Chapter 8:The Truth
573 Words
Sofia's POV
The sound of bones cracking echoed through the forest.
I had seen wolves shift before.
It was painful.
Fast.
Beautiful.
This...
This was different.
The ground trembled beneath my feet.
Dark smoke curled around Craig's body as his muscles expanded. His black shirt tore apart, swallowed by a whirlwind of shadows.
Then, standing before me, was the largest wolf I had ever seen.
His fur was midnight black, darker than the forest itself.
His eyes...
They were crimson.
Cold.
Ancient.
Power rolled off him in waves, forcing the rogues to whimper before he had even moved.
One by one, they lowered their tails.
Fear.
Pure fear.
The stories hadn't been exaggerated.
Craig Rhodes truly was the Alpha every pack feared.
The largest rogue growled, trying to gather what little courage he had left.
"Kill him!"
None of the others moved.
Craig took one step forward.
The rogues took three steps back.
Then one attacked.
It lasted less than a second.
Craig lunged.
His jaws clamped around the rogue's shoulder, hurling him into a tree with enough force to snap the trunk in half.
The remaining rogues scattered.
They didn't fight.
They ran.
Craig didn't chase them.
He simply stood there, watching until the last of them disappeared into the darkness.
The forest became quiet again.
Too quiet.
I let out a shaky breath.
"It's over..."
Craig's massive wolf slowly turned toward me.
Those crimson eyes met mine.
My body froze.
He wasn't growling.
He wasn't threatening me.
But he was terrifying.
He took one cautious step closer.
Then another.
I backed away instinctively.
"I'm... I'm sorry."
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
His ears lowered.
For a moment, he looked...
Hurt.
A soft whine escaped him.
Why would an Alpha like him look hurt?
The shadows surrounding his paws faded.
His enormous body began to shrink.
Moments later, Craig stood before me once more, dressed in a spare shirt that Mason had tossed down from the ridge above.
His face was unreadable.
"I frightened you."
It wasn't a question.
I lowered my eyes.
"I've never seen a wolf like yours."
"You never will again."
The certainty in his voice caught my attention.
"What do you mean?"
He looked toward the river instead of answering.
"My wolf isn't the problem."
I frowned.
"Then what is?"
Silence.
A cold breeze swept between us.
Finally, he spoke.
"The world thinks they fear me because I'm strong."
His jaw tightened.
"They're wrong."
Before I could ask another question, Mason climbed down onto the ledge.
"Alpha."
Craig didn't look at him.
"Report."
"The rogues escaped."
"I expected as much."
Mason hesitated.
"There is... something else."
Craig finally turned.
"What?"
"The rogues weren't hunting at random."
Mason's expression darkened.
"They were asking for a girl named Sofia."
My breath caught.
Craig's eyes narrowed.
"Who sent them?"
"We don't know."
"But one of the rogues said..." Mason swallowed.
"...'Bring the girl back alive.'"
Alive?
My heart raced.
"I don't understand."
Craig stared into the forest beyond the cliff.
Neither did he.
Someone had known I would be here.
Someone wanted me alive.
And somehow...
That frightened Craig more than the rogues themselves.
For the first time since we'd met, he looked directly at me.
"This isn't about the mate bond anymore."
His voice was low.
"It's about the truth."
"And whatever it is..."
He glanced toward the dark horizon.
"...it's finally catching up to you."
- Writer
