His paws brought him perilously close to where the forest ended and the road that led to the Depot began. It wasn't a road in any real sense, more of a forgotten forest path that was only used by students when they were running from the cops or looking for a place where no one would see them, but still. It wasn't a safe place for him as a wolf.
Before he could turn around and scold his own wolf for leading him there, however, his muzzle picked up a familiar scent.
Evan knew he recognized it, but he had no idea what it was. It didn't smell like something that belonged in the woods, but at the same time, he couldn't shake the feeling that he knew it all too well, even if he couldn't name it.
His thoughts were interrupted by the snapping of twigs, and he quickly pricked up his ears, heightening all his senses. As a werewolf, he was at home in these woods, his instincts attuned to every rustle and scent. His gut told him that danger was coming, and he knew to listen to it.
He decided to cautiously withdraw and observe things from the sidelines. So he moved quietly through the trees, deciding to blend in with the tall grass and bushes. And then he heard it. Suddenly, his ears twitched, catching a sound that sent shivers down his spine. The unmistakable snarls of wolves.
Wolves were common to the area, especially the supernatural ones, but Evan had never met one this close to humans. From the growls, however, it was clear that apparently, today was an exception.
He had no idea if they were wolves from his pack or wild animals, but he decided not to take any chances and would have almost turned and started running if he hadn't picked up that familiar scent again, one that definitely didn't belong to wolves.
And just as he sensed the wolves getting closer, so did the scent, and a little while later the voices joined it. Voices that Evan knew more than well. Without a second thought, Evan mentally began to prepare himself for a fight, though he hoped it wouldn't be necessary.
He knew he had to act, though he still hadn't given up hope that they were wolves from his pack, unlikely as that was. They would, after all, flee if they heard humans at such close range.
Taking advantage of the bushes and trees, Evan made sure to go upwind so he could stay hidden from the senses of the strange wolves for longer. Although he could sense exactly where they were coming from, he had no idea how many of them there were, so he didn't know if he could defeat them himself or try to draw them away.
First, from behind the trees he saw two approaching figures under the forest path, and then before he or they could recover, he saw three wolves running in their direction. At this point, Evan was one hundred percent sure that they were wild animals, and even more sure that he had to do something since his friends didn't stand a chance against them.
"Run." Josh recovered first, but his plan was useless, as they had no chance of escaping from the fast predators, and besides, it would leave them at an even greater disadvantage.
Luckily, Kieran was aware of this as well and quickly grabbed his arm, pulling him along behind him.
Evan watched almost as if in slow motion as one of the wolves ran straight at them, and before he knew what he was doing, he was running to meet him. Though the snarling wolf was a predatory beast, Evan was a supernatural creature that was fuelled by magic in addition to nature. And that was why he was able to stop it before it had a chance to attack his friends. He zigzagged between the two remaining wolves at speed and landed on the third in one leap, knocking it to the ground where they both rolled twice. The wolf automatically shifted his attention to him, while the remaining two were obviously deciding whether to help him and take their eyes off the prey or wait to see how the situation unfolded.
Evan knew he wasn't the best fighter in his pack, much less when he had to pay attention to too many spots, but he also knew he was faster than the wolf in front of him and decided to take advantage of it. So before the feral wolf could attack, Evan lunged at him, baring his teeth.
His fur bristled, and his teeth bared, he lunged forward, aiming for the wolf closest to his friends.
The battle erupted with feral fury. Evan knew he didn't have time to keep track of his friends, so he could only hope they'd be wise enough to hold back.
The wolf in front of him, however, had no reason to hold back. Claws clashed, and teeth gnashed, and Evan suddenly found himself in a whirlwind of battle, focusing only on the wolf that flashed in front of his eyes with quick movements. Evan was faster, though.
His speed was astonishing as he tackled the largest of the wolves, jaws clamping down on the brute's throat. Driven by instinct, he didn't have time to think about what he was doing, so in the heat of battle, he didn't give a second thought to the metallic taste that spread across his snout.
The wolf whimpered beneath his teeth, and the other two were taken aback, not knowing how to react to this sudden, supernatural intrusion.
Their surprise didn't last long, however, and before Evan knew it, they were upon him at once. The smaller of the attacking wolves leaped at Evan, attempting to sink its teeth into his side. Evan spun, his muscular frame pivoting gracefully as he met the attacker with a powerful swipe, sending it tumbling.
The third wolf circled warily, assessing the situation. He seemed reluctant to challenge the formidable werewolf, especially after seeing the remaining wolves fall to the ground easily. Evan hoped his hesitation would turn into flight, but he knew that was unlikely and no wolf would go against his nature.
It was foolish to wait for the other wolf to rise from the ground, but Evan didn't have time to berate himself for this hesitation as he suddenly had trouble dodging the sharp teeth.
It took seconds before he had had enough of defending himself and decided to switch their positions. With a quick lunge, he attacked. His massive jaws clenched with an audible snarl, teeth sinking into the wolf's wounded shoulder. The injured wolf cried out in agony, but his resolve was unwavering. With a frantic twist and a series of desperate bites, he managed to graze Evan's shoulder.
The injured wolf's eyes burned with a fierce, unyielding fire, and he refused to surrender, even as blood dripped from his wounds. However, the supernatural wolf was relentless. Evan had more to lose, and he was well aware of it.
With all his strength he lunged at the wolf in front of him and threw him to the ground again, this time biting his chest. The stench in his mouth was stronger than before, but that was a problem he intended to solve in his human form.
The last wolf watched another of his accomplices fall to the ground, knowing it was up to him to avenge them. Their breaths laboured, their life force extinguished, and rage surged within him, a primal fire that burned hotter than any injury.
In the midst of victory, pain seared through Evan's ankle. The last wolf, seeing its opportunity, had lunged, and sunk its fangs into Evan's hind leg. A howl of agony and rage echoed through the forest as Evan desperately tried to shake off the assailant.
"No!" his friends screamed, but Evan's instincts drove him forward. With a powerful thrust, he flung the wolf into a tree. It crumpled to the ground, whimpering, and fled, leaving Evan victorious but wounded.
Blood oozed from the deep bite wound on Evan's ankle. He stumbled and collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. His vision blurred, and the world seemed to spin as his consciousness began to slip away.
"What should we do?" Evan barely registered that one of his friends had spoken. And though his voice cut through the silence of the night, Evan could barely focus on it.
He tried to stand, but the pain in his injured ankle was unbearable. He winced and collapsed again, this time more heavily. He knew it was foolish to stay here, especially when he knew there were dangerous wolves nearby, but his body and mind were not in agreement.
The world grew dim as Evan's eyelids grew heavy.
...
When he opened his eyes again, the first thing he was aware of was the pain shooting from his leg. However, lifting his head was more difficult than he had imagined, so he had no choice but to stay lying down and gather his strength before trying again.
He was still mostly acting on his instincts, and they were telling him that danger could still be around the corner, so he shouldn't make any noise until he knew what the situation was.
His wolf was uneasy, knowing he was in unfamiliar surroundings as various scents he didn't recognize wafted into his muzzle. Wounded and at a disadvantage was something no wild animal preferred.
Evan didn't even realize his eyes had closed again until he decided to look around, even from the position he was in right now.
From what he could see, he figured he was in the living room, staring blankly at the white ceiling from which the chandelier hung. Below that was a couch, with various things strewn about that Evan couldn't make out. None of it told him exactly where he was, though.
"It was your idea." He heard suddenly, his ear twitching at the sound.
"It was the right thing to do," the other voice retorted, triggering an immediate reaction within Evan, pushing his human consciousness to the forefront. He was suddenly aware of exactly what had happened and knew to whom the two voices belonged that were somewhere out of his sight.
"We should have called the police or the vet," Josh replied in a firm tone, followed immediately by Kieran's sigh.
Apparently, they'd been having this debate for a while, and Evan could only guess what had transpired after he'd lost consciousness. One thing was for sure though, his friends had decided to save him, even though they had no idea that he wasn't really just a wild animal, and Evan was more than surprised. Only a fool, in his opinion, would take a wild animal into his home, especially when it was injured.
It wasn't long before the two boys appeared in front of him. They were heading towards the couch but must have sensed his gaze because their eyes suddenly curled towards him. Their debate ended, and they both fell silent, not knowing what to do.
Evan knew he was faced with a decision he wouldn't be able to take back, and regardless of the consequences, he decided to trust his friends. He and Angie had had this conversation a long time ago, but he still hadn't forgotten how convinced his best friend was that this might not be a bad idea. Besides, Evan wasn't a typical werewolf, so once again, he decided to act atypically.
A familiar sensation engulfed his body, this time accompanied by a sharp pain that was only magnified by the transformation, and in a second his wolf body was replaced by his human form. And the first thing he did was cover the most important part with the blanket he had been lying on until now.
"Hey."