Chapter 8: The Squirrel

Charlotte.

As soon as I heard that, fear consumed me. I quickly stood up and took cover behind Kali. "Please don't move a muscle," I whispered, trembling. Iris's presence was intimidating, and her eyes showed no mercy. I knew without a doubt that she would kill me if given the opportunity.

She let out a sinister and dominant laugh that sent shivers down my spine. However, Kali remained unfazed, observing her closely like a hawk. I couldn't help but wonder about their relationship. It was evident that they didn't like each other; the hostility in the air was thick.

 Iris stopped laughing and said, "You and I both know that you don't stand a chance against me. Remember, it's just the three of us here. If I kill you, no one will know it was me."

 "You're not the queen, you have no authority to take matters into your own hands," Kali defended.

 "Well, who's the strongest warrior in the pack?"

 She fell silent, unable to come up with a response. My heart raced, realizing that if Iris truly was the strongest warrior they had, Kali's chances of winning the fight were slim to none. And that meant certain death for me. The two of them engaged in a tense staring contest, and I took that as my signal to run. But before I could make a move, a powerful force slammed me into a tree, causing my bones to shatter as I collapsed to the ground.

 "I'm sorry, but I don't think you'll survive this encounter," Iris warned as she approached me. However, Kali stepped forward to shield me, which meant endangering her life as Iris could kill both of us as she threatened. Nevertheless, I felt grateful for her protection.

 "You'll have to get through me first," Kali declared firmly.

"Very well then, I'll take you both down together." In a flash, Iris charged towards Kali. Kali attempted to evade her, but Iris anticipated her every move and landed a powerful punch to her face, causing her to stagger backwards. Without giving Kali a chance to recover, Iris threw another punch, but Kali swiftly grabbed her wrist and knocked her to the ground. However, it seemed that the attack didn't do much harm, as Iris quickly got back on her feet and launched another assault.

 I watched in awe as the two of them engaged in a fierce battle, amazed by their strength and speed. I had never witnessed women fight so skillfully before; even many of the men in my former pack couldn't compare. Who were they, and how had they managed to remain hidden from the werewolf world for so long? I had never heard a single thing about them until today, but there was no time to ponder such questions. With both of them fully engrossed in their fight, I took it as my opportunity to slip away unnoticed.

 Once they were no longer in my line of sight, I sprinted through the forest with a speed I never knew I possessed until today. Despite my legs begging for a rest, I didn't dare entertain the thought, fully aware of the dire consequences that awaited me if I were to stop. It hadn't been long since I narrowly escaped death's clutches, deciding to finally let go and embrace life once again. I was determined to make it out of this place alive, even though it seemed like an impossible mission at the moment if I managed to escape death the first time. Who's to say I couldn't do it again.

 Suddenly, a voice interrupted my thoughts, causing me to freeze in my tracks. I looked up in the direction the voice came from, only to have someone jump in front of me causing me to flinch. It was another girl, seemingly small and innocent, but I knew better than to underestimate her. Instantly alarmed, I shifted back, only to feel another presence behind me. Another woman, also of small stature, stood there.

 I couldn't help but wonder why there were so many women in this forest. Surrounded by them, I realized there was nowhere to run.

"You're the reason why those two are fighting, aren't you?" the girl in front of me questioned. She had short stature and long, flowing red hair that reached her knees. I found her hair to be quite lovely, but refrained from giving her a compliment.

 "I have no idea what you're talking about," I lied, feigning ignorance. According to Iris, I had committed a grave offense. If these women were to find out, would they try to kill me too? I couldn't take that risk.

 "Oh darling, I saw you running after that squirrel," she chuckled, "You were so desperate to eat."

 I couldn't find the words to respond. From what I had learned, the squirrel was considered part of their family, and attempting to harm it was a crime punishable by death.

 "Who do you think we should hand her over to?" the girl behind me spoke, her eyes filled with danger.

 "Are you stupid? Obviously it's Iris. She'll come running soon, and we both know that Kali has never been able to defeat her," the redhead confirmed what I had overheard earlier. Was there truly no hope for me?

"Please, don't do this. I didn't know the squirrel was your friend. I would have never tried to harm her if I had known. I was just hungry," I pleaded, feeling like they were all insane. I could only beg on my knees, hoping to be spared.

 They both burst into laughter. "She's so adorable," giggled the redhead. She was quite pretty to me, but at the same time had a strange scent.

"And funny too," added the other one. "We could use a comedian, you know, since everyone is so depressed from being rejected. What do you think, Trinity?"

 "I think we should take her to the queen and let her decide," Trinity said. Without warning, something hard struck my shoulder from behind, and I was knocked unconscious in an instant.