WILDLIFE

Chapter 8

Third PoV:

In the dead of night, a hungry wolf stalked the shadows of this peaceful town.  Its eyes gleamed with predatory hunger, searching for a vulnerable prey to devour.

"Come on, kid.  We can make you feel great.  Let us have some fun with ya," a gruff voice sneered,  the words laced with malice.  The thugs surrounded the trembling girl, their faces twisted with cruel amusement.  She desperately wanted to run, to scream for help, but she was trapped.

One of the thugs grabbed her hand. "Let go of me!" she cried, yanking her wrist free from his greasy grip.

"See, you scared her.  Hahaha," one of the thugs jeered, his voice dripping with mocking amusement.  His friend, however, was growing impatient.

"Oyy, just give us what we want, we'll be quick," he growled, roughly grabbing both of her wrists.  The girl's eyes welled up with tears as she struggled against his grasp.  "No, no, no!  Let go!  Let me go!" she cried, her voice laced with desperation.  She kicked out wildly, trying to break free, but her foot connected with the man's shin, causing him to stumble back in pain.

Enraged, the thug slapped her hard across the face.  "It's just quick," he snarled, ripping open her blouse.  Her cries echoed through the empty street, but no one came to her rescue.  She was alone, trapped in a nightmare.

"You seem to be enjoying this.  Can I join?"  A soft voice cut through the air, sending a shiver down the thugs' spines.  The streetlights flickered, casting long, distorted shadows that danced around them.

"Go home, kiddo," one of the thugs barked, trying to sound tough.  But the voice only chuckled, a sound that sent a chill down their backs.

"Aww, no invite?  I guess I'll just join the party without one," the voice said, drawing closer.  Each step it took echoed through the dead of night, a haunting sound that filled the air with dread.

"Ha!  You think we're afraid of you?" one of the thugs scoffed, trying to appear brave.  He pulled out a pistol, its barrel glinting menacingly in the dim light.

"I wouldn't play with that if I were you," the voice said, a hint of warning in its tone.  The thug spun around, his eyes wide with fear as he saw a hooded figure standing beside him.  The figure pointed a finger at the gun, its eyes burning with an intense, unsettling light.

"You think we're afraid of a little kid?" the thug laughed, his voice cracking slightly.  His friends echoed his laughter, but their voices were strained, their eyes darting nervously around.

The figure smiled, a mischievous glint in its eyes.  It charged towards the thug with the gun, its movements swift and deadly.  Panicked, the thug pulled the trigger, but he missed.  The bullet struck one of his own men in the leg, sending him crashing to the ground, his cries of agony filling the night.

"Hey?  You missed me," the figure said, its voice a whisper that sent shivers down the thug's spine.  The thug, paralyzed with fear, pointed the gun at the figure and fired again.

"You could have hurt the young lady," the figure said, its voice calm and steady.  It stood in front of the terrified girl, its arm outstretched.  The bullet, as if in slow motion, flew towards the figure's open hand.  And then, in a flash of light, the bullet was caught.  The thug stared in disbelief, his eyes widening in terror.

The figure moved with lightning speed, its fist connecting with the thug's jaw, knocking him unconscious.  With a swift kick to the stomach, it sent the other thug sprawling to the ground, his breath knocked out of him.

The figure turned to the injured thug, its eyes piercing through him, sending a wave of fear that washed over him.  He fainted, his body collapsing to the ground.

The figure sighed, a deep, disappointed sigh that echoed through the night.  It turned to the girl, who hadn't moved a single inch.  She was frozen in fear, her body trembling.  The figure walked towards her and pulled off its leather jacket, revealing a gray hoodie underneath.  It gently placed the jacket over the girl's shoulders.

"Th-thank you," the girl whispered, her voice barely audible.  She inhaled deeply, the scent of the leather jacket filling her senses.  It smelled of rain and something else, something that made her heart race.  He smells good, she thought, her cheeks flushing with a blush.

The figure extended a hand towards her, its eyes filled with kindness.  The girl, hesitant at first, reached out and took the figure's hand.  She was pulled to her feet, but her legs were shaky, and she stumbled.

"You can't stand.  I'll have to carry you," the figure said, its voice soft and reassuring.  It scooped her up in a bridal carry, her body pressed against its chest.  The girl's face flushed crimson, her heart pounding in her chest.  She buried her face in the figure's chest, trying to hide her embarrassment.  To her surprise, she felt a hard bump beneath the fabric.

"You thought I was a boy," the figure chuckled, its voice a melodic sound that sent shivers down the girl's spine.  She lifted her head slightly, her eyes wide with surprise.  She had been so focused on the danger, she hadn't even considered the possibility that her savior could be a girl.

"I... I didn't know," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

The figure smiled, a warm, genuine smile that lit up its face.  "It's okay," it said, its voice soft and comforting.  "Let's get you somewhere safe."

The figure started walking, its steps sure and steady.  The girl clung to the figure's chest, her body trembling slightly.  She felt safe, protected, in the figure's arms.  She had never felt so safe, so secure, in her life.

As they walked, the girl couldn't help but steal glances at the figure's face.  She couldn't see much in the darkness, but she could tell that the figure was beautiful.  Her eyes were kind, her lips were soft, and her smile was captivating.  The girl found herself drawn to the figure, her heart beating faster with every passing moment.

They walked for what seemed like an eternity, the silence broken only by the sound of their footsteps and the girl's occasional whimpers.  Finally, they reached a small, secluded alleyway.  The figure carefully set the girl down on a pile of discarded boxes.

"I'm going to go get help," the figure said, its voice a low murmur.  "Stay here.  I'll be back soon."