The Lycan’s Forbidden Mate

CHAPTER 004

CHAPTER 004

The rifle felt heavy in Sandra's hands because her fingers had become stiff from the freezing temperature. The heavy snowfall saturated her clothing while it streamed across her face as frigid water. The storm attacked her body mercilessly through every wind gust that hit her.

She blinked quickly while pressing her lips together before she turned her body with the rifle stock firmly against her shoulder. The metal bolt handle felt icy against her frozen cheek. Her entire body felt hyperalert as her muscles remained locked in tension.

The puddles under her boots contained a mixture of snowmelt and rainwater, which formed thin icy layers that broke when she stepped on them. The wind attacked her face while she continued walking through the forest. Each step was deliberate. Careful.

Fear gripped her throat so tightly she couldn't call for Felix. Any noise she made could potentially attract other creatures to her position.

The thick clouds blocked out both moonlight and starlight as they smothered the darkness around her. Her instincts became increasingly intense as she penetrated deeper into the woods.

Turn back.

Go home.

She ignored it. Felix was out here. Somewhere.

Sandra navigated the garden's perimeter around the cabin while ignoring the frozen herbs beneath her feet. Her eyes moved swiftly between the left and right sides. Nothing.

Where else would he go?

She took a deep breath while readjusting her rifle before moving toward the shed. The shed remained his only possible hiding spot.

The wind created a deafening roar that filled her ears when she got closer. The storm intensified into a violent state. Her heart raced against her rib cage when she used the rifle's muzzle to open the shed door.

She pulled her phone from her pocket to activate its flashlight.

The flashlight beam illuminated a workbench filled with tools and unfinished furniture pieces while equipment hung neatly on the walls.

No cat.

“Damn it.”

A powerful bolt of lightning tore through the sky. Sandra turned too quickly, which caused her shoulder to hit the doorframe.

Calm down.

She breathed heavily while rainwater dripped from her hair to her neck. Just a little farther.

Just to the clearing.

Then she’d turn back.

She moved further into the forest.

The sense of dread inside her stomach grew stronger with every passing moment as an unmovable pressure built up against her ribs.

Go back.

Sandra stopped walking when she reached the boundary of the clearing. She swallowed while readjusting her grip on the rifle.

The darkness ahead was absolute. The darkness was interrupted only by jagged flashes of lightning, which briefly illuminated the area with eerie white light.

And that’s when she saw it.

A pole.

Her breath caught.

A wooden pole rose from the center of the clearing with its unmovable height. That alone was unsettling enough. The figure tied to the pole made her blood freeze solid.

A girl.

Naked.

The ropes tightened around her wrists to secure her to the post before they constricted her neck, torso, and ankles. The weight of her head rested against her chest as her wet hair clung to her skin.

Sandra’s stomach twisted into knots.

She remained motionless as she struggled to understand the horrifying sight in front of her.

This can’t be real.

She glanced quickly to both sides of the forest while hoping someone would emerge from the trees. The situation felt like a sick joke.

But no one came.

The girl didn’t move.

Sandra felt her body trembling as the wind intensified and the rain fell harder.

She moved forward with care while keeping her rifle rock steady.

The details of the scene became clearer as she approached. The girl's pale complexion revealed numerous bruises and deep red rope marks that circled her arms.

Sandra heard her heartbeat pounding loudly in her ears.

She knew this girl.

“Freja?”

The word escaped her mouth before she could stop it.

No response.

Sandra clutched the rifle with increased force. She lifted the rifle barrel toward Freja's temple while gently pressing against her forehead.

The girl's head drooped to one side revealing her bruised and swollen jaw.

A perfect hit.

Someone had knocked her out.

“Freja,” Sandra whispered, voice trembling.

She looked… dead.

Sandra took a deep breath while struggling with the rifle before reaching out. Sandra touched Freja's jaw with her fingers before pressing against her neck.

A pulse. Weak. But there.

Relief crashed through her.

Then—

Freja’s eyes snapped open.

“No!”

The sudden movement of Sandra almost caused her to lose control of the rifle.

Freja thrashed wildly against the chains while her body moved in a chaotic manner. The terror on her face spread across every part of her expression as her eyes showed wild panic.

“Get away from me!”

Sandra attempted to control her body while her heart pounded wildly. “Freja, it’s me—”

But Freja wasn’t listening.

The chains made loud noises as she moved while her eyes scanned the area beyond Sandra.

Panic clawed at her throat.

“Where—where are we?” Freja gasped for breath while her breathing became unsteady and rapid. “Where are we?”

Sandra forced herself to maintain a calm tone while she spoke. You stand in the clearing, yet I cannot—

The heavy raindrops soaked Freja's body as she experienced violent body spasms. Her lips quivered.

“My dad,” she whispered. “Where’s my dad?”

Sandra hesitated.

Freja suddenly raised her head to stare directly at Sandra.

“Where is my dad?”

Sandra moved one deliberate step ahead. Freja, please listen to me because we need to—

“No!” Freja interrupted her with a vigorous head movement. Freja spoke in a broken, frantic tone. “You don’t understand. The High Tribunal—”

Sandra froze.

The High Tribunal?

Her chest tightened.

Freja You need to explain yourself right now.

Terror twisted Freja's features as she spoke each word. “We don’t haveI need you to break these chains immediatelyht now! I’ll explain everything!”

Sandra hesitated.

Something was very, very wrong.

She pressed her jaw tightly while ignoring the insistent questions that fought for attention.

Later.

She needed to free Freja from her chains at this moment.

She struggled to grip the frigid chains with her hands as she tried to free herself from the restraints.

They were tight. Too tight.

She pulled with all her strength, yet the chains refused to move.

The frozen chains scorched her flesh, yet she paid no attention. She kept pulling, frustration mounting.

Nothing.

She took rapid, short breaths while attempting another pull.

“Damn it,” she whispered.

Freja whimpered. “Sandra, please, it’s—”

A sound.

Low. Deep.

A growl.

Sandra’s blood turned to ice.

The cold penetrated beyond her outer skin to reach her bones. The cold had penetrated her bones until she became numb throughout her entire body.

Sandra's breathing became ragged when she heard the deep, guttural growl in her ears. The faint buzzing of her hearing devices allowed her to recognize the unmistakable sound.The wind ceased its howling, seemingly under divine command.

The wind stopped its howling as if it had been commanded to do so. The world shifted around her into a silent, eerie, and unnatural state.

A pressure change.

A warning.

Freja stopped staring at Sandra when she raised her eyes to meet the girl's gaze.

Freja's face turned completely pale while her lips quivered as she stared at something behind Sandra with wide, unseeing eyes.

Sandra didn’t move.

A primal force within her warned her to stay facing forward while her instincts demanded she turn around to see what Freja was observing.

The act of averting my eyes seemed to maintain whatever it was in an unreal state.

Another growl, deeper this time.

The ground beneath her feet shook from the powerful sound, which sent vibrations up her spine.

The tension in the air made Freja's whisper barely audible.

"Sandra..."

Sandra clenched her jaw.

Freja's eyes became shiny while her whole body turned rigid.

Sandra squeezed the rifle harder in her hands.

Freja’s voice cracked. "What… what is—”

She never finished.

A form shifted through the darkness while its undefined edges blended with the shadows. And then—

A pair of red eyes.

The creature started at belly height before rising to show its true size. But then—

It rose.

Sandra felt her heart pounding against her rib cage.

The figure continued to grow until it surpassed the treeline and seemed capable of breaking through the sky.

Freja choked on a sob.

Sandra still couldn’t breathe.

The creature remained completely still while its eyes glowed as it stared at them.

Not attacking.

Just watching.

Freja managed a short breath through her constricted throat. "Why isn't it attacking?"

Sandra knew.

Predators enjoyed a game of torment before killing their prey.

The rifle stock became tighter in her grip.

As she shook violently in her chains, Freja's voice emerged as a whisper. "Sandra… hurry—"

Sandra readjusted her grip on the rifle stock before using it to strike the solid lock that bound Freja.

The c***k of impact echoed.

The beast shifted. The massive creature shifted its body while its eyes moved slightly enough for Sandra to detect the motion.

Sandra struck the lock with increased force.

Freja pulled desperately at her chains while panicking. "It's moving… it's moving… Sandra—"

Sandra kept hitting the lock. Each strike of the rifle stock made the weapon vibrate while her breath condensed into mist from the freezing temperatures.

Freja's voice grew more desperate. "Shoot it!"

Sandra’s pulse hammered.

Freja's body convulsed against her chains while water droplets hit her face when she turned to see Sandra with frantic eyes. "The gun—use it!"

Sandra pointed the rifle at the lock while her hands trembled uncontrollably. She fired once.

Freja flinched.

Another deep growl escaped from the beast.

A large object moved within the dark shadows.

The enormous paws of the beast left deep prints in the snow as it moved through the forest while its eyes glowed intermittently before disappearing.

Sandra’s mind raced.

She spoke in a hushed voice. "My cabin is close by." She readjusted the rifle to achieve a steady aim. "When I break this, run. Got it?"

Freja nodded frantically. "Yes—yes—"

Bang.

The lock jerked sideways.

One more.

Bang.

The padlock snapped.

Freja broke free from her chains just as Sandra started to feel relieved, and then she ran away from the cabin.

Sandra didn’t think. She ran.

She pushed her legs to their limit while the freezing air attacked her breathing system.

Freja raced ahead of Sandra while remaining pale and swift with her feet, making only faint sounds against the snow.

Don’t look back.

Sandra kept her eyes on the path in front of her.

Don’t look back.

But she did.

Her stomach plummeted.

The beast was still there.

Standing. Watching.

The massive creature stood motionless in the darkness with an unnatural stillness. Too calculated.

The creature's shoulders flexed as its powerful muscles rippled beneath its thick black fur while raindrops slid off its sleek surface.

The creature shifted its weight onto its four legs.

Sandra’s heart clenched.

The creature's ears moved forward as its hot breath formed misty clouds.

The beast revealed its long teeth, which extended past Sandra's forearm when it opened its dark-stained muzzle.

Dripping.

The beast retreated into a coiled position before making its move.

Then—

It lunged.

The ground trembled beneath them.

Freja screamed.

Sandra stopped in her tracks to raise her rifle while walking and took a steady position.

She lost her job..

Once.

Twice.

Again.

She ignored the shoulder pain from the recoil as she kept firing. Bullet casings hit the snow. The rifle became so hot that smoke rose from its barrel as she held it.

A shadow moved.

A massive force hit her body and turned her body in a twisted motion.

The weapon escaped her grip as she fired.

The cold barely registered when something heavy landed on her back to force her into the frozen ground.

A ragged gasp pushed all her air out of her body.

The weight bearing down on her spine became unbearable.

Too strong.

The creature's claws penetrated her jacket material to scrape against her flesh.

Sandra froze.

The beast's heavy breaths reached her ears.

Heavy. Slow. Deliberate.

The beast's hot breath scorched her face as it passed by.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

This is it.

A deep growl vibrated through the air above her head until it made her ribs tremble.

The beast's muzzle touched her hair while its hot breath steamed against her face, and saliva dripped from its mouth to her jaw.

Sandra battled to control the shaking in her body as she swallowed hard.

Play dead.

Play dead.

The creature didn’t move.

Sandra cracked one eye open—

She opened her eyes to see two red eyes glowing in front of her.

He was just a hair's breadth away.

Her lungs locked.

The beast's eyes flashed open for only an instant.

A shift.

A flash of something hazel.

The beast shifted its position above Sandra before she could comprehend what was happening.

Its jaws creaked open.

Teeth glinted in the dark.

Poised over her skull.

Would it bite?