His Wild Mate

Chapter 4

I gasped at his impending form that was flying towards me and ducked to the side, avoiding him by a hair. Just when my eyes turned to him again, recovering from the hard impact (I hadn't been very graceful at the fall, I had to admit), he snarled and attacked again. However, I, as a human, was well aware he was going to head for my leg. So, I bent it towards my body and kicked his muzzle with all my might. A sharp cry of pain burst through him, and I sprinted to the place I saw had the least amount of turned. Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief that I had reached it, my gates of escape closed. A few wolves stood in my way, with all signs they were ready to kill me if I tried to pass through them. Awesome. They were trying to kill me inside the ring; they were trying to kill me if I decided to escape.

I growled at them, furious for the mess I had let myself get caught in. If I had the luxury of choice, I would've faced these wolves, not that black beast behind me. He was like the freaking terminator. Or the final boss in a game. A figure stepped out from the others on my left, and I saw my mate. She was intently staring at me, her left paw inching to step forward. But those wolves that had found us earlier surrounded her. Did she want to help me or try to stop me from running away? I was so confused, but the only thing I knew right now was that I had to fight for my life.

So I swung around and glared at my enemy. He was already sprinting to me, his huge paws slamming on the grovel underneath with a viciousness suitable for an experienced killer. My fur stood on edge, but following his lead, I also jumped at him. My life had taught me to fight until the end. I wasn't weaker than this beast, not at all. I hadn't become a scout for nothing.

My instincts shoved me off the ground with full force, and I met the wolf half-way in the air. The strength of our jumps made us swirl around as we bit into each other's scruffs. Pain shot through me, but I lifted my paws and dug my claws into his chest. I knew this was a risky move, but I was ready to do anything to inflict damage and get out alive. When we fell back onto the ground, I lost balance, and we tumbled over with me under him. We let go of each other, blood flying from our mouths, and the black wolf tried to attack again. He wasn't playing soft. He wanted me gone as fast as possible. So he aimed at my neck once more, but I used a trick I really loved in my human body. I punched his throat with my paw. Using the opportunity to also scratch it, the beast shot off me and started coughing. I stood on my fours, snarling at him and thinking about my next option. Did I really have to kill him? But if I did, wasn't his pack going to kill me in retaliation? Or was I going to become their Alpha? I shivered, not enjoying these two possible outcomes. I couldn't handle a wild pack. I had no idea what I would do with them. And on the other hand, were they even going to accept me? No. For sure no. Flashes of Evangeline appeared in front of my eyes. I had to return to her. I had promised. And I never broke my promises to her.

I glanced at my mate instinctively, not sure why I was doing that. I didn't know what I was expecting of her. Did I need her approval or something? Snapping out of my daze, I shot to the side, but obviously, the black wolf expected me to try to avoid him and tore his claws through my side. A whimper rasped through my chest, and I clenched my jaw. My heart was pumping like the engine of a ship trying to avoid an iceberg. It was at its highest rate, way out of the safe zone. I curled my body, feeling my wounds sting like a bitch, and pulled at the beast's hind leg. He violently crashed to the ground with a roll of dust, and I jumped on him, snapping my jaw over his neck. Twisting a bit, I stabbed my fangs deep into his flesh, but he didn't even whimper. Typical. The turned easily ignored pain, and the only way to get rid of them was through death. But could I do it?

My eyes sought that black she-wolf again, and my ears perked up at her approaching figure. The older wolf started struggling to get out from under me, but I held on tightly, still expectantly staring at my mate.

When she reached us, she gave me something like a very approving glance and glared at the older creature. He grunted under me, but she growled and showed him her sharp teeth. It took a moment, but his muscles relaxed, and he snorted, laying on the ground completely. I stood still, thunderstruck. What was going on? What were they doing?

My mate walked to my left side with my eyes still following her, and I let go of the wolf when she licked me behind my ear. I shivered, feeling a bit ticklish, and widened my eyes when she brushed her fur on mine. I could swear there was a slight purring sound coming from her chest. It somehow made my nerves unwrap, and I started breathing slower, deeper. I was suddenly much calmer. For a moment, it felt like she was singing to me, doing everything in her power to calm me down. And it was damn working.

I licked my bloody lips. My throat became very dry. The mate bond. Was it really so strong?

The she-wolf let out a small bark, and I realized all the other voices that sang with her. The turned around us were also either barking or growling. Their eyes were all set on me. My skin prickled, and I gaped at my mate, wishing I could ask her what was going on.

Her black gaze caught mine, and my fear evaporated like the smoke from a cigarette. There was something very beautiful in her eyes. I couldn't explain it, but they were captivating. A thought pierced me, making me flinch. How old was she? When had she been taken in the lab? How had they killed her human half?

My chest constricted, and I stepped away from the older wolf, staring at her. She looked young. Maybe my age or even younger. But... if the war occurred when I was thirteen, then... she couldn't have been much younger than me. I had my first shift when I was fifteen, five years ago. She had to have gone through her first shift for the humans to use the serum on her. So, was she in the beginning of her twenties? My jaw tensed.

I stumbled back when my mate shortened the distance between us and opened her mouth, staring at my neck. Fuck no! She wasn't trying to mark me, was she? There was no way I was letting anyone else but Eve put her fangs on me and claim me as hers. But even then, we were still not ready for that.

I bent my ears in defense, but before I managed to growl, she jumped at me and made me fall to the ground. I was ready to ruin my already fragile plan and fight her if it came to it, but she just brushed her head on my chest and hid me from the other wolves' prying eyes.

I mentally frowned. What was up with that? I was pretty sure she had been trying to mark me, but now she was just cuddling me.

The older beast's growl made us snap our heads in his direction, and the she-wolf disappeared from me. All the noises the pack was making stopped, and creepy quietness surrounded us. A chill ran up my spine. The black wolf glanced at me and lifted his head in the air, letting an ear-piercing howl into the night. My mate followed and then all the other wolves. I gulped. Well, this was it. Now I was sure. This male wolf was the Alpha, and my mate was either his younger sister or his daughter. It was finally as clear as day.

After their sinister song ended, the wolves started spreading around and disappeared in the shadows of the trees. Only my mate, the Alpha, and a few other turned remained. The older black wolf shook his head in slight annoyance, and his eyes glared at me for a short second as if he was warning me to be careful or not to hurt his daughter/sister. I tensed. He turned to my mate, sending her another chilling glare, and swung around, vanishing somewhere in the forest. He was finally off on his merry way. I stood, gaping in his direction, when a warm nose touched my side, and I twisted to it. The she-wolf was pushing me forward. Horrified, I wondered what to do. Was I making a mistake? Worry swept at me, wondering where she wanted me to go, but my instinct wisely reminded me of the other few turned that had remained with us. Were they her insurance I wouldn't try anything?

Well, it worked damn fine. I wasn't going anywhere. I was in the lair of the beast, quite literally, and I intended to listen until I found a better way to escape. After I studied them and decided if they were worth keeping. Or they were the brainless monsters they had been turned into by the humans.

My guts prayed at the outcome I knew I wanted. They had to be of the packs that were evolving. I needed them to be. Otherwise, I didn't know how much longer I could survive with them. I eyed my ebony mate. Or how much time I had before she tried to mate me.