The Victorian Wolf Effect (Book III)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN - Rekindled Hope

The moon rose right on time and Henry transformed. The chains and his full stomach kept him calm and quiet and his stillness kept him almost invisible in the darkness. Paul had thought to light a massive fire between Henry and the cabin. Henry's wolf did not like fire and his golden eyes watched the flames carefully.

Timber stayed on the porch with Paul. She was watching him whittle, which was something he liked to do when he wasn't taking care of the land and his animals.

The night was quiet. There were no hooting owls, no breeze, no pitter patter of chicken feet in the snow. The only sounds were the fire and Paul's knife against the wood. Then, in the pit of her stomach, Timber's instinct screamed and forced her to Turn.

Paul was a man who trusted animal instinct and while he couldn't translate Timber's meanings, he understood the warning of her growl. He hurried inside, hid Susana, and came out with a loaded gun.

Three minutes later they heard mens voices and the sound of horses. Timber counted fourteen distinct voices coming from the north and the south. The breeze picked up and Timber could smell more coming from the west.

All at once, the men came out with torches and guns. They rallied around the house. Timber went off and ran to the closest horse. She brought it down and moved on. Someone shot at her and Timber sprang high into the air like a fox. The sound of gunshots were threatening send Timber's mind back to the night her mother was mercilessly shot down and killed. She forced her self to focas as she landed on the snow with a loud crunch.

The present danger was enough to keep Timber from melting down into a panic attack as men pointed their guns at her. Timber was fast and she swerved and zigzagged. No one could get a clear shot without hitting one of their own. Paul shot at the men on the horses that were falling. Timber brought down two horses before someone got close.

There was a high pitched scream from inside the cabin. It was the scream of a terrified woman being dragged outside. At the same time, Timber was kicked in the hip by a horse and her pained yipe echoed in the winter air. Then there was a massive roar and the rattling of heavy chains. Henry had lost his temper at the sound of women he cared for in danger. Movement stopped. Henry could not be seen by the humans yet. It was too dark at the treeline but he could be heard. Timber could see him, though. He was breaking through the colossal chains.

The sound of heavy metal rattling and clanking together paired with the sound of splintering wood as the trees began to break and the sound of Henry's angry snarl made the men back up in a panic. All at once, both sitka spruce trees had snapped and fallen inward towards Henry. They landed loudly right in front of him. Pine needles flew everywhere.

A moment later, he moved. He advanced slowly into the light on all fours, snarling, and growling. His eyes were blazing and his massive fangs were dripping venom. His wrists dragged the chains along the ground behind him. They were clearly heavy, but not heavy enough to slow the werewolf down. He was so terrible in appearance, even Timber backed away a step.

"SHOOT IT!"

Guns went off and hit Henry but his hide was so thick, the bullets fell to the ground. Henry opened his mouth and roared. Everyone had to cover their ears. Timber had never seen Henry's wolf in such a state. He was almost completely lost. He still had some control but it was not much. Timber could see a fight in his eyes but the wolf was winning.

One man took his horse and tried to move toward Henry. It was a fatal mistake. Henry swiped his massive handlike paw and both the horse and his rider were sent flying out of site as though they were children's playthings. The chains followed the momentum and smashed through a tree, forcing Timber to duck down to avoid flying debris. There was a pause. Then the men began to scatter. Henry chased them down in a fit of rage. Timber followed the sound their screams and the sound of the chains destroying the surrounding trees with her ears. Henry was killing them. Horses bodies broke through trees, men's spines snapped, and bodies were impaled by branches but none of the men were alive when they came in contact with the trees because Henry was so strong and large that they died when they were struck by Henry's giant paw-like hands.