The Cruel Mate

5. Run ash Run

I sprinted through the snowy forest at full speed. I have never run so fast in my life. I could feel my heart pumping in my ears, unable to feel my legs due to the adrenaline. I knew this forest well, I have the advantage here. I tried to mind link my mom again, when I felt a sharp pain in my chest. It felt as if someone shoved a knife through my chest repeatedly 50 times. Then i felt the death of all the pack members. All 50 of them. I felt the pack link be cut. My pack was gone. I felt tears rush down my face. I shoved my emotions down, there was no time for grief right now. I had to get away.

As I ran I felt trees and twigs snap against my fur leaving small cuts. My wolf ice had taken over consumed with fear. I felt her sadness about our pack and mother through the bond. Ice zoomed through the forest at lighting speed, and we both prayed to the moon goddess not to let them catch us. To just please have mercy on us.

As Ice jumped over a log, her paw got stuck in one of the holes. We slammed on the other side of the trunk and I felt the pain radiating throughout my body. I blacked out as my head hit the ground. It took minute to come to, but I heard ice screaming my name. I looked down and I was back in human form.

“Get up ash please we have to keep going.” Ice pleaded. I pulled my leg out of the log, and fell to the ground. I looked down and my leg was swollen and bruising. It might be broken or sprained I thought. I got up to walk and it was painful but I could walk. Suddenly I felt the hairs on my neck stand up. “ASH MOVE NOW”. Ice screamed in my head. I tried to stand but i fell back down. I could feel myself start to panic. Suddenly ice forced a shift and I hit the ground running in wolf form. Every step was agony, but the longer i ran the less i felt it.

As I was running I looked to the left past the snowy trees and saw the leader of the wolves in the treeline. His eyes were glowing red, tons of scars on his body to show the battles he’s been through. I felt my stomach drop. There’s no way he caught up that fast. How long was I blacked out for? I felt my sense heighten as the other 4 wolves ran up on either side of me. F***. I forced my body to keep running, I pushed myself faster. This was a matter of life and death, and I was not going back.

Suddenly the leader of the wolves smirked at me and howled in the air. “ASH IN FRONT” Ice screamed in my head, as i whipped my head to the front I saw 2 more wolves waiting in the tree line. I felt myself skid to a stop. I was surrounded on all sides. My heart was beating so loud in my ears, I was sure everyone could hear it.

The leader shifted to human form in front of me with two wolves on his side. He was a tall man with a scar across his eye, and all over his body. 6’4 with dark hair that was slicked black. I was intrigued by the fact he was also wearing wolf armor but his was black like his fur. I guess they knew some witches as well. “You are a fast little wolf, I will give you that. Enough games. You are coming with us.” The leader smirked at me. I growled at him, but I was shaking. I just hoped he couldn’t see it. I could feel Ice shaking with fear in my head. We were cornered. There was no way out of this one.

I looked at the 7 wolves surrounding me, sizing each one up. If i could at least take on one, then i might be able to run past him. I spotted the smallest wolf, he had no scars on his body. He was about the size of me, im guessing he wasn’t full grown. I launched at him, and in the suprise of the attack he jumped out of the way. I sprinted past him, with the other wolves hot on my heels. I could feel their breath as they tried to snip at my ankles.

As I zipped through the trees and debris of the snowy forest, I could hear them stumbling along the path. As I looked back to see how far they were, I felt my paw slip causing me to roll down a hill. As i rolled I hit every single log and stone there was. I felt my ribs break as I landed on another log. I finally stopped rolling at the bottom, I felt my body slowly transition to its human form. The pain over taking me as I slowly blacked out. I felt my head bleeding, and I felt cuts and bruises starting to form. I looked down and saw blood appearing through my armor. As I looked up the hill, I saw the wolves staring at me. Then I saw nothing but darkness.