Chapter 34: The Beast I Tried to Keep Hidden
\- Maximus POV -
The sound of that twig snapping wasn't just a wild animal or a lost traveler. Whoever was out there had already sealed their soul to death the moment they stepped into this clearing.
I felt Lyra's small, trembling hand clutching the back of my cloak tighter. Her breathing was uneven, soft gasps hitting my back like faint little waves. She was scared. I could smell it. Fear rolled off her skin like a scent carried by the wind.
Something inside my chest tightened. It wasn't guilt. It wasn't pity. She shouldn't be afraid of anyone else. She should only fear me.
"Stay behind me," I ordered, my voice was low and steady.
My Lyra didn't speak. But the way she pressed herself closer against my back was enough of an answer.
The air shifted, thickening with a kind of weight only predators bring with them. The forest grew quieter. Even the sound of crickets faded as if they were holding their breath. Then, from the shadows, glowing red eyes began to appear one after another.
One pair.
Two.
Three.
Five.
Seven.
Nine.
The numbers grew with each second that passed.
My jaw clenched. Of all nights, they had to appear now. When I finally wanted a moment alone with her... they had to ruin it.
Fine then.
If they wanted death, I'd give it to them.
"Rival pack," I muttered under my breath. "The Dark Kozhem."
Rogues. Savages. Traitors who built their own empire by killing and burning everything they touched. Led by Alpha Kozhem himself, the most ruthless bastard I'd ever met. They never dared to come this close before. And now they're here.
It didn't matter why. They wouldn't live long enough to explain.
The first wolf stepped out into the moonlight. His fur was a dirty gray, his body huge and built for killing. His fangs glistened wet under the pale light, his eyes burned with hate.
He growled low, a sound meant to scare.
I answered with a low growl, quiet and cold.
I pushed Lyra gently back without looking at her. "No matter what happens, don't run," I said. "Stay behind me."
She opened her mouth, her voice shaking. "B-but—"
I glanced at her with one sharp look, enough to silence her. Her pale body froze, gripping my cloak even tighter. Damn it, why does she look cuter even at this moment.
I clenched my fists, I'll deal with her later.
The wolves moved first.
Four of them rushed out of the darkness, their claws scraping against the ground as their eyes locked on me.
I didn't move. Not yet. I waited. I let them think they could reach me.
The first one leapt at me, his claws out, aiming straight for my chest. I stepped to the side and caught him by the neck with one hand. The sound of bone cracking filled the night before I slammed him to the ground. His body shook once, then went limp.
Blood seeped into the grass.
The second wolf jumped at me from the right. I turned and drove my elbow into his skull, feeling the bone crack under the force. He collapsed before he could even whimper.
The third and fourth attacked together. I ducked under one's swing, grabbed him by the jaw, and twisted sharply. The loud snap echoed through the clearing. With my other hand, I caught the fourth by the fur and threw him into a tree. The trunk shook from the impact.
Four down, but they kept coming. More wolves crawled out of the shadows. Snarling. Growling. The number had doubled. Ten more and their formation was tight now, more organized.
How the hell did they manage to cross the border? I clenched my jaw, they slipped past my defenses without me even knowing. Unlucky for them, they just ran straight into me.
"Come and die," I whispered.
Five wolves rushed to me at once. Fast and coordinated. It didn't matter.
The first one swung low. I jumped and drove my knee into his face. Blood sprayed across the air as he fell. The second tried to bite me from behind, but I spun and grabbed his lower jaw, ripping it open with one brutal twist. His scream died fast.
The third leapt from above. I grabbed him midair by his throat and slammed him to the ground so hard the earth cracked beneath us. The fourth caught me off guard, his claws tearing across my back.
Pain burned hot, but it wasn't enough to stop me. It only made the beast in me growl louder. 'Kill!' My wolf shouted in anger.
I turned, grabbed him by the throat, and punched through his chest with my claws. His heart stopped beating before his body even hit the ground.
The fifth tried to retreat, but I was faster. I grabbed him by the leg and broke it in two clean snaps before tearing his throat out.
The clearing was soaked in blood, the stench of death coated the air.
But still, they came.
Behind me, I felt Lyra's heartbeat pounding fast. I could smell her fear again, but there was something else mixing with it... it wasn't disgust, not hatred. It was something warmer that I couldn't name.
I cracked my neck slowly. My body was warm, my muscles burning, that familiar black fire crawling under my skin. I didn't want to shift yet. I didn't need to. I could kill them all with my bare hands but my wolf wanted to come out.
They lunged.
Seven wolves, all at once.
I moved like a blade cutting through air. One swipe. One grab. One strike. I didn't waste time. I didn't give them the fcking chance to breathe. My claws sliced through fur and flesh, my fists broke bones, and my kicks crushed ribs.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.
Their bodies hit the ground one after another.
But the seventh managed to catch me at the wrong moment. His claws sliced across my side, deep enough to make blood pour down my ribs. I gritted my teeth and ignored the sting. I then caught his head between my hands and crushed it with a single twist.
All dead, as they wished.
Suddenly, the forest fell silent again. I stood in the middle of the clearing, chest heaving, fur soaked in blood, some theirs, and some mine. The moonlight hit me, making the red shine against my black fur.
I turned my head slowly.
Then I saw Lyra standing a few feet away, her trembling hands pressed against her chest. Her eyes were wide, glistening with tears as she stared at me.
She had just witnessed the beast I tried to keep hidden.