His Claim

Chapter 6

[Kaia's POV]

My feet were thrown out from under me almost instantaneously.

I felt my temples slam into a tree as a whine escaped my jaws. The scenery around me spun until I was laying flat on my back against the ground, dazed.

A small trickle of blood began to flourish on my forehead, slipping down my cheek and onto the ground. My chest blazed with each breath I took. My eyes were filling with fresh tears, threatening to spill out of my eyes like a midsummer storm.

Something heavy forced me into the ground. My face was thrown back into the dirt, my snout breathing in particles of the earthy substance with each shallow breath I took. I could barely see through the thicket of tears that began to slip from my lids. I opened my jaw momentarily, letting out a low cry of pain.

Something hooked itself onto my underbelly, flipping me over and pushing me deeper into the ground.

Two eerily grey eyes burned into mine, canines dripping with hot saliva. Jaws snapped inches from my face as fear wafted over me like a deadly gas. My hind legs were pushed outward as the wolf staring me down placed unsheathed claws onto my belly. A drop of blood oozed from the soft flesh where his claws pressed.

Was I going to die?

He retracted his paw, placing both of his paws on either side of me, pinning me to the ground. I pressed a claw into his chest, anger flourishing from deep inside of me. I began to thrash around, letting out a deep chortle of frustration as he watched me struggle. His legs were like jail bars, steel rods that weren't allowing me to escape.

His canines slipped out from under his lips for a moment, giving him a terrifyingly primitive beast-like look. His eyes slanted towards me like the head of a snake as I whined my fear for him to hear.

He pushed me into the tree behind me, sufficing a deep growl as my back was pressed into the bark. His hot breath fanned my face, snarling and making sure I wouldn't move. He softened his claws, and swiftly backed away. I immediately knew that running away wouldn't be an option.

He disappeared behind a tree and I shook my coat defeatedly. I turned my back to him, pressing my muddied forehead against the wood. Another arctic breeze brushed by me, forcing me to tremble weightlessly.

"Look at me." A deep voice growled from behind me. My ears flattened against my skull and I sufficed a whine. When I didn't move immediately, he hooked his fingers into the flesh of my scruff and forced me to face him. Luckily, he had thought accordingly and was wearing clothing. His eyes were blazing a sharp color of silver, piercing me like knives. I lowered my head, fur bristling.

He gripped both sides of my face until the pressure began to ache my temples. I couldn't move or open my jaw, and I doubt I'd survive another car-situation.

"If you ever do something like that to me again, I'll jail you until the marking ceremony." He hissed venomously. An unintentional shiver ran down my body but he assumed that it was derived from fear. A deep, throaty chuckle left his lips.

"Shift." He commanded while tossing a satchel of clothing towards me. I flattened my ears and whine hesitantly. I picked up the leather with my teeth and quickly rose to my feet. I could feel his eyes boring into my hind as I disappeared into the brush.

I let out a short whine as I shifted into my skin side, my muscles aching from the cold. I covered my arms and slipped on the parcel of clothes he had given me. I brought the shirt to my nose and took a sniff. His strong scent filled my senses-masculine, feral, primal.