CHAPTER 16
Mike was still on the field, kneeling. His chest rose and fell in uneven rhythms, each breath feeling like it might be his last. Blood dripped onto the cold concrete, spreading like a dark warning. Deep wounds, torn open by claws, oozed slowly. The scratches on his face blurred in his vision. Blood trickled from his nose and mouth. His eyes were half-closed, but he was still clinging to life.
Then… one of Ethan's werewolves lunged forward.
His claws fully extended, eyes glowing with a wild hunger. Step by step, he closed in on Mike, his breathing sharp and fast. He was just about to sink those claws into Mike's throat when
— "Stop."
Ethan stepped in front of him, yanking the werewolf back by the arm. His eyes still glowed crimson, but his expression was that of someone who had regained control.
— "Not yet. He's still dangerous."
He glared at the other werewolf before turning to his group with the calm but commanding tone of a leader.
— "We're pulling back."
At that moment, the vampire leader let out a cold, slow smile. His voice was almost a whisper, but it cut through the air like an echo that reached the bone.
— "This fight… isn't over."
His glowing red eyes flashed one last time before his body dissolved into a swarm of bats. The other eight vampires shifted and vanished into the darkness with him.
Ethan's gaze lingered on Mike for a moment longer. Then he, too, silently retreated. His group shifted back into wolf form, claws scraping against the ground as they ran off, disappearing into the night.
And then… only Mike remained.
Still kneeling. Head bowed. His chest moved faintly, his breathing shallow and weak. Blood dripped from his mouth. His breaths slowed even more. He tried to lift his arms, but his muscles gave out.
The wounds on his chest and face… weren't healing.
They should have closed by now. They always did. But this time nothing.
"Why… why isn't it healing…?" he thought, his mind hazy.
But before he could even begin to understand… his eyes closed.
And he passed out.
Some time later…
Haaaaaa!
A sharp, desperate breath filled his lungs. His throat burned as air rushed back into his body. His blurry vision cleared slowly.
A white ceiling. Bright fluorescent lights.
A sharp, sterile smell filled his nose.
Mike was in a hospital.
He turned his head… and saw someone sitting next to him.
Emily.
She had a book in her hands, but it was obvious she hadn't been reading. She'd been staring at him, lost in thought. When she noticed his eyes open, she flinched and sat up straighter.
— "Mike! You're awake… finally!" she said, her voice a mix of relief and surprise.
Mike's voice was rough, tired.
— "Hey… what happened? Why am I here? Last thing I remember… I was at school. I was about to get on my bike… and then nothing."
Emily took a slow, steady breath before answering.
— "I… forgot my books at school. When I went back to get them, I saw you near the field. You were on your knees… covered in blood. Then you just collapsed. I ran to you."
Her voice trembled slightly, but she kept it calm.
— "You were barely moving. Your body was full of cuts… you looked so bad…"
Mike listened silently, his expression unreadable.
— "So I got you into my car and brought you here. I couldn't just leave you there like that. So… yeah, now you're here."
Mike let out a deep breath. His eyes fluttered shut for a moment, then he spoke softly, his tone honest, almost vulnerable.
— "Emily… thank you. If it wasn't for you… I probably would've stayed there all night. And then… I guess I wouldn't have made it."
Emily's cheeks flushed red. She turned her head slightly, smiling shyly as she bit her lip.
— "Don't mention it… I couldn't just leave my friend there, could I?"
Mike managed a faint smile despite the exhaustion written across his face.
And then…
The door burst open.
Mike's mother and father rushed in.
— "Mike! Son!" his mother cried, running to his bedside. Tears welled in her eyes as she reached out to touch his face. His father followed, his eyes filled with both relief and worry.
His mother embraced him tightly.
— "Are you okay? What happened to you?! You scared us so much…"
His father's voice was calmer, but the concern was just as deep.
— "Son… tell us what happened. How did you end up like this?"
Then both parents noticed Emily standing by his bed.
They turned to her with gratitude softening their expressions.
— "You helped him? Oh, thank God… we can't thank you enough," his mother said.
His father nodded.
— "Really… we're grateful you didn't leave him alone."
Emily blushed slightly, nodding awkwardly.
— "It's nothing… I just did what I had to do."
Mike watched them from the bed, his eyes still heavy with fatigue. But deep inside, a single question echoed quietly in his mind:
"That night… why didn't I heal?"
And he knew he couldn't tell anyone. Not yet.