\[Elise’s POV\]
The world around me blurs and the wind whips at my face as I run faster than I’ve ever run before. Up ahead, Jose and Charlie are leading the way to either our victory or our demise.
This was it; it was doomsday, and if we didn’t take down the enemy now, then there was a good chance they would get away, and we wouldn’t be able to find them again before it was too late.
Beside me, Marty keeps pace, while Warren takes up the rear. Together, we stay in formation despite not being able to communicate while in our wolf forms.
How long has it been since I’ve run with a group like this? Years. It has been years. The last time I felt like I was truly part of something greater was when I was still with the mercenaries. That was a very long time ago, and I had almost forgotten what being part of a pack was.
‘Not the time.’ Anna huffs, popping into my bubble of peace. ‘You should be focusing on the world around you.’
‘What?’ I ask sarcastically. ‘Worried we are going to be cut by some branches?’
I knew that wasn’t what she meant, but when she tried to sound controlling, she really got on my nerves. I knew what I was doing, and I was more than aware of my surroundings.
Shoving her aside, I extend my senses, testing the area around me and finding that the reason she was alerting me was because there was something up ahead. Something dark, and it felt much too familiar.
Nue. I hiss inwardly, kicking up my pace until I’m in front of the group and stopping.
Shifting back into my human form, I draw attention to myself, and once I’m sure everyone is listening, I nod toward the area behind me.
“Be prepared.” I announce, remembering how badly those infected by the nue’s illness were being affected. “There’s a nue up ahead and probably some of Roger’s goonies.”
Although I was sure the others could feel the danger ahead, I wanted them to be prepared. I didn’t want another loss; I wanted a fucking victory. Everything was riding on this, and I couldn’t just let it slip through my fingers.
“If the nue decides to explode, don’t breathe in the smoke; do you understand me?”
Growing quiet, I wait as sounds of acknowledgement escape my group, and once I’m sure that they’re all ready, I shift back into my wolf form and begin to move.
Together, we surge forward, breaking through the trees and bushes until we find it—the nue waiting for us with half a dozen cloaked freaks joining it.
Looking around, I try to spot my father, but I find that he isn’t among the group. Of course he wouldn’t be. He was a fucking coward that hid behind others, but even if he wasn’t here, I was sure that he was close, and once we dealt with the issue at hand, we would find him.
Letting out a howl, I move, aiming directly for the nue while those around me go for the cloaked freaks. Drawing on all my strength, I leap, pushing myself high into the air until I’m landing on the nue’s back and digging my claws into its skin.
Wailing, it attempts to throw me off, but I hold tight, refusing to let the thing do what it is meant to do. I fully intended to take it down before it got that opportunity.
Not this time. I hiss inwardly, beginning to move, climbing higher and higher until I’m at the nue’s neck, and when I’m in place, I bite down.
Another wail of agony escapes it as it begins to buck in an attempt to remove me, but I continue to hold on, biting down harder until I taste blood, and that’s when it begins to radiate light in an attempt to self-combust before I get a chance to kill it.
‘Anna, lend me your strength!’ I roar, continuing to bite down as hard as I can. ‘We can’t let this fucking thing live!’
‘On it!’ She responds, sending waves of power through me while the nue glows brighter and brighter. ‘FINISH IT!’
Nodding, I clamp down as hard as I can, breaking through muscle and then bone until finally I feel the creature tense beneath me before crashing to the ground.
Only when I’m certain that it is dead do I finally release it, and then I take in the space around me and find that my group has already dealt with the cloaked freaks.
Satisfied, I extend my senses once more until I feel my bastard father and the rest of his group.
Not wasting any time, I let out a howl before I began to move, rushing in the direction that I could feel the last of our enemy.
As I grow closer and closer, all the anger that has plagued me for years begins to build, and when I finally see him, I let out a guttural snarl of rage, drawing every last fucking set of eyes to me.
Finally. I growl inwardly, letting my mouth twitch into a smile. Finally, I get to make you suffer, just like you left me to suffer!
“Well, well.” He chuckles, lifting a hand so those around him can lift guns and aim them at me. “It seems that my presents didn’t keep you occupied.”
Presents. Was this bastard really saying that people were presents for me to play with? He was sick, and it was increasingly clear he didn’t give two shits about anyone, which amazed me since he took the time to make my mother fall for him.
“No matter,” he continues, drawing me out of my head. “We will be sure to end you here.”
End me here. There was no fucking way I was going to allow that.
Fixing my gaze on him, I attack, surging forward while those around him begin to fire their weapons, but even bullets weren’t going to stop me. As they whiz past me, some slicing at my skin and a few burying themselves into my body, I continue to move until I’m slamming my body into my father’s and we are both crashing to the ground.
Snarling, I begin to move, slashing my claws against his body while roars of outrage escape him, and when he has finally had enough, he begins to shift until what once was a man is a large wolf.
Good. I would prefer to take him down this way since it doesn’t seem fair to only take out a human. But I knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. Even if he was a cold-blooded criminal who got what he wanted by despicable means, he was still an alpha.
Letting out what sounds almost like a chuckle, he attacks, biting down hard on my shoulder and then pulling, leaving a gaping wound in its place. However, I ignore the pain and dig my claws into his skin and pull, tearing it to shreds while he attempts to land another bite.
Together, we move, attacking where we can and defending. Meeting each other with pain for pain until both of us are a bloody mess, but even then, we don’t stop.
Only when I feel actual hands grab me do I finally snap out of my red haze and find that my father is unmoving, but he is still taking breaths.
Blinking a few times, I start to look around me. Taking in the scene, I understand the fight is over and we have won, but something about this victory doesn’t feel right.
Wasn’t all of this a bit too easy? There was no way that my father would work with such useless men, so why...
It doesn’t take me long to get my answer, as a loud shriek fills the air and something large and black dives toward us.
‘What the fuck is that?’ Anna growls, her panic rushing through me.
‘I don’t know.’ I respond. ‘But brace yourself for the attack!’