The Werewolf in the Woods (Sequel to TWITC)

The Werewolf in the Woods...24

Chapter 24

Third-Person POV

     As they ventured further into the depths of the lair, they stumbled upon a vast interior that exceeded their expectations. The air was chilly and thick with the scent of wet earth and decaying foliage. The walls were jagged and uneven, and the sounds of water dripping echoing throughout the cave was very unnerving.

      Numerous tunnels branched out in various directions, creating an intricate maze. The deeper they went into the cave, the air became heavy with the musky aroma of the Viscosoes, and the faint echoes of their movements reverberated throughout the cavern. The group cautiously pressed forward, their senses heightened and alert. Amaris kept Cqarina close, ensuring her safety, yet even she remained acutely aware of her surroundings.

     As they went even deeper into the lair, they began to encounter individual Viscosoes. The first few encounters went according to plan, with the group working together to subdue the members with minimal noise.  Amaris and Dominic lunged forward, swiftly and silently subduing the first enemy wolf that appeared. 

     The others followed suit, using their strength and agility to strategically take down the members that were on lookout one by one. Brad and Aaron worked seamlessly together, using their combined strength to overpower the larger wolves. Loren and Kenny, with their lightning-fast reflexes, swiftly dodged and countered the enemy attacks. Ady and Mel stuck together to take down a female, outsmarting and outmaneuvering her as they brought her down together. Cqari, with her sharp senses, acted as a lookout, alerting the others to any incoming threats.

     No killing, just knocking unconscious. However, as they progressed further in, Aaron started picking up Jasmine's scent. 

     As soon as Aaron caught a whiff of Jasmine's scent, he immediately sprinted towards the direction. His friends called out to him as they followed suit. The scent grew stronger as he turned the corner and there she was, standing before him with a rusty chain linked from her wrist to the uneven cave wall.

     Her curly hair had been deflated and was tangled in knots down her back. Her clothes were tattered and dirty, and her boots were scuffed and muddy --  but wait, her ankle? Was it even healed?

     Jasmine looked up, surprised to see him, and began trembling with tears in her eyes."Aaron?" she whispered.

     "Jasmine..." Aaron went to her and wrapped his arms around her, tightly. She could only wrap one arm around him because of her chained wrist. "I'm here," he whispered in her hair and kissed her forehead. "What the hell happened?" he pulled back and cupped her face, looking at her features, examining her face. Although she appeared unharmed, the tears streaming down her cheeks told a different story.

     "They f-found out I was sneaking off, and so they trapped me down here. I d-didn't think you would come." Her hazel eyes started to glow, and Aaron started to smile.

     "Of course I came. You're my mate," he replied, kissing her softly. "Let's get this off of you, eh?" Aaron grabbed a hold of the chain and with all his strength, pulled it off. The only thing on her wrist was the cuff. Aaron pulled that apart also.

     "Damn. Where did this strength come from?" Jasmine joked.

     Aaron winked at her. "You give me strength." He kissed her while she giggled. "Now, where's Marissa?"

     As soon as Jasmine pointed in the direction, Dominic took off. 

     "Dominic, wait!" Aaron groaned. He turned to Jasmine. "I need you to stay behind with my friend Kenny and the girls, alright?" 

      She immediately frowned. "Stay behind? Hell no." 

      Aaron couldn't help but grin. This woman was everything to him. "I'm not asking. I'm telling you, okay? Please?" 

     She sighed in annoyance and clenched her teeth. "Fine. But you better come back." She glanced at the rest of the guys, recognizing Brad and acknowledging the others with a nod. This was Aaron's pack. "All of you better come back." 

      Aaron nodded and kissed her forehead. "We will. I promise." He then took off after Dominic with the guys.

~~~

     When Dominic rounded a corner, he was taken aback. His breath caught in his throat, and he couldn't tear his eyes away. There she was, standing in the corner, gazing out a hole small enough that only a squirrel could fit through. Even though her back was turned, he knew it was her. Her figure seemed even more alluring, with a smaller waist, fuller hips, and longer, flowing dark hair cascading down her back. She wore blue jean shorts and a simple tank top, and she was barefoot. Her legs appeared longer, but she was still the same short Marissa he knew.

     As if she could sense his presence, she turned around, and time seemed to stand still. Her beautiful blue eyes widened in shock, and her lips parted as if she couldn't breathe. "Dominic?" she uttered. Dominic felt a surge of happiness overwhelm him. This was his Marissa. Werewolf or not, she was his.

      He dropped the knife he was holding and began walking towards her. The closer he got, the more she had to tilt her head up, as she was still his petite Marissa. Her eyes grew more tears with each step he took. "Is it really you?" she managed to choke out.

     Dominic nodded, and when he finally reached her, he enveloped her in his arms, lifting her up and holding her tightly. He buried his face in her hair as she clung onto his shirt, trembling against him. "They told me they had killed you."

     Dominic pulled back slightly to gaze into her eyes. "Never..." he whispered. "I've missed you so much. I've been dying inside since that day. And I'm so sorry-"

     She shook her head, interrupting him. "It's not your fault, Dom. They were too powerful."

     He sighed, cupping her cheek. "They turned you, didn't they?"

     Marissa nodded, her eyes still glassy with unshed tears. "They said it would make me stronger. But I don't feel stronger, I feel... different. Weaker. Like I don't know who I am anymore. I didn't want this," she whispered as her voice cracked.

     Dominic smiled gently, wiping away her tears with his thumbs. "You're still you, Marissa. You're still the girl I love. And I'm here now, and I'm going to take you away from all this."

     Marissa gasped and looked up at him with wide eyes. "What did you say?" 

      "I love you. I've never stopped loving you, and I never will." 

      Marissa let out a laugh, and her blue eyes began to glow.

     All joy was shattered when footsteps echoed through the air. Dominic glanced over his shoulder to find Loren, Aaron, Brad, and Amaris meeting up with Dominic. As they stood to catch their breath, they all could sense that they had been followed by a group of unknown individuals. 

     Dominic positioned himself protectively in front of Marissa. "I won't leave without you, but you need to run."

      Loren's brow furrowed as he turned to observe the three men tailing them. The one in the middle seemed oddly familiar. 

     "There they are!" A familiar voice rang out. Jasmine appeared with all the girls and Kenny. "Aaron, you can't take them on alone." She grasped his hand.

     Ady moved towards Loren, but her gaze fixated on the three intruders, mirroring Loren's confusion. The middle one stared back at Ady with the same intensity. The tension between the three was palpable. 

     "Alright, what the hell is happening?" Amaris questioned. 

     "Ady?" the man uttered. 

     "Chris?"

~~