Unchained

Chapter 4

Scarlett's eyes gazed out one of the many widows in the house. She watched people walk by along the cobblestone road. "Do you want to go outside?" Jax came up to her side, following her gaze. He tapped the window sill with his fingers, raising an eyebrow down to her.
"G-Go.. where?"
"Outside."
"Where o-outside?"
"Anywhere you want." Jax leaned into the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. Scarlett sighed softly, clicking her tongue in thought. "I d-don't know." She spoke after a minute. Jax paused, an idea coming over him.

"Why don't you go hunting with me?" He asked, placing his chin on his hand. Scarlett furrowed her eyebrows together. "H-Hunting?" "Mmhm," he responded, tapping her nose with a finger, "why not? It'll be fun." Scarlett wrinkled her nose at the touch, a smile on her lips.

"Can.. w-we not... hunt humans or... I.." Scarlett was unsure about the idea. She's never gone hunting before, let alone use her wolf for a long period of time. She was skeptical, especially if it involved other species. "We can hunt animals then. There's tons of deer prancing around." Jax rested a hand on her shoulder as she looked down. "No one will bother us. You're safe. Hardly anyone goes to the spot I'm showing you." "Y-You promise?" Jax nodded, sticking his feet in the first pair of shoes he saw. It happened to be a pair of boots, laces up to the mid-calf.

Scarlett still was nervous, no matter what he said. She picked at a scar on her arm, causing blood ooze from the old wound. Quickly, she rubbed the blood into her skin, not wanting Jax to see. With a short breath out, she turned her back to him. She continued to rub the blood away.

"Scar? Are you okay?" She only nodded. Jax didn't say anything otherwise, not wanting to push her. He waited for her patiently to slip her shoes on, scratching the back of his neck. He cleared his throat, standing by the door. "C-coming," She called, appearing by Jax's side a moment later. "Ready?" "Y-Yes." Her voice was softer than normal, her posture inward. Jax frowned gently, holding a hand out to her.

"It's okay. I won't let anything happen to you. People won't even look your way." Jax did his best to reassure her, wanting her to feel safe. It was the bottom line in everything he tried to do for her. Jax only hoped she was beginning to trust him more. There was little chance he would just ask her; he couldn't do that to her.
Scarlett took his hand, gripping it tightly. Jax's lips turned upwards into a soft smile. "It'll be okay," he promised, leading them outside.

It was now early spring, still chilly. Patches of snow still piled onto the streets. Scarlett shivered slightly, but as she walked, she began to warm up. She stuck close to Jax, her own arms now wrapped around his arm, still holding his hand. They walked in silence, just in the company of each other's presence.

❧

Scarlett raced through the trees, Jax following the white blur of fur. She picked up the scent of a deer, and, instinctively, like the wolf she is—immediately began to chase the deer down. It was a buck, wounded and alone, separated from the herd. It was an easy first target for someone who hasn't hunted before.

Jax was quick, but, purposefully slower than her, wanting Scarlett to catch the deer on her own. He watched her proudly, smiling as he chased after her. "Almost there, Scar. You're so close," he commented to himself, eyes following both her and the deer. Scarlett was, indeed, quite close. The deer was wounded already, but she managed to get a quick bite into his backside. The deer was slowing down significantly.

Seeing the opportunity to strike, Scarlett pushed with her hind legs into a leap. Her claws were freshly sharpened; sinking into the deer's flesh. It hollered in pain, rearing its front legs like a horse. Scarlett finally lets her canines follow through, also biting into the flesh. Once it was officially down, Scarlett tore into the throat of the animal, killing it.