Chapter 6 : Last Everything

*Lena*

I pushed my body forward with as much energy as I could muster, trying to get away quickly. But it seemed like the moon was weighing down on me directly, and the force of the incoming transformation slowed me down.

I was dizzy, I could barely think or see straight. Unsurprisingly, I heard the distinct sound of hurried footsteps closing in from behind. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Eason running toward me at full speed. 

“Lena,” he called, breathless. “Lena, stop.” He hasn’t been doing much running since his hand injury, and then there was his leg… I shook the thought aside and kept going. But it was no use. Eventually, his hand closed around my arm, spinning me to face him.

“What is going on with you?” he asked, his voice a mixture of curiosity and resolve.

I stared back, speechless. “I…”

“Look,” he said softly, taking my hands in his. His bandage was rough on my skin, and my heart ached for him. “Since the injury, I’ve been worried about losing and being seen as a loser—especially by you. I’ve been concerned about how it might affect future tournaments,” he paused and took a deep breath.

“But it’s more than that,” Eason continued, his gaze intensifying. “I’m worried about our future. Hockey has been my dream for as long as I can remember. You know how much it means to me. But I’m more afraid of losing you than my dream. That’s how much I care about you—about us. No matter what life throws our way, we’ll face it together.”

My feelings for Eason grew in that moment. “I’ll never leave you,” I whispered back. I had such a perfect guy in front of me, and I was treating him terribly. He didn’t do anything wrong, this was all my fault, and while I was hurting him, Eason was worried about our future.

Our lips met, drawn together like a magnet. The kiss was electric, but for some reason, it felt like our last. There was a painful pang in my chest as I clung to him, pouring everything I had into the kiss.

“I love you so much, Lena.”

I opened my mouth to say it back when another wave of pain twisted through my body. Glancing up, I saw the moon had nearly reached its peak.

“Lena?” Eason moved his hand from my back to my shoulder, steadying me as I swayed. I couldn’t stay any longer.

“I’m fine,” I managed to say. “I think I need to go home.” I doubled over, clutching myself as the pain intensified.  

Suddenly, an angry voice cut through the night air. “You fucking asshole!” 

I spun around to see Jake approaching, hockey stick in hand, his face contorted with rage. “You think your petty little ‘evidence’ can ruin me?”

In an instant, Eason grabbed my arm, pulling me behind him protectively. “I know what you did to me, Jake.” 

Jake’s lips curled into a malicious smile as he waved the stick menacingly. “You have no idea what you’ve done,” he snarled, voice low and menacing. “You’re going to pay... with your life!”

He lunged forward, wielding the stick with murderous intent. Instinctively, I moved to intercept, reaching for the weapon. But as Eason saw me moving forward, he took a step closer to protect me from our attacker.

In that instant, time seemed to slow. I heard the sickening crack of wood against skull before I fully registered what had happened.

“No!” I screamed, grasping Eason’s arm desperately. But his hand was already limp in mine, and he crumpled to the ground, motionless.

I saw red. With a loud cry, I charged at Jake, but he was ready. The stick connected with my jaw, sending me reeling.

“Stupid bitch,” Jake sneered. “I was only going to kill him, but I’m fine taking you out for sport.” He moved towards Eason’s still form. “You’ll just have to wait your turn.” As Jake raised the stick, his eyes locked with mine. The look in his eyes meant one thing—he intended to end us both.

In that moment, I knew it was kill or be killed.

With my mind made, I surrendered myself to the moon. My body contorted and shifted, senses sharpening. I could smell the blood coursing through Jake’s veins, the fear radiating off him as he tossed the stick aside and began to back away. 

I lunged forward, clamping my jaws around his ankle. I dragged him roughly across the ground, savoring his screams and the taste of his blood on my teeth. Once I had him where I wanted, I pounced. My claws tore into his flesh as I bit and scratched with feral intensity. His pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears.

“What are you?” He cried out. But I didn’t respond. I didn’t stop.

Blood gushed from his wounds, and he clutched weakly at my fur as life seeped out of his body. Still, I didn’t stop. The beast within me demanded retribution, and I gave in. 

As I stood over Jake’s lifeless body, the rage that had consumed me began to slip away. Blood dripped from my jaw as I turned on all fours, my eyes finding Eason’s unconscious form. 

The anger that had fueled my actions suddenly disappeared, replaced by a crushing wave of fear. But what was I truly afraid of?

The realization hit me like a physical blow. I feared that one day, I might hurt Eason just as I had hurt Jake. That one day, when I couldn’t control my instincts or my urges, I could harm the one person I cared about most. The thought was unbearable—I knew I couldn’t live with myself if that ever happened.

With trembling paws, I approached Eason. I shifted back to my human form, my eyes landing on his phone that had fallen from his pocket during the struggle. Trying to stop my hands from shaking, I managed to unlock it and dial for help. As I listened to the ring, I knew what I had to do next.

Once I was certain help was on the way, I turned my attention to Jake’s remains. I couldn’t leave him here to be discovered. I took one more longing look at Eason before I grabbed Jake by the neck and began dragging his body away from the scene, thankful for the dark night.

I traveled for what felt like hours, my muscles screaming in protest, until I reached a deserted area. I dumped his body, hoping it would never be found.

Exhausted, I cast one last glance in the direction I had come from… toward Eason, toward the life with him I was leaving behind. I had to physically fight the urge to run back to him.

The words I said to him that night in the hospital in Alaska flooded back like a tidal wave. ‘I’ll never leave you.’

This time, I let the wave pull me under.

I had to stay away, for his own good. I could never come back, could never see him again, touch him or hold him. 

The only way to keep him safe was to keep him away from me.

---

*Eason*

I opened my eyes, wincing as a sharp pain pierced my head. The sterile white ceiling swam into focus, and I blinked, trying to orient myself. Where was I? What was going on? And where in God’s name was Lena?

The last thing I remembered was Lena’s terrified face as Jake advanced on us. After that... nothing.

“Lena,” I croaked. I tried to sit up, ignoring the protests of my aching body. “Where's Lena?”

“Hey,” Zara spoke quietly, sitting by my side. “You’ve been out for a while.”

I turned to face her. “How long is a while?”

“Two weeks.”

I felt the air leave my body. Two weeks? Had it been that long? But there was still one thing on my mind. If Zara was here, then that would mean that Lena wasn’t far off. But as I looked around the hospital room, there was no sign of her. No flowers by the bedside, no note. Nothing to indicate she’d been here at all.

The door opened, and a young male doctor walked in. “Mr. Eason, I’m glad to see you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

“Where’s Lena?” I demanded, not bothering with pleasantries. “Is she alright?”

The doctor’s expression didn’t change. “I’m afraid I don’t know who that is. But Eason, we need to discuss your condition.”

My heart sank as he explained the extent of my injuries. Severe brain damage. A long road to recovery. I was lucky to be alive.

“When can I get back on the ice?” I asked, already knowing the answer wouldn’t be what I wanted to hear.

The doctor’s eyes softened with sympathy. “I’m sorry, Eason. It’s going to be many years before you can even think about playing hockey again. Your brain needs time to heal. And even then… the chances are slim.”

I closed my eyes. Yes, that was bad news, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was Lena... where was she? Was she safe? I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Zara seemed to be avoiding my gaze as I peppered her with questions.

“Zara, please,” I pleaded, my voice tinged with desperation. “You must know something about Lena. Where is she? Is she okay?”

She sighed, finally meeting my eyes. “I’m sorry, Eason. I really don’t know anything.” She hesitated, her front teeth gnawing on her lip before continuing. “What I do know is that you and Lena were attacked by Jake. But… he’s gone. Disappeared. The police are trying to track him down, but…”

“But what?”

“It’s going to take a long time.”

I leaned back against my pillows, my mind racing. Sure, I wanted the police to catch Jake for what he’d done. But still, right now all I wanted was Lena. I missed her smell, her touch, every single thing about her.

Suddenly, an idea struck me. It was a long shot, but I had to try. With trembling hands, I reached for my phone on the bedside table.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling my girlfriend,” I replied, my fingers already dialing her number from memory. Zara opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it again, watching me with an unreadable expression.

The phone rang once, twice, three times. My heart pounded in my chest, each ring stretching into eternity. Then, just as I was about to give up...

“Hello?”

Lena’s voice, clear and familiar, filled my ear. I gasped, a mix of relief and confusion washing over me.

“Lena? Is that really you?” I asked, hardly daring to believe it.

“Yes it is,” she said simply, her words completely devoid of any form of emotion.

Although I was terrified to know, I still asked, “Where are you? Why aren’t you here?”

“I’ve left the country, Eason,” she said, her voice distant and unfamiliar. “And... I think it’s best if we end things between us.”

“What?” I choked, my grip on the phone tightening. “Lena, why? What’s going on?”

There was a pause, and when she spoke again, her voice was cold, lacking the warmth I’d come to associate with her. “Your injury, Eason. You probably won’t be able to play again, will you?”

My throat constricted. I was unable to form words as cold shock consumed me.

“I’m worried about our future,” she continued, each word driving a dagger deeper into my heart. “First your hand, then your leg. And now your brain. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with…” she hesitated, then delivered the final blow, “with a poor boy. I need to find someone who can provide the life I want. Someone rich and influential.”

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. This couldn’t be Lena – not my Lena. Not the girl I’d loved, the one who’d stood by me through thick and thin. The one had agreed to marry me two weeks ago in the park.

“Lena, please,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “This isn’t you. Whatever’s going on, we can figure it out together.”

But there was only silence on the other end, then a soft click as she hung up.

I sat there, the phone still pressed to my ear, listening to the empty dial tone. The room around me blurred as tears filled my eyes, spilling over onto my cheeks. A sob rose in my throat, and I didn’t have the strength to hold it back.

The throbbing pain in my head was nothing compared to the agony in my chest. It felt like my heart had been ripped out, leaving a gaping, bleeding wound. Everything we’d been through, everything we’d planned for our future – gone in an instant.

I barely noticed when Zara gently took the phone from my hand. I couldn’t bring myself to look at her, to see the pity in her eyes.

I closed my eyes, letting the tears flow freely. At that moment, I felt more alone than I ever had in my life.