wouldn’t attack. I inhaled as it bent down and lunged. My name spoken in a whisper pulled me away from the dream just as the wolf’s teeth grazed my skin.
**********
I awoke with my name still echoing in my ears. I frowned as I sat up on the couch and glanced around expecting to find my parents or Tamas but no one was near. No one stood in the room with me. My heart thudded as I cocked my head to the side. The silence that followed frightened me. Someone had been with me. I wasn’t going crazy. Someone watched me sleep.
“Nadia,” the voice echoed around me again but this time it showed weakness as if the person who spoke was hurt. I swallowed as I tensed trying to figure out what to do. It was obvious no one was with me but I still heard them. Werewolves had the ability to speak to someone with their minds. So, I was sure that whoever it was had to be a werewolf.
I glanced toward the window wondering if the voice came from Tamas. Was he in trouble? Did he get hurt? The idea proved enough to make me throw the blankets back from my body and stand.
I stared at the door, realizing that I shouldn’t go outside of it. I should go get my parents and have one of them search. If Eli proved to be the one calling for me, they could transition. I hadn’t been through the transition yet. I turned toward my parent’s room but my name reached me again more urgent than before. I turned and moved toward the door leading outside forgetting all reason. Regardless of the danger, I worried that Tamas lay hurt somewhere and called for me. I had to find him.
I hesitated at the door but my name echoed around me again weaker than before. I opened it and stepped outside. I turned looking for Tamas but did not find him. I stepped forward and peered into the darkness, squinting my eyes at the forest as I tried to find him within it.
“Tamas,” I called in a shaky voice but it did not bring him to me. My name echoed around me once again. I stepped in the direction of it but someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I turned ready to scream but found Tamas staring down at me with his face reddened in anger.
“What are you doing out here?” He asked, narrowing his eyes as he peered down into my face, “I told you to stay inside at night. Eli will come for you. It’s too dangerous out here right now.”
I swallowed hard as my stomach twisted. I hated that he was angry at me, “Someone said my name,” I said in a trembling voice, “I-I thought you were hurt. I-I thought you called me.”
He pulled me to him as all the anger faded from his face to be replaced by fear and gazed around us with narrowed eyes. His stare lingered at the entrance to the forest and I turned to find Eli standing just far enough away that Tamas would be too frightened to leave me.
“See how easy it was,” he called out with a chuckle, “I almost took her and I will soon. You won’t be able to stop me.”
Tamas’ grip tightened on my arm as Eli disappeared into the forest. A tremble shook through me as Tamas pulled me even closer. Still, it did not take away the fact that the man responsible for the deaths of Mary Jane’s parents had called for me and I had walked toward him. A tremble shook through me as I became sure he would take me and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Chapter Six
Addiction
A shudder shook through me as hopeless fear settled into my soul. Inevitably, Eli would take me and even though I fought them, tears caused by Eli’s intentions fell down my cheeks in scalding hot