~ A M E L I A ~
A short and somewhat clement gasp escaped Sammy's mouth. Eyes wide at first, then suddenly blinking over and over again as the arrow stands still right in front of her face. Whatever alcohol she has consumed, in combination with her shock, has numbed her enough to be motionless.
My breathing was heavy, but overflowing with relief. My eyes locked onto my fist, clenched around the shaft of the arrow, astounded at my own reflexes kicking in so fast, despite my mind running so slowly.
I knew the transition to becoming a werewolf was to gain enhanced abilities, but I didn't expect it to be to this extent. I've been severely underestimating everything so far. How much stronger could I possibly become?
'Holy fuck…' Sammy uttered in an exhalation, so quietly that if it wasn't for my heightened hearing, I surely wouldn't have heard it.
Looking over at her, I caught her eyes tearing up a little, but nothing escaped.
She blinked a few times again, dissipating the tears.
'Are you OK?' My hand still holding the arrow in the air. We're both frozen from the shock.
Sammy nodded slowly and tried to breathe normally again, 'Thank you, Amelia…' she gulped, 'If it wasn't for you, I-I would be dead right now.'
I finally dropped my hand and looked in the direction of where it came from with furrowed brows. It was the group of guys who were messing about and drinking a bunch.
Boiling with rage, I came to a stand and staggered over to the group, throwing the arrow to their feet, 'Who was it?' I yelled, 'Who the hell shot that arrow that nearly killed Sammy?'
All the boys looked at me with wide eyes. All apart from one.
He stepped forward, 'That'd be me.'
'You…' and just like that, I was lost for words.
'Well, if it isn't the newbie,' he folded his arms, showing off his broad frame to me once again.
Not him.
Why him?
Everett's piercing, soul-swallowing, grey eyes looked dead into mine. Towering over me, looking down on me, like I'm nothing but a bug he could easily crush.
Back away, Amelia. Back away from him, now.
But I didn't move. I couldn't move.
'What is your problem? She's a werewolf, she's got the reflexes to dodge it. Besides—'
Fight him. The wrath within my mind commanded me.
The fury took over the entirety of my body as I interrupted him, 'She's had a bunch to drink, she wouldn't have dodged it, especially with such a last-minute warning! Maybe if you weren't such a lousy shot, she wouldn't have had her life flash before her eyes!'
'What the fuck did you just say?'
Why did I say that?
The boys surrounding us all 'ooh' in amazement and shock at my statement.
His brows dropped with displeasure and eyes darkened as he took a step towards me, 'You think you could shoot better than me?'
Standing my ground, 'If the goal is to make sure I don't shoot at a person, then I know I can!'
Stop talking, Amelia. I felt like two sides of my mind were fighting against each other.
He smirked, 'Shall we put your money where your mouth is then?'
'Stop it, Everett,' a familiar voice chimed in—Gabriel. I glanced to my left and saw him step forward, moving aside a few guys in his way, 'If it wasn't for those other girls distracting and jumping all over you, this wouldn't have happened.'
Everett scoffed lightly, 'Oh, I know that. Tell that to Madam knows-it-all here,' he gestured his head towards me.
My glare burned harder towards him.
'Who the hell do you even think you are?'
I rolled my eyes, 'I could say the same to you,' I took a step to walk away, but he grabbed my arm tightly. Trying to hold my ground, my head turned to look at him, surprised and just as angry as he looked.
'Everett, don't,' Gabriel said firmly, 'just let it go.'
Ignoring Gabriel, he lifted his free hand, holding the bow, 'Be my guest, newbie,' he shoves it into my hand, followed with an arrow and growled, 'show us what you got.'
Gripping tightly on the bow, but not looking away from his irritatingly well-sculpted face. I pushed my arm towards him, as he released his grip on me, I yanked my hand away.
Catching a glimpse of the target, it looked like the guys had been shooting at it for hours. The bow felt weighted differently to what I'm used to, there's definitely a risk I could miss the first shot or two because of it. Based off the distance from where we stood and the target, I should be able to hit it, but that's only if I can balance right with this bow.
I smiled with false confidence, 'OK, I can do this.'
As I raised the bow, I was shocked by the way it was weighted. I'm definitely going to struggle.
It was fine. I just needed to take my time.
Everett pushed the bow back down, 'Hold on, newbie, not yet.'
My smile faded. What the hell did he mean by that?
The smirk on his face grew more smug. Oh, I just want to slap that expression off his face right now. Why was he being such a dick?
'Sammy! Come here,' he shouted, eyes still locked on mine.
She approached, looking nervous, 'Guys, honestly, I'm fine, let's just get back to having a good time—'
'Quiet.' Everett interrupted sternly, and she did as he said with her head down, 'Go stand by that target,' he pointed in the direction he wanted her to go.
At first, she looked up at him, her eyes full of hesitation and fear, but then she did as she was told.
'What are you doing?' I asked, infuriated.
Everett turned back towards me. His eyes glowed with a mixture of anger and cockiness, 'Teaching you a lesson.'
My chest became hollow. What the hell is happening?
I should have just kept my mouth shut.
He walked over to Sammy and whispered in her ear. I tried to listen to what he said, but the music was masking his whispers.
Slowly and reluctantly, she held out her hand to her side, palm facing upwards.
Everett placed an empty beer bottle on her palm, said something again to her and walked back to me. He leant his face close to mine, 'Don't miss,' he whispered and stepped behind me.
Locking eyes with Sammy, I shook my head, 'No.'
'No?'
I faced him and sighed, 'She's been traumatised enough for one day. Can't we just—'
'No,' He interrupted me this time. His face still so puffed up with his pride, it made my blood boil, 'I want to see your amazing skills,' he mocked me, 'let's see if they're as good as your mouthy attitude is making it out to be.'
I looked back at Sammy, 'What did you say to her?'
'I told her not to move,' he said, moving so close to me that I could feel his breath on my neck, 'unless she wants to feel an arrow through the hand, or worse,' his words sent a dark chill down my spine.
Clenching the bow and arrow in my hands, my throat felt swollen with angst as I gulped and took a step forward, 'Can I at least take a practice shot? I've never used a bow like this before.'
Everett laughed, 'Now that's not showing off your skills then, is it, newbie?
My breathing became shallow. If I positioned it or even held myself wrong, I could seriously hurt Sammy or worse.
What the hell am I doing?
I closed my eyes and tried to plan a way out of this, but nothing was coming to me. Nothing would get me and Sammy out of this predicament. If I ran, he'd chase me. And judging by Everett's god complex, he's a full-fledged werewolf who has the speed to chase me down in an instant. The asshole.
Come on, I have got to have something in my arsenal.
A few words from one of my birth father's letters came to mind. It discussed one of the stages in the transition…
Everything about you will become enhanced. Your mindset, your skills, everything! You'll become faster, stronger, and more powerful. If you are already skilled and talented in certain activities, you'll become even better.
The only problem was, that I was not at that stage yet and had no indication that I was anywhere near it. It's too much of a risk to take.
In a different letter from E, I recalled something else worthwhile that he said.
Trust your instincts. Like the ground you walk on and the air you breathe. Give in to them and allow them to guide you to grow stronger.
'Today would be great,' Everett sighed loudly. I could sense the rise in his temper, it was like an aura emitting from his body.
My eyes sprang open and darted into Sammy's. I mouthed "Stay still" to her.
Her brows perked and her face relaxed for a second, followed by a very subtle nod, showing me she knew what I had instructed.
Finding my footing to ready my stance, tugging on the string to gage the power behind it. I put the arrow in place, blew out a sigh and raised the bow up, straightening my posture. Allowing my senses to become aware of my surroundings. The gentle breeze, the soft warmth of the flames in the short distance, the animals of the night murmuring.
I took aim.
Trust your instincts…
Pulled back the string.
Like the ground, you walk on…
Released.
Crack!
Sammy dropped to her knees, as the pieces of the broken bottle fell out of her hands, gasping for air. She must have been holding her breath that whole time to help her stay still.
All the guys cheered, jumped and shook me out of excitement.
Sammy looked up and smiled at me.
Becoming aware of my own shortened breathing, I ended up holding my breath too. As I steadied my breathing, I was relieved to know she was OK.
Viewing from the corner of my eye, I see Everett walking away, clearly unamused by my successful shot.
My attention turned back to the arrow I shot, as not only did I shoot it through the beer bottle, shattering it. I'd also hit it perfectly on the bullseye of the target.
I uttered in a breath to myself, 'Like the air you breathe.'