Untamable Resolve: The Witheridge Witches

Ch. 6 - The Beasts

All hell has broken loose as the echoes of the gruesome violence taking place reach my ears. I've heard that there is some form of a claim that takes place when a werewolf finds their mate, but surely, it wouldn't happen immediately? I sharply inhale as I hear another scream snuffed out, followed by a terrifying silence.

This is worse than I thought it would be.

I could tell that the monsters are moving our way, as the snarls paired with girls' pleas approach closer and closer. Every part of my body is itching to run, but I have to stick to the plan. People are counting on me. I can't abandon Delia and Claire. We've made a plan and will stick to it if we can, although it seems more and more unlikely with every passing second.

My heart drops when I hear crunching leaves close by me. I hold my breath, praying that whoever it is will pass me by. It's unlikely we'll be chosen, right? Whatever it is disappears.

All of a sudden, I hear Delia's bloodcurdling scream running to me. I instantly jump up and begin to run to where she is hidden, only to find that she's racing my way, a massive brown werewolf chasing closely behind her.

Having only seconds to think, I shout out, "Delia!"

I quickly motion for her to run towards me. I squat down just in time for her to jump on my back and for me to push her into the lowest branches.

"Climb!" I scream, as I stand my ground underneath, grabbing rocks from my backpack. I throw one at the incoming werewolf, hitting him in the eye and catching him off guard.

He snarls at me. I run, hoping he will follow me, but he stays put under the tree that Delia has climbed. Delia yells at me to keep going, and after a moment of hesitation, I do. She knows she's on her own now. Hopefully, I've helped her, if only just a little.

I knew it was pointless.

If I run, I will only be postponing the inevitable, whatever that may be. There's no time to make peace with what has just happened. I have to move on. I feel another shift in the air, and I know something has happened.

Claire.

She's in trouble.

I stop for a moment as I eye a pile of small rocks. I grab as many of them as I can gather in my manic state and store them in my backpack. I'm angry. I feel almost animalistic. I'm not violent by nature and hate what I have been broken down to. Even as my situation looks bleaker with each passing moment, this small little weapon gives me some sense of safety and security.

It's now that I notice, amid my panic, I have been running in the wrong direction. I mentally facepalm myself. Claire is at least a half-mile the other way now. Precious time has been wasted. I sling my backpack on my back and start running towards where I think my friend will be.

I freeze as I see another wolf walk close by me. I don't know what to do. Luckily, it doesn't acknowledge me. It just keeps walking with its snout sniffing the air for something. It's mate is in the forest.

Poor girl.

When the wolf is out of sight, I continue to look for my friend. Upon arriving at Claire's hiding spot at the hollow of the tree, I find it barren. It's apparent that there had been a struggle. I see traces of blood that has pooled onto some of the leaves on the forest floor. Hopefully, it's the blood from one of the monsters and not Claire's. I know better, though. I'm too late.

Desperately, I continue to look around when I see movement behind a bush only a few feet away from me.As I walked to the other side of the bush, to my horror, a naked man is hunched over Claire with his teeth lodged in the neck of her unconscious body.

No!

Immediately, I act and grab rocks out of my backpack, screaming, "Hey!" I hurl a rock as hard as I can at his head, hitting its target.

He doesn't stop attacking Claire, so I throw another, aiming for his head again. I end up only grazing his ear, tearing it. He slowly turns around to look at me with his black eyes meeting my own, as he stands possessively over Claire's body.

He snarls, "MINE!" Then, he begins to charge at me.

I close my eyes and prepare myself for the impact, but it does not come. I open my eyes. As his hand is about to connect with my body, another large, black wolf rams into his body, pushing him away from me. I watch them fight for a moment before the black wolf catches my gaze in his.

'Oh fuck.'

And with that, I run. I run as fast as my legs can carry me away from this horrifying scene, as I hear the two wolves fighting behind me.