Silviu took a step back and before my eyes, he shifted.
My uncle’s wolf took me froze me in shock. I'd never seen him in his wolf form and it was evident why he held the position of commander among our pack's warriors.
His wolf was a massive creature with glistening black fur and amber eyes that burned as he locked his gaze on me. My wolf wasn't deterred; she took another challenging step toward him and let out another snarl right before she lunged at him.
He managed to miss my strike but the force of it landed on him and he stumbled sideways.
Enraged, my wolf charged at Silviu again, but this time he was prepared. He evaded the attack and retaliated by swinging his paws at me, his large body slamming into my wolf’s. She took advantage of his nearness and sank her teeth into his flank, drawing blood.
With a loud howl, Silviu’s wolf staggered back, blood darkening a spot on his fur.
He backed away, baring his teeth at my wolf and she stood unmoving, waiting for him. Fury blazed in those ember eyes before the wolf hauled itself at my wolf with a loud cry that pierced through the air.
Anger ripped through me and I met Silviu’s attack with one of mine, we clashed mid-air, bodies slamming into each other. Silviu’s wolf landed on top of mine and began to tear into me, I fought against it until my wolf was able to overpower him and the roles reversed.
Once more, my teeth sank into his body roughly.
Before long, another wolf joined us and a sense of elation filled my chest when I realized it was Natalie’s wolf. My wolf glanced at her, and she responded with a slight nod, a silent acknowledgement.
Natalie’s wolf didn't dissuade my uncle’s because almost immediately he was in the air, his massive frame charging at us with an impressive speed. My wolf braced herself for the attack and when he was close enough, she slithered just before he could make contact, smartly evading him.
Natalie’s wolf leaped into action, taking advantage of his momentary surprise to attack him. She snapped her teeth at him, clamping them into his fangs, Silviu’s Wolf let out a snarl and I watched in horror as with a flick of his paw, Silviu’s wolf hurled a blow her way that sent my sister’s wolf tumbling far from us with a painful cry.
Silviu slowly turned his attention to me, an expression of pride and arrogance on his face. I felt my muscles tense and the rage of my wolf and mine pulsed through my veins.
I charged at him once again, our bodies colliding, locked in a fight. My uncle’s wolf was strong, the way he carried himself as he fought with a level of expertise that sent a shiver down my spine but my wolf faced him head on fearlessly.
His wolf leaped at me once again, his jaws aiming for my throat. My wolf once again evaded his attack but she was getting weaker, her movement was getting slower so Silviu’s wolf managed to graze the fur on her neck. She let out a wail and staggered backward, but Silviu was relentless.
He attacked me once more, his jaws clamped down on my wolf’s shoulder and I felt his teeth sink down on it tearing roughly through flesh. Pain shot through us and she collapsed to the floor. Silviu’s wolf flashed us a twisted expression of satisfaction right before he made to attack again, Natalie’s wolf stumbled out, slamming against him and forcing them to roll away from me.
I watched in horror as Silviu’s wolf overpowered Natalie’s. His bites were vicious, his teeth sinking into every part of her that he could get to. Blood darkened her fur and I realized that Silviu's wolf was as despicable as my uncle himself—he intended to slowly kill Natalie's wolf, making her bleed to death.
With a renewed surge of energy, my wolf broke into a sprint, running against the wind towards Silviu. I could feel her strong thirst for blood the closer she got to him.
Silviu’s wolf snapped his head toward me in shock, and her sharp canines caught him in the face. I tasted blood, metallic and warm as teeth sank into the upper part of his face, causing a searing pain to shoot through his eye.
He let out a guttural growl that caused the Earth to reverberate.
Blood colored his fur as he recoiled, disoriented by the damage I’d inflicted.
He staggered, now partially blinded and I saw in his expression that he wouldn’t be giving up regardless, his rage resurfaced even fiercer than before as he fought back. He attacked me once more and again and again, his movements were wild and unpredictable as though his wounded eye had unleashed something in him, completely preventing him from thinking rationally.
Despite his blindness, Silviu’s wolf worked with his senses and his one good eye. He struck my wolf, bit her, his teeth managing to catch her whenever he chose to attack.
He struck his paw at my wolf, the blow so powerful it sent her sprawling, pain temporarily incapacitating her.
I watched as Silviu approached once more and I noticed something, it was slight but likely to be an advantage —my only chance to win against a wolf as powerful as my uncle’s. His injured eye left him filled with rage and he moved with that rage, erratic, and unthinking.
I urged her on until she managed to regain her footing; this time Silviu’s wolf was encircling me, waiting for his time to strike but I didn't give him that opportunity, before he could strike, I pushed my wolf to.
She launched herself at him with a speed that astounded me and this time she crashed into him, settling on top of him, my wolf yet again attacked his wounded eye. She buried her teeth into the flesh and tore into it before releasing him.
His howl of anguish pleased something inside of me and I felt ecstasy at the sight of one of his eyes oozing blood as he let out another cry of pain.
My wolf took another step toward him, not quite yet done and he took another back. He turned his head slowly and I could see the calculation in his expression and right before she could attack him again, Silviu’s wolf took off.
My wolf let out a cry and charged after him. He darted through the air, weaving through the woods, and my wolf went after him, desperate to not allow him to escape but Silviu was desperate and I realized he was taking me further into the woods. I’d left the manor’s grounds and he was leading me away.
I forced her to come to a halt.
Natalie’s wolf was wounded, and I couldn't chase after Silviu for long. What about Natalie? What about my sisters? My mother?
Behind me, the howls of other wolves reached me. I turned my head to see a group of them I recognized as members of Callan’s pack. My wolf gave them the order to go after Silviu.
Then I retreated to the manor with a heavy heart.