Predator

Part Thirteen✔️

"My brother."

With a lingering stare and a curt nod, the beast strode up the stairs, leaving Grey alone in the foyer still holding her aching neck.

She sat for a few moments, bewildered by everything that has happened in a short amount of time. It seemed within the short span of time she'd been in this foreign land, her life in New York had been but a dream and no longer existed. This impossible life was hers now and it felt as though there was no escape from the horrors and unexpected events in it.

Almost forgetting her previous mission, she shook her thoughts away and stood slowly, shocked that both men left her completely unattended. As if one hadn't almost killed her in the middle of escaping and the other didn't care. Fools, they were.

Turning slowly, her eyes still on the stairs and the doorway where the brothers disappeared to, she placed her hands on the door's handles and pushed one open slowly. No sound came from the door or the gigantic house so Grey took her time to stay quiet and sneak out the large door. Once outside, she carefully closed the door and spun around fully prepared to run but she was frozen.

The sound of birds chirping above the light snow filled her ears. Most of the snow was gone, but there was enough on the ground still that no green grass peeked through. Winter was over and spring had come with a bright afternoon sun and heaps of wildlife hiding in the shadows of the tall forest trees. Taking in a deep breath, Grey relished in the scent of the fresh air that had lost it's bitter bite.

A deep, menacing growl from inside the castle broke Grey's trance and a shiver of fear ran down her spine. She wasted no time, breaking off towards the trees in a dead sprint, ignoring the forest's rough ground hurting her bare feet. She had no idea where she was or where she was going, but nowhere was better than being captive. Grey could hear multiple sets of footsteps and she supposed both men were catching up to her and fast. She had to do something.

Taking a sharp turn to her right and deciding then to zigzag her way through the forest, she gained some space but not for long. She could hear rushing water, and hoping for an easy escape, she headed towards it.

The trees grew taller and the forest grew denser as she ran, making everything harder. Her calves were burning and her lungs felt like they were about to collapse and now she had tree branches that were digging into her skin to push aside. Yet the ever present growling behind her pushed her to go faster.

Determined to get home, Grey didn't realize that the world had completely turned around on her and the sound of water was gone far behind her. The forest was playing tricks on her, it wasn't letting her leave. With the beast hot on her tracks, she began to feel dread settle in her veins, all hope of getting home was dwindling to but a dream.

A scream ripped out of Grey's throat as the ground suddenly gave away and she was tumbling down a hill, sharp rocks and fallen tree branches dug into her skin and ripped her bloodstained clothes. During the tumbling, a sharp pain had followed the sound of a snap and she was left screaming as she rolled. After reaching the bottom of the hill, Grey lie still, trying to regain her shaky breath, tears streaming down her face at the pain that blossomed from her foot. Her chest burned with each intake of breath but she could see a black wolf atop the hill, watching her with eyes the color of a burning flame. She knew it was the beast's brother by the way those eyes held so much anger and disgust, he looked ready to leave her there for dead. But of course, fate wouldn't have it that way and he was emerging from the tree's shadows to stand behind the wolf, those entrancing blue eyes watching her and in that moment, she knew he wouldn't let her go.

So despite her burning lungs and the new trails of blood that stained her skin, she pushed herself up on aching muscles and tried to keep as much weight of the foot that had already swelled up twice its normal size. She was trying her hardest to move, walk, even hop away but everything was against her and she found herself on the ground once again. This time she was spun around so her back took the brunt of the fall, instead of her face thank god, and now hovering above her was the notorious beast. She grunted out her frustration and gave him the best glare she could muster up.