Number 9: The Genetically Modified Werewolf

Chapter 11

Nine’s nose picked up the foul stench of Rogues and ran towards it. She barely paid attention to the forest, her focus was solely locked on her prey. Nothing could stop Nine once she got into the hunting mode.

The wind shifted downwind, masking her scent but clearly giving away the Rogues location. Sensitive ears picked up the sound of footsteps coming closer. Slowing down, she crouched down at a nearby bush but given her large body, only half was covered. Not that she cared, Nine wasn’t much of an ambush hunter but it wouldn’t help if the prey spotted her before she could reach them.

Black slits locked on the first prey, followed by the others. As soon as the Rogue was in striking range, Nine exploded out of her hiding spot. The wolf who was clearly caught off guard, skidded across the ground but before he could do anything else – Nine already in front of him, jaws wide opened and snapped down on the back of his neck.

An audible crunch from the Rogue’s spine, broke through the air. Nine dropped the still alive but paralyzed wolf to the ground. She barely glanced at him as he let out pitiful cries and tried to move.

Nine let him suffer and turned towards the five remaining victims who abruptly stopped to stare at her in terror. Head high, teeth bared and lowly growling, Nine felt the beast wanting to be in the hunt. She didn’t hold him back and soon her eyes clouded crimson red.

Noticing the shift immediately, the Rogues wasted no time in taking down the threat. They couldn’t allow the beast to take control, they only had a short window of opportunity to even have a slim chance of taking down the savage. It was their only hope of surviving. If they run now, the beast’s predatory instincts would surely kick in – guaranteeing their deaths.

Two flanked Nine’s sides. The third and much larger, braver one, stood his ground and faced Nine head on. She sensed he was more dominant than the rest, which could only mean he was the leader. Too bad he didn’t act like one as Nine scrunched up her nose when she caught a whiff of the fear rolling off him.  

Using the moment of distraction, the small charcoal wolf on Nine’s right side rushed forward with his head low and jaws opened – aiming for the she-wolf’s front leg. What the wolf failed to know was that the beast predicted his moves before the Rogue even decided to act.

The beast’s actions were always driven by instincts and by the time the Rogue figured it out, Nine’s paw lifted up causing the Rogue to bite down on nothing but air. Realizing he was in the danger zone, the small wolf tried to scuttle back but a sudden bulk crashed down on his head, forcing him to the ground. He let out loud yelps and whimpers for his friends to aid him but they were a lot hesitant when it came to the she-wolf.      

Nine stomped down on the Rogue. The weight of her paw and grip of her claws on the Rogue’s head, she held him down as he squirmed his body, twisting it awkward angles to escape her clutches but her strength was too strong for the weak Rogue.

Clearly failing to learn from his comrade, the mix of grey and white Rogue on the other side of Nine used this opportunity to attack, thinking the beasts attention was on the smaller wolf. Crouching down low, the Rogue targeted the she-wolf’s neck and leapt towards the beast, only for his eyes to widen in horror and surprise when the beast whipped around at lightning speed and clamped down on the side of the Rogue’s exposed neck.

With the pressure of her jaws, Nine instantly killed the Rogue. Flicking her head, she effortlessly flung the dead weight into a tree.

Her gleaming, predatory eyes moved slowly to the frozen leader. At least he was smart enough to not attack but equally stupid for not using the time to run. It might have given him a few minutes to live a little longer but either way, he was going to die.