The Hybrid

18. King of the Savages

I stand there, frozen like a deer in the headlights while the man and his friends stare at me for a moment. Who was he? His chilling comment about the forest containing wolves is a dead giveaway that he is not like me. Is he a vampire? My mind swirls with questions as the man stares at me with a crooked smile. He finally ties my wrists together with another scratchy rope.

"Babyface will be pleased with our catch." He grunts to his friends as he finally yanks the rope, dragging me behind him. My feet drag in the dirt, but I comply and walk quietly behind him.

We walk further away from where Russell and Addison had set up camp. Anxiety pricks at my insides at the thought of them being captured too.

"This is the third one this week." One of the other men pipes up, looking behind his shoulder at me. I shoot my eyes into the dirt to avoid his gaze.

I need to find a way to free myself of this rope and get back to Addison and Russell. They had to be looking for me.

I bring my gaze back up to the small mass of men. There are four of them in total. They are all burley fellows and wear heavy gear. They carry long machete blades and there is fur attached to the rims of their boots.

The man carrying my rope has a medium build, but he is a wide man. I could probably take him, though. It's his friends that I worry about.

I stay a good distance behind him. Every once in a while he would yank the rope to pull me closer.

"We'll check the rest of the traps at daybreak. Wolves always travel in packs and this one was alone." One of the bigger men grunt.

That means they could find Addison and Russell. A chill runs up my arms.

I pull my arms up, yanking the rope towards me. I bring my leg up at the same moment and fiercely kick the man in the back. He grunts and the rope slips from his hands. I watch him face plant into the dirt before I whip around and dart into the darkness at full speed.

I hear angry shouts behind me followed by crunchy footsteps. I don't know if I will make it back to Addison. I keep pushing my burning legs to run further, but I am slowly running out of energy from the long day. I hide behind a wide tree with sharp bark.

I guess it is a good thing that we spent our childhood climbing trees in the Autumn pack. I was one of the best climbers out of all the pups. I would always hide in the trees during hide and seek. Chances are, the person seeking you never thinks to look up. I shake the happy memory away with a sad smile and focus on the darkness ahead.

I try my best to steady my breathing as I look into the branches above me. I grab onto the wood and heave myself up as high as I can go. The bark is tough on my skin, but it does not penetrate the barrier.

It is only seconds of silence before I hear loud boots tramping towards me. A torch wooshes through the air and I can see the warm glow in the distance as it slowly creeps towards me.

"Oh Bambi..." the chilling bellows of my captor call into the darkness. "Quit playing games, Doll Face, I don't bite." He coaxes.

I watch his shadowed figure walk towards my tree. His beige shirt is now scuffed with damp soil from his fall. In the light of the torch I catch a glimpse of a long red scar tattooed over the left side of his face. He has a golden hoop pierced into his opposing eyebrow. He finally stops at the base of the tree.

The person seeking you never thinks to look up. The person seeking you never thinks to look up.

I take a silent breath.

The man turns in a small circle, using his torch to illuminate the darkness.

"If you don't show yourself, I am just going to have to find you." He whispers. A remark daring me to give him the sweet chase he craves. My heart pounds.