The Alpha Instinct

Chapter Twelve: What Sharp Teeth You Have

"This way Grace!" Bunny hollers back to me.

I rush after her as she takes off again at full speed maneuvering around and through the underbrush of the woods like she has traversed these woods a hundred times blindfolded. I allow her to continue leading us deeper into the woods but I keep searching for any signs of danger. I have no idea what we are running towards but if Silver was indeed hurt than I imagined it was a good amount of trouble.

My body came to a sudden stop when I heard the sound of whistling carrying in on the evening breeze. I focused my power into my hearing and it seemed as though all was silent. I took a step forward and paused again when I picked up on the faint tune. Someone was out here with us, not too far away by the sounds of it.

"Here—wolfie, wolfie, wolfie—" The voice whispered in a playful taunting as if they knew I would hear them. My blood froze in my veins and I turned my attention toward the direction Bunny had run off in. It was a trap, and they had used Silver as the lure to bring us straight to them. I clenched my teeth together tightly, "Damn hunters!" I cursed the whole lot of them as I raced off in hopes of catching up to Bunny before she got herself hurt.

I could hear the pattering of feet against the dirt in the trees to my left. I turned my gaze in time to catch a figure catching up to me, "You might want to shift or I'll catch you like I did the other one." The warning was followed by an eruption of giggles that sent chills up my spine. I pumped my legs faster to put distance between me and the hunter.

Silvers scent was getting stronger by the second but as got closer to his location I realized there was a metallic tang to his scent. It was Silvers blood, he was bleeding—a lot.

My wolf battered and rammed herself against her cage in my mind, Free Me! She snarled like a hungry beast. My vision began to take on a red haze as her desire for blood began to become my own desire. My body began to tremble and skin pulled itself taunt against my bones as I tried to hold back the shift. 

I pushed my body faster forward my only concern being that I got to Silver—nothing else mattered. Trap or not. These hunters had poked the wrong beast and now they were going to get a taste of her fury. I almost ran smack into Bunny who was suddenly in front of me as if she materialized out of the shadows themselves. I pulled up short, straining to keep myself from lashing out at her for. She slowly lifted a finger to her lips as if to tell me to be quiet before she turned on her toes and crept forward. I followed behind her my beast vibrating with the need to tear through the trees and get to her mate.

Bunny pointed out toward the small clearing and I focused my eyes to see what she was seeing. There was a small gathering of hunters about fifteen or so all together. I almost wanted to laugh at the fact that they thought fifteen would be enough to take me on—they might have caught me off guard last time but that would never happen again. They would have to send their whole damn army if they wanted to take me.

The small group parted and my wolf turned into a crazed animal at the sight. Silver was laying on the ground—no he was staked into the ground and he was thrashing about like a man possessed trying to free himself. I lunged forward but Bunny held out her arm stopping me. I snarled at her but she only pointed up toward the trees. I looked up to see that there were more hunters perched up in the surrounding trees with crossbows fixed on the clearing. 

I clenched my teeth together trying to contain my rage, "I'm going to—" I stop myself when I hear the sound of approaching footsteps. Bunny must have heard it too because she snapped her attention toward them, "I'll take care of it Grace—you take care of the other hunters and rescue Silver." She whispers to me as she moves to take off towards the crazy hunter who had been following us. I grabbed her arm before she could leave, "You be safe—I don't want to have to explain myself to an angry Marshall if something happens to you." I give her a hard look.