#Chapter 63: As If Things Couldn’t Get Worse
We run for hours, barely stopping, when I finally collapse from exhaustion. Rita reluctantly slows, then stops, and backtracks to where I’m seated on the ground, my arms pretzeled over my head to open up my chest so my lungs can take in more oxygen.
Rita folds her arms over her chest and cocks her hip to one side. “This is why you needed to stay behind. We can’t afford to stop.”
And I can’t afford the breath to argue with her. I lift my head and close my eyes, willing my body to stop hurting.
Rita releases a long sigh and sits down beside me. At first, she doesn’t say anything, just scans the area with her
eyes.
Finally, she says, “Look…I know you really care about Alex and that’s why you stubbornly insisted on coming along.” She emphasized the word stubbornly. But before I could argue, she added, “I think it’s brave–especially knowing that dangerous werewolves are waiting to tear you limb from limb.”
Was this her way of intimidating me or apologizing? I don’t know exactly how to take it…but I know I’m reliant upon her strength and prowess right now.
“Thank you. Forrr reminding me.” Then I add, “And for waiting.”
Rita cracks a smirk, which may be the closest thing to a smile I ever get from her. Then again, I find it hard smiling at her, too.
Two women…well, one woman and one werewolf…in love with the same man.
Can my predicament get any weirder?
At this thought, I laugh. My breath is coming back.
“What?” Rita asks.
“Funny. How life works.” My mood dampens as I say, “Unfair…isn’t it?”
Rita looks at the ground. “It is unfair. I bet Alex would agree.”
Yeah…I bet he would.
Then, suddenly, we both go still. There is a new smell in the air. It’s rotten, and pungent.
Rita stands, immediately on alert, her eyes turning gold and glowing intensely. Her head turns one way, then another, scanning the area with her enhanced vision for the source of the smell.
Even I know the smell means danger and stand slowly as I look around for anything or anyone–nearby.
Behind a bush, in the distance, I see a large pair of yellow eyes staring at me.
Now, I know what this means. Whatever is over there isn’t human, but a huge, hairy, terrifying beast that means to do me harm. It’s the hunter, I’m the prey.
And like a deer in headlights, I freeze in place.
I’m barely able to manage a whisper. “Rrr–rita…”
But she’s already spotted him. She transforms, her slender human form changing as her skin starts ripping and her bones and joints begin popping, until she’s morphed into a huge, hairy animal growling at my side.
She doesn’t make a move, poised on her haunches and ready to spring, her snarl a warning to the beast now
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#Chapter 63. As If Things Couldn’t Get Worse
stepping away from the tree to meet her challenge.
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In full view, it looks huge even from here, and I fear Rita won’t be able to handle it on her own. She’s bigger than one would imagine a female to be–and she’s certainly a skilled fighter–but her opponent looks like he’s almost twice her size.
Her ears twitch as she stares him down. But he isn’t backing down. In fact, he begins skulking toward us.
The closer he gets, the more his pace picks up until he breaks into a full–on run. Rita launches from beside me, kicking up dirt, and speed toward the beast.
I’ve stopped breathing but I can’t take my eyes off of them.
The two bodies collide in a tussle of fur and teeth. At first, Rita is on top of her opponent, using her speed and his large size against him. She’s on his back, clamping down with her teeth on the back of his neck.
It isn’t long before he slings her down, straddles her and goes for her jugular.
But Rita is too fast. She slips from beneath him, except he’s able to get his jaw around her ankle. She yelps but kicks it free.
The two square back up and tussle, front paws up and on each other’s shoulders as though doing the dance of death. They spin, twist, bite–all in an effort to regain the upper hand.
Rita is able to get a grip with her teeth on the rogues back and it howls in pain, then twists free.
If chomps at her, getting her leg in its vice–like jaw. It chomps down hard. And I can see blood pouring out from Rita’s leg.
I put my hands over my mouth in horror and disbelief. Rita can’t wiggle free and is crying out in pain. What if the rogue werewolf wins? I’ll be dead meat…literally.
“RITA!!!!!!” I cry out, not knowing what else to do.
The rogue lets go of her leg and turns its body toward me. Blood drips from its mouth and I know what it wants.
I turn and run with everything I have. I know I can’t get away, but maybe I can put some distance between us before it gets me.
I don’t turn around, but I know it’s after me! I pump my arms to gain some speed. I see a tree up ahead that I might be able to climb if I can get to it.
I can hear the beast behind me, gaining ground. Can I make it?”
“Uuuhhhh-“I cry out as I get closer to the tree.
Suddenly I’m upon it, grasping at branches with my hands, trying to find traction against the bark with the toes of my shoes, pulling my bodyweight up with all my might.
I hear the growl behind me… I pull myself up off the ground… I feel it’s hot breath at my ankle…
Then I hear a yelp. I scramble up onto the lowest branch before I turn around and see Rita on top of the rogue’s back.
She’s perched, all four paws on its back, her own back arched as she tugs at its flesh with her teeth.
It twists one direction, then another trying to throw her…but her grip is too strong.
I know I need to help her because I can see the trail of blood her leg left behind.
It takes several seconds before I’m able to tear my gaze away from the violent scene before me, but I look around
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#Chapter 62 As if Things Could Get Worse
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for anything I can use as a makeshift weapon. That’s when I see a large broken branch under my hiding spot.
Something inside me clicks I don’t know what possesses me to do it–fear for my own life, or maybe for the life of my protector–but the feral animal inside me that wants to survive takes over.
I jump down, crouched on the ground as I watch the two werewolves struggle. My heart begins pounding, flooding my limbs with oxygen–rich blood. My senses become hyper focused and sharp. I can smell the blood and the sweat and the dirt as the air stirs around the battling beasts.
I grab the branch and wait. I can feel the rough bark of the branch against my palm as I grip it tightly.
As soon as the rogue begins turning away, I jump up and use my bodyweight to ram the end of the branch into its chest.
It leaps up, its high–pitched howl reverberating off the trees.
Rita rolls off its back, using the opportunity to go for its throat. She thrashes her head around, pulling at the creature’s jugular.
It stops fighting, its body twitching, and she lets go.
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