The Queen's Luna

Chapter 8

It only takes the two of us mere minutes to load the trunks and into the carriage. We had to move one together due to the weight.

My vision sways again and I grab onto the trim of the carriage door as I try and check on Rana. I groan as my body attempts to shift again.

“She’s fine, Alpha… Get in. I’ll drive us. Where are we going?” The girl tries to help me again.

I growl at her and pull back as my claws extend again, “The arching oak trees on the eastern side of the clearing… Go through, it doesn’t look like a path, but the horses know where to go.”

I let a small cry escape my lips before continuing, “After five miles you will see markings at the base of trees on either side. Follow…” My spine pops and begins to elongate to conform to my wolf, “Don’t break the horses of their pace until I instruct.”

I drop to my hands and knees and the girl jumps up into the driver's seat, “The hunters?”

I growl, “Not an issue.”

I stop resisting the shift and as I come to on large white paws, I let out a menacing roar that seems to echo off of the mountains themselves. The horses know my command as they launch into a full sprint towards the eastern side of the clearing.

The wind whips and the trees bend to what’s left of my power after the light drained me. As my paws pound into the frozen and snow covered earth, the snow flurries into blizzard conditions around us. It only takes me seconds to pass the carriage and four horses that pull it.

I flick my ears as the sounds of guns and rifles c*****g catch my attention. The horses whinny nervously at my predatory state. One of the more stupid humans jumps out into the pathway, pointing the barrel of his gun in my direction. I snarl and snap my jaws as I sprint at him. I don’t smell the murder of Rana on him, but nonetheless he is going to die. He is not innocent. Them even being on my territory right now is cause enough for me to kill the lot of them without any form of hesitation. Kill them, I will. I will relish in it.

I reach within ten feet of him and he pulls the trigger. The muzzle flashes and the smell of gunpowder enters my nostrils as my muscles coil and I leap above the bullet… Knocking squarely into his chest with my snout as I rip a hole from front to back; tearing out his heart.

The carriage flashes past us, bumping over the carcass in the process, as I make eye contact with my next kill. Bullets begin to fly as their momentary shock wears off. 

“Kill the b***h!” Someone yells.

I snarl and bound off down a path that leads in an opposite direction that the carriage is going. Two split off after the carriage and the other nine race after me as I dark through the thickening trees. A bullet grazes my shoulder. I snap my jaws and spittle flies from my teeth. The wind slams into the men chasing me and the snow comes down heavier.

I jump into the air, again, towards a large tree. My back paws connect, with the momentum I gain, I flip myself over and launch myself towards a fat one in a green coat. A silver bullet lodges in my right shoulder, but I don’t care.  I connect with him easily.

I sink my dagger like teeth into his fleshy, pink neck. He screams a strangled cry and as I remove his head from his shoulders, blood sprays the oncoming riders while coating the snow on the forest floor. The horse, unfortunately, does not fare any better. I must have dug my rear claws into its neck as I latched onto the corpse that lies underneath me while it leaks blood onto the ground. 

I take out the one that comes up on my right next. With a single swipe of my claws his leg severs from his body and he yowls in pain; falling from his mount. The horse spooks and bolts as I stalk towards the man. Another bullet lodges into my hide and I snap my powerful jaws at him before taking his other leg into my mouth.

I spin him around, and with great force, I launch him into one of his counterparts; they both land against the larger pine tree. They land with a sickening splat, accompanied by the sound of bones breaking on impact.

Four down, eight to go.

Before they can circle me, I take off unto the forest again.

 “Girl!” I link the she-wolf as I press on faster.

“They’re gaining! The horses can’t pace any faster,” She comes back through the mind link.

I bank hard left and skid in the snow as I barrel towards the pathway that she is on. I am now going too fast for the remaining posse to catch me, let alone the girl and Rana. I still use the wind to flurry the snow in order to cover our tracks. The trees creak under my harsh command and the snow falls even thicker, taking away their sight as well…. Let them track us now without hounds.

 My legs begin to burn at my excretion as I force myself to sprint faster after the carriages two pursuers. They come into sight and I growl as I gain on them. I dart into the trees and the snow cover before they can see me. If I can reach it before them, there is a garden of rocks and boulders coming up in fifty yards.

I pay no mind to the smaller rock shards that slice into my paws as I race towards the boulder that partially juts overhead of the pathway. My vision blurs and black spots seem to swim in my eyes, causing me to miss one of the men. I still smack into one of them before he can get a shot off at anyone.. 

The force at which I hit him sends us both into the strong trunk of a tree. The impact causes blood to spray from his mouth as his skill caves in and his neck breaks; killing him instantly. I pant and nearly stumble as I make my way back to the openness of the pathway. I’m not sure how much longer I can run and use my magic to keep us hidden at the same time… Let alone even one of those tasks.

I shake off my doubt and snap my jaws as I gain on the carriages last pursuer. He does not see or hear me come from behind and when I jump up and clamp my jaws down over the top of his head and into his neck, it comes as a complete shock to him. His strangled cry and last breath gives that away.

I scent him and growl as anger pulses through me again. This one does not carry the smell of Rana’s death either. I snarl before turning in the direction of the carriage again. They will all die by my hands. I will have vengeance for Rana.