The Hunt Begins (5)
1130 Words
The air was electric with tension as Killian led Ava and Marcus into the pack-house's war room.
In it, the other senior warriors were already seated around the heavy wooden table, maps and documents spread across it's surface. Her presence drew a few questioning glances but no one voiced their concerns.
Killian stood at the head of the table. His aura silenced the murmurs. "Rogues have grown bolder. They're moving close to our borders and their attacks are coordinated. This isn't random."
Marcus folded his arms. “And you think they’re after Ava?”
Killian’s gaze flicked to Ava, who sat stiffly at the edge of the room. “I don’t think. I know.”
Ava’s heart sank. She had suspected as much, but hearing a confirmation sent her into waves of panic.
"Why me?" she asked. Her voice quaking in spite her efforts to appear calm.
"That's what we need to figure out," the alpha said, "But until we do, you're a target."
One of the warriors, a burly man named Gregor, leaned forward. “With all due respect, Alpha, she’s not even one of us. Why are we risking our pack for someone who doesn’t belong here?”
Ava flinched, but Killian’s response was swift. “She’s under my protection. That’s all you need to know.”
The room fell silent, but the weight of Gregor’s words lingered. Ava could feel the mistrust in the air, and it clawed at her already fragile sense of belonging.
Killian’s voice broke through her thoughts. “We’ll increase patrols along the borders. Marcus, assign pairs for the night watch.”
Marcus nodded, already making notes on the map.
“And Ava,” Killian said, turning to her. “You’re staying in the packhouse until further notice. You’ll be under guard at all times.”
Her eyes widened. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m not negotiating,” Killian said firmly. “If the rogues want you, they’ll have to get through us first.”
Ava wanted to argue, but the intensity in his eyes left no room for debate. She nodded reluctantly, her stomach twisting at the thought of being confined to the pack-house like a prisoner.
~
That night, she lay on the bed in the small guest room she’d been assigned. The walls felt like they were closing in, and the constant presence of guards outside her door only added to her unease.
Her thoughts drifted to her old pack, to the betrayal that had led her here. She had thought she’d left that pain behind, but it seemed to follow her like a shadow, always lurking, always waiting.
A sudden knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts. Before she could respond, the door creaked open, and Marcus stepped inside.
“Couldn’t sleep?” he asked, leaning casually against the doorframe.
Ava shook her head. “Too much on my mind.”
Marcus sighed, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced by something more serious. “Killian means well, you know. He’s just… not great at showing it.”
Ava raised an eyebrow. “You’re defending him now?”
“I’m not saying he’s perfect,” Marcus said with a shrug. “But he sees something in you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.”
She frowned, unsure of how to respond. Marcus’s words were meant to comfort her, but they only deepened her confusion.
Before she could say anything, the sound of a distant howl pierced the night. Marcus stiffened, his hand immediately going to the sword at his side.
“That’s the warning signal,” he said grimly. “Stay here.”
He disappeared down the hall before she could protest, leaving her alone with her speeding thoughts.
Her heart drummed as she moved to the window, peering out into the darkness. She could see warriors moving quickly through the courtyard, their expressions tense.
Another howl echoed through the night, closer this time. Her pulse quickened. She knew she should stay put, but every instinct in her body screamed at her to act.
She grabbed the dagger Marcus had left her during training and slipped out of the room, her bare feet silent against the wooden floor.
The hallways were eerily quiet, the faint sound of voices and movement outside the only indication of the chaos unfolding. Ava crept toward the back exit, her grip on the dagger tightening.
As she stepped outside, the cold night air hit her like a wave. She scanned the tree line, her senses heightened. The forest seemed unnaturally still, as if holding its breath.
A sudden rustling in the bushes made her spin around, dagger raised. A pair of glowing eyes stared back at her from the shadows, and a low growl rumbled through the air.
The rogue wolf stepped into the moonlight, revealing a scarred body and matter fur that was a testament to it's savage life. Her heart jumped.
Before she could react, it lunged.
Ava barely managed to dodge. The wolf’s claws grazed her arm. Pain shot through her, but she ignored it, focusing on the creature in front of her.
It circled her, it's yellow eyes gleaming maliciously. Her grip on the dagger tightened, forcing herself to stay calm.
When the wolf attacked again, she moved instinctively, slashing out with the blade. The creature yelped as the dagger sliced through its shoulder, but it didn’t retreat.
Ava’s breath came in short gasps as she prepared for the next attack. But before the wolf could strike, a massive figure barreled into it, knocking it to the ground.
Killian.
He shifted mid-leap, his human form landing gracefully between her and the rogue. His eyes burned with fury as he faced the wolf, his body radiating power.
“Get inside!” he barked at her without looking back. But she didn't budge. Her legs were frozen, her mind unable to process what was happening.
The rogue growled, its focus shifting to Killian. The two circled each other, tension crackling in the air like a storm about to break.
In a blur of motion, Killian attacked, his movements swift and precise. The rogue fought back fiercely, but it was no match for Killian’s strength and skill.
Within moments, it lay motionless on the ground, its labored breathing the only sound in the clearing.
Killian turned to Ava, his expression a mix of anger and concern. “What were you thinking?”
“I… I couldn’t just stay inside,” she stammered, her voice barely audible.
His eyes softened for a brief moment before hardening again. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”
Ava opened her mouth to respond, but the distant howls of more rogues cut her off.
Killian’s jaw tightened. “This isn’t over. Get back inside. Now.”
- Writer
