Chapter Five:The Third Howl
669 Words
The three hunters raised their weapons. Blue light from their strange guns lit up the dark street like cold fire. My heart slammed against my ribs.
Zara stood tense beside me, body low and ready. “Last chance, Arian. Run.”
“I’m staying,” I said. My voice came out rough.
The middle hunter smirked. “Two moon-touched. Easy catch.”
Before they could shoot, a deep growl ripped through the night.
A tall, broad-shouldered guy dropped from the rooftop above us. He landed in a crouch, one hand on the ground. Short dark hair. Sharp silver-gray eyes that caught the moonlight.
“Max,” Zara breathed, relief in her voice. “Perfect timing.”
Max straightened up with a dangerous smile. “Couldn’t let you two have all the fun.”
The hunters didn’t wait. One fired a blue dart. Max moved like lightning. He shoved Zara and me aside, then snatched the dart out of the air and crushed it in his fist.
“Silver Order toys,” he growled. “Pathetic.”
Chaos broke out.
The hunters charged. Max met the first one with a powerful punch that sent the man crashing into a wall. Zara leaped at the second hunter, fast and fierce, her nails flashing in the moonlight like claws.
I stood frozen for a split second. Then the wolf inside me exploded with heat.
Strength flooded my body. My vision sharpened. I could hear every heartbeat, see every drop of sweat on the third hunter’s face.
He swung a silver blade at me.
I ducked low. The blade cut the air above my head. Without thinking, I drove my shoulder hard into his stomach. He grunted and stumbled. The silver burned my arm where it touched, but the pain only made the wolf stronger.
Max glanced at me while fighting. “Not bad, Arian.”
“Focus!” Zara shouted.
The fight was fast and brutal. Max fought with raw power. Zara moved like a shadow, quick and deadly. I stayed in the middle, using my new strength to block and hit. I slammed the third hunter against a parked car. The window cracked under the force.
He looked up at me with wide, terrified eyes. “Monster…”
The word stung. The wolf wanted to tear into him. My teeth ached. My hands shook with the urge.
But I didn’t.
I pinned him with my forearm against his throat instead. “Leave us alone,” I growled.
Max appeared beside me and placed a calm hand on my shoulder. “Easy. We scare them. We don’t kill. Killing brings more hunters.”
I let the man go. He gasped for air and scrambled away into the darkness.
Silence fell over the street.
My body trembled as the wolf slowly settled. Sweat cooled on my skin. Zara walked over, breathing hard, a small cut on her cheek. Max stood tall, watching me with those silver-gray eyes.
“You okay?” Max asked. His voice was deep and steady.
I nodded, though my legs felt weak. “Who are you?”
“Max,” he said simply. “I’ve been running with Zara for over a year. We keep each other alive.”
Zara wiped blood from her lip and gave him a small smile. “He always shows up when things get messy.”
Max looked at me carefully. “Your wolf is different. Stronger. That’s why the Order wants you so badly.” He glanced toward the rooftops. “We can’t stay here. More will come. There’s an old safe house not far from here. You should come with us.”
I looked at both of them — Zara on my left, calm and watchful, Max on my right, solid and protective.
For the first time in years, I didn’t feel completely alone with the monster inside me.
But the moon was still high above us.
And something told me the real fight was only just beginning.
---
To be continued…
- Writer
