BETA LANCASTER

PART 9 - PLAY NICE

HARPER

Looking over my shoulder to try and catch sight of my pursuer when I suddenly stumble on a root and end up tumbling down the embankment crying out in pain. Fuck my leg. As I come crashing down into the mud I yelp in agony when I try and put some weight on my back paw but it's lame from how I've landed preventing me from running.

So instead, I do something stupid. Ignoring my wolf who's desperately trying to protect me, I shift back and decide to face my mate in my human form.

Panting heavily, I look around as tears run down my face, my body trembles from a mixture of fear but also from being completely naked in the middle of a dense wood. I throw my long locks around my shoulders and chest to try and cover myself up. Twigs and leaves are all in my hair and mud is all over my body as I look down as see my leg has a huge cut down the calf.

Terrified, I try and get up onto my leg but wince with pain and fall back down. Damn, my ankles sprained as well. Taking a deep breath, I try hard to think about what to do. With an attack from an aggressive dominant wolf, you have two choices on surviving; submit and hope they feel pity for you, so they leave you alone or refuse to show fear and challenge back hoping they'll back down. It's the basics every wolf is taught as pup.

But this is no ordinary wolf, no wolf back home has jet black eyes like he has.

As I sit with my legs curled under my chin, hugging them to body I frantically look around for any signs of my mate. The forest has gone quiet. He's searching for me. In my human form I'll be harder to track down however it won't take him long until...

Prowling slowly out of the dense undergrowth and coming to stop right in front of me is the biggest wolf I have ever seen. Even my dad's tricolour isn't this big. With dark raven fur and black holes for eyes he looks positively barbaric, and I can't help but jump when he bares his teeth, snarling loudly at me as I whimper and shrink back. But, moving away from him just seems to anger him even further and within two great strides he towers over me, just when I think I couldn't get more scared he roars so loudly I have to cover my ears and close my eyes as a scream tears out of my mouth in panic.

Oh god he's going to kill me. Come on, come on, Harper - think!

Submit or challenge? Submit or challenge?

What would Avery do?

Snapping my eyes open, I let my wolf's golden eyes blaze with power then with all the air in my lungs I scream into his monstrous face. "Taylor stop it, you're scaring me!"

Avery would never submit. So, nor will I.

The black wolf bares his teeth at me as I level my eyes to his refusing to back down.

"I said, stop it!" I yell once more pointing an accusatory finger at him.

A loud grumble leaves his chest but to my surprise he stops snarling and sits down staring at me.

"Shift back." I murmur.

A big throaty rumble vibrates from his chest making it clear he doesn't want to do that as he continues to sit and watch me until he slowly leans in and nudges his snout against my head. He's so strong he knocks me to the side as I quickly sit back up then push his snout away.

"Be gentle." I growl at him as another rumble vibrates in his chest.

Again, he brushes his snout against my head but knocks me over once more, it's like having a baby elephant trying to play with you but not knowing what they're doing or their own strength. Getting annoyed, I sit back up and push his snout away again as my eyes blaze with gold.