Cruel Kiss (On Hold)

Chapter 11- The Hunt

The forest comes alive under my heightened senses. I can see all the leaves on the trees in perfect clarity, the bloody moon becoming more intense with my new eyes. I can smell the damp earth beneath my feet. I can hear the owls calling out to each other and the heavy panting of the pack around me. Their collective heartbeats are like a wild drumming.

This is truly magical. I would have never guessed that the forest could be this magical. Before, I had only feared it. The shadows made by the trees held unknown dangers, just waiting to leap out at me. All those times I woke up under the stars, I had never dreamed I could feel anything other than fear. Now, I don't think I could ever be afraid of nature again. I feel blessed. The goddess has truly given me a gift, and I inwardly giggle with glee.

I can smell the bear, it's scent is wild and earthy. I can tell that it's moving leisurely about, trudging confidently through the trees. It doesn't have the tiniest inkling that it's being hunted. I surge forward, Emir close on my heels. I'm careful to keep quiet, avoiding fallen twigs and piles of leaves. I use the shadows I once feared to cloak myself, the deep darkness becoming my ally.

The bear is in a small clearing. This close, I can sense that it is a male. His shaggy brown fur curls in every direction. He trudges on, still unaware of our presence. My heartbeat races as a surge of nerves hit me. I begin to doubt myself, unsure if I can take down such a creature. Emir nudges me, as if to remind me that I'm not alone. I'm sure he can hear my accelerated heartbeat. 

A soft breeze flows past us, and the bear snaps his head in our direction. He's caught our scent on the wind. Emir darts forward and I follow close behind. He tumbles into the bear, teeth snapping. The bear is quicker than I thought he would be, quickly bucking Emir off. As soon as the he hits the ground, the bear stands up on his hind legs.

A fierce growl roars from the bear's throat, causing fearful adrenaline to shoot through my veins. I begin to circle the beast, eyes scanning for an opening. The other wolves pace, looking for their own chance to strike.

I see my chance when a dark brown wolf gets too close, causing the bear to swat his paw, claws singing through the air. Instinct takes over completely, my mind blanking and zeroing in on a spot on the bears flank. I lunge forward, teeth clamping on my intended target. The sweet tang of blood erupts in my mouth, and I let go in time to avoid the bear's claw.

He roars, a mixture between anger and pain. The bear has lost its confidence, scanning the pack wildly for a weakened member to take out. The scent of blood in the air has to pack circling wildly, in a frenzy to finish the kill. I ease closer, and the bear whirls around and snarls. I step an inch closer and he swats at me with his massive paw.

Emir seizes this opportunity to go in for the kill. He leaps, claws digging in and teeth closing around the bears throat. The bear struggles momentarily before collapsing into the ground. It takes one last breath before it dies.

Emir takes a few bites out of the bear's flank. Since he is the Alpha, and because he made the killing blow, he gets to eat first. The strong scent of blood fills the air. He pauses, turning to look at me watching him. He motions with his head for me to go to him, so I do. He nudges me forward, trying to tell me to eat with him. This makes me pause, unsure of what to do.

Only an Alpha's mate is supposed to eat at the same time as the Alpha. Since I am not his mate, it would be inappropriate of me to share the meal with him. Maybe it's because I'm the Sacred Omega? I'm still not completely sure of my roles in these sorts of things.

I decide to trust Emir. He wouldn't tell me to do something if I wasn't supposed to. I step forward and tear into the flesh. Blood explodes in my mouth, sweet and hot and tangy. I thought that this would be gross, but surprisingly it feels natural.

Once we've had our fill, we step back. The other wolves come forward for their turn. My muzzle is dripping with the sticky blood as I turn to look at Emir. His gaze is intent upon my face as he comes to rub against my side. I turn my head and nip at his shoulder playfully before beginning to walk forward.

A sudden surge of fatigue hits me as Emir and I begin our walk back to the pack house. Black spots cloud my vision until I stop seeing all together. That's when I black out.