The Transfer novel Chapter 45

When I woke the next morning, Liam was still sound asleep. His arms were wrapped tight around me, his face nuzzled into the crook of my neck. His legs were tangled in mine and it felt good. He never let me go during the night. We always slept in each other's arms. It was perfect.

I shifted a little and then I felt it. The stiffness of his pants.

I shot my eyes open and tried to look back. Liam stirred in his sleep and moved a little. I felt his body push a little more against mine and bit my lip.

He was hard against me and he was unaware. But I couldn't say that I hated it.

"Liam," I whispered his name. He stirred some more.

"Liam," I whispered louder this time. He groaned softly. Liam hated people waking him up. He was good at waking up early on his own, but otherwise, he sucked.

"Liam, I have to go to the bathroom," I lied. Liam sighed and kissed my neck gently before he released me. I jumped out of bed and rushed out the room, moving past the bathroom.

I made my way into the kitchen. It was empty as no one was awake yet. It was particularly early and I was awake earlier than usual.

I made myself a coffee and then slipped on Liam's jacket that he had left on the dining table before I headed outside to watch the sun rise.

I stood on the back porch holding my mug with two hands. It was freezing, but oddly I didn't care. The sun rose slowly and cast out some warmth over the whole land, including me. The sky swirled with different colours. It was the best.

I used to get up real early with my mother when I was little to watch the sun rise every morning. It was always so perfect. She'd make me a hot cocoa and we'd sit outside on the outdoor chairs together.

I missed her deeply. It had been so long without her yet it felt like she had only died yesterday. I knew it was because I hadn't gotten over what happened to her. I was hung up on it.

As I watched the sun cast over the woods in front of me, something in the back of my mind told me to go. Walk out into the woods.

I looked around me, looking for something strange. My belly twisted awkwardly and I felt like there was something bad about to happen. I wasn't going to sit back and let it happen.

It was my instinct.

I set my coffee mug down and then walked down the porch. I walked out across the snow and into the trees, disappearing quickly into the woods. The smell of the plants and water filled my nose. The woods were always wonderful in the mornings.

I made my way through the forest, weaving around the dense and wet trees. Everything was beginning to light up, but things were still dark as the thick trees covered the sunlights. The creatures of the forest were beginning to wake, the crickets chirping.

I walked for what felt like hours until I smelt it. Glancing past trunks and branches, I spotted several men, all of them skinny and dangerously scrawny. They had a child with them. But the child wasn't going willingly. The sticks around them broke as they walked, dragging the child along with them.

I sniffed the air to catch a scent of the child, but all I caught were the rogues.

The damn rogues.

What were they doing with a child? Were they going to try and kill it? Kidnap it? I gulped and slowly treaded along behind them. They hadn't noticed me, that was how sick they were. Each of them were surely dying.

"Can we kill it? Kids piss me off!" One man growled. A snapped his teeth at the child, and I finally caught a glimpse of who it was.

Wesley?

I caught my growl in my throat. Wesley was being dragged around, a hand clamped hard over his mouth to muffle his cries. He was bawling his eyes out, sobbing hard. He squirmed and fought, trying to get away.

"No. You know what the boss wants. We ain't killing anyone, yet," another rogue snapped back. There were three of them in total, too much work for an eight year old to defend himself. I gulped and tugged off the jacket. I pulled off the hoodie and let it drop to the floor. I undressed quickly and then shifted.

I sprinted for the rogues and slammed into one of them. I knocked him to the ground and got my teeth around his neck before he could even try to fight back. I tore out his throat, leaving a pool of blood in the snow.

"Damnit. Get the kid out of here!" I heard a shout. I heard more cries from Wesley and when I turned my head to see, he was being dragged away by the second rogue, and the third was glaring at me. I growled and turned around.

He lunged at me. I snapped my teeth at him, trying to take him down. He dodged me and I felt something sharp sink it's way into my side. I yelped and felt it come out and then stab again. I yelped again and rolled. The man tumbled and I saw the dagger in his hands fly out of his reach.

I pounced on the man before he could get away or try to hurt me again. I slashed open his stomach and then bit into his flesh. I tore out a chunk and then jumped away as he screamed. He would die slowly and painfully.

I turned around and looked for where Wesley has gone. I breathed in hard and chased after the rogue carrying to poor child.

"Liam!" I shouted. I hoped he was awake. I needed him to be awake. I needed him to come and help.

Liam didn't respond. I shook my head as I caught sight of Wesley and the rogue. I ran faster and leaped over the top of them, landing right in front of the rogue.

"Liam! Wake up!"

The rogue growled at me and dropped Wesley. He shifted and Wesley sprinted for a nearby tree, where he climbed it and sat high in the branches. The kid was smart.

The rogue lunged at me. But I overpowered him. I took him down fast and went straight fo his neck. He dodged my teeth in the last second and I growled angrily.

How dare he think he could take one of the children and get away with it!

"Lila? Are you awake?" I called for another option. I heard her soft humming noise and figured she was just waking up.

The rogue clawed my side and tossed me away from him. I heard more growls and I saw more rogues begin to arrive. None of them noticed Wesley who was still up in the trees. I was more than thankful that he was safe. I'd feel terrible if something had happened to him.