Chapter 4: The Predator and the Prey
711 Words
The thunderous roar of the black wolf still vibrated in Elena’s chest as she stood frozen in the clearing. The air felt colder now that Ethan’s burning warmth was gone. Somewhere in the distance, the sharp, chaotic barking of hunting hounds grew louder, mixing with the shouting of men.
They were hunting him right now.
Ignoring Ethan’s command to go back to the village, Elena bit her lip and ran toward the sound of the commotion. Her ankle was completely healed, moving with a fluid swiftness she had never felt before. She could feel a strange, invisible thread pulling her toward Ethan, telling her exactly where he was in the dark, sprawling maze of trees.
Through the dense fog, she saw the flickering orange glow of torches. She ducked behind a thick bramble bush, holding her breath as she peered into a wide, rocky ravine.
Ethan, in his magnificent midnight-black wolf form, was surrounded.
Six hounds were snapping at his heels, but they were too terrified to get close. Julian stood at the rim of the ravine, flanked by five heavy-set village men holding high-caliber rifles. Two men held a massive, heavy iron net studded with cruel, silver-tipped spikes.
"Don't shoot the pelt!" Julian barked, his face twisted in a manic, greedy grin. "Tear its legs! Drop the net on it!"
The giant wolf snarled, a sound so dark and menacing it made the ground tremble. With a flash of lightning speed, Ethan swiped his massive paw, sending two hounds flying into the brush. But as he turned, a loud BANG echoed through the night.
One of the men had fired. The silver-tipped bullet grazed Ethan’s shoulder.
A sharp, agonizing pain instantly shot through Elena’s own shoulder, making her gasp and stumble out from behind the bush. It felt as if a hot iron had pressed against her skin. The bond was so strong that she was feeling his pain.
Ethan let out a pained howl, his silver eyes flashing with rage as black blood began to stain his dark fur.
"Get the net over him now! He's slowing down!" Julian yelled, stepping closer to the edge, aiming his rifle right at the wolf's head.
"Julian, STOP!"
Elena screamed, breaking out of the tree line and rushing into the ravine. She threw herself directly between Julian’s rifle and the wounded wolf, her arms spread wide.
The entire clearing went dead silent. The hounds whined, backing away, sensing the sudden shift in the air.
Julian lowered his rifle slightly, his eyes widening in pure shock and anger. "Elena? What the hell are you doing out here? Get out of the way! That monster will tear you apart!"
"He is not a monster!" Elena cried out, her voice echoing fiercely against the rocks. She didn't dare look back, but she could feel the heavy, hot breath of the massive wolf right behind her, his large body shifting protectively over her shadow. "You are trespassing in his territory, Julian! If you don't leave right now, none of you will make it back alive!"
Julian’s shock turned into a dark, ugly scowl. He looked at Elena, then noticed how the savage beast wasn't attacking her—instead, the wolf was leaning its massive head close to her cloak, inhaling her scent, its silver eyes glaring at Julian with a murderous, protective fury.
Realization hit Julian like a physical blow. His jaw tightened, jealousy and disgust warping his features. "You... you smell like him," Julian whispered, his voice shaking with rage. "You've been out here with this freak. You’re protecting a mutt!"
"Julian, please, just go—"
"No," Julian snarled, raising his rifle again, pointing it directly at Elena’s chest to get to the wolf behind her. "If you've chosen a beast over your own kind, then you can die with him. Men, fire!"
But before anyone could pull a trigger, Ethan let out a roar that shattered the night. The ground violently cracked beneath their feet. In a split second, the massive black wolf leaped over Elena, shielding her completely with his body as a barrage of gunfire erupted through the trees.
- Writer
