Run| m.c.

two

The heel of my shoe catches on the edge of the curb, my body connecting with the abrasive edge of the concrete for a short moment before I can shove myself back into a standing position, my legs twisting into motion once more. I push myself as fast as I could go, the mass of fur and teeth and growling a constant reminder of why each breath I take is stolen out of my lungs before I can catch it.

My head tilts over my shoulder before I can stop myself, the darkness of the fur and the sheer size of the wolf distracting me from noticing the increasingly small amount of distance between the giant creature and me.

I force my eyes off the wolf and ahead of me, attempting to dodge the rough crack splitting the sidewalk in two but failing, flesh meeting pavement once more. I shift onto my back, trying to scramble backwards but only meeting the side of a building. The animal's movements slow only slightly, his muscular legs shifting him forward gracefully as he runs closer, black eyes trained on me as a growl rips from his throat. I shut my eyes as he is about to reach me, tucking my head down and huddling into myself as I await the inevitable.

But somehow the inevitable doesn't occur.

I stay huddled for a moment, still awaiting the attack but not feeling the pain that I had thought would come with it. Confused, I blink my eyes open, my gaze falling onto a second wolf standing in front of me, putting itself between me and the black wolf. This wolf is smaller than the black one but just as intimidating, its brown fur reflecting a multitude of different colors when the light from the streetlamps bounce off it.

His mouth is curled up into a snarl, the white of his canines flashing as a threatening growl creeps from his throat. I start to crawl backwards, the fear in my body shifting into adrenaline that helps me to my feet. This movement however attracts the attention of the attacker, his haunches rising as he tries to spring up and around my defender.

The two wolves collide with a sickening thud, the loud echo from their bodies smashing together replaying in my ears. The collision doesn't seem to affect either of them, each keeping their eyes locked on the other one as they begin a slow dance, each wolf waiting for the other to make the next move.

I don't have to wait long for that to happen, my wolf lunging with a snarl to bite at the underbelly of the larger wolf, a roar of outrage ripping from the black wolf's throat as my wolf strikes again at the same spot. The black fur is soon matted to his body with blood, the attacker's eyes flattening into threatening slits as he launches himself at my wolf.

I let out a small cry as their heads collide, sharp canines gripping onto the brown fur of my defender's shoulder. I feel glued to the spot, my mind screaming at me to get away as fast as I can but the fear and concern for the brown wolf constricting me to my place. A movement in my sweater scares me half to death, the trembling body clinging sharply to my arm reminding me of why I was out here in the first place. The cat drops from my arms, sliding out of my sweater and out of my grip before I can grab her, her tiny body becoming lost as she runs off into the grass.

Her escape distracted me, the small kitten pulling my focus away from the fight playing out in front of me long enough to give the black wolf time to attack. I'm on the ground before I realize what's happening, the sour breath from the wolf's muzzle washing over my face as he pins me to the ground. I let out a whimper, once again face to face with death for the second time that night.

A low growl sounds behind me, the low and commanding tone of the snarl freezing the black wolf in his track. His head dips immediately, his body slinking off from on top of mine while I pull myself into a sitting position, eyes falling onto the enormous white wolf towering over me. The snarl on his muzzle drops as he approaches me, his head colliding with my body in not the harsh way I was expecting but only with enough force to push me out of his way and against the brown wolf, my wolf.

I back further into my wolf, his body shifting in front of mine protectively as the white wolf approaches the black one, a low whine sounding from the monster as the alpha stops in front of him, snarling till the wolf submits and dips his head down to ground at the white wolf's feet.

A brush of fur against my cheek pulls my attention to my wolf, thick black eyelashes framing the deep mossy green eyes looking into mine. The rich jade color of the wolf's eyes pull me in, the color one that I had only seen on one person before, Michael.

My wolf lets out a small whine, nudging his head against me until I run my fingers through his fur, the coarse brown strands thick and warm against my palm. I tighten my fingers into his fur when the appalling sounds of the black wolf being punished meet my ears, hiding my face in his chest as he curls his tail around my body, almost like an embrace.

We stay like this, my body curled into the warmth of the animal until the sounds are gone, the only noise left being the labored breathing of the black wolf and the footsteps of the alpha as he approaches us. He stops a few meters away, his gaze sliding across my body with a curious look before he meets the gaze of my wolf, their eyes locked for a long moment before my wolf dips his head, waiting until the alpha leaves to turn to me.

He carefully nudges me on his back, my exhausted body following his request until I am securely lain on his broad back. I have no idea why I feel so safe with this animal, all of my years of school teaching me to think and use my head, to not do anything stupid yet here I am; on the back of an animal that could easily kill me. I can't seem to give a reason as to why I let myself be protected by him, other than the safety and the peace I feel when I looked into his eyes.

Those eyes that were just a little too concerned, a little too caring, a little too human to make me run away like I should of. Those eyes that were now trained on me as the wolf slid me off his back and sat in front of me, the green in them somehow reassuring me that I was alright in front of the small shed where he had brought us to. The same eyes that deepened with anxiety as the wolf walked into the earlier mentioned shed and then walked out as a human. The same eyes that belonged to Michael.