Chapter 41

A pair of gleaming yellow eyes. Bristling fur, black as coal.

And a row of teeth like little white knives flashing towards my throat.

I jump off the bench in a heartbeat, and I hear the sharp snap of the wolf’s jaws closing on thin air, in the exact spot I was a moment before.

I land hard on my back, knocking the air from my lungs. For a second everything’s a blur; I see the stars swimming in and out of focus between the swaying tree branches above me.

A shadow moves into my vision, blocking out the starlight.

I need to move. Now.

But before I can spring into action, strong arms are around me, wrapping me up, lifting me onto my feet.

“Are you ok?” A familiar voice asks.

It takes a moment for my vision to clear.

I step back, ready to bolt.

The face I see