Born Wild

Finish him

Robert fell onto the forest floor, sending pine needles and snow into the air.

Simple fear, ignorance, and miscommunication created so much pain. Innocent werewolves lived in hiding or died. Robert became a monster that lived in pursuit and died being chased. He had to be stopped. It wasn't because of hate, but to protect and free those suffering.

Heath's eyes turned as red as the blood dripping from his mouth. He howled into the night sky in a cry of anguish and freedom.

Heath and Tala transformed back into humans and rushed to Koda. Heath wiped the blood from his mouth. He listened closely and watched Koda's chest. Tala watched as Koda sputtered and twitched his nuzzle.

"Koda!" Tala placed her hand on his still face. "You're alive."

"Come on." Heath rushed. "We have to get him to the hospital."

"He's still a wolf." Tala replied.

Heath reached in his pocket and pulled out a vile of wolfsbane. 

"If I go limp from this take Koda to the hospital." Heath placed a drop in Koda's mouth. Tala watched as Koda transformed back into a human. 

Heath didn't get any oil on himself and carried Koda as quickly as he could through the forest with Tala running beside him. Heath handed Tala his cell phone from his pocket and told her to call Kita.

Tala found out that Kita and all of the others had made it to Pike's house. Chase and Daisy had been shot and were in the hospital of the other town. They were going to be fine. 

Tala told her that Koda had been shot and was in critical danger and that the hunter was dead. Pike, Kita, and Ben decided to come to the hospital.

Heath and Tala made it to the main road and saw Pike's truck roaring into town. Pike screeched his tires and they jumped in the back of the truck. They soared to the hospital and Koda was rushed in on a cart. Tala sobbed and rushed back with him.

"Sorry miss, you can't come in here. You can see him once we get the bullet out." the nurse sympathized.

Tala was left out in the hallway, staring at the two swinging doors as they shut in her face. 

She looked through the window, catching a glimpse of her desperate reflection. She hated hospitals. She wished that she could have gone without seeing the inside of one. It seemed to be a common thing for her. It was never her that was in the hospital bed. Even when she was bitten and stabbed. It was always someone she loved.

Tala sobbed in her parent's arms and hoped tonight would end on a good note. If she didn't have her love nothing else mattered. She would rather be hunted her whole life and spend it with Koda rather than live normally without him.

 She wouldn't get to make that choice though. Whatever happened is what she would have to live with. She just needed him to make it through the night. She didn't want to live without him.

Heath sat quietly in the hallway with them. Tala reached for Heath and pulled him into an unexpected hug. His arm hung in the air with confusion before hugging her back.

"Thank you for stopping the hunter and helping Koda." Tala cried and released. "I know that will take a toll on your heart." she murmured.

Heath nodded. "If anyone had to deal with the effects it should be me. Not someone as innocent as you."

Tala thought through the whole situation for a moment. She wondered how the hunter even got out and what would happen when the sheriff found out about everything that happened. Would he figure out they are werewolves? She didn't know but now wasn't the time to discuss it. She already had enough to deal with.

"I want to see him." Tala scowled. "I want to see my fiance!" Tala said toward the closed doors. 

What a night it had been. Tala's emotions were all over the place but could you blame her?

A nurse walked with her clipboard in her hand to the wolves waiting impatiently in the hallway. 

Tala grabbed her mother's arm as they waited anxiously for what the nurse would say.

"He is in stable condition and you can now visit him."

Tala breathed a huge sigh in relief and leaned on her mother. So much was going through her head that she could barely stand. Kita smiled and supported her.

Tala nodded and took her by the arm, her boots tracking dirty prints down the linoleum floor. They reached the room and opened the door. Pike had just said what he wanted to and already sat down.

Koda's dark, tired eyes watched Tala as she walked in. He tried to move his hand to welcome her, but he was too weak to move much. He was still under the influence of wolfsbane and the monitor showed that his heartbeat was slow and steady. He managed to flash a gentle smile as Tala brushed his arm and kissed his pale cheek.

"Hey love." he whispered painfully.

"Hey." Tala held back tears. She sat in the chair next to the hospital bed and placed her hand over his.

"What happened to the hunter?" Koda barely got out.

Tala looked to the side, her mind swirling with guilt and peace.

"All that matters is we're safe." she muttered.

Fairly soon Daisy and Chase were allowed to leave the hospital. Chase was shot in the arm and Daisy was shot in the leg. Their bodies healed for the most part, but they had been shot with silver bullets and it would take longer to heal than any other bullets. The three that were shot would always have a scar.