Chapter 2

     My parents growl in response. “Shift,” my dad demands. The lead wolf shakes its head and steps forward again. My dad steps forward in response, shielding my mom and I. My mom turns to me and bends down to eye level. 

    “Sweetheart, your father and I need you to run home. Don’t worry about us. We will return once we take care of these wolves, but we need you to stay safe,” she explains. “Can you do that for Mommy?” I nod.    “Good. Now go ahead and run to the woods over there,” she instructed, pointing in the opposite direction of the wolves approaching us. “Your father and I love you very much. Please stay safe.” She kisses my cheek before standing up and turning to face the oncoming wolves once more.

    “I love you, too,” I tell both of them before running away as my mom instructed. My feet pound against the ground and my legs burn, but I don’t stop until I reach the tree line. I know that my mom told me to go home, but I didn’t want to leave them. Making a decision, I hide in the forest. I peek around a tree to see what is happening, just in time to see both of my parents shift into their wolves. My mom’s wolf is dark gray while my dad’s wolf is black. I know that they both have amber colored eyes even though I can’t see them. I proudly observe that my parents’ wolves are twice the size of the attackers. During my escape, the wolves had grown closer and are now only a couple of yards away from my parents. The two sides pause in a standoff, glaring at each other. Suddenly, the lead wolf rushes forward to attack. 

     Dad steps forward and bats the wolf aside. It flies through the air and lands in the lake with a loud splash. The four remaining wolves rush forward together. They surround my parents and begin to taunt them. One will step in and Mom will swipe at it, only to miss as it steps back. Then another will step forward before stepping back to avoid Dad’s swipe. My parents’ wolves grow more frustrated each time until my dad impulsively lunges forward and tears his claws through the throat of the wolf in front of him. The body of the dead wolf drops to the ground with a dull thud and blood pools out around it.

     Blood drips from his claws as he turns to face the wolf approaching him. My mom is facing off against the remaining two wolves. One lunges towards her and she swipes along its face, tearing off chunks of flesh. I watch in horror as the other wolf circles around behind my mom. I stand there, unable to warn her for fear of catching the wolves’ attention and being attacked myself. The wolf pounces on Mom’s back and digs its claws into her sides. She shrieks in pain as she bucks upward, shaking the wolf off. 

     She turns around growling murderously before pouncing on it and tearing out its neck. Blood spills from the deep scratches on her sides, soaking her dark gray fur. Seeing movement from the corner of my eye, I glance towards the lake to see the lead wolf stalking out of the water. My parents haven’t noticed it yet. Mom rushes towards the second wolf attacking her and rakes her claws down its side. Her own sides rise and fall rapidly in pants. 

     My dad has been fighting with another wolf, who seems to be much better than its partners. Both have sustained minor injuries, but the fighting seems to have ended in a stalemate at the moment. The two stare each other down, looking for an opportunity to strike. 

     Mom rushes in from the side, as she grabs the neck of the wolf that was attacking her. As I watch, the lead wolf sneaks up behind my mom. Just as Mom snaps the neck of the wolf she is holding, the lead wolf pounces on her. It grasps her throat in its jaws and bites down. Hard. The resulting crack echos as my mom’s limp body falls to the ground.

     The blood seeps from her wounds as she lays on the ground, her head turned to an awkward angle. I stand behind the tree, frozen. Mom is dead. She’s gone. I faintly hear my father roar in anger. Numbly, I watch as he pounces on the wolf in front of him and snaps its neck before turning around to face the lead wolf. Dad rushes into an attack, but the other wolf was expecting this. It steps out of the way and digs its claws into Dad’s side. Blood wells up and pours down Dad’s side. 

     The wolf attempts to grab onto Dad by using its other paw, but Dad shakes it off. They turn to face each other once more. This time, the other wolf attacks. Dad steps to the side and swipes it with his claws. The wolf stumbles before regaining its footing. Dad’s fur is now matted with blood and turning an ugly reddish brown. As the two wolves exchange blows once more, I notice blood is slowly dripping from my dad. Drip. Drip. Drip. 

      Due to my close observation, I notice my dad stumble before the other wolf. If Dad falls, he will be killed by the wolf. I need to help him, but how? I am ten. I don’t have the strength nor knowledge to fight a full grown wolf. Dad sways slightly and the wolf notices. It advances on him, so I move. I don’t know what I will do, but a distraction might help.

     “Daddy!!” I scream as I run towards him. The other wolf turns to look at me. My dad takes advantage of its inattention and pounces on it. He lands on its back and crushes it beneath his paws. I hear the crunching of bones as I get closer. “Daddy!” I yell again. He finally turns towards me. Dad stumbles forward a few steps before he falls to the ground, shifting back to his human form. Blood soaks into my shoes and squelches in my socks as I run over to him. The bodies lie around us in bloody, broken mounds.

      “My Princess,” Dad sighs, his words slurring, as I slip his head into my lap. “I love you. Your mom loves you. I’m sorry. I’m… so… sorry.” I stare at his face and watch as the light fades from his eyes. His weight falls limply into my lap as I let out scream, tears pouring down my face.