Claws (Rewritten)

Twenty One

Markus

I sighed, glancing at the time on my laptop. "Nope, I've been productive for way too long," I said suddenly, making Adelyn jump.

She watched as I packed up. "You're leaving me too?" She asked, pretending to wipe tears from her eyes.

I stood up and stretched. "Just for a quick run. I'll be back before you know it."

"You're running?" She asked skeptically.

"God, no," I gasped, holding a hand to my heart. "Just who do you think I am?" On cue, my wolf nudged forwards and my eyes flickered golden. He was feeling a little cooped up, and I took any opportunity to avoid studying. We made quite the team.

Lyn rolled her eyes and resumed reading one of her textbooks. I knew she would rather be reading one of the spell books she'd bought from Orléans, but alas our exams had to come first. Unfortunately. "See you in a bit, then."

"See you in a bit. Spontaneous pizza order when I get back?"

She grinned up at me. "Now you're speaking my language."

I went out towards the forest and broke into a brisk jog as I headed for a quiet area. I couldn't risk a random neighbour walking his dog right where I shifted. That would be very inconvenient.

As expected, the pack wanted to know everything about our trip abroad. I'd recounted what we'd done a thousand times, but it never got boring. I understood why Caleb had stayed away for so long - even with the odd hunter here and there, the temptation to lose himself in another city must've been unbearable, and now I knew how he felt.

Alaska was calling out to me, and I was already trying to figure out how to break the news to Caleb that I was going to force him to travel over the summer again. Knowing him, there wouldn't be much need for convincing.

I found a small clearing in an empty part of the forest, one I rarely used on my trails. I was just about to shift when I heard a twig snap.

Turning to face the direction it came from, I started forwards, curious. If it's that damn rogue, I swear to--

Something cutting through the air.

An arrow ripping through my shoulder.

Immense pain. Like fire scalding through me. Fucking wolfsbane?!

Stumbling backwards, I cried out, my eyes glowing, my wolf snarling in the back of my mind. I glanced around and saw him immediately. A hunter, holding a familiar crossbow, making his way towards me. Kaden had told us about the hunters in the city. Caleb and his family had been keeping tabs on them, making sure they stayed away from the pack lines.

And I just had to find somewhere quiet. Idiot.

Taking a deep breath, I ripped the arrow out of my shoulder. Agony tore through me as the shaft broke off in my hand, leaving the wolfsbane-lined arrowhead stuck in my arm. Damn it.

Another arrow embedded itself in my side, and another in my chest moments later. I fell against a tree, letting out a groan of pain as I watched the hunter reload. My wolf was growling and snarling in the back of my mind, trying to force his way past the wolfsbane barrier to shift. It was in my blood, now. I could feel it burning through me. His efforts were wasted, and he let out a deep whine, lending me as much energy as he could offer to keep me standing. To keep me fighting.

"I need you to send a message to the other wolves," The hunter said, watching me with a glint of excitement in his eyes. This wasn't his first solo hunt, judging from his steady hand and heart rate, but it was painfully obvious that the hunt gave him immense pleasure. He would never grow tired of killing people like me. It would never keep him up at night-- hell, he probably slept easy knowing he'd killed a few innocent shape shifters.