Chapter 49: Bitten
Olivia's POV
We raced into the woods, the wind whipping past my ears, and the ground blurring under my feet. My heart pounded, adrenaline surging as Jerek and I moved in perfect rhythm. I could hear others stumbling behind us—branches snapping, someone letting out a frustrated growl—but we kept going, swift and focused.
Memories replayed in my head. Sweet memories of how I raced with the triplets in these same woods. Those were the moments when I was truly happy.
"Don't slow down!" Jerek shouted, his breath steady beside me.
"I wasn't planning to," I shot back, pushing harder.
The familiar trees blurred around us, moonlight seeping through the leaves in streaks of silver. I could feel the energy of the race pulsing all around us, but for a brief moment, it felt like just Jerek and me out here. Free. Wild. Almost like the old days.
We reached the towering oak that marked the halfway point. Its wide trunk stood tall like a silent guardian, roots digging deep into the earth. We didn't stop—just touched its bark briefly, then pivoted and launched ourselves back toward the yard.
But then—
A sharp, guttural hiss of pain sliced through the air.
I skidded to a halt, my boots digging into the dirt. My wolf whimpered, a deep ache piercing my chest as if she felt the pain too. Something was wrong.
"What is it?" Jerek called, stopping a few feet ahead when he realized I wasn't beside him anymore.
I didn't answer. I couldn't. My head snapped toward the sound, and my body moved instinctively, veering off the path and into the thick brush.
"Olivia!" Jerek called after me, but I barely heard him.
The forest suddenly felt too quiet. The air thick, tense. I followed the scent—the faintest trace of blood and something else, something familiar.
My wolf was restless now, pacing inside me. "Go, go!" she urged, her voice panicked.
I followed the familiar scent, and that was when it hit me… the smell—it seemed like that of Lennox. My heart beat faster, and I began running, following the trail of his scent.
As I ran, Jerek followed me, calling out my name in panic, but I didn't respond. I kept running until the trees parted into a small clearing, the moon casting a silver spotlight on the scene ahead—and what I saw made my blood run cold.
Lennox.freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
He was on the ground, writhing in pain, his leg swollen and already starting to bruise. Beside him lay the crushed remains of a large, venomous snake—its body coiled awkwardly. The ground was splattered with both venom and blood.
"Fuck," I breathed, rushing forward.
Anita was kneeling beside Lennox, her eyes wide with panic, her hands hovering uselessly over his injured leg. She looked pale, her lips trembling as tears streamed down her face.
"I—I don't know what to do," she cried, her voice shrill and cracking. "I don't know—"
Lennox grabbed her arm, his face contorted in pain. "The venom… You have to suck it out. Now!"
Anita froze, shaking her head violently. "I can't—I can't do that, I—"
"Do it!" he roared, his voice ragged.
But she just kept shaking her head, sobbing, useless.
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