Chapter 34

Renee’s POV

The massage melts away the throbbing in my head, and whatever lingering effects of the alcohol. Eric hands the masseuse a wad of cash for a tip, I don’t see how much but by the way his eyes bulge I’d assume a lot.

We recline in our plush seats and I sink back, almost ready to fall asleep.

“There’s going to be some slight turbulence as we enter an unexpected storm. please remain seated and buckled,” the pilot announces on the intercom. Well, I guess I won’t be falling asleep any time soon- not unless the turbulence is subject enough to rock me to sleep.

“Better than a birthday dinner?” I hear Eric ask. I peel open one eyelid and look him over. I close my eyes and don’t answer.

Just then the plane gives a sudden drop and I refrain from screaming. Nearby passengers gasp while someone audibly curses under their breath.

“Well, there’s your answer,” I tell Eric and put my seat in the upright position. Another jerk of the plane and Eric stands up. I start to ask him what is he going to do about the plane's movements but decide not to. Who knows, maybe Eric can command the weather.

“Sir, you’re going to have to sit,” a flight attendant says to Eric and he shoots her a glare. The plane is thrown to the left suddenly before being straightened out again. This time people don’t hold back the sounds of alarms.

Eric moves with the plane and grips the seats on either side of him to catch his balance. “Eric, just sit” I hiss at him worried he’s going to be next to get hit in the head.

Eric gets knocked down into his seat by another quick movement of the plane. The turbulence is rougher than I expected, the plane makes hard chopping sounds as it’s navigated through the storms.

I look out my window, but it’s pitch black. I look around at the other passengers to see if I’m overreacting, and part of me hopes that I am, but no. The looks on the faces of the other passengers tell me they’re concerned too.

“This is ridiculous,” Eric mutters. The plane hits another wave of turbulence and the entire plane shakes. I squeeze my eyes shut and take a deep breath. With my eyes closed, I can still see a flash of light. I yelp.

I slap my hand over my mouth, but the noise already escaped me. A few others have taken their phones out, I assume to check the weather and see when the storm is passing but the panicked part of my brain tells me that they’re texting loved ones goodbye.

I follow Eric’s gaze and I see he’s trying to think of a plan. “What are going to do? Fly the plane better than the pilot?” I snap at Eric. I can tell that he not being in control is getting to him. Eric grumbles something and bites down on his knuckle as the plane quickly drops.

There’s a crash of thunder and another flash of light. When I look out the window I see the lightning bolt zig zag across a dark and angry sky. It would look incredible if it weren’t so terrifying.

“Prepare for emergency landing,” the pilot says. My mind races as my anxiety skyrockets. Is emergency landing another word for crashing?

The seatbelt light dings overhead and remains flashing as the plane quickly makes what feels like a nose dive toward the ground.

My body is thrust back into the seat and I grip the armrests so tightly that my nails leave marks on the chair.

I look at Eric, his jaw is clenched and his breathing is slow. He’s trying to keep it together.

The veins in his neck pulse, his eyes are fierce, and his nostrils flare.

Then the plane wheels meet the ground with a screech and the velocity of the plane is rushed forward. The entire time landing, I kept my focus on Eric. Even now, I’m still looking at him.

Eventually, we come to a stop. I swallow. People slowly look around, unsure of what to make of the situation.

“Apologize about that folks. We will have to wait here until the storm passes,” the pilot says.

“What!” Someone shouts and I recognize him as the man who cursed earlier. A few look at him like he’s crazy, and honestly, maybe he is. I’m pretty sure we just survived a bear plane crash and he’s complaining.

Eric leans his head against his chair and releases a slow exhale.

“I have to make my connecting flight. My daughter is getting married!” The man continues to shout. No one responds to him. There’s nothing no one can say or do.

I think about reaching out to Debbie, but that will only concern her. There’s another flash of lightning and a crack of thunder. It becomes clear that this storm isn’t passing any time soon. The man a few seats back continues to loudly voice his irritations.

“If this man doesn’t calm down,” Eric starts to say squeezing the bridge of his nose, but doesn’t finish and I’m not sure I want him to.

After a couple of minutes passed and people began to shake off the feeling of survival, their hushed whispers of concern turned into outspoken curiosity.

“When is the storm supposed to pass?”

“Will I make my connecting flight?”

“We better be reimbursed for this,”

Eric hasn’t said a word. He stares out the window, the flashes of lightning illuminating his face.

“Are they going to send a second plane to move us along?” The man behind me asks the flight attendant, but he’s speaking loud enough that the pilot can probably hear him. I peek my head over my shoulder to get a good look at him.

He looks as desperate as he sounds. Instantly I notice his golden rings, designer glasses, and a sky-blue silk button-down. He’s trying too hard to show off that he has money.

“Just because the plane is in this predicament that means the passengers have to be also?” He asks in an attempt to conjure support from others who are now staring, but no one chimes in with their agreement.

“Sir, I understand the frustration,” the flight attendant tries to calm him. She’s barely twenty, I feel bad for her.

“No, you don’t. You have no place to be. I have a wedding that I’m paying for to attend, just like I paid for this flight to get me there,” he grows angrier with each word. His entitlement causes me to physically recoil.

Eric’s eyes squeeze shut and closes and opens his fist, his knuckles cracking.

“We don’t know when we’ll be up and running again,” the flight attendant says and instantly snaps her mouth shut. Its obvious she said the wrong thing because the guy begins laughing, though I doubt he’s genuinely amused. He’s pissed.

“Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think I don’t know that? Why else would I be so irritated?”

“Sir, I-“

“I-I, I what?” The man mocks. Then the air about him changes. It’s subtle but enough so that the slight attendant quickly runs away. Now the man is fuming. “You’re just going to run away while I’m talking to you? The audacity of this pathetic crew!” The man huffs.

He works himself up. Literally. His muscles enlarge, his hands grow twice their size, the seams of his clothing begin to tear. People look at one another frantic and back up if only to get half an inch further away from this guy.

Eric is out of his seat in a flash moving closer to the guy who is howling. The sound cuts through the crash of thunder. The howl is piercing and since losing my wolf traits I’m not sure my human ear dumbs can handle the pitch.

Some brave soul makes a quick move to the exit doors and attempts to pry the door open, but just then a large paw swipes him out of the way and the poor man goes flying across the plane, he’s unconscious before his body slams against a row of seats.

People scream. I don’t make a sound. I can’t. My heart is stuck in my throat. All I can think about it Debbie. Debbie. With shaking hands, I manage to get my phone out of my pocket.

I have to text Jasper and tell him to tell Debbie that I love her. Those will be my last words.

Another howl breaks out, but this one is different. This one doesn’t just pierce my ears but also my heart.

I look up and my eyes widen. Eric has transformed.

I haven’t seen Eric’s wolf in five years, but he’s just as beautiful. His cost is shiny and a sleek black. He carries himself like a leader, strong and confident but there’s also something mysterious about him.

I rise to my feet, suddenly filled with a sense of protection and awe. Others must pick up on it too because they peer over their seat headrests and watch what’s about to take place.

Eric rams his forearm under the guy's chin and pushes him against the plane wall. There’s a sickening thud as the man’s head hits the plane window. He tries to fight back, but Eric doesn’t allow it.

“If you don’t calm down, I’ll personally make it so you never see your daughter get married,” Eric says and the other man tries to laugh but as soon as his lips curl into a smile, Eric punches him. Blood pours from the man’s nose.

The man touches his nose and his eyes widen at the sight of blood.

“Try anything and I’ll give you a black eye,” Eric growls.

The man makes the right decision and slackens his body, a non-defensive position. Eric releases him.

The plan erupts with applause and I stand still, staring on and unable to speak.