Chapter 70 The Brown Wolf Awakens
I glanced at him, his face still pale, eyes darting to Alexander with a wariness that bordered on terror. He was cautious, tiptoeing around words, his usual smugness replaced by a shaky deference. I almost smiled at the thought, Ben, the schemer, terrified of provoking the "monster." Funny, in a stupid, twisted way. But the humor faded fast as we moved toward the exit, the safe house's door hissing open, the cold night air rushing in like a breath from the grave.
Ben hesitated at the threshold, peering out into the darkness, his body tense, watching every shadow as if it might leap. He stepped out slowly, boots crunching on the gravel, eyes scanning the path like a hunted animal. I followed, the wind whipping my hair, carrying the faint, coppery hint of blood that my heightened senses picked up immediately. The garden looked untouched, no dead bodies sprawled on the snow, no traces of fur or claw marks, no pools of blood staining the ground. It was as if the fight hadn't happened, the estate's staff or pack members having cleared it all with eerie efficiency. But I could perceive it, the lingering metallic tang in the air, the faint musk of a wolf that clung to the hedges like a secret.
We walked in silence, the path winding through the garden toward the main house, the moon peeking through clouds in silver glimpses. Alexander stayed close, his presence a shield, Rafe flanking us. Ben trailed slightly behind, still casting nervous glances over his shoulder. The wind rustled the branches, a low sigh that set my nerves on edge. A noise shattered the quiet, a rustle in the bushes, too deliberate to be wind. We stopped, bodies tensing, the group becoming alert in an instant. Alexander's hand found mine, fingers squeezing tight, his grip warm and steady amid the cold. We watched, breath held, the woods dark and foreboding, the snow glittering under the moonlight like scattered diamonds. My heightened senses flared, the scent of fur, aggression, closing in fast.
Then they appeared, white wolves emerging from the woods, silent as ghosts, their fur gleaming like fresh snow, eyes glowing icy blue. They surrounded us in seconds, a circle of snarls and bared fangs, more than I could count in my fear, eight, ten? Their breaths fogged the air, low growls rumbling like thunder in their chests.
Alexander let go of my hand, stepping in front of me, his body a barrier, heat radiating from him. The white wolves approached slowly, muscles rippling under their coats, the lead one larger than the others, its gaze locked on us with predatory focus.
It happened so quickly, the lead wolf lunged, jaws snapping, and the pack followed. Alexander shifted fully, bones cracking, fur erupting in a white wave, his form expanding into the massive wolf I knew, eyes molten gold. Rafe shifted too, his howl ripping the air as he charged. The fight erupted, bodies colliding with bone-jarring thuds, snarls echoing, claws flashing in the moonlight.
I was dumbstruck, shocked, the scene unfolding like a nightmare: Alexander's white fur a blur as he tackled two wolves at once, teeth sinking into throats with savage precision, blood spraying dark on the snow. Rafe fought beside him, his gray form a whirlwind of fury, but the white wolves were relentless, stronger than the first wave, coordinated, their attacks precise and brutal. One slammed into Alexander, claws raking his side with a wet tear, blood matting his fur. He roared, countering with a swipe that sent it sprawling.
The chaos consumed me, fear paralyzing, admiration surging. Alexander was magnificent, powerful, unyielding, but the numbers were against them. Just Alexander and Rafe against more than six wolves. My awakening stirred, fur pricking my skin, claws itching to emerge, but I pushed it down. Not now. The baby.
I ran toward a huge tree, its trunk thick and gnarled, bark rough under my hands as I pressed against it, heart pounding. From the corner of my eye, I saw Ben running toward the opposite direction, or toward the estate, stumbling through the snow, his coat flapping like a flag in retreat. That wasn't my problem now.
I turned, breath hitching, one white wolf breaking free, eyes locked on me, lips curled in a snarl. It lunged, jaws wide, but Rafe intercepted, crashing into it with a thud that shook the ground, bodies rolling in a tangle of fur and fangs.
The fight raged on, snarls, yelps, the wet tear of flesh, blood scenting the air thick and coppery. Alexander held the center, his white form a beacon in the dark, but the white wolves pressed, stronger, relentless. And I watched, helpless.
The woods exploded into a maelstrom of fury, the white wolves charging with lethal precision, their fur gleaming like fresh snow under the moonlight, eyes burning icy blue. The air was thick with the scent of blood and aggression, the ground trembling under the thud of paws and bodies colliding. Alexander's white wolf form was a whirlwind, claws slashing, jaws snapping, but I could see it now, the way his movements lagged, the shallow gash on his flank matting his fur dark with blood. He was wounded, his breaths coming in labored huffs, the bond pulsing with his exhaustion. The wolves had four left, sleek, vicious, circling with calculated menace. Rafe's gray wolf fought beside him, tackling one with a bone-jarring crash, but the odds were shifting, the white wolves stronger, their attacks coordinated like a deadly dance.
I pressed against the huge tree, bark rough and splintered under my palms, heart pounding so hard it echoed in my ears. The cold bit through my coat, snowflakes swirling in the wind like confetti in a nightmare. Alexander lunged at a white wolf, his teeth sinking into its shoulder with a wet tear, blood spraying dark on the snow, but another raked his side, claws gouging deep. He yelped, a sound that pierced me like a knife, and staggered, his strength waning. The bond surged with his pain, a sharp stab in my chest that made me gasp. He was weakened, not fighting with the ferocious power from the start, his movements slower, labored. Four wolves left, too many. They circled, snarling, fangs glinting.
I thought about it in a flash, Alexander, falling, the wolves overwhelming him. I couldn't let that happen.
Alexander fell then, tripped by a low swipe, hitting the ground with a thud that shook the snow. A white wolf pounced, jaws aiming for his throat, fangs bared in a savage grin. He fought back, twisting, snapping, his claws raking the attacker's muzzle, but the wolf pressed, pinning him, teeth inches from his neck.
Another wolf approached from the side, larger, scarred, eyes locked on Alexander's exposed flank. It leaped, and time slowed. I couldn't watch. Couldn't lose him.
Fear surged, hot, primal, and I succumbed to the instinct. The awakening exploded inside me, bones cracking, skin splitting with a burning tear, fur erupting in a brown wave as my body reshaped. Pain ripped through me, but power followed, muscles coiling, senses sharpening to a razor's edge. I launched forward, a brown wolf now, paws pounding the snow, a growl rumbling from my throat like thunder.
I slammed into the approaching wolf mid-air, our bodies colliding with a bone-crushing impact, rolling in a tangle of fur and fangs. Snow flew up around us, cold and stinging, the scent of blood thick in my nostrils. The wolf snapped at my shoulder, teeth grazing skin with a hot sting, but I twisted, claws raking its belly in a deep gouge. It yelped, blood spilling dark, and I pressed the attack, jaws clamping on its leg, shaking with feral rage. The bond flared with Alexander's surprise, then pride, but I focused on the fight, the instinct guiding me like an old memory.