Destructive Hyenas
1794 Words
Chapter 042: Destructive Hyenas
Even though panic and fear gripped her down to the bone, Anindira refused to give up hope. She kept running, her breath coming in harsh gasps, her chest feeling as though it were on fire. Every so often, she glanced over her shoulder, searching for shadows, sounds, or scents—any sign of her pursuers.
Massive roots tripped her repeatedly. Her body crashed onto the damp ground. Her elbows and knees slammed hard against the earth, sending sharp pain through her limbs. Yet she forced herself back up.
There was no time to cry.
No time to surrender.
Behind her, the four Hyenas were in no hurry.
They were deliberately playing with her.
At times they appeared ahead of her path, forcing her to change direction. When she was nearly out of strength, they would catch her—only to let her go again. Laughing. Grinning. Allowing her to run a few dozen more steps before chasing her once more.
“Over here... over here...” their laughter echoed among the trunks of the blue trees.
Anindira was forced to run back and forth, her rhythm constantly broken, her dignity trampled. Filthy words laced with erotic undertones poured shamelessly from their mouths, stabbing her ears more cruelly than claws ever could. Every sentence made her stomach churn. Every word sent a wave of disgust crawling across her skin.
Her strength continued to drain away.
Finally, she stumbled again.
Her body hit the ground, and before she could rise, a heavy weight pinned her down.
“Give up,” the *Emerald Hyena said in a low voice, his hot breath brushing near Anindira's neck. “You're exhausted.”
His massive body pressed down on her, making it difficult for her lungs to expand.
“You have nowhere left to run,” he continued, holding her beneath him. “Enough playing around. All this has done is make your scent even stronger.”
“ARGH!—LET ME GO!!!” Anindira screamed, anger and despair colliding into one. “YOU FILTHY BASTARDS! COWARDS—!”
She cursed them while struggling desperately. Her knees kicked, her elbows struck out, her body twisted in search of any opening. Every touch felt revolting. Every finger against her skin made her head throb with both rage and fear.
The more she resisted, the harder they laughed.
Anindira broke into sobs—not because she had surrendered, but because both her body and mind were being forced to endure too much at once: pain, disgust, and suffocating fear.
Losing patience, the *Emerald Hyena grabbed the collar of her shirt and yanked roughly, trying to tear it open.
And that was when—
BAM!
The *Emerald Hyena's body was suddenly sent flying.
The violent impact hurled him away from Anindira. His reflexive pull tore through the fabric, ripping her shirt apart. In the chaos, his beast instincts took over—his claws lashed out.
“NGH—!”
Anindira groaned in pain.
A burning sensation ripped through her upper left shoulder as flesh was torn open. Warm. Wet. The scent of blood immediately spread through the air.
Before she could even process what had happened, her body was lifted.
In an instant, Anindira found herself in someone's arms as he leaped backward, retreating with swift, controlled movements.
“Gavriel!”
The name escaped her lips in a broken voice filled with relief so intense it almost hurt. The moment she realized who was holding her, both arms wrapped tightly around him with all the strength she had left, as though letting go would send her straight back into the nightmare she had just escaped.
Her body trembled violently.
Gavriel gently patted her back in a steady rhythm, trying to calm her. But his senses had already detected something wrong.
The scent of blood.
Thick. Sharp. Overpowering.
Far too strong for a mere scratch.
Without even looking, Gavriel knew the wound was deep.
“Anindira...” he called softly but firmly, making sure she was still conscious.
His gaze lowered, and fury exploded inside his chest.
Anindira's clothes were torn.
The fabric hung in ragged strips, exposing skin stained with blood. Here and there were scrapes, bluish bruises, marks left by grabbing hands and brutal impacts—the unmistakable evidence of a young woman's desperate struggle against predators far stronger than herself.
Gavriel's jaw tightened.
“Does it hurt...?” he asked quietly, his fingers wiping away the tears streaming down her cheeks.
Anindira did not answer.
She simply looked at him with reddened eyes, her breathing still broken and uneven.
That look was enough.
Fear.
Pain.
Exhaustion.
All of it mixed together.
“Hold on a little longer...” Gavriel said, his voice low but steady. Forcing himself to remain calm, he lowered his forehead until it nearly touched hers. “They've definitely noticed it by now. They'll be coming soon... for you.”
Anindira nodded quickly, her face swollen from crying. Without saying a word, she clung to Gavriel even tighter, her fingers gripping his clothes as though they were her last anchor to the world.
“Bastards...” Gavriel muttered.
Then his voice hardened.
“You filthy bastards.”
His burning gaze locked onto the four Hyenas.
“Disgusting Hyenas who only know how to gang up on women.”
“Little lion,” the *Emerald Hyena sneered, his eyes full of contempt, “acting tough in front of a woman.”
“Little lion,” repeated the oldest *Diamond Hyena as he stepped forward slightly, mockery covering his face. “Leave. We're giving you a chance.”
“Take the chance we're offering,” the youngest *Diamond Hyena added with a cynical laugh. “You won't be able to fight all four of us.”
“I'm not a coward like you,” Gavriel replied firmly.
Standing tall, he shifted slightly in front of Anindira—a clear and deliberate shield.
“You're only brave because your pack is here.”
“I use my brain,” he continued coldly. “Not reckless gambling with my life.”
“We'll see,” Gavriel said with a faint grin, confidence radiating from him. “Let's see what I can do to Hyenas who are nothing but loud mouths.”
His eyes locked onto the green-eyed Hyena.
“And you, *Emerald—I'll crush your skull.”
For a brief moment, silence settled over the Blue Forest.
Gavriel stood tall.
His shoulders were rigid.
His chest rose proudly.
His face remained calm—far too calm—as he threatened them back in a loud voice. His gaze was sharp, full of confidence, as though the four Hyenas before him were nothing more than a nuisance.
But in the next second—
His body froze.
His eyes widened.
His breath caught.
Something struck his senses like a sledgehammer.
Not a sound.
Not a movement.
A scent.
Sweet.
Dense.
Warm.
It slipped into his lungs, spread through his blood, and forced itself against his nerves.
WHAT IS THIS?! Gavriel screamed inwardly.
A sweet scent...
Intoxicating.
What the hell is this?!
Why does my chest feel so hot—
Why is my mind becoming a mess?!
His jaw clenched.
The muscles in his arms tightened without command.
His heartbeat surged wildly—not from fear, but from a primitive urge forcing its way to the surface.
“He noticed it...” one of the Hyenas said with a satisfied grin.
“Heh, do you understand now, little lion?!” another replied with a low laugh, his voice trembling with wild excitement.
Gavriel swallowed.
So this is...
Could this be what unmarried men fear?
A unique scent that tears apart rational thought...
That forces instinct to take control?
His chest trembled.
“ANINDIRA! YOU—”
His voice cut off abruptly.
He turned sharply and stared at Anindira with an expression that made her tense on reflex.
It was not anger.
It was panic desperately being hidden.
“Wh... what...?” Anindira's voice was barely audible, little more than a broken whisper from her dry throat.
She was startled to hear Gavriel call her in such a loud tone.
Her eyes widened.
Instinctively, she wanted to ask what was wrong.
But her survival instincts refused to let her take her focus away from the four Hyenas who were still laughing and enjoying the tension in the air.
This is bad... this is really bad, Gavriel cursed inwardly.
Why now?! Why at a time like this?!
He drew a long, forceful breath, as though trying to suppress something boiling inside him.
“Huff...”
“Anindira!” he shouted, almost yelling as he cupped her face with both hands.
His fingers were trembling.
“The Village Chief is definitely looking for you right now. After this—never meet anyone except Ezra's family!”
“Little lion, stop playing around,” interrupted the *Emerald Hyena. “She won't be meeting them.”
“This is her own fault,” another Hyena said. “Walking around with a body like that.”
“The four of us will take care of that sweet scent.”
“And you—don't expect to get a share,” they continued more crudely. “You'll go home as nothing but a name.”
Gavriel let out a sharp snort.
His anger boiled violently, but he restrained it with everything he had.
His hands clenched into fists.
His nails dug painfully into his palms.
In his arms was an injured, terrified, bleeding girl.
One mistake—
And everything would be over.
Damn it!
If Hans were here—
Anindira stared at him in confusion.
Gavriel's face was tense.
His breathing was heavy.
His eyes were no longer steady.
He wanted to roar.
To call for help.
But aside from Hans, there were no other lions in this village.
No one else would understand that call.
“Don't pay attention to them. Focus on me!” Gavriel barked, quickly regaining control of himself. “Don't think about anything except running to Ezra's family. Don't stop. Don't look back!”
Anindira nodded obediently.
She could sense that something was terribly wrong, but her thoughts were far too chaotic to understand it.
She assumed it was only adrenaline.
In reality, it was something far more dangerous.
“Anindira, focus!” Gavriel's voice hardened. “The moment they fall—run! Run as fast as you can!”
He pointed deeper into the forest.
“Don't care about anything else!”
“Don't meet anyone except Ezra's family... run!”
Then, in a voice that made Anindira's blood run cold:
“Run...
Even from me.”
Anindira's eyes widened.
Now she understood.
This was not merely a warning.
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