Life or death?

Jake's eyes shook seeing Erik run away. He could hear the sound of twigs snapping behind him and he tried to follow after Erik out of fear. His tough act of facing death in place of Erik instantly broke when he realized that he was really going to die!

Jake's instincts kicked in as he geared every ounce of strength he had to run!

His heart beat louder and louder as he looked behind him and saw that the flash of light was only a few steps from finding him.

" Hu! Hu! Hu!" Jake panted like crazy as he held his stomach that bled like crazy, his eyes bulged and his lips quivered in trepidation. He threw his hands madly in a frenzy dash as he sped into the woods.

" Ah!" However, he hit his leg on a thick branch and fell, unable to maintain his balance try as much as he could.

Jake landed face first in a thick bush and gritted his teeth hard in pain as he'd reopened his wounds. He looked to his side and saw his clothes stained with his blood that has a strand of dark green substance mixed within. It seemed like a potent poison!

Crunch! Crackle!

However, the sounds of footsteps rapidly approaching didn't stop. Jake looked behind him alarmingly to see the flash of light that peaked through the dense foliage through which he'd just fallen. In a last bit of effort at survival, he dragged himself across the floor towards a lush undergrowth to hide with a strained face.

" Ngh!" He bit at his lips to suppress his painful grunts as he managed to reach the bushy lushness. Jake rolled around the bush and his behind it. With the pain from his injury increased greatly, he looked down to see his state only to find it in a mess.

Crunch! Crunch! Rustle!

The footstep this time around was too near and the sounds of leaves rustling became clearer as it was just up ahead. Jake instinctively shot his gaze up and peeked through the slight openings in the bush to see the tall brawny man of domineering bearance.

Under the lighting of the bright tactical flashlight that he held in his left hand, his sculptured square-ish face was illuminated. He had a full beard with plentier strands of gray than black, and his deep black eyes pierced through the night sharply with a hint of frenzied coldness that seemed to take notice of every bit of detail in the surrounding as they searched about calmly. His long black unkempt hair was lined behind a receding hairline.

Jake sucked in a cold breath and his body trembled in fright as he nearly whimpered at the sight of this man. He recognized him.

' It's that crazy hunter!' Jake screamed internally as his eyes widened and trembled. He quickly held a palm to his mouth and cued to keep hiding amidst his state of terror.

However, he froze and shuddered when he saw the hunter's gaze fall upon his blood that was smeared across the floor from before when he'd dragged himself to his current hiding spot.Jake felt a horrid sense and he urged to piss and shit at the same time when he further saw the hunter smirk and trace the blood to where he was.

Just like that he was found!

He'd been so frightened that he forgot how the blood that flowed from his wound could lead a trace to where he was! He'd only hidden out of instinct to survive, Jake wasn't in the right state of mind to have thought about this problem beforehand. Besides, he wasn't used to this and had never experienced such a frightening encounter!

Crunch!

The hunter stepped forward with his tactical flashlight gleaming brightly at him behind the bush. The evil smirk on his face receded into a cold expression.

In a last attempt to at least save himself, Jake hurriedly turned around with the support of his elbow and he dragged across the floor in a hurried crawl, the pain from his wound lessened considerably from fear of dying. Jake's expression had changed from that of hurt to that of despair. He was going to die!

" No! No! Stay away from me! I didn't do anything!" Jake screamed with a shake of his head as tears formed in his eyes as the hunter's steps drew closer and closer to him. It sounded like the toll of death chiming right behind him as his spine froze, every hair on his body stood as his claws grew and his whole being grew beastly out of instinct.

In the vast darkness and creepiness of the surrounding forest with the only source of lighting being his tactical flashlight, the sight of Jake shifting into a 6ft long beast as his bones contort and snapped and his muscles bulged and twisted as furs that stood on ends emerged from beneath skin that became hide, should have scared the staid-looking hunter. However, as Jake's shifting werewolf's face contorted in agony, with his eyes attaining a wild untamed glimmer and his nose elongated into a canine-like snout, the hunter remained calm and collected. He seemed to scoff when he kicked his feet at Jake's stomach which still had the ghastly wound from before.

" Ow!" Jake who had shifted into his werewolf form out of desperation to survive one last time, and had swung his right front leg claw at the hunter, howled in a hurt shriek as he fell back down in a heavy slam.

Thud!

He groaned and squirmed on the floor in pain as he was left lying effortlessly as he found himself unable to move anymore. He had been hit right at the spot of his wound. Tired, exhausted and in extreme pain, he lost the ability to maintain his werewolf form as he shifted back into his humane form. He held a hand to his wounds as he looked weakly at the hunter that now towered above him. Fear and apprehension overwhelmed him!

The hunter with receding hairline looked down at Jake with a cold condescending gaze. He raised his feet and gently swept Jake's hands away from his wound before pressing the sole of his boot on his injury!

" Aaah!" Jake cried out in pain as he felt an unbearable sting permeate through his being. He was brought back to his senses by this sharp pain and when he would regain composure of himself, he found himself facing the muzzle of a revolver with a strange ominous silver gloss

Jake felt a cold sweat break down his spine!

He could only clench his teeth and contort his expression in pain as the hunter pressed his foot even harder at his wound as he didn't dare take his eyes off the revolver.

" Huff! Huff!" Jake breathed heavily through gritted teeth and glared madly at the man standing above him. Despite the feeling of fear that overwhelmed his being and the pain seething through his being, which made him quiver uncontrollably, Jake still wouldn't let us without resistance. Being an Alpha himself, he refused to not show defiance towards the hunter, even at the cost of his life.

' At least I wouldn't have to die the death of a dog... Erik is safe too!' Jake thought as he pressed his forehead forward on the revolver's muzzle in a bid to showcase toughness, despite how grave his heart sunk. It was an instinctive reaction of an alpha towards being hunted.

The hunter scoffed once again and kicked his leg back with the aim to stomp Jake in the face.

Prr!

However, just as his leg neared Jake, a vibrating ring reverberated through the dark woods in a loud echo, causing the momentum of his kick to reduce considerably.

Thud!

" Mff!" The hunter stepped on Jake's neck nevertheless, pressing the latter's head on the ground before reaching in his pocket. Jake who had thought he'd definitely be knocked out from the kick just now couldn't help but be stomped at what was happening...

" What is it?" He heard the hunter say following a soft click. He was making a call!

Jake felt a deep dent in his pride and he couldn't help but be infuriated. As an alpha, if his park ever got to hear that he was hunted this way, he'd probably have to die committing suicide from the embarrassment.

" Yes, speaking..." The hunter's voice was cold and hoarse.

' However, I should find a way to use this opportunity...' it was unknown whether it was due to the anger or the excruciating pain that bore on him, Jake seemed to have regained his rationality at the moment and couldn't help but start thinking of ways to escape.

' I can't subdue him in a physical endeavor. I'm too hurt and have lost too much energy. Besides, escaping in this state is fruitless. Despite him making a call, he surely isn't letting his guard down...' As he thought, Jake tried to push himself up but he only got pressed down again by the hunter's strong foot which was now pressed on his face.

" Okay, will meet up once I'm done here" The hunter said and cut the call afterwards. He calmly put his phone back in his pocket while still trampling Jake who struggled and resisted his foot that stomped on the latter's face.

His eyes flashed a cold glint as he reached out his left hand that held the revolver once again and aimed down at Jake.

" Wait! Wait! P-please!... Don't kill me. I can- I can help!" Jake begged when he saw the revolver was pointing at him again. He didn't know where the thought came from but he was willing to survive at all cost. As to what help he could offer, Jake didn't even know what he was rambling about. Jake just looked up from beneath the hunters boots as he begged through ragged breath and bloodied face.

The hunter was silent for a long while as he stared down at Jake. He seemed to be in deep thought as his motion ceased.

...