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Lex raised his brow in surprise. Then his expression fell into sadness.
"What?" I asked.
Lex hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "I sincerely hope that you are happy with your story at the end of this journey, little wolf," he smiled sweetly.
"What does that mean?"
Before he could answer, both our heads snapped around as a horrifying roar ripped through the forest. It was hard to understand, but I heard it. A single word.Help.
Beneath The Trees
Joon
The roots constrictedaround my chest, locking my arms to my sides as the tree slowly pulled me across the forest floor.
I coughed and gasped. It was getting difficult to breathe, and I wasn't sure how much longer I'd be able to stay conscious. I had used my last breath when I thought I heard voices, but other than the crack of the wood twisting around me, it was quiet.
My wolf snarled and struggled within me, desperate to shift, but the tree held me too tightly. I was livid. A whole year of tracking and hunting, so close to exacting my revenge, only to be done in by a fucking tree.
The soft patter of feet pulled me from my thoughts, and I tried like hell to move my head toward the sound.
The little Omega I had met along the border of Madra Village ran toward me, a pale boy following not far behind. I tried calling out, but I had no air left in my lungs. I just prayed they would see me.
The two paused and looked around. The tree's roots cracked as it spun itself around my hips, and the Omega jerked her head in my direction, letting out a shocked gasp.
"It's you," the Omega said as she knelt, placing her hands on the ground next to my face. Her dark hair fell over her shoulder as she inspected my bound body.
"Do you know him?" the pale boy asked.
"Not really," she said, turning her attention back to me. "Can you move at all?"
"No," I rasped.
"Is there a trick or a spell to get him out?" she asked the pale boy.
"No,” he shook his head. "These aren't creatures so much as just predators. They react on instinct, not thought. I can't affect this."
The boy grabbed her arm and pulled her away for a moment, speaking to her in a hushed tone. I tried to talk or move, but I could do neither, and despair started to settle within me. I was completely immobile and very lightheaded.
"We have to try at least," she shouted, jerking her arm away and returning to my side.
She let out a puff of air and plopped back down next to my head. Looking over the tangle of roots and branches, she clicked her tongue.
The Omega leaned closer to me and ran her hands over the twisting bark, deep in thought. The tree's movements slowed. She noticed as well and brought her wide eyes to mine. They were light, almost golden in color, and had a deep sadness that caught me off guard.
She continued to run her hands up and down the thick roots as their movement completely stopped, still holding me firmly but no longer tightening. I was too dizzy, and my throat burned as I fought to pull air into my lungs.
"Lex," she said to the pale boy. "I think this is working! Pet it!"
"Pet it?" he snorted, watching her work with a look of disbelief on his face.
"Yes!" she snapped. "Get down here and pet the damn thing!"
The pale boy huffed and knelt next to her, running his long, slender fingers over every surface. The roots slowly uncoiled, and my eyes went wide. I nodded the best I could at the Omega, urging her not to stop.
The tree shot out toward her and twisted itself around her wrist. She yanked her hand away, then returned to stroke the bark as vigorously as she could. There was a loud crack, and my body jerked as the roots uncoiled faster. I sucked in a gust of air, filling my lungs and coughing repeatedly.
The roots whipped like coiled snakes toward the pair with more force as they abandoned my body in favor of new prey. It rushed across the forest floor, twisting over rocks, and curled around the pair's ankles and legs. The pale boy jumped back as the aggressive tree shot up his robes.
