tilted her head, pretending to be innocent, a teasing look in her eyes. "What about Jaxon, dear sister? Is he why you're upset?"

"Oh, I'll make sure every single one of your bones is broken for what you've done!" I yelled, my voice full of anger. "You'll pay for your betrayal!"

Erin's laughter rang out in the darkening night, a cruel sound that sent shivers down my spine. "You're sad, Erica. You always have been. Weak and silly. And completely unaware of how you got between Jaxon and me. You never had a chance against us."

I felt scared, a chill spreading through me. "Jaxon?" I stammered, the name feeling wrong and hurtful. "Jaxon was... was my mate. We got married under the full moon. Tied together by old magic."

The truth struck me hard, breaking the last bits of my hope. Jaxon, the one I loved, my partner in life, had let me down. He picked Erin instead of me. The hurt was too much, like a big hole in my heart.

"Oh, friendships can break easily, Erica." Erin said, her eyes shining with wicked joy. "Sometimes you need to grab what you want. Or, in some cases, do whatever it takes."

She pulled out a long, sharp knife from her cloak, its blade shining in the fading light. Seeing it, the cold steel held so easily in her hand, sent a chill of fear through me. In that moment, I realized. I realised how cruel Erin really was and how deep her betrayal went.

My heart raced like crazy, pounding in my chest. I needed to run. I needed to leave.

I tried to crawl back, to run away from this nightmare. But my legs were tied, making it hard to move. I tripped over a sharp rock and fell hard onto the rough ground.

Erin and the two guys behind her erupted in loud laughter. My body ached all over, but I got back up and tried hard to run away.

"Please." I begged, the word stuck in my throat, "Erin, please, don't do this. We're sisters, for goodness' sake."

"Sisters?" Erin repeated, sounding sarcastic. "Maybe we used to be. But you got in the way of my happiness. And that happiness is Jaxon."

She moved closer, looking at me with a fierce stare. The deadly look in her eyes burnt away my last bit of hope.

I struggled against the ropes, my heart beating fast in my chest. I tried to call on the wolf inside me, to let out its wild power, to escape these ties. But the wolf, my guard, my strength, felt weak and tired. The endless fear and emotional pain had drained its energy. It whined in my mind, a weak sound of its usual growl.

"The moon goddess will never forgive you, Erin!" I yelled, using my last bit of strength. "She'll punish you forever for what you've done! Our pack will come for you."

"You won't find me, you idiot." Erin sneered at me with a nasty grin. "Even if they did, no one would believe you, not even the moon goddess. You were with another man, you sl*t."

Erin moved closer, her face twisted into a distorted, fake sadness. I backed away, my cries for help going unheard.

"No." I whispered, tears falling from my eyes. "Jaxon meant everything to me. I would never..."

But my words were cut short.

The cold metal of the knife cut into my skin. I let out a scream, a sound of pain and shock that echoed across the empty land.

Erin pushed the knife in further, a cold and calm move that shattered my last bit of hope. I collapsed to the ground, my body shaking with pain.

As the darkness started to take over my sight, I felt the knife go in again. This time, it was cold, slow, and almost planned. Every move Erin made felt like she was judging me personally.

My world turned into a mix of pain, and my body felt heavy and numb. As I felt my life slipping away, I heard Erin's harsh laughter in the breeze. The final sound I caught before darkness took over was the eerie whisper of the knife being pulled from my body.

With my last breath, I silently prayed to the moon goddess, my heart full of hope.

"Moon goddess, listen to my last wish. Help me. Keep my people safe. And get back at Erin and Jaxon. Give me my revenge."

The coldness of death surrounded me, a last, freezing hug.

My awareness dimmed, like a dying light in the deep dark. I was disappearing, heading into a void that offered no comfort or calm. But in the growing shadows, the soft words of the moon goddess's promise rang in my heart. Revenge. A promise to pay back those who had hurt me, a small spark of hope in one last, brave stand...