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I strike the ground hard, my back taking the brunt of the pain, and my cries fill my ears.
A shadow hovers over me, the threatening growl stealing all sounds. Fury ripples off him in waves. But I’m on the move, rolling away and scrambling on hands and knees.
Teeth latch around my leg, slicing into my flesh further.
I yell, my back arching, and I shove myself onto my hip, kicking him in the face with my other foot. My hand grabs for my weapon, and I raise it high then drive the sharp end of the bone into his face, right into an eye. The weapon sinks in with a sloshing sound. I shove it all the way in, trying to hit his fucking brain.
He jerks backward, releasing me, and convulses as he shakes his head madly, blood pouring out. The sounds he makes are horrible.
I push myself away and grab onto the tree, dragging myself to my feet.
The wolf is shifting, and in moments, he’s turned into a massive man, crumbled off his feet.
Short, black hair sits messily around his square face. He has thick thighs and too much hair across his body. He’s yelling with agony as he tugs at the weapon. But I can’t bear to look and instead dart to where the girl’s cries came from.
I stumble upon her several trees away, and it’s the same young girl from last night. My heart bleeds to see the gash across her neck, her lip busted, and her top ripped down her front, revealing her tiny chest. Her hands are tied by a rope around the tree at her back. Her head is down, and she’s crying hysterically.
She flinches as I lunge toward her.
“It’s only me.”
Tears drench her cheeks, and I rush to untie her, constantly looking up in case that bastard comes charging back. My fingers shake as I tug at the knots. I get them loose in seconds, then I rush to the girl who is sitting down and pull her to her feet. “We need to run. Remember what I said last night, swift and silent. Keep repeating that as we get out of here. Stay with me, and please don’t run away this time.”
She doesn’t say a word, just hugs herself with an arm and nods.
I hold her wrist, and we’re on the move through the woods, me limping from my calf. It will heal soon enough. My ears prick for any sounds, my eyes sweeping left and right. I spot the rogue wolf in the distance, lying on his side in human form, his body twisted, his mouth parted. The bone still sticks out of his eye. I guess I struck his brain after all. Fucking asshole… He deserved that, and not a sliver of guilt fills me. He isn’t my first kill, and if I intend to survive, he won’t be my last.
By the time we stop to rest, I have no idea how far we’ve gone. We’re heaving for breath, and that’s when I see she has blood over her chin and chest from her busted lip. And my hands are red from the attack. I feel it rolling down the side of my face too, and I hastily wipe it away with my shoulder.
A river gurgles nearby, so I take her hand. “He’s not going to hurt us anymore. But we need to clean off the blood before the infected track the smells to us. Okay?”
She remains glued to my side this time and nods, so I guide her out of the woods, where the last streaks of daylight cling to the world.
Scanning the small open area with the river, I find there’s no one else around. So we rush over and crouch near its bank, then begin washing ourselves. The rushing sound of the river floods my ears, the water icy against my skin. It’s a deeper, greener color in the darkening light. I stare at my reflection, at the wildness of my dark hair and how much longer it hangs than I remember. It easily reaches down past my chest now. Dirt mars my cheeks and brow, but I’m caught in how pale my bronze eyes have become. Thick lashes crown them, and when I look into them, all I see is my wolf peering out at me.Why won’t you come out?
I glance over to the young girl as she washes herself. “I’m Meira. What’s your name?” I ask as I scrub the blood off my hands. Then I sit on my ass and check the damage on my bitten leg. I hiss as I peel back the torn fabric that sticks with blood, hating how close I got to that dickhead killing me.
“Here, let me do that,” the girl offers. “I’m Jae,” she answers while she pushes the fabric of my leggings to my knee and starts washing my wound with fresh water. It stings, and I bite down on my lip to bear the ache.
“It doesn’t look too bad. Think you’ll live.” She grins at me, and already I like her. Anyone who makes a joke after almost being rutted by a freaking wild man is my type of friend.
I reach down and rip a strip of material from my pants. It’s a bit of a strain, as my arms are trembling with exhaustion, but I need to stop the bleeding. I use the fabric to tie up the fang marks that sit around my calf muscle, wrapping it tightly. “So, Jae, how have you survived this long on your own?”
“I’m not alone,” she answers quickly, her voice light and almost chipmunk-like. It’s a strange comparison, but it’s the first thing that comes to mind. Maybe it’s her cute, round cheeks and tiny nose. She has a heavy smattering of freckles over her nose and cheeks, and her dark bronze hair has been cut super short. She looks adorable.
“Is your family around?” I ask.
“My sisters are looking for me. We’ve heard about a place up in northern Romania where there are no undead.”
“But there’ll be rogue wolves like that asshole back in the woods.”
“I know. I just got separated from my sisters, and they have my knife. But we have a place to meet again we agreed on if we ever get lost, and I’m not too far. Thank you for helping me.”
“Want me to take you there?” My mind is buzzing with a possible chance to encounter others like me. Omega or Beta, I can’t tell what Jae is, but the idea of being in my own small group of females is exciting. No Alpha bullshit to deal with.
“No, it’s okay,” she responds in a clipped tone, turning back to the river to wash her hands.
I don’t push the topic. I understand that in this world, the easiest way to survive is to not trust anyone. And as much as my throat tightens at the rejection, I swing my gaze to the woods behind us and turn my thoughts to the both of us getting up in a tree before nightfall. I’m no fool and suspect she won’t be there when I wake up in the morning, but I accept that. In her shoes, I’d do the same.
She’s on her feet, and I then remind myself it’s best she doesn’t want me to help her further. I’m a danger to anyone I’m near, and the last thing she and her sisters need is a ticking time bomb.
