Chapter 6 FIVE

MORGIANA'S POV I am not someone who believes in superstitious beliefs. I have heard of stories-supernatural ones and I am not really the one who believes in them. Especially when I haven't seen them firsthand. People consider those stories not normal, that's why it's interesting for them. Not for me. I was more of a to see is to believe kind of person. And what I am seeing now was something I never thought I would see. I've heard stories about people turning to animals. I've heard of stories of creatures who drain people of their blood. I was frozen in my cage as I was looking-listening at them howling at the moon. Their ruff glinted under the moonlight. As though the moon had blessed them. My hand was still on my mouth while I try my best not to scream. And then they started running to the woods until there was only one wolf left. It was Alaris. The golden glow of his eyes tells me so. He was just looking at me and I don't know what he wants. Suddenly, the surge of panic hit me like a tornado. I started grabbing the metal bars and tried my best to break them even though I know it was futile. But then in a second, Alaris was in front of me, growling ferociously that made me stumble back. Am I going to die? Is he going to kill me? What did I do? Did I somehow offend him and made him this angry? Why is this happening to me? "Please," I rasped and that's when I realized I was already crying. "Please let me go. What have I done-I … I am sorry if I did something-" The wolf growled and I closed my mouth but my sob went on. Alaris walked closer to the cage and I scuttled as far away as possible. If I am going to die here, I am not going to make it easy for him. There is no way in hell that I would let it be that easy for him. My hands searched for something behind me-anything that could help me have a fighting chance. I am not good at fighting and the only time I ever fought was just recently when I broke Arleigh's nose. Heck, thinking about it feels like it happened a long time. I'd give everything just to go back to that situation when I still didn't know that Alaris could transform into a wolf. I couldn't find anything that could help me against him but I have long nails. Maybe I'd just poke his eyes or something, I don't know! I am panicking. "Don't kill me, please," I mumbled but he kept walking closer. And when he was already close enough, I swallowed hard as I saw how huge he is. A wolf-it's not something that could be seen on the streets and people would ignore it. No. If people see him they would run as fast as they could. They would start praying for their lives, just like what I am doing now. He leaned his head and sniffed and a low growl came out of his mouth. I was about to say another thing when I saw him raise his paw. I covered my head using my arms even though I know it won't do much help to protect myself. The next thing I heard was the sound of metal and the cage shaking, knocking me to the cage's ground. I opened my eyes and gasped when I saw the cage was not broken. He had used his teeth to break it open. He threw the metals away and stared at me with those golden eyes. He opened the cage. Is he going to eat me? But instead, I saw him step back. His dominant presence made me doubt the gesture. Why is he stepping back after opening the cage? Does he want me to go out? A low growl came out of him and I slowly let myself stand. I took a step forward and he did not react. I got braver and took another step until I was near the opening of the cage. I swallowed hard before I felt the cold ground on my feet. But the moment I inhaled, he was instantly in front of me. His warm breath touched my face and I had to step back against the metal bars so I could get away from him. He did not say anything but I could tell he wants to tell me something. I have something to say to him too. With all the strength I got, I grabbed the rock on the ground and hit the side of his furry head using the sharp side of it. He was huge but despite his size, he still staggered back and growled. He shook his head and I could see blood glinting on his ruff. I used that chance to run. I didn't care if I was barefooted or if I was almost naked with my torn clothes. I ran as fast as I could. I didn't mind the big roots. I didn't mind how my feet were screaming in pain. I ran for my life. The woods were dark but I continued running even as my dress was torn from the branches. I probably have a lot of cuts and scratches. And as though my luck had run out, I stepped on something and slipped making me roll on the ground several times until I hit a full stop when my stomach hit the tree. It felt like the world was spinning around me. My vision darkened and I felt like I was losing consciousness. My whole body was screaming in pain, especially my stomach. But I've got no time to dwell on it. I need to run. So I forced myself to stand and started walking. My breasts were cold and I realized my clothes had given up. But that is the last thing I could care about. I need to get out of this place. Grabbing on branches, I made my way forward but I was immediately stopped when something massive was standing in front of me. His golden eyes glinted and even as he wasn't making a sound, I could tell he was furious. I looked at his temple where I hit him with a stone earlier and saw that the blood has dried and there was no wound there anymore. I whimpered as I took a step back. All the running I did was futile. "Please," I said. "Please don't kill me." But he did not respond. He walked ever so slowly in front of me as though assessing the situation of his prey. His eyes raked her body and stopped at my exposed breasts. I didn't bother covering it when my life is literally at risk. "I…I will do anything. Just don't kill me, please," I begged. A low growl came out of his mouth and I took another step back. I was about to beg one more time when we heard a wolf howl in the distance. His ears perked up and his eyes became alert. I don't know what was going on but in an instant, he was already running back from where I came from. Something had happened for sure but I couldn't be more thankful that it happened. I used the opportunity to run once again, not minding the pain in my body. The adrenaline was winning, anyway. I was almost out of breath when I almost arrived at the foot of the mountain. Relief surged through me as I saw cars parked at the foot of the mountain. People. There are people. They can help me. I forced myself to take another step forward, holding tree trunks for support. Then I heard voices coming from a different direction. I looked to see where it was coming from and I saw two people walking toward where the trucks are parked. "Help!" I screamed and I ran in their direction. But then I was stopped in my tracks when I saw they have rifles and flashlights pointed at me. I raised my hand to show that I was harmless. They dropped the rifles and the men looked at me in confusion. "Why are you here?" asked one of them. "I was…I saw… wolves. They were howling and they were people-" I wasn't able to finish my sentence when I saw what was behind them. It was a wolf. A dead one. When I looked at them, I realized who they were and why Alaris had to run back to where they came from. These men in front of her are hunters and they are hunting the wolves in this forest. Do they know that these wolves are humans? One of the men walked closer to me with a grin on his mouth. His eyes were set on my exposed chest and my hands instantly went to cover it. "Why don't you come with us and we'll take care of you?" he said and placed a hand around my shoulder. Shivers ran cold in my skin as I watched the dead wolf behind them and how he slightly squeezed my shoulder, indicating something. They were the wolves who threatened to kill me earlier. They caged me. And these men are killing them. I let the man usher me towards the truck. "Watch this for me?" he said and placed his rifle on the side of the truck. He went back to help his friend haul the wolf as it was huge and couldn't be carried by only one person. A wolf. A person. It was a person and they were hunting it. Something inside me couldn't take it. I couldn't take how they were dragging the lifeless body of the wolf as though it was merely a sack of rice. I didn't realize I was already holding the rifle and pointing it at them until one of the men saw me and pointed his rifle at me too. I couldn't care less, strangely. I didn't understand why I was pointing it to them. "Fucking bitch," cursed the man who owned the rifle. "Let that wolf go and drop your rifle." "Fuck you. Who are you to tell me-" I pulled the trigger and it hit the other guy's leg. He screamed and kneeled on the ground. "Drop your weapon and leave the wolf or the next bullet would be on his other leg." "Fucking do it, man! You're going to let her shoot me?" The other man looked conflicted but dropped the rifle and kicked it away. But the other ma had other plans. Something I never expected. Despite his injury, he managed to get the rifle and shot me. It grazed my arm but it still hurt like hell. I did not give him another chance to shoot me again. I aimed and pulled the trigger. The sound rang and it hit the man straight in his head. I killed a man. The shock run through me and I couldn't move a muscle as I watched how he fell face first to the ground. I didn't notice the other man aiming at me. I was too occupied and it would be too late for me to move. But before he could pull the trigger, I saw his head flying away from his body and his body dangling from a wolf's mouth. When I looked up, two golden orbs met my gaze. His mouth was bloody as he dropped the decapitated body to the ground. I was frozen. The pain in my arm was suddenly numb and I couldn't remember what happened next as I felt every bone in my body breaking. ***