4 - Maple Syrup

~Ellie's Point of View~

I silently cursed myself for a second and now I was afraid I would pee my pants. The wolves started spreading out but thankfully none were coming anywhere near me … for now. 

I worked on steadying my heartbeat, but I didn’t know if that was even possible given the insane situation I would myself in. I cursed Tyson, I cursed all of them. But really, I knew this was my fault.

I led them here, surely I did. Now this peaceful pack would suffer, all because they were kind enough to take me in. I had to fight, if I even took one of them out, at least I tried. Hopefully no one would expect me to have a knife, and maybe I could slit their throat.

A couple wolves shrieked and howled as they stepped on the silver spikes trying to go into houses, and I suppressed a snicker. None of our pack made a move, and I was dying to know why, or what their strategy was supposed to be. 

Then I suddenly heard a couple wolves cry out, and I saw arrows being shot out of trees, surely with silver tips. In the blink of an eye more vehicles came, and suddenly there were easily another two dozen men shifting into their wolves. 

My heart sank and I felt a massive sense of doom. Of hopelessness. This was it. I immediately changed my strategy and knew I was likely going to have to take the cowards way out. They would not take me alive. I’d rather slit my own throat than be Tyson’s mate.

It was after a few minutes of the wolves stirring that he appeared ... Alpha Gunner. He jumped on top of a picnic table, still in his human form, but the aura emanating from him was enough to make anyone in front of him submit. He was very tall and fit, he had dark brown hair that went just to his shoulders. He was unbelievably good looking, there was no she-wolf that didn’t gawk at him. It was very hard not to take in his perfect body, and I had seen all of it in its glory.

He used to force me to watch them all train. But I knew what he was capable of ... his Beta too. They were complete monsters. I had to always remember that.

“Surrender now and you can join my pack. Kneel before me and pledge your allegiance to me, and your family will live. Fight me, and die,” he yelled out, leaving a puff of air. 

He was wearing a large knee length jacket that was open, exposing his bare chest. He had on loose pants and combat boots. I couldn’t tell if he had any intention of shifting himself or not. 

He rarely wore anything but shorts, no matter the weather. Like he wanted everyone to see his body, I hated it because it was hard not to look at him and I didn’t want to. He just had that type of commanding presence about him. 

There was a silence so thick in the air, you could cut it with a knife. Now what? 

Just as I had that thought, I felt a sharp twitch in the weather and a sharp cold breeze struck the whole village at once, making me shiver to my bones. 

The wolves took notice and before I knew it, there were flashes all around, popping and cracking. The sounds of bones cracking and breaking. I fell to my butt and cowered in a ball in the corner, hearing unspeakable sounds. 

There were moans, groans, howls, screams and the sounds of throats being ripped out. The sheer magnitude of it made the ground shake and before I could register anything else, the roof of the shed was falling on me, and something hit my head, then darkness enveloped me. 

I came to, in absolute darkness, barely able to move. I was unsure how long I had been out. My legs were stuck under debris, and I immediately felt a sharp pain in my head. I winced and tried to focus my senses. 

What could I hear? Fire crackling, the wind howling. 

What could I smell? Fire burning, cold, and blood. 

The sharp and unmistakable smell of blood flooded my nostrils. I was able to lift my hand to my head, and my hair was damp, matted and frozen, I likely had a bad cut. My hat was missing and I could feel the cold wind on my forehead. It suddenly hit me that I was freezing, despite my layered clothes.

I did everything possible to wiggle my legs loose but it was no use. 

How long had I been out!? 

Was the fighting still going on? 

Who was out there?

I thought I heard some movement, but I dared not call any attention to myself. Surely if it was a wolf out there, they could smell me and hear my heartbeat. 

Then I heard it, the sound of footsteps crunching nearby in the snow. No no no! Then it hit me like a warm hug ... I smelled it. It smelled like … like maple, like syrup. I found myself breathing heavier, trying to enjoy the sweet welcoming scent. 

It calmed me, and for a moment I was relaxed, lost in myself and completely forgot the severity of my current situation. I found my eyes getting heavy, and the darkness enveloped me again.

A scraping sound, warmth emanating from above me. I forced my eyes open and felt the earth moving beneath me. I blinked and saw I was still stuck under the rubble of the shed, I felt just about frozen and couldn’t move. I whimpered, it was the only thing I could do. Suddenly the scraping sound got closer, and some warmth hit my face, slightly warming it. The maple scent, it was there again, and really close!

I prayed to the Goddess that this person save me, that this person help me. I prayed to the Goddess that my family was okay, that my pack was okay. Please show me this person, please show me that heavenly scent, I can’t stand it anymore!

“There’s a pup! I found a pup in here!” I heard a man yell. My eyes were trying to close again, and I was fighting them with everything I had. 

That voice! Hmmm, I loved it. It swirled around in my head and made my belly flutter. I needed to see his face, please let me see him, I can’t fight my eyes anymore.

I heard more scraping, felt more movement around me, things clanging as if being thrown. I felt my arm move and my eyes darted to it, there was a hand trying to pick it up. My eyes finally trailed along my arm and there he was, my maple syrup savior! 

There was barely any light, but I could make out his sky blue eyes, his brown hair and his perfect teeth. I would surely dream of him in a few seconds when I fell asleep.

He was my hero, surely the Goddess heard my prayers! He was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. His perfect clear blue eyes were staring at me in awe as if studying me, and just then the darkness captured me.