His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 133: Snowstorms & other Magicks. (4)

The pain didn’t register until I swept into the sky, and Alaric was out of my field of vision. I wouldn’t worry about my brother, not when I was taking flying lessons again with this vile creature.

"Ugh." Its claws slashed into my sides more as it kept its grip on me this time.

The beast’s jaws widened, and my heart stopped, noting the movement that had already killed so many below. Its fangs gleamed before me, long, the length of my face. Its jaws clamped down on my neck, its fangs tearing into my skin like fire.

The scream tore from my throat, raw and primal, as pain coursed through my body. My vision blurred, the edges dimming, but I wouldn’t succumb—not like this. Not to this monstrosity.

A deep growl resonated within me, ripping from my mouth like a woman possessed. My wolf surged forward, a force within me that I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to. The creature faltered, its grip loosening as it sensed the change, but it was too late.

Bones cracked as my body contorted, reshaping itself, golden-white fur sprouting from my skin. The moon shone brightly behind us, its light illuminating the creature and Were snarling at each other for all to see. The glow cast down to the snowy, bloodied forest below, revealing its savagery.

For a moment, everything seemed to slow, the world holding its breath as I emerged in my golden-white wolf form, regal and fierce beneath the lunar glow.

With a furious snarl, I lunged at the creature. My teeth sank into its neck, piercing deep into its flesh. It screeched in agony, rage pouring into its tone. My teeth clamped down harder as I whipped my head to the side, ripping flesh from the bone then snapped my jaws into it again. It cried out.

Its wings faltered, especially when my paws kicked at them, claws ripping through the membranes. Together, we plummeted toward the ground, the wind ripping through my fur until we collided with the frozen earth.

Snow and blood sprayed in all directions as we crashed into a tangled, violent heap.

The creature thrashed beneath me, its claws raking against my side, but I didn’t let go. My jaws locked tighter, crushing its throat as its screeches turned to desperate gurgles. It bucked and writhed, trying to throw me off, but I was relentless. Adrenaline surged through me, drowning out the pain and fueling my determination.

With a final, ferocious pull, I tore through its neck, severing its head. The creature’s body went limp beneath me, its movements ceasing as its head rolled away. Its expression remained frozen in a grotesque scream. I stood over it, panting, my sides heaving with exertion. Black blood dripped from my jaws, staining the pristine snow beneath my paws.

Sharp pain flared in my neck and side, but I pushed it aside. I couldn’t afford weakness now. I’d spent too long as a weakling. Now, I stood tall, if somewhat wounded.

I turned my head, scanning the carnage for my brother. The area was a chaotic mix of snow and blood. Nearby, I spotted Cohnal and Alaric fighting the other creature in their massive wolf forms. I sighed in relief at seeing Alaric alive, wounded but alive.

The beast screeched and lashed out, but it was no match for them. Cohnal darted in, his powerful jaws clamping down on its arm, while Alaric tore at its other limb. With a brutal yank, they ripped its arms clean from its body. The creature collapsed to the ground, a guttural wheeze escaping its torn throat as blood pooled around it.

The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the heavy breathing of the remaining wolves and the faint rustle of the wind through the trees. I shifted back to my human form, my body trembling. The pain in my neck and side became sharper, more insistent, and I pressed a hand to the wound at my throat. My fingers came away slick with blood.

Cohnal and Alaric approached. One by one, they shifted back. Alaric’s arm was bloodied, and Cohnal had a long gash across his chest, but they seemed otherwise intact.

"Idalia," Alaric said, his voice rough as he moved toward me. His gaze swept over me, assessing the damage. "You’re hurt."

I nodded, the motion sending a spike of pain through my neck. "It’s not as bad as it looks," I lied, though the throbbing ache said otherwise.

Cohnal crouched beside the decapitated creature, his expression grim as he prodded its lifeless body. "What in the gods’ names were these things?" he muttered, his tone laced with unease.

"Something unnatural," Alaric replied, his jaw tightening. "They weren’t hunting for food. They wanted us dead."

I shivered, not from the cold but from the weight of his words. The attack had been deliberate, calculated. Whatever these creatures were, they weren’t acting on instinct alone. The way that one creature kept attacking me, singling me out from the beginning, was highly suspicious.

The bodies of the fallen creatures lay grotesque and still, their presence a dark blot on the otherwise pristine landscape. I looked around, my chest tightening as I took in the carnage. This was no ordinary night. This was a warning or perhaps a declaration.

"We need to leave," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "There could be more of them."

Alaric nodded, his expression hardening. "She’s right. We can’t stay here."

Cohnal rose, his hands clenched into fists. "We’ll need to burn the bodies," he said. "We can’t leave any trace of this for someone else to find."

Despite the pain, I bent to retrieve the axe that had fallen during the fight. Its weight was reassuring in my hands, a reminder of the strength I’d found tonight. I wasn’t the same person I’d been before this attack. I had faced death and come out alive-- again.

My wolf huffed proudly this time as though she had been waiting for me to find my own courage instead of relying on her. I stared at the axe and at my reflection and saw my blue eyes glowing back, my wolf.

The three of us worked in grim silence, gathering the bodies and piling them together. The fire roared to life, consuming the remains. The acrid smell of burning flesh filled the air, mingling with the metallic tang of blood. I turned away, unable to watch as the flames reduced the creatures to ash.

As the fire burned, I felt Alaric’s hand on my shoulder. "You fought well," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "You’re stronger than you realise."

I met his gaze, finding a flicker of warmth in his eyes despite the grimness of the night. "We survived," I replied, unable to give a better response.

The moon hung high above us, its light casting long shadows across the crimson snow. As the fire burned low and the creatures were reduced to nothing but ash, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the night wasn’t done with us yet.

Screeching sounded far in the distance. I turned my head in its direction.

"Time to go."