Predator

Part Seven✔️

"In those books you've read, they might've mentioned something about rodstvennyye dushi or soulmates. Those books are outdated and a bit fictional, but there are some truths. They get the soulmate part pretty spot on besides the fact that the authors believed that these 'mates' were predestined but they're not; you don't necessarily get a say but the soul of your wolf chooses who to bond with and there's an instant attraction."

"So he picked me? Out of anyone in the world. . . Me?" Petra nodded slowly. "Why?"

"I don't know. Something about you drew him to you and now it's inevitable. He won't be satisfied until he has you." Petra shrugged and when she saw Grey paling again, she added: "Just remember, it's not for sure."

Grey groaned. "How can we know? I need to be able to leave in a few months. I have a life back in New York!"

"I don't know. . . We'd have to have you two meet again, and I'll have to be there to see how he reacts."

"I'll go into the forest again-"

"Too dangerous. . ." Petra then trailed off her eyebrows knotting together and her eyes glossing over. "That just might work."

"We'll put you in a dangerous situation. If you two are really rodstvennyye dushi then he won't stand idly by as you are attacked."

Grey looked at Petra like she was mad. "What if he's six towns over and I die?"

"I'll be there, just close enough to jump in if I need and far enough to stay undetected." Petra shrugged. She had it all planned out. "And anyways, if you are bonded he is never too far from you."

"How is this gonna work?"

• • •

"You'll go into the forest. . ."

Petra's voice echoed in Grey's mind like a broken record. Her words from earlier never stopped replaying; leaving Grey to ponder what future the world holds for her. Had she just been brought into this world to be a submissive lover to a beast of a man, who might she add, was supposed to only exist in children's books. She didn't want to fall in love with a beast, but even she couldn't deny the strange attraction she felt towards him; but she had just thought it was because she had always been into troublesome boys. He was the definition of trouble.

Although she'd been in the forest many a times since she'd arrived in this country, she shouldn't have felt nearly at home in this eerie place. Yet even with Petra's presence lingering not far behind, she felt chills travel through her body the further she got away from the parts of the forest she had grown fond and familiar of. Now the trees were thicker, closer together making it harder to see far ahead. Their leaves made a thick block to keep out sunlight and the  still air was far colder.

"Stop here." Petra's voice bounced off the trees and Grey obeyed, planting her feet firmly on the ground.

"When we arrive at the destination, we'll run into a wild gray wolf who should be hostile."

The moment Petra's presence disappeared to God knows where, another body filled the void--the gray wolf Petra had spoken of. It was small and skinny and it's fur was matted. When it growled and snapped it's jaw at Grey, thick strands of saliva flung off it's teeth and dripped onto the snow below. It was rabid and wild, no remorse or mercy held in its dark eyes.

Had Grey not known that far more terrifying beasts lurked in the shadows of this very forest, she would've been terrified. But now she was calm. Too calm in fact, and that scared her more than the wolf that could end her life growling at her.

"Whatever the wolf does, don't move. Look into its eyes until it steps forward then start to run. It'll chase."

The little wolf circled her a few times, continuing it's obnoxious snarling before it took a step forward and Grey flinched, yet here eyes never left its eyes. This angered it and its fur puffed up and ears flattened out against its head, it was giving her one last warning to not challenge it. It took yet another step. And another and another, before Grey finally willed her legs to move and ran further into the forest, away from where she came.

"When you run, be loud, stomp your feet, run so fast that you're gasping for breath. Make your presence known to him and make it known that you are in danger."

Grey's left hand held her camera still from bouncing around and the other pumped back and forth as she sprinted through the trees. She hadn't even made it that far and she was already panting, legs already aching. I need to work on my cardio, goddamn.

She took a sharp turn to her left and ran a few more meters before she felt a sharp pain shoot up her leg from her calf. She cried out as she tumbled to the ground and found herself pressed between the snow and a snarling wolf hovering above her face.

Her breaths were now labored and hid a slight whine as her leg grew numb from the pain and the cold snow. As the wolf growled in her face, she cringed and tried to shove it off but it didn't budge despite it's small stature. Her arms felt heavy with fear and no matter how hard she banged on it's chest and pushed, it wouldn't budge. She brought her hands up to push at its face; a big mistake. It's jaws clamped down on the hand that tried to push it away and she screamed.

"If anything goes wrong, I won't be far. Just yell."

"Petra!" Grey yelled into the empty forest for her friend, tears streaming down her face like the blood that ran down her arm and leg.

When she yelled for her friend again, the wolf was at it's wits end and dug it's claws deep into her stomach causing Grey to scream at the top of her lungs and try to kick the wolf off. But Grey was weak, she could feel the blood staining her skin and clothes and she was no match for even the smallest wolf.

Where had Petra gone? Was she as wounded and close to death as Grey? Had the beast got her?

Grey's mind was littered with thoughts as she felt the fight leave her body as her limbs went numb; whether it was from pain or the cold snow, she didn't know, all she knew was that her body was floating on nothingness. But she was relieved that she couldn't feel anymore, because she knew that death would slowly creep up on her with no savior near, and she would welcome its cold tendrils. No Petra, and no bonded beast to save her from a terrible fate. The wolf still stood above her, growling at her frozen form, watching her carefully. It was searching for any sign of life but Grey guessed there wasn't much with how it didn't make any moves to finish her off.

Each intake of breath was a pure whine and her exhales were shaky and quick. She winced when the wolf pressed down on her wounded stomach and sucked in a shocked gasp. The wolf grew angry again. She watched through hooded eyes as the wolf brought his lip up in a snarl and as his head dipped down towards her neck her eyes squeezed shut, preparing for death.