The Unknown Alpha

Chapter thirteen

Ariana Young could sense her pursuers through the woods. The looming sunset and dank air did nothing to hide any scents.

Trees.

Water streams.

Rodents.

And through the scents of nature, something stronger. Much stronger. Something that didn't belong in the woods. Sweat. Body sprays. All too easy to track.

Ariana ducked beneath a particularly low hanging branch. As she walked, slowly, stealthy, expecting to be pounced on at any moment, the edge of her estate came closer.

Home. Tall, dark-stained wooden walls. Arched doorways. A stunning garden full of rosebushes and mini-hedges that led out to the surrounded woods. A solace place. A training area out back where this chase started.

She had no intention of ending the chase there, though.

Ariana came to such a sudden standstill, her chestnut hair spilled loose from the band that once restrained her long locks. Her senses were on fire. Haywire. Demanding her attention.

Ariana twisted her body just as one of her pursuers – a golden-furred wolf – leaped out from the woods. With a smirk in place, Ariana easy dodged the attack and even landed a swift kick against the wolf's side.

The creature howled, either in pain or anger, Ariana wasn't certain, but the one attack wasn't enough to keep the wolf down for long. Neither did it stop two other wolves from prowling from the woods.

Now against three snarling creatures, Ariana was more on guard. Slowly, she backed up a few feet, until an arm wrapped around her throat. Pressing tightly against her throat, a voice whispered in her ear.

"Give up yet?"

Ariana's fingers found the arm. "Not a chance." With a fierce and swift movement, she bucked against her captor, before an elbow caught against a cheekbone. She could hear the crunch of bone, even as the other three wolves attacked.

Circling her, Ariana tried to keep track of all three of them, but there were just too many. She focused on the closest wolf, a smaller, reddish-furred creature, and quickly dispatched him.

The remaining two wolves refused to back down and cautiously approached Ariana. The blonde wolf growled as he made his move.

The next few moments were filled with yelps and rapid movements. After a few strikes from Ariana, the blonde wolf limped to the side and started to lick her wounds as the final wolf, a dark-furred one, was left alone.

Ariana crouched low and raised an eyebrow at the lone wolf. Mocking him. Taunting him to attack. Ariana wasn't concerned, though. There was nothing these wolves could throw at her that she couldn't quickly turn around. These wolves, and the men within the forms, did not have the same strength Ariana did. Even in human form, Ariana outranked them all.

A fuzzy sensation took over Ariana's brain. It made seeing a little difficult, but even without sight, she knew the instant the last wolf moved. And she knew exactly what he was about to do.

Ducking low and jolting to the left, the wolf soared past. With a teasing smirk, Ariana reached out, grasped the wolf's bushy tail and have a little tug. Not enough to harm the creature, but enough to cause him to come up short.

The wolf tried to shake her off, but Ariana quickly tossed him aside and pinned him to the ground. The wolf struggled in her grasp. But Ariana held on tightly. The wolf was struck, and after a few minutes, he finally accepted that too.