LIKE a cannonball coming out of nowhere, another Werewolf comes, slamming its body to the charging Werewolf.
The newcomer is in his Were-human form: wolf ears on human head, brown long tail on its behind, and long, sharp nails that are close to be claws.
Cassia slumped on the ground, the strength on her knees leaving her. Her hands plop down beside her, numb, letting go of the thick branch she's holding. It rolled inches away beside her.
Is she saved?
She let out a shaky breath. She clasped her shaking hands and tucked it in her chest. She closed her eyes, and she could hear the blood thumping in her ears. She needs to calm down. It's not like this is over. She knows it's not. After all, werewolves don't go down that easily.
With that thought, she heard a rustle. Opening her eyes, her jaw dropped as the thrown Werewolf stood up, staggering. It groans, shaking its head.
'That's right. They're monsters after all,' she thought, feeling defeated.
Cassia began tapping the ground next to her, looking for the fallen branch.
'Even if that's the case, I have to survive! I need to get away from here.'
Feeling the rough and dry bark of the branch with the tip of her fingers, she grabbed it and stood. Disregarding her shaky knees. With her heart thumping loud against her ears, she holds the branch tightly in front of her with her two hands. She took a deep breath as she watched the Werewolf regain its focus and wobble on its feet.
"Don't do anything stupid," said a deep voice beside her.
Her head whipped to her right and saw the newcomer standing just an arm away from her looking bored. She almost forgot that this one's here because of her own fear.
"What?" She breathed.
The newcomer looked her way. She gasped when she saw the color of his eyes. It was red.
Instinctively, she positioned the branch she's tightly gripping in his way. 'He's an Alpha! I have to get away!'
His red orbs look down on the branch.
"Stay."
Cassia flinched. That was all he said and she can't move any muscle on her body anymore. This is the exact reason why she doesn't want to go near any Alpha. They always have the power to control those who are below them in ranking. And her, even though she's an Alpha too, her rank is nothing to an Alpha Leader of a pack as she's a lone wolf. Also, her eyes will never glow red.
The newcomer tilted his head looking at her.
"What's this?" He said in wonder. "I can tell that you're not a low ranking Werewolf . . . . Are you perhaps . . . a lone Alpha Werewolf?"
Cassia gritted her teeth. She's been found out! He'll dominate her, like what the others do! 'That's what they always do!' She thought, closing her eyes.
She waited for him to say something but nothing was said. She opened an eye and took a peek. The newcomer's attention was not on her anymore. He was looking at something else. Following his line of vision, Cassia saw the other Werewolf glaring at them. Its appearance was the morph of a wolf and human, called Berserk. Like a human, the Berserker stands on its two legs. The difference is it has the head of a wolf, fangs, sharp and long claws on its hands and feet, and it has two heels. Its height is the same as the regular human height. The power is twice as much as the regular Werewolf. It's fast, both in healing ability and physical ability.
In short, it's strong. Stronger than Cassia, at least.
"Oh crap," murmured Cassia, watching the Werewolf drool looking at them. She changed her only weapon's trajectory to the Berserker.
"I'm gonna die," she said to herself.
"That's an interesting notion."
Cassia took a quick glance at the newcomer and back again to the Berserker. She can not dare herself to let her eyes wander when someone in front of her is ready to take her neck.
"I can't win against that one! Can you?" she said.
"Yes."
Taken aback by how quick he replied and confidently at that, she gaped at him.
"What?"
He did not have the time to answer her as the Berserker's roar echoed throughout the glade. Cassia let go of the branch and covered her ears. Protecting it from the deafening sound.
The Berserker moved. It's running straight to them with speed. Its hand stretches out in front with its claws waiting to tear flesh. It was growling as it came nearer. Its drool flying all over the side of its wolf head.
Cassia stood rooted in her place. She can not move her body in fear. It's coming! I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die! Help! She thought.
The Berserker was ten meters away. Then five. Then two. Then the claws were right in front of her, ready to tear her in half.
Then a loud, dominating roar came from behind her. Her whole being trembled in terror. All the hair on her body stood. Her hands shook, her knees felt like crumbling.
Suddenly, the need to get on her knees and hands on the ground wash over her. She got to surrender. She needs to bow before the Might.
If she does not, she'll be killed.
Then Cassia realized something. There was no one but the three of them here. It was not her who roared, obviously. Neither the Berserker who's now cowering in fear at her feet. There's only one suspect left.
The newcomer.
That was what's she's thinking when a hand dropped on her shoulder. She jumps on her skin. She did not move. She did not speak. She did nothing but bow her head and wait for his mercy.
The newcomer is not simply an Alpha Leader. He's more than an Alpha. He's something else.
"You did not die. Glad?" He mumbled in her ear.
Shivering, she nodded.
He bent and took a peek at her face she's hiding. Her eyes met her red ones. Immediately, she looked away.
'He's scary…' she thought.
The newcomer stood straight in front of her. His every step makes a crunching sound against the grass.
"The likes of you. . . is what I hate the most," he said coldly.
Cassia felt her blood run cold. 'This is it. I'm gonna die, for sure. Should I beg for my life? I mean, I still want to live long–at least until I tie all the loose ends.'
As she contemplates on whether to beg for her life or not, the newcomer turns his back on her and faces the cowering Berserker.
"As for you. . ." he said, faltering in his words.
Scared but curious of what he's going to do, Cassia watched him.
The Berserker whimpered under his gaze. Cassia knows how scary it is so she somehow, a little bit, feels empathetic to the Berserker. She looked at the newcomer's back.
'What's he gonna do? He'll punish it, right? What kind of punishment does an Alpha do to Berserkers?'
"Hm. Die." With a quick swish of the newcomer's arm, the Berserker head rolled off its shoulder.
Not able to comprehend what happened, Cassia stared at the decapitated head as the blood pooled around it.
"H-huh . . ."
The lifeless body of the Berserker fell down the ground with a thud.
"I-it's dead. . ." she thought out loud.
The grassy ground turned red as the blood continued to flow out of the body and head, pooling.
'He . . . killed it . . . just like that. He killed it.'
Her knees totally gave out. She did not feel the pain as her knees hit the ground. Completely drained and dizzy, Cassia let herself melt.
I'm really gonna die now. . . Is what she's thinking as she watches the pool of blood flow towards her.
"Why are you crying?"
"Huh?" She looked up. The first thing she notices about him is his looks. He transformed into his human form. Gone is his wolf ears and tails. His claws are gone too, replaced by regular human hands. His eyes are green, like moss. He has buzz cut black hair, with a lean body build. He also has a scar that runs straight from his upper right eyebrow down to his eyelid.
"I'm asking why you're crying," he repeated impatiently.
"Oh." Cassia's hand flew to her cheeks and felt the wet of tears. She did not realize that she's crying.
"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered, wiping her tears.
The newcomer clicked his tongue. "Are you staying here in this place, too?" he asked, irritated.
"W-what? No." She answered.
"Don't come near the Ivies. Find your own territory," he declared. With that, the newcomer turned around and walked away.
Cassia watched him step inside the jungle, lost for words. "What, that's it?" She muttered. "Did . . . I survived death again?"
The whole glade went silent. As Cassia stays seated in daze at the center of the glade, the only thing she can hear is the gentle brush of the leaves and bushes against each other. It was peaceful, it bothered her.
Finally accepting her fate of not dying today, she let out a sigh leaning back on her hands. Leaning her head back and closing her eyes, she feels the breeze brush against her taut muscles. She would have loved to stay like that if not only for the blood touching her hand. The thick, cold texture of the blood made her recoil. She pulled her hand back, and immediately got on her feet.
She stared down at the beheaded corpse of the Berserker. She shivered remembering how fast the newcomer killed it without even blinking.
'I should clean this.' The thought suddenly came to her like an alarm. That's right. She's a cleaner of this place and truth to be told, this is not really the first time she's seen a corpse.
The sanctorium is running an indescribable experiment that a dead body is not new to cleaners like Cassia. They were told that the experiment is about enhancement of reproduction of werebeasts, especially the Werewolves who are close to extinction.
During Cassia stays—that is two months now, she discovered that along the way, some patient do not survive the medications and examinations, they either commit suicide or be killed. Hence, corpses are not new to the Cleaning Crew in which Cassia belongs.
Remembering her duty, Cassia decided to go back to the Maple Trees. She's hoping that Raven is there and will help her clean the mess. Her hands are still trembling and knees are unsteady, but she can move now and her strength is coming back. She once again stepped into the jungle and tried to find her way back to the Maples.
Did they have their equipment with them? Oh right. They rush here because Victor made them so they did not have the chance to grab their things. Sighing, she silently prayed the camp, wherever that is, has at least a body bag and pair of gloves.
She pushed a big leaf out of the way and her face brightened when she saw the first row of Maple trees just ahead.
"Oh god," she exclaimed, breathless.
Reaching the first tree, a white bird suddenly came swooping down close to her face.
"Woah!" Fortunately, Cassia was able to avoid its fluttering wings as it landed.
"Cassia!"
The white bird, a raven, spoke.
"What the—? Raven?" Cassia said in surprise.
"Yeah, no time! Got to tell you something!" Blabber Raven.
"You're a white raven, Raven?"
"Don't say my name twice! Did you not hear me? I have to tell you something!" Said Raven, his head twisting 180 degrees, literally looking around. "Come on, this way!"
Raven took off and flew straight inside the jungle. Cassia's shoulders dropped when Raven disappeared inside the bushes.
"But I just got outta there," she grumbled, almost crying.
Raven's head suddenly poked out. "What are you doing? C'mon! Quick!" he said.
Groaning, Cassia followed him, her feet dragging as she walk forward.
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