Three

REMI’S P.O.V.

Unable to risk them choosing the easy, half-conscious woman in the tower across the way, I tucked Thesta’s shirt into my waistband and did something that I knew instantly I would regret.

“Here, Wolfie-Wolfie!” I called out with a shaky voice full of regret. As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew that I didn’t need to worry about them going after Thesta, because the snarls and noises of offense rang loud and clear through the town.

Bending forward slightly, my hands trembled as I lifted them before smacking them down onto my thighs a few times.

‘Now you’ve done it, Remi.’ I thought as all but one of the lycans braced themselves, leaning forward slightly as they shifted their weight, preparing to charge at me with their white fangs glinting in the moonlight.

The only one who didn’t react was the largest in the center. He was easily half a foot taller than the others and wider, too.

He looked stunned for another moment before I lifted my hands to pat my thighs again. 

Only then, with my hands up in front of me, did he react.

His lips curled back, exposing his deadly canines as he released a vicious snarl in warning for me not to do it again.

Our eyes locked, and I could see the fury and bloodlust in them.

I should have listened to him. I should have stopped while I was ahead.

Instead, I pursed my dry, cracked lips and tried to blow air through them, “Pppphhhuuuu.”

The shaky breath that had meant to be a whistle was almost as humiliating as I was terrified, but like an idiot, I licked my lips and tried again.

“Ppp…pphhhhh…hhuuuuuu,” I attempted to whistle again, and the giant beast tilted his head to the side as if he were trying to figure out what I was doing. “Screw it! Here ,Wolfie! Come on! Good boy!”

The second my palms smacked against the tops of my thighs, a dozen lycans charged at me.

Had I not gone only a few minutes ago, before the bells, I would have peed myself.

Instead, I turned with a yelp of fear and sprinted further into the woods.

‘It would be really nice if I had a wolf right about now.’

The bitter thought lasted only a second, but even I could put my pride aside long enough to know that a wolf stood no chance for a lycan.

Each time I tried to lose them, there were more in my path, as if they were corralling me to go where they wanted.

The closer they got, the more panicked I became.

I should have stayed in the pack house. I should have stayed in the pack house. I should have…

My mind fell silent as the monsters that had been closing in suddenly melted away into the darkness, and I shook my head.

No! They couldn’t be going back! This couldn’t all be for nothing!

A glance over my shoulder confirmed that the forest was empty, and I listened closely for a moment for anything that would confirm I wasn’t alone.

“You came to hunt! Here I am!” I shouted as I came to a stop and turned around to face the way I had just come from.

Glancing around, I quickly spotted a semi-sturdy-looking branch on the ground.

I grabbed it, snapping it in half before holding both pieces in front of me, prepared to fight for my life.

Yet, I was met with silence.

I knew I wasn’t truly alone, though.

The pull I had been fighting for years was still there, humming in the background as if it were finally happy that I had listened to it.

Taking a step back, I felt a sudden whoosh of air, and I turned just in time to see the largest of the beasts going back into hiding.

Gripping the wooden stakes harder, I spun again as I heard another movement behind me.

“Come out here and fight me like a man! Leave my pack alone, you mangy freak of…" My scream was cut off as I was suddenly slammed to the ground.

The back of my head collided with a tree root, making my arms go weak as my vision blurred.

Even then, I was very aware of the sharp fangs pressed against my neck and the hot, wet breath hitting it as the monster stood over me, prepared to rip out my throat if I moved.

His heavy body pressed down on mine, threatening to crush me from his size alone. The thick, coarse fur brushed against my stomach where my shirt had ridden up, and the bright yellow of nightmare-inducing eyes had the smallest ring of blood-red around the iris.

I wanted to thrust the makeshift stakes into his gut, but my arms refused to move.

I whimpered as his jaw began to close, his teeth barely piercing the sensitive flesh of my skin before his entire body went rigid as sparks shot through me.

My breath caught.

I knew those sparks.

I had heard about them my entire life.

No.

No. No. No. No!

My horrified gaze lifted to the beast above me who was only a second away from killing me.

He couldn't be...