Chapter 4: The Wolf

Val's POV

Instinct took over, and before I could think, I bolted into the forest. I should’ve known better. The woods were dangerous, especially at night. But there wasn’t time for logic. Not with that wolf growling like death itself was chasing me.

"Get away!" I shouted, my voice raw with desperation.

The wolf didn’t falter. Its growls deepened, vibrating through the air as its feet thundered behind me. It wasn’t intimidated. If anything, my fear seemed to embolden it.

The dense underbrush clawed at my skin, sharp branches tearing at my clothes. My lungs screamed for air, my legs burning as I pushed forward. But the wolf was relentless. Its snarls grew louder, closer, a promise of impending doom.

“Oh no,” I panted, my heart pounding in my chest like a war drum. My foot caught on a loose stone, and I stumbled, nearly crashing to the ground. I barely caught myself, but those precious seconds cost me.

I risked a glance over my shoulder. The wolf’s amber eyes burned like molten fire, locked on me with a predatory hunger. Panic surged through me. I wanted to scream, to fight back, but what could I do? I was wolfless, defenseless—a prey in every sense of the word.

The forest became a chaotic blur of shadows and silver moonlight. My legs screamed for mercy, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. The pup in my arms whimpered, its tiny body trembling against mine.

“It’s okay,” I whispered, though my voice cracked with fear. The words were for both of us, but even I didn’t believe them. The wolf was faster, stronger, unstoppable.

A sharp branch snagged my arm, tearing through my sleeve and leaving a burning gash. Blood dripped down my arm, but there was no time to stop. The wolf’s growls were deafening now, a violent symphony of malice that seemed to surround me.

Then, my foot plunged into a hidden ditch. The ground disappeared beneath me, and I fell hard, the pup pressed protectively to my chest. The impact drove the air from my lungs, leaving me gasping and dazed.

The wolf loomed above me, its massive silhouette framed by the moonlight. Its growl was a rumbling earthquake, shaking the earth and my resolve. I stared into its glowing eyes, paralyzed by the sheer weight of its presence.

“Aaahhh!” I screamed, bracing myself for the inevitable.

Before I could react further, the ground beneath me gave way. I tumbled into a shallow ravine, the world spinning as I hit the bottom with a bone-jarring thud. Pain erupted in every part of my body, sharp and unrelenting. Mud and rocks clung to me, cold and suffocating, pinning me in place.

For a moment, all I could do was lie there, each breath a ragged struggle. Pain lanced through my ribs, but I forced myself to move, groaning as I rolled onto my side.

"Purr..." A soft vibration against my chest broke through the haze of pain. The pup pressed against me, its tiny body trembling. Despite its fear, its purring was a tentative attempt to comfort me.

“Thanks, little one,” I murmured weakly, the words barely audible over my labored breathing.

The forest was eerily quiet now. The wolf’s growls had faded, leaving only the rustle of leaves and the faint hum of the wind. Relief washed over me, though it was fleeting. My ears strained for any sign of the beast, but the silence was unbroken.

“Maybe it lost us,” I whispered, though I dared not believe it. My heart still thundered in my chest, my body tense and ready to flee at the slightest noise.

I glanced at the ravine walls, slick with mud and tangled with roots. They loomed high above me, impossible to climb in my current state.

“So, how do we get out of here, huh?” I asked the pup, forcing a weak smile. The question was ridiculous, but the alternative was sinking into despair.

The pup tilted its head, its wide eyes meeting mine. For a brief moment, the absurdity of my situation hit me—an omega, wolfless and bruised, stuck in a ravine with an injured pup, hunted by a rogue wolf.

But there was no humor in it. Only cold, biting reality.

Suddenly, the pup stiffened in my arms, its purr replaced by a low, fearful whine. My breath caught in my throat. The air around us grew heavy, oppressive, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.

A deep, guttural growl shattered the silence, echoing through the ravine like a death knell.

I froze, dread sinking into my bones. Slowly, I turned my head.

Two glowing eyes peered down from the edge of the ravine, burning with an unnatural light. The rogue wolf hadn’t given up. It had found us.

Its lips curled back in a snarl, revealing glistening fangs that dripped with saliva. The beast crouched low, its muscles coiling as it prepared to leap.

The pup whimpered, burying its face against my chest. My heart felt like it might explode as I whispered, “Not like this…”

The wolf snarled again, its gaze fixed on me as it launched itself into the air.