CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 12

I freeze in fear at the sight of the wild wolves watching me, hunger in their eyes.

Wild wolves usually stay clear of wolf shifters out of fear of the bigger predator but they don’t submit to them. Wolf shifters and wolves steer clear of each other. But wild wolves in a pack are dangerous to a lone shifter.

I feel a sliver of fear crawl up my spine as I realize that I wandered off a little too far away from the campsite. Considering that I can't even shift, I'm more vulnerable than most shifters.

I take a step back, my eyes on the small pack of wolves and one of them growls, making me freeze. A slow awareness unfurls within me and I know that it is Lucas.

I don’t know how this bond between us works but I hope he can feel my fear and follow my scent. Running rom wolves is never a good idea but if I don’t do anything, they’ll jump on me anyway.

Taking a deep breath, I dart into the tree line, aiming for the camp site. In my panic and fear, I don’t even know if I’m going the right way. I can feel the branches break behind me and the sounds of the shrubbery tearing as the wolves give chase.

I don’t give up, my legs pumping as fiercely as my heart does as I curse myself for leaving the campsite to begin with. I shouldn’t have been so reckless to begin with.

As I run through the woods, my strength is now what it used to be ever since the wolfsbane and I begin to tire. I end up stumbling over a raised tree root, falling on my face. I struggle to move but my whole body hurts.

I hear the wolves approaching me and I squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable. And then, out of nowhere, a rough tongue licks at my ankle just as a pair of heavy paws push on my side, as if forcing me to turn over.

I manage to lift my head only to be assaulted by two wet tongues as they lick my face. Blinking, I find myself being rolled over and then I’m looking up at the wolves who had been chasing after me. Their tongues are lolling out, their tails wagging in clear excitement.

One of them, the smallest of the pack, climbs on me and stands on my stomach, letting out a small squeaky sounding howl, a sentiment which is echoed by his pack mates. No idea what is going on but I have a feeling they’re not trying to eat me.

I sit up, groaning, and I lift my hand to wipe the blood off the gash on my head where I hit my head. Two of the wolves start licking the blood of my hand and one of them licks at my wound, making me wince.

They then decide to settle on me, surrounding me as if they would an injured packmate and laying down while one of them darts into the bushes.

I am beyond confused but my hand reaches out to stroke the fur on the back of the smallest one and he rumbles in contentment. Wet noses snuggle into me as if demanded to be pet and I do so.

A few minutes later, the wolf that had left, returns with a dead rabbit in his jaws and he deposits it on my lap.

I stare at the tiny dead animal and swallow while the wolf gives me an expectant look.

“T-Thanks,” I mumble, awkward smiling. “But I just ate a while ago.”

The smallest wolf sniffs at the meat and then glances at me before I nudge it towards him. He doesn’t care about the mess he makes on my clothes he starts eating it.

I hear another rustling in the trees and this time, it is Lucas who emerges.

All the wolves are suddenly on their feet, snarling at him and Lucas’s eyes turn a bright gold and then he’s suddenly transforming.

“No, wait!” I try and get in between them as the wolves who had been surrounding me have their hackles raised as they push me behind them in an almost protective manner.

The smallest wolf howls that squeaky howl and nudges at me and I pick it up in my arms, without thinking, forcing my way through the small pack, “Lucas. Don’t hurt them!”

Lucas’s eyes narrow and he snaps at one of the wolves who’s near me.

The wolf whimpers but the one next to them snarls.

Then Lucas is surrounding me, circling me, his frame so large that his back reaches my chest. The small wolf in my arms burrows deeper into me, clearly terrified and Lucas makes a huffing sound and I can sense his irritation. He's not angry but he's definitely irritated.

When one of the wolves tries to approach me, he suddenly snaps at it, making it scuttle back.

“Lucas!” I cry out. “He doesn’t mean any harm!”

The wolves seem to get an idea that I'm comfortable around this larger wolf and one of them comes over to try and sniff at Lucas's paw.

“Let him,” I mutter at my annoyed mate and then Lucas looks me dead in the eyes before raising his paw and knocking the wolf over in an almost childish manner.

I swat him on one his back and huffs at me in warning making me jump.

Then he’s transforming back and he plucks the small wolf out of my arms, dropping it on the ground where it whimpers.

“How do you end up finding trouble everywhere?” He demands, glaring in the direction of the wolves who are now just watching us.

“They found me,” I mutter.

Lucas gives me a sharp look, “Do you have any idea what’s happening? You are a wolf shifter who can't shift and you have been adopted by a pack of wild wolves!”