A Hybrid's Hunger

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

'Keep running because if I catch you, I'll bite you.' His laughter rings in my ear, and fills me with fear and horror as I run through the woods on my paws.

I've unleashed the monster, and now there's no turning back. He's chasing me, he finds the thrill in it and I don't. The cold grips me from everywhere. The woods are completely dark, there's no source of light or life, just him and me. Fear instills inside me as I try desperate to find a path out of the woods and into the town I've escaped from.

I don't even know where it is, to begin with. Nothing is familiar.

The woods close in around me, dark, looming trees and crisp, cold air. The darkness is suffocating but I have to find my way back, back into Zade's house where he can trap me forever.

I already know he isn't going to let this go so easily. Forcing me to run across the woods, in the cold night while he chases me and threatens to bite me is only the beginning of his anger. It's only the tip of the iceberg.

I stabbed him, left him for dead and now he's punishing me.

Nice.

Suddenly, I skid to a stop at unfamiliar scents of wolves. It triggers the instinct in me to look. My ears prick at the sound of rustling of the leaves and my head turns to find a pair of dark gleaming eyes, bright and animalistic. Another pair join and it's just not two, it's many more.

They approach me, slowly, cautiously. Baring their fangs, their intent clear; they consider me a threat, a rogue, or another wolf invading their territory.

I step back while letting out a low growl, a warning of my own. But they don't care. Their eyes narrow, their growls growing louder than mine as they prepare to attack. The one wolf in the back shifts, I hear the cracking of his bones before he walks between the rest.

"Shift." He says, his voice demanding and I can't help it.

I'm female, not yet marked. It signals males to only pursue. My shift back into human form is painfully abrupt. The cold night air stings my bare skin and my breaths race at the sudden exposure.

I'm vulnerable, naked, and cornered. But before any of the wolves can get a glimpse of me, there's something over my body. A hand, a cloth covering my arms, and then the rest of my body. Another body protecting mine. I don't recognize it until I take in his scent.

It's absurd that it's him.

Zade.

"She's my mate." He says to the other wolves.

"We didn't know, Alpha." The man who had shifted responds.

"Now you do. Run along and stop bothering me." He flickers his hand in the air and the wolves slink back into the woods, leaving us alone.

I stand there, shivering in the cold, clutching his coat around while relief and terror rush through my veins. I'm safe, for now. But the night isn't over, and Zade is still very, very angry.

"Why did you shift in front of them?" He asks me, his tone low, almost a growl. His eyes bore into mine, demanding an explanation for my reckless move. "Do you not know that only I can see you bare?"

"I—I panicked," I stammer, the truth slipping past my lips before I can spot it. "And I didn't know what to do."

A scoff escapes him. "Always acting on impulse."

"I wouldn't be if you hadn't left me alone knowing your dogs are all around these woods."

"I didn't leave you alone," He grabs my arm while his hard gaze softens. "I was right behind you, watching you."

I stare at him in disbelief. There's no way he could be right behind me. Why wouldn't he catch me then? A scowl falls on my face before I began to follow his lead as he starts walking. In those few seconds, I realize he hadn't shifted. Especially since his clothes are intact.

"You didn't shift," I say, breaking the silence. It's not a question. It's a fact. His clothes are not ripped as they should've been had he shifted.

"I don't have to," He glances at me. "I've enough strength in my this form to chase anyone if I want to. I don't have to shift."

It makes sense. The first night I came here, he was already there, at his house while I had taken hours to reach with his pack of wolves. It's surprising but I've to remind myself that he's a half-vampire, someone who's probably stronger than a normal wolf and a normal vampire.

I bite my tongue while following him through the dark woods. They go on forever and ever. My legs tremble from the cold while I bury my hands into the pockets of the coat.

When I see his tall, imposing house in the distance, I stop on my tracks. As soon as he senses me, he stops and turns around. The sight of the house forces my heart to race with fear. It's dark and damned.

"I'm sorry," I stutter. "For killing you. I wouldn't have if I hadn't had a reason and I knew you wouldn't die and that eventually, Estella would come and give you some blood."

He steps forward, closer to me. His hand slips underneath my chin and trails up to my jaw before his thumb brushes over my lips. There's barely any distance left between us. The silence is dooming. I don't know what he's thinking, whether his mind is accepting my apology or dissecting it.

His head lowers, closer to my face, and my heart pounds. His scent fills my senses and I find it hard to breathe when he's so close.

"I was being so gentle with you, Aurora," he murmurs, his voice silky but threatening. His thumb skims over my lower lip, tenderly. "So carefully not to hurt you, so fucking cautious. But after what you did tonight, it appears you want to relish in misery and pain."

"I don't." I shake my head.

"You want to." His figure looms over me, taking my breath away while his fingers drag over my skin.

"Zade—" I began, but he cuts me off by placing his thumb over my lips.

He gazes into my eyes a few seconds longer before turning around. His hand slides over my mine, fingers tangling before he takes me inside the house. I fear what's coming. I can't stop thinking about it.

Just as we step into the house, Estella comes rushing out. Her face fills up with terror as she glances at Zade and then at me.

"What happened?" She asks him, noticing the blood as if she hadn't been the one who healed him up.

My brows furrow. Doesn't she know?

Zade's hand tightens around mine. "Nothing to worry about. Just a little run-in with a rogue. It's not an issue—"

"But you're bleeding."

"I was," He cuts me a swift, side-long look as if he's trying to tell me something. "But I've healed. Right, Aurora?"

I swallow hard and nod, "Yes."

"You should go back to sleep, Estella. It's too early to be awake at this time. There's nothing to worry about here, nothing at all." Zade continues with no emotion in his voice. One moment there is and the other moment there isn't. He hides it all so well.

So well that I ponder if there's something more, something he hasn't told me.

Estella waits a few seconds in the hallway, still worrying. If it wasn't her who healed him, who had? Who removed the wood from his chest? There's no one else in the house except for the three of us. She's completely surprised by the blood on Zade's chest.

My gaze snaps to him, wide and horrified.

He removed it himself.

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