My Wolf

Kael slowed his pace once we reached the clearing, his eyes darting around like he was expecting another attack.

The moonlight brightened his features, revealing fresh scratches across his face and arms. Despite the injuries, his focus remained sharp.

I, on the other hand, felt like my body was about to give out. My legs trembled, my breath was ragged, and my claws still unfamiliar and terrifying itched with an unnatural energy.

“Do they always come after you like that?” I asked, my voice hoarse.

“Not me. You,” Kael corrected, turning to face me.

I flinched at his bluntness. “Why? I didn’t even know… whatever this is about myself until tonight. How could they know more about me than I do?”

Kael’s gaze softened, just a little. “Hunters can sense power. They’ve likely been watching you for some time, waiting for your awakening. Tonight, when your wolf surfaced, it was like sending a beacon into the night.”

“A beacon,” I repeated, my stomach twisting. “You mean they’re going to keep coming?”

“Yes.” He sighed. “Until we stop them.”

I wanted to scream at him, to demand answers that made sense, but before I could, Kael tilted his head like he was listening to something far away. His expression hardened.

“They’re closer than I thought,” he muttered.

Panic surged through me. “I can’t do this again. I barely survived the last one—”

“You can,” Kael interrupted, stepping closer. “And you will. You’re stronger than you think, Elara. You just don’t know it yet.”

I shook my head, the fire of defiance warring with the cold fear in my chest. “What if you’re wrong?”

“I’m not.” His confidence was unshakable, almost infuriating.

Before I could argue, another sound cut through the night—this time, it wasn’t a howl but the steady thud of footsteps. Not one set, but many.

“They’ve shifted back,” Kael said grimly. “They’re coming for you in human form now.”

I froze, my mind racing. “How is that supposed to be better?”

“It’s not,” Kael admitted, his expression dark. “But it means they’ll try to take you alive.”

The implication hit me like a punch to the gut. I wasn’t sure if being taken alive was better or worse than whatever they had planned for me dead.

Kael grabbed my wrist. “We have to keep moving. The pack isn’t far now.”

“The pack,” I repeated, my voice hollow. I didn’t know if I could trust Kael, let alone his so-called pack. But what choice did I have?

We started running again, the open field giving way to more trees. The terrain grew rougher, the forest denser, and every sound made my heart jump. The hunters were getting closer—I could feel it in the pit of my stomach.

“Kael,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “What happens if they catch us?”

He didn’t answer right away. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost regretful. “You don’t want to know.”

That wasn’t reassuring.

The footsteps grew louder, the hunters closing the gap faster than I thought possible. My instincts screamed at me to run faster, but my body was already at its limit.

“Keep going,” Kael urged, his voice tight. “We’re almost there.”

But I wasn’t sure I could make it. My muscles burned, my lungs ached, and the fire inside me—whatever it was—felt like it was eating me alive.

“Elara,” Kael said sharply, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Look at me.”

I turned to him, my vision blurring with exhaustion.

“Trust your wolf,” he said. “Let her guide you.”

“I don’t even know how,” I admitted, my voice breaking.

“Yes, you do.” Kael’s gaze bored into mine. “It’s already inside you. Stop fighting it.”

His words didn’t make sense, but something about them resonated. I closed my eyes, focusing on the heat in my chest. It was wild and chaotic, but beneath the chaos, there was something steady—a rhythm, a pulse.

My wolf.

I felt it stir, like a second heartbeat, and suddenly, my exhaustion faded. My limbs felt stronger, my senses sharper, and the fear that had been paralyzing me began to melt away.

When I opened my eyes, Kael was watching me with a small, approving smile. “There you go.”

Before I could respond, the first hunter appeared, stepping out of the shadows with a predatory grin.

“There’s nowhere left to run,” he said, his voice dripping with malice.

Kael stepped in front of me, his body tense and ready for a fight. “You’re making a mistake.”

The hunter laughed, a cold, hollow sound. “The only mistake here is thinking you can protect her.”

More hunters emerged from the darkness, surrounding us. There were at least five of them, each one radiating a dangerous energy that made my skin crawl.

Kael glanced at me, his expression serious. “Stay close.”

I nodded, my claws flexing as the heat inside me surged again. This time, I didn’t fight it.

The hunters didn’t wait long. The leader lunged first, and chaos erupted.

Kael shifted in an instant, meeting the attack head-on, while I found myself face-to-face with another hunter.

“Easy now,” he said, his tone mocking. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

I didn’t give him a chance to say anything else. My wolf took over, and I slashed at him with a speed and precision that surprised even me. He dodged, but not fast enough—my claws caught his arm, leaving deep gashes that made him howl in pain.

The fight was brutal, chaotic. Kael moved like a force of nature, taking down one hunter after another, but there were too many of them.

And then one of them grabbed me.

I struggled, snarling and thrashing, but his grip was like iron.

“Elara!” Kael’s voice rang out, but he was too far away.

The hunter dragged me backward, his hand clamping over my mouth. “Got you,” he hissed.

Panic surged through me, but so did the fire. My wolf roared inside me, and without thinking, I let it take control.

The next thing I knew, the hunter was on the ground, his face twisted in pain as he clutched his side. I didn’t wait to see what happened next. I turned and ran toward Kael, who was finishing off the last hunter with a powerful blow.

When it was over, the clearing was silent again, save for our ragged breathing.

Kael shifted back to human form, his expression grim as he looked at me. “You’re stronger than I thought,” he said, a hint of admiration in his voice.

I didn’t feel strong. I felt like I was barely holding myself together.

“We need to keep moving,” Kael said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I nodded, following him as we disappeared into the trees once more.