Állaxe //HOO x m.oc\\ (ON HOLD)

23

"That doesn't sound good."

Jace didn't know what they could do— and it wasn't a good thing. He reached for his gun and a new magazine of bullets.

"Wolves," Piper spoke up. "They sound close."

Jason rose and summoned his sword. Leo and Coach Hedge got to their feet too. Jace stood up but just slower and more carefully than the others did. Piper wasn't able to stand up. Fuck. Jace looked around the cave for anything useful but— nothing.

"Stay there," Jason told Piper. "We'll protect you." Jace could guess she didn't like to be protected like this but honestly, Jace was pretty sure she couldn't fight with her condition. She would probably need a long reach weapon in case the wolves got too close. Her knife couldn't do much damage to a wolf that could kill her in seconds.

Jace heard a low growl and then, just outside the firelight at the entrance of the cave, he saw a pair of red eyes glowing in the dark. He gripped his gun tighter and tried to hide the way he was leaning slightly against the wall. It still hurt for him to move all that much but he knew they would be screwed if he showed weakness.

More wolves edged into the firelight—black beasts bigger than Great Danes, with ice and snow caked on their fur. Their fangs gleamed, and their glowing red eyes looked disturbingly intelligent. The wolf in front was almost as tall as a horse, his mouth stained as if he'd just made a fresh kill. Jace gripped his gun tighter until his knuckles were white. Then Jason stepped forward and said something in Latin.

Why did he have to speak so quietly? Jace couldn't hear what he'd said. Gods it was annoying. Even if Jace couldn't decipher what Jason said, the alpha wolf definitely did with how it curled its lip in response. The fur stood up along his spine. One of his lieutenants tried to advance, but the alpha wolf snapped at his ear. Then all of the wolves backed into the dark.

"Dude, I gotta study Latin." Leo's hammer shook in his hand. "What'd you say, Jason?" "Yeah, and I know Latin." Jace muttered back to Leo.

Hedge cursed. "Whatever it was, it wasn't enough. Look." The wolves were coming back, but the alpha wolf wasn't with them. They didn't attack. They waited—at least a dozen now, in a rough semicircle just outside the firelight, blocking the cave exit. The coach hefted his club.

"Here's the plan. I'll kill them all, and you guys escape."

"Coach, they'll rip you apart," Piper said.

"Nah, I'm good."

"'Som's coming." Jace commented when he saw the dark humanoid figure in the midst of the wolves.

"Stick together," Jason said. "They respect a pack. And Hedge, no crazy stuff. We're not leaving you or anyone else behind." Jace took in a deep breath to calm his heart beat. He took slow steps until he was standing in a somewhat protective way in front of Piper. The wolves parted, and the man stepped into the firelight. His hair was greasy and ragged, the color of fireplace soot, topped with a crown of what looked like finger bones (Jace couldn't lie and say it didn't look cool as fuck). His robes were tattered fur—wolf, rabbit, raccoon, deer, and several others Jace couldn't identify. The furs didn't look cured, and from the smell, they weren't very fresh (ew).

His frame was lithe and muscular, like a distance runner's. But the most horrible thing was his face. His thin pale skin was pulled tight over his skull. His teeth were sharpened like fangs. His eyes glowed bright red like his wolves'—and they fixed on Jason with absolute hatred. "Ecce," Behold. He said, "filli Romani." Son of the romans.

Jace was so glad he could speak Latin well, thank the gods the man was saying simple words that Jace knew. If he started spouting philosophy Jace would not be able to understand what he would be saying.