Souls' Collision | ✔

T R O U B L E

"Holy shit," she cried and turned her chin, but the teeth were only coming closer. Liz didn't doubt she'd be dead within the coming seconds. But surprisingly the thought gave her strength. With a nothing-to-lose-scream she freed her hand, balled it into a fist and punched the wolf's snout.

The hit didn't hurt it much but at least got it to back off for just a second.

A second something big, furry and growling took to knock it off her. It was quick. And she was left looking up at the stars with a scream stuck in her throat. For just a second. Then she scurried to her feet, pressed a hand to her spine and looked around.

Left of her was a wolf she recognized as Red, on top of her attacker and making noises that made her happy she couldn't see what was happening. In front of her stood three or four more wolves — it was hard to see in the darkness — growling but not attacking her.

She found out why a few seconds later when mist came from the ground, swirled around her, creating a thin border. It then materialized into eight rabid wolves. Their fur pressed against her thighs and arms.

It was a stand-off.

Red's wolves stayed by her side, the other wolves on theirs, but Liz imagined that they all could hear the bloody fight between the two animals next to them.

Until a high-pitched wail split through the night and paved way for a silence.

And that was almost worse.

"Do you wish to die, pups?" a snarling voice asked from the shadows. A few seconds later, Liz released a breath when she recognized Red. He was bloody, and looked angry, but at least he was alive.

She then had to force herself not to look to the remnants of the other wolf, or think about the fact that Red had just killed someone.

"Well!?" he challenged as nobody answered. He'd now gotten between his pack and the others but didn't seem scared in the slightest. Liz couldn't say the same. She kept a careful eye on the opposing wolves, wishing Red would just stop making them angry. "Dare you attack an alpha unprovoked, but not have the Goddess' breath in you to meet him in a fair fight?"

"Red..." Liz called on him quietly.

He froze in the middle of his anger, then spun around to meet her. He didn't seem to like what he saw. A new kind of rage entered his eyes when taking in her bruised form, and he looked ready to act on it.

"Alpha Red."

The voice belonged to one of the wolves. He'd transformed and was now a young man, bowing his head with a fearful expression. The two wolves flanking him didn't look half as bold as they had before either. Especially when watching Red's pack-mates still growling.

"Younglings," Red scoffed. "Alpha Valdemar's, as well. I should've guessed."

"I thought you were the alpha," Liz said on a whim. Then realized what that must mean. "Holy shit. There are more packs out there?"

"It was her, sir," the young man quickly interjected, pinning Liz with a distasteful look. "We thought you were being attacked. Or worse. We've never seen a human this deep into the woods."

The muscles in Red's back danced dangerously as he instinctively side stepped, shielding Liz. "Consider her seen," he barked out.

"But, sir—"

"Choose your next words carefully. Very carefully."

The man looked to Liz. "Who is she, sir?"

She crossed her arms, hiding her trembling hands in her armpits, and raised a sharp brow. It was surprising how cocky you became when surrounded by wolves. Her eyes momentarily went to Red's back and she couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces when he told them who she really was.