Waxing Gibbous

The Hunt (A)

It was early morning when we caught the scent of the leech, she hedged herself in the mountains and Sam thought we had her this time. She managed to get around them and was heading back towards the city.

And I was in the way.

'I'm caught her scent, tracking now. If I find her' I growled thinking about killing her. I imagined a millions ways I could rip her head off, but caught myself. If I messed up and she got away, I couldn't handle that. I growled again 'I'll tail her until you guys get here'

'we're on the way' Sam responded.

I could tell they were farther out than I originally thought, which put a hinge in my plan. I didn't know if I could wait that long. The anger was returning. I could see her holding my mom, could see her running away... I dug my feet into the ground, grounding myself.

I knew the hunters were in the forest, I had to be alert and not focusing on anger. One mistake could cost a life.

I ran through the winding woods silently, feeling the thrum of life in my paws. Everything was fine, I hadn't seen the leech yet, but I was getting closer, the pull was getting stronger, and the smell was becoming more potent.

Yet, mixed with the sickly sweet, was another smell. A human smell. One that was very important – Charlie.

If he was close, so was Harry and Mark and the rest of the hunters. I couldn't let the leech get to them. I relayed the information to the others, and was going to wait for Sam like he told me to but the moment I saw the leech I couldn't stay.

She was right behind Charlie with Harry Clearwater in her grasp. His face was pained as he gasped for breath, his heart stuttering. Mark was right behind him his gun aimed, it would do nothing, but he didn't know that.

Without thinking I barreled into her, hearing a gunshot along the way. The red head let Harry go and the two of us tumbled down the mountain to a small clearing. The sound of scrambling men rang out, but it wasn't enough to distract either of us.

We locked eyes and I knew she remembered me. I knew she knew who I was, I wasn't just some wolf. I was one of her targets. A loud threatening growl left my throat, as we stared each other down. It was like time slowed, a hundred years or a hundred seconds could have passed while we stared each other down, daring the other to move.

I moved first. I let out a low growl then launched myself at her, propelling myself with my back legs. When I lurched at her, I had hoped she would jump back, right into Sam's path, but she flipped over me and took off in the other direction with the entire pack right behind her.

I was the closest, right on her heels, so close I could nearly grab them but every time I nipped at her she would appear a few feet in front of me, like a glitch in a video game.

She was leading us towards the cliffs, pushing us harder every time. I tried vehemently to stop her from launching into the ocean, she could swim around and get to the reservation. She could get access to a huge number of victims. She could get to my mom or Bella.

I got close enough to grab the fur of her jacket before she launched herself into the ocean below. I jumped to a lower cliff looking into the water hoping I would find her exit. But I didn't, she didn't need to breath like the rest of us. And she proved that by staying under the water.

I left Sam and the others to check the beach, while the others helped Harry. Giving the excuse of hearing the gunshot. I ran along the ocean, getting closer to the beach but I never made it there. My mind and body guiding me to the cliffs, the ones we jump from, the ones Jacob promised to take Bella too.