The Bitten Wolf

Chapter 20: Hunted For Love

   A wolf. Forever.

   Somewhere off in the distance a howl rose into the still night air, filling it with pain and anger. Instinctively, my wolf part made me raise my head and join in, adding my own pain to Luke's.

   My human side cursed itself for letting go of the limited control it had had. Howling would alert all of Aiden's pack to where I was. If they found me, they would either kill me or I would have to kill them, both of which I didn't relish the thought of doing.

   A rustling of leaves made the wolf part break its howl and prick its ears. The one thought running through both sides of me was: They've found me. This is the beginning of the end.

   I growled low in my throat, fur beginning to bristle as the sense of danger increased. I was ready to fight.

   Am I ready to die?

   And once they were done with me, would they leave my pack alone? Or would they pick them off, one by one? First Penny, who seemed to be the source of all these problems, then Tommy, who would surely protect her or die trying. The betas, Matthew and Kiera, next, and finally Penny's siblings, Leah and Will...

   My growl rose to a snarl. I was the alpha, and I would protect them all.

   The rustling grew louder, a shadowy figure appearing before me.

   I crouched, ready to pounce.

   The figure moved closer, keeping to the shadows.

   My muscles contracted, bunching beneath me as I sprang forward.

   Protect, thought my wolf side.

   Protect, thought my human side.

   My weight knocked the figure to the ground and he grunted as his back hit the roots of a tree. I dug my claws into his shoulders, enough to cause pain, but not enough to make him bleed too badly. My saliva dripped down onto his neck as he looked up at me with pleading green eyes.

   I knew those eyes. Even the wolf part knew those eyes.

   I backed away from Will, ears pressed against my head, showing him that I was sorry for attacking him.

   He got up slowly, eyes flashing, not accepting my apology. Instead, he jumped onto me, keeping my claws and teeth as far away from him as he could while still holding me down.

   "Where's Penny, Hazel?" he whispered threateningly as my wolf side took over and snapped my jaws at his arms and face over and over again, "WHERE'S PENNY?!"

   He looked into my hazel eyes with his, and I focussed on the green, letting everything else fade away. My wolf side receded and I was once again in control.

   "Hazel," he repeated slowly, as if I couldn't understand him, "Where. Is. Penny?"

   But I couldn't answer him. I couldn't change and speak to him.

   "Hazel, answer me!" His voice had risen in volume, startlingly loud in the silent forest.

   I felt a lump rise in my throat - Can wolves cry? I asked myself - and shook my head.

   His jaw clenched and I could hear his teeth grinding against each other. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. Shifting his body weight, he put his hand on my throat, pressing down.

   "Did you kill her?" The pressure of his hand made it hard to shake my head. I tried to push his hand up, but he only pressed it down harder, taking my lack of an answer as a yes.

   I whined softly, my breath growing shallower and shallower. My eyes drifted closed; keeping them open took too much effort.

   Subconsciously, I heard a shrill call and suddenly I could breathe again.

   "Will, what's wrong with you?!" screamed a girl's voice, "That's your soul mate you were choking!" I turned to see Penny with her back to me, a barrier between Will and me.

   "Penny." Will breathed a sigh of relief and pulled her into a hug. She stopped her screaming long enough to hug him back.

   "I'm not done with you yet," she replied, pulling away from him, a scowl on her face. I had wandered over to where Will was, though I kept my distance from him, my neck definitely bruised and very sore.

   Behind Penny, four wolves emerged from the trees. Tommy was limping, his back legs scarred from the torturing I had witnessed. Leah had a shredded ear and various cuts covered her body, showing through her brown-grey fur. Matthew and Kiera were relatively unscathed, though both looked ragged and tired.

   I surveyed my pack, checking for any serious wounds, but found none. The only thing that would help us now was rest.

   One by one, they all changed into human form. Finally, all of their eyes turned to me, waiting. It was my turn to change and take charge.

   The seconds dragged by as they continued watching me. I patiently waited for someone to realize that changing was out of the question for me.

   "Hazel?" Will whispered from beside me and I swivelled my head to look at him. He seemed relieved that I had responded to him and continued, "Can you change so we can talk?"

   I shook my head, each movement hurting my neck.

   "Why not?" Will's eyebrows drew together in concern. I hung my head, looking away.

   Penny stepped forward suddenly, startling my wolf side and making me jump away. She crouched down so that she was at my eye level, searching my face for answers.

   "Can you change at all?" she asked quietly. I shook my head again and heard a few gasps from the rest of the pack as they crowded around me.

   I focussed my eyes on Penny's face and I could clearly see the guilt that was eating at her from the inside out. She knew it was because she had bitten me.

   We were all distracted by a chorus of howls that sounded for only a few second, but echoed like canon fire through the forest.

   My enhanced senses picked up footsteps not too far away. Though faint at first, they grew louder as the other pack neared us.

   I let out a bark, telling my pack to run. We had barely enough time to change and escape before Aiden's pack came hurtling through the forest towards us.

   I halted for a second when I realized that the other pack had stopped where we had been standing only moments before. Through the trees I could just make out the figure of Aiden, standing on the huge rock beside Maya's grave. His hungry eyes were on Penny.

   He smiled evilly, eyes lazily shifting over to me, as if this was just a game for his enjoyment.

   "Let the chase begin!" he roared.

   I was shoved aside, towards Penny, by Will, who met my eyes long enough to pass on a message. I nodded, understanding.

   Penny had to be protected. And I was to be her protector.