Page 12 of Wolf Bound

I think back to when I saw the golden glow around Ryker Weylyn. It was the same shimmering aura that surrounds the wolf in my dream. I’m hoping it was just a trick of the setting sun that made the effect. Otherwise, my crazy dreams are actually starting to come true, and that scares the crap out of me. Chasing after wolves in unfamiliar woods is one thing, but a golden aura surrounding my best friend’s brother is another. I will absolutely need therapy if I see it again around Ryker.

That is, if I ever get out of these godforsaken woods.

I pass a tree that looks familiar, and then I laugh at myself for thinking atreewould look familiar. “They all look the exact same,” I grumble to myself.

I yelp when the tip of my boot gets stuck under a rock and causes me to fall to my hands and knees. I hang my head and let out a long breath. “You get lost in parking lots, and you thought you were going to be able to find your way out of these woods?” I question aloud.

I’m just about to pull myself up when the hairs on my neck rise, and I realize I’m not alone. In the dream, I’m never afraid because I know the wolf I’m there with will never hurt me, but something twists in my gut, telling me thethingthat is out here with me now is malicious and hateful. I can’t see it, but I know it is somewhere in front of me.

I slowly rise back to my feet, carefully brushing my hands off on my jeans. The stinging on my palms most likely means I broke the skin there, but it’s so dark where I’m standing right now I can’t even see my hand in front of my face.Great, hopefully, this thing isn’t like a shark and drawn to blood, because I feel a slight wetness building on my right palm.

All the shows about animals I watched growing up fill my head as I’m trying to remember if I should make myself seem large or if I should make myself seem small. But my fight or flight response is kicking in and screaming at me to run.

What direction do I go?

Go right,the voice in my head suggests. I don’t know what’s in that direction, but it has to be better than the beast in the shadows that has starting snarling at me.

With one more look toward the dark shape in front of me, I take off as fast as I can to the right, my feet pound into the soft forest floor, but I know there’s no way I can outrun the thing behind me.

My leg muscles are on fire, and my lungs burn, but I push myself to run faster and to not look back. I try not to pay attention to the heavy breathing and snarling right behind me, and instead, try to listen to my gut telling me I have to make it a little bit farther, and I’ll be okay.

I recall Esme’s tarot card did tell me to listen to my inner voice, so that’s what I’m doing. Therehasto be a reason I was told to run this way, but I can only hope whatever it is I’m racing toward is close because I’m quickly losing steam.

I hear the animal gaining on me, and I abruptly take a sharp turn at a large pine tree, hoping it will buy me some time to gain ground between us. It only helps for a second because I feel the hot breath from the animal on my neck again.

“Shit!” I shout as I come to a halting stop, narrowly missing running straight into a large rock formation. I spin to my right and then my left and let out a sob when I suddenly realize I have no way out.

I slowly turn and face the large animal that has stopped at the entrance of the large boulders. I’m not completely shocked to find the red wolf from the road staring back at me. I am, however, shocked at its size, it’s large head comes up to my chest, and its paws are larger than my own human feet.

It doesn’t make any move toward me, it stands there staring with his mouth foaming at the corners. I notice the animal’s coat is patchy and sparse in some areas. Its legs are thin, and I can see ribs sticking out at the sides.

Great, I’m going to be dinner.

I can’t help but feel bad for the animal. It’s probably starving. That, of course, does not mean I want to be its meal, but I’ve read about how wolves are being forced out of their territory due to humans expanding into their woods and lands.

When I thought about coming face to face with a wolf, this is not what I had in mind. I wasn’t supposed to be as afraid as I am right now. I wish I were looking into glowing golden eyes instead of the pitch-black ones I see now.

I quickly look around for another way out, even though I know there isn’t one. But as I scan the small boulder-filled space, I see a large broken tree branch. Moving as fast as I can, I dart for the piece of wood, and my fingers barely brush against the hard material before the wolf lets out a deep snarl, and I’m being flung against the rock wall.

The pain is immediate, it feels like I was hit by a freight train at full speed. My spine is the first to make impact, and the back of my skull quickly follows. The horrific sound my head makes when it connects with the rock echoes against the surrounding boulders and trees.

I know immediately this isn’t good. My vision is starting to blur, and I start to feel like I’m underwater. I already know I’m not going to be able to stay conscious for much longer. Reaching behind my head, I touch the tender spot on my scalp and brush against the open gash. With shaking hands, I pull my fingers back to look and see dark blood covering them. My stomach lurches at the sight, but I hold it together.

Groaning, I slowly roll from my side to my back. I can still see the wolf pacing beside me, his dark gaze never leaving my bloodied body for long. Keeping him in my peripheral vision, and thankful he isn’t attacking again—just yet, at least—I stare up at the sky. I can’t see any stars tonight, which is something I have enjoyed seeing since I’ve moved here. In San Francisco, the city lights always hid the stars. I blink away hot tears as they stream down my face. I don’t want to die here, but I can’t move. My head is fuzzy and disoriented I can’t get my legs or arms to cooperate.

As if this couldn’t have gotten any worse, I feel a large raindrop bounce against my forehead and a steady stream of rain begins to come down, and lightning shoots across the sky. I almost smile when I remember Addison said there was a storm headed in our direction. She always has to be right.

The wolf shakes out his coat as the rain quickly soaks through it. I hear him huff in irritation as if a wild animal like himself could be put out because of some rain.

I blink slowly, trying to get my eyes to focus, but the inky blackness at the sides of my vision continues to grow.

Using the last bit of fight I have left, I lift my head in desperation, trying to get myself to move. But a heavy paw appears on my chest, and the weight crushes me. I can’t get a full breath now, and I feel the pull of unconsciousness starting to win.

At least I won’t be awake as the wolf rips me to shreds.

I hear a low growl coming from behind the red wolf, and I glance over his shoulder in time to see a smaller light-silver wolf jump down into the small rocky area. The red wolf immediately takes a few steps back, removing its large paw from my chest.

The silver wolf positions its self over me and lowers its head, snapping it’s sharp teeth when the red wolf comes to close. The red wolf is about to lunge at us when another wolf, larger than the two already facing off, jumps in between them. The hair is raised on its back, and I only see a flash of teeth before this new wolf strikes at the red one.

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