Chapter 40

Matthew’s wolf snarled, his anger rising as he watched the black wolf block his path. His target was escaping as those meddling wannabe superhero kids had dragged her out, and not just that, but now, this damn wolf stood between him and finishing what he had started.

He bared his fangs, his chest rising and falling in deep, heavy breaths. The smell of blood filled the air, mixing with the lingering fear from the people who had run for their lives. Matthew was blood thirsty, and this wolf was going to be another victim.

He stood a distance from the wolf and growled. He could tell right away that this in front of him wasn’t just any ordinary wolf. This was another Alpha, like him.

The black wolf’s stance was calm but firm, like it was daring him to make a move.

Hit me, if you can try… it seemed to say.

Matthew wasn’t one to back down. He let out a low, menacing growl of his own, asserting his dominance. His claws dug into the ground, his muscles coiled, ready to pounce. And then, he lunged at that other wolf.

The black wolf dodged at the last second, slipping away like a shadow. Matthew’s claws barely grazed its fur before the wolf countered, slashing across his side in one quick motion.

For the first time that day, Matthew’s wolf was experiencing that kind of pain.

Matthew staggered back, shocked. He had barely seen the movement, but the sting of torn flesh told him the hit was real. His eyes burned with fury.

This wolf was good. Very good.

Snarling, he struck again, aiming for its throat. But the black wolf was faster, twisting its body and moving side before going to landing another deep gash on Matthew’s shoulder.

Another.

And another.

And another.

Each strike landed perfectly, leaving deep, burning wounds that sent waves of pain through his body. Matthew’s wolf let out a growl of frustration as he turned to face that silly black wolf.

This wasn’t how this was supposed to go.

He was an Alpha. He didn’t lose. But this wolf, it was something else.

Things started to look uncertain as Matthew backed up, breathing heavily. If he kept fighting this guy head on, he would lose. He needed to be smart.

His mind raced as he analysed the battlefield he had. Most desks were overturned. Blood smeared across the walls and floors. The classroom’s windows were shattered from the earlier chaos.

That was it.

Matthew let out a sharp, painful whine, pretending to be more wounded than he actually was. He took an unbalanced step back, making his legs tremble on purpose.

The black wolf hesitated for just a second. It was all the opening he needed.

With a sudden burst of energy, Matthew lunged not at the wolf, but at its legs, forcing it off balance.

The wolf skidded backward, its paws struggling to find grip on the slippery, bloodstained floor. Then Matthew did what the other wolf would never expect.

He pivoted at the last second and slammed his full weight into the black wolf’s side with his full strength, and the force sent the wolf crashing backwards, right straight through the broken window.

A loud crash sounded through the air as the black wolf tumbled outside, falling from the second floor classroom with a heavy thud.

Matthew panted, watching for movement.

Nothing came up. For a moment, he thought that maybe the fall had knocked the wolf out cold.

Then he saw it move.

The black wolf stirred, shaking its head as if trying to clear the dizziness from the impact, and Matthew wasn’t about to stick around for round two.

Without wasting another second, he turned and started getting out of there. His powerful legs carried him through the school halls, weaving through the corridors. He leaped down the stairs and sprinted across the open schoolyard.

In one fluid motion, he launched himself over the tall metal fence, landing smoothly on the other side.

The second his paws hit the ground, he didn't stop. He ran through the grounds, ignoring the pain he felt from his wounds.

He had barely gotten away. And that pissed him off.

After a few long strides, Matthew ducked into a small, overgrown alleyway. There was an old maintenance shed tucked in the corner, forgotten and covered in vines.

Perfect.

He shifted back into his human form, his breath still ragged. His back ached, and his left arm was slick with blood. His neck pulsed with pain from where the black wolf had nearly torn into him.

Gritting his teeth, he yanked open the shed door and entered inside. There were old tools and dusty work overalls hanging around on hooks.

Without hesitation, he grabbed one of the overalls and pulled it on, wincing as the fabric pressed against his wounds.

He ran a hand through his messy hair, taking a slow, deep breath.

That black wolf... who the hell was that?

He hadn't been back here for years, but he knew the wolves around this town and their strongest. None of them were supposed to be strong enough to take him on. They hadn’t been able to before.

And yet, this had happened. Yet, he had been forced to run! How was that even possible?

His jaw clenched. This was unacceptable. He had a good mind to hurry out and fight that black wolf again, but then again, it didn’t matter.

Because at the end of the day, he had still won. He had seen who he had come to capture. A smile crossed his face.

Allison. Or rather, Gabriella.

He had no doubts now. The second he locked eyes with her, he knew that he had found her.

And now, it was only a matter of time before he took what was his, before Lucian was free, this was his time.

Not exactly this time, he knew that for now, though, he had to lay low to keep his head safe.

The school would be crawling with security after the attack. More werewolves would come sniffing around, trying to figure out what happened and going back there any time soon would be a suicide mission.

If he wanted his plan to work, he had to be smart about this. He leaned against the shed wall, tilting his head back with a smirk.

“Let them think they won today.” He murmured to himself. “It just makes it more fun when they eventually realise that they haven’t.”

He stretched his form, feeling excitement build up inside his body. If only he had been faster, perhaps he could have completed his mission today, but he wasn’t.

And that was completely fine.

When it was time, he would take her. And even then, no silly black wolf would stop him from doing what he had to do.