The Unintended

Chapter 12

Hunter lay flat on the floor, hands wrapped around the throat of the beast that had him pinned to the ground. His fangs extended out, and he was ready to fight this monster to the death. It saddened his heart because he didn’t want to hurt the girl, but he would not be a beast’s dinner either. The wolf stared at him, deep into his eyes. Much to his surprise, the beast wasn’t snarling or snapping at his face like he expected. Instead, she sat there, looking at him with a calm gaze. He loosened his grip on the monster’s throat. What happened next, he never saw coming. She licked his nose.

“Mira?” He asked, confused. The beast relaxed and backed off of him, standing up on her two legs. He sat up and moved a few feet back to see her. He had never been this close to one of her kind, not that he ever had a reason, but he was truly in awe of what he saw. Before him stood an animal, quite beautiful, he thought. She had sleek and dark hair, the same color she had in her human form. It looked like a wolf, but her body was more like a bear, able to walk on two legs. Surprisingly, she was as tall as she was human too. He could see her powerful, muscular build beneath her fur.

“Mira, are you in there?” He asked, putting his hand up to show her he was submitting and got up slowly. He got to his feet and stood there, staring at her. She did nothing but watch him, calmly and quietly. What Hunter couldn’t possibly know was Mira had her presence of mind in this form, alongside the mind of her wolf. The wolf seemed to show no aggression towards him and, because of that, he was relieved.

He took one small step toward the Wer. She didn’t move. It surprised him to see how tall she was, standing on her hind legs. After a pause, he took another step. A moment later, he held his hand out toward her. She still stood calmly, to his surprise.

There he stood, toe to toe, with what he was told would be an uncontrollable, bloodthirsty beast. He hesitantly reached his hand toward her and gently touched the side of her head. He began scratching her behind her ear, the same way you would pet a strange dog. Mira leaned into the scratching, which made him chuckle softly. After a moment of petting, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud. He backed up a couple of steps from her, in complete awe that he had just petted a werewolf. Mira dropped to all four paws and howled.

Hunter was relieved he wouldn’t have to kill her, but was perplexed about how this freshly turned human could be in control. Mira trotted over to the door. She couldn’t speak to tell him. The hunger she felt was overwhelming. She wished there was a way she could tell him to let her out to hunt before she ate him for the hell of it. Hunter picked up on this right away.

“You want out?” he asked.

Mira turned her head to look at him and howled again.

Hunter was unsure of what to do. On the one hand, he knew the wolf wanted to eat, and he didn’t want it to be him. On the other hand, what would happen if he let her out? He knew there were plenty of deer and other small animals out there for the taking, but what if there were humans out there too? They were far enough from the city for it to be less likely, but what about campers or hikers?

Mira grew impatient watching him mull it over and stood on her hind legs again. This time, she raised her paws and pushed the door leading outside.

“You want out, don't you?” asked Hunter.

Mira just howled again. He had to admit; he was feeling famished himself and could go for a deer if he were being honest. He thought about what it would be like to share a fresh kill with a werewolf. The thought was absurd. Mira’s patience got thinner, and she started repeatedly shoving at the door.

“f**k it.” he said to himself and opened the door, hoping for the best. Mira took off out the door. “Oh, shit.” Said Hunter, and he went after her.

The night air was cool and brisk. He had to run at his top vampire speed to catch her. That part about what you hear in Hollywood regarding vampires is true. They have super speed and strength, and sometimes other superhuman gifts, too. They were rare, but some vamps were gifted in different ways.

They ran through the woods in the cloak of night, free. The animalistic instinct drives each of them. Mira’s speed and agility impressed him as they ran through trees, across creeks and over hills. Hunter felt alive for the first time in centuries and he was having the time of his life with his new companion.

Finally, she slowed to a walking pace, seeming to have caught the scent of something. Hunter sniffed the air and smelled it, too. A buck was somewhere nearby. The two walked slowly, following the scent. Hunter couldn’t believe he was hunting with a werewolf. As far as he was concerned, in all the time he had been alive, everything he had been told about them was wrong.

The sound of a snapping twig made Mira’s head snap up. She turned toward the direction of the sound, crouching low. Hunter followed her lead until she stopped. There, grazing on the grass, was a huge lone buck. Mira and Hunter looked at each other. He circled around to the other side of the dear while Mira waited, still as a stone for him to get into position.

She watched patiently for him to blend into the trees, then she made her move. She lept toward the deer, with her fierce might, enough to scare the deer straight into Hunter. It was over in seconds. Hunter jumped out in time to intercept the animal by grabbing it around the shoulders and sinking his fangs into the jugular of the deer. The animal never knew what hit it, and it was down while

Hunter ravaged the blood flow from its neck. Mira was on the animal in seconds, tearing at its chest and eating its heart.