Page 82 of The Alpha Dire Wolf
Growling angrily, I gathered myself for yet another attack. But in my weakened state, that split second telegraphed my next move. The tree-thing saw it, and as I leaped for it, its arm split apart, unwinding into the many individual branches that made it. Reaching out toward me in what would have been a punch right to the snout, instead ended up a trap. Dozens of tendrils of wood wrapped themselves around my wolf’s head and, with a powerful twist, slammed me into the ground.
Wood tightened, squeezing, and I howled in pain, claws scrambling at the ground, trying to find traction, anything. The world started to go dark. If I gave up now, the light would never return, and Sylvie would die. She would die because I gave up.
Spinning my body around, I used the finger-trap as leverage so I could rake all four paws along its body, digging deeper and deeper with each frantic swipe. Something wet and warm began to pour down my hind legs, but I didn’t let up.
The force on my head relented, and loosened. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to draw breath. With that breath came renewed strength, and my jaws were able to trap a few strands between my teeth. I pulled them loose. Then some more.
The tree-thing slammed me into the ground by my head again, but I didn’t stop. I didn’t care. It was it, or me, and I hadnever lost a fight. I wasn’t about to now. Not to this perverted monstrosity.
Snatching my head free, I twisted as fast as I could, placed my legs on the ground, and lunged at the tree-thing. My jaws yawned open wide, and then snapped down with as much force as I could muster. Wood crunched, and then, with all the strength I could find left, I whipped my neck around, shaking it like a chew toy.
Something snapped, and what would have been the throat on a human came away in a fountain of blackened sap. A fermented, vile taste filled my mouth even after I spat out the chunk of tree-flesh.
The monster clapped both branch-arms to its neck and stumbled backward. A second later, a horrific keening sounded through the forest.
It was so loud and painful that both Sylvie and I fell to the ground, her hands over her ears, my paws trying desperately to blunt the sound before it destroyed my eardrums. Sylvie was screaming still as I managed to maneuver until she was under me. Safe.
Staggering, the tree-thing no longer advanced on us. Instead, it started to retreat.
Not on my watch.
Leaping to my feet, I lunged forward. It was time to put the thing down. Permanently. My ears were probably bleeding, but I found a way to ignore the pain as I latched on to its already wounded arm and thrashed around as hard as I could, shaking it back and forth. I clenched harder as the vomit-inducing rotting sap spilled into my mouth once more. I was close. Just a little bit more and I would have it.
Snap.
The arm came free, separating from the thing entirely. I spat it aside. The tree-thing stared at its wound. Then at me. I bared my teeth and went in for more. That was my mistake.
Twisting at the torso faster than any human could, the tree-thing brought its other arm around like a whip, the branches soft and pliable. They connected with my side, and I screamed as it sawed right through my pelt, the force of the blow smashing me into the ground as well.
Warmth spread across my side. Too much warmth. Each breath was the stabbing of dozens of spikes into my side. But the effort cost the tree-thing, too, as it staggered off balance and went down. Somehow, despite it, I forced myself to my feet, ignoring the blood dripping down onto the forest floor with incredible regularity.
Baring my teeth, I growled a challenge at the tree-thing. Wordless though it was, I knew it understood me.
You want her. You go through me.
It had had enough. Turning, it ran off in a straight line that would take it directly into the heart of the forest. In seconds, the sounds of the forest returned. Insects buzzing. Animals in the distance. The life seemed to return around us. That exact lack of sound had attracted me as I made my way toward Sylvie’s place to apologize for breaking my promise.
I would have a chance now. I commanded my wolf to turn. So I could see her.
Two of four paws responded as I crashed to the ground in a tangle of limbs and didn’t get back up. I couldn’t. Pain crashed over me in waves, bullying my eyes closed. I had done it. She was safe.
I had protected her.
Turning my head ever so slightly, I was able to find her. She was on her butt, back against a thick tree trunk, staring right back at me with wide, fear-filled eyes.
Get to her. Comfort her. Keep her safe.
The call was scary strong. Even in my current state, I somehow managed to crawl a few inches closer. But that was as close as I got. Seeing my wolf coming toward her caused Sylvie to backpedal around the tree until only her head was sticking out, watching me.
I could smell her fear, hear the pounding of her heart against her ribcage. She was afraid. Afraid of me. Understandable. But I could not let her go. Could not let her out of my sight. Not now. I had to protect her. She was all that mattered. She was what I needed. I had to show her that it was okay. That I had done my job.
Focus, I told myself, trying to gather my thoughts and summon the energy to do the one thing I never thought I would do with her. The thing Icouldn’tdo. But I had to. It was the only choice left to me.
One more time. You can do it. One more time. Just one more. One … more …
Behind the tree, Sylvie turned and ran.
Chapter Thirty-Three
