Alpha's Protective Pup

3

Motivated by a sense of desperation or perhaps a reckless sense of abandon, I made a daring dash for freedom. Perhaps the creature regarded it as a personal challenge and pursued me with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. It didn’t take long for it to gain on me and then pounce.

I screamed, hitting the ground with a hard thump. The wolf’s snarling and guttural growling clarified it considered me as prey. Because of its proximity, I noticed its ribs protruding from the sides, despite its large stature, and saw the desperation in its eyes as it peered at me.

It seemed as if I was the solution to its hunger problem, but determined not to give in, I fought back against the creature, kicking and struggling to escape.

The animal wasn’t having it and grabbed my leg between its sharp teeth and dragged me backward. At this point, I felt convinced my life was over, and a sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. I realized I was going to become this starving wolf’s next meal.

My eyes fluttered shut, not wanting to see what was seconds from happening, when I heard a loud howl in the distance, causing me to groan. f**k, was there another one ready to feast on me?

The sharp yelp of the animal pierced the silence, causing me to snap my eyes open. No longer was the hungry wolf hovering over me. It was under assault by a ferocious, wolf-like creature with jet-black fur and a prominent scar across its right eye, its piercing yellow eyes filled with rage. I wasn’t sure if this wolf was my savior or not, so I figured it was my chance to take advantage of the moment and run.

I struggled to stand, my body convulsing with a strangled scream as searing pain surged through my leg. The agonizing reminder of my injury sent a jolt of panic through me. As I breathed in, the air was heavy with the acrid scent of fear and sweat, a stark reminder of my forgotten, wounded state. My leg throbbed with every step, making it difficult to flee at any speed. It was clear that my attempts to create distance between myself and the wolves were falling flat.

“Wait, you’re injured!” I heard a human voice yell.

I spun around to find the starving creature lying still, and the black wolf had disappeared. Instead, I saw a dark-haired man with a scar across his right eye, giving him a mysterious and rugged look.

Wait, what?

My mind was struggling to make sense of the scene before me. The only explanation that I could produce was that it was a werewolf. But that couldn’t be. Werewolves were not real.

“Yes, I’m aware of that.” I was unsure whether to thank the guy for saving me or run.

I didn’t get far before dizziness washed over me, and black spots danced in my field of vision. As I forced myself to take another step, my body gave up, and I crumpled to the ground.

I heard footsteps approaching, and when I glanced up, I saw the man standing over me with a worried expression.

“Don’t worry, I’m going to take you back to the den and they’ll patch you right up.” He smiled at me.

None of his words made sense, and I shook my head, trying to protest, but I was seconds from giving into unconsciousness.

Little did I know, my decision to take a walk that day would soon fill me with fear and change my entire life.

CHAPTER 2

LUKAS

S

urveying the territory wasn’t always as exciting as being a hunter in the pack. Hunters were able to indulge in their primal desire for bloodshed more frequently than not. We might spend a decent amount of time in our human forms, but werewolf blood still ran through our blood. It wasn’t something we could ignore.

After it became clear that I detected no other scents, I sought out the wolf to get a better look at him. At least, this was my intention until I heard a woman scream. Humans in the woods were not common. Even the few houses that were scattered among the area avoided the forest, for good reason.

I shifted into my wolf form and took off running toward the cry. There I found the wolf who had trespassed on our territory. From my angle, I saw the wolf was thin, with ribs protruding from its sides. No wonder it had come into our territory. It was starving.

The creature’s attack on a human made me lose any remaining sympathy, despite the myths surrounding us.

I attacked the wolf, dragging it away from the woman. It let out a sharp yelp, and I could feel its feeble attempts to fight, but its weakened state made it no match for me.

Once I no longer detected a heartbeat from the wolf, I shifted back to my human form and studied the woman. To my horror, she was trying to walk away, back in what I assumed was the direction she came from.

“You’re injured!” I shouted, but it didn’t deter her.

Her stubborn demeanor finally gave way as her body surrendered to unconsciousness. I knew I would get flack for bringing her back to the den, but I couldn’t very well leave her there.

Despite my mother’s bloodline being traceable back generations within the Sabretail Pride, the same cannot be said for my father. Although he rarely mentioned it, he confided in me a few years ago about his pack’s devastating demise and his narrow escape. For weeks, my father struggled to survive on his own and recover from his injuries.

It was similar to the wolf who had stumbled into the territory today. It might have turned out differently had he not attacked the woman and been so aggressive. Some clans weren’t so willing to help outsiders, while others might make exceptions. Our clan made an exception now and then. My father had been one of them.

I would never do something like leaving this woman out here, possibly bleeding to death. My logical side pointed out that it seemed cruel and not particularly wise. I had no idea about the woman’s background, as if it were a blank canvas waiting to be painted. In time, her close family and friends could begin searching for her.