Prey

SAMANTHA

I could hear the first snuffling as the sun was setting. A wolf had tracked me out here and was huffing near the tree.

"Get back to camp!" I heard Jaecar's voice. Growling in dangerous warning. Then I heard a thud and the sound of bones crunching.

A yip indicating the wolf was hurt.

Jaecar stepped into view and delivered another ruthless kick to the wolf’s ribs. "Get out of here!" He grated out. "My territory!"

The wolf gave a shrill whine and trudged from my view.

Jaecar's eyes were level with the peepholes again, but I could see now they were slitted.

He's feral now. I could tell just from looking at him. I'd never seen him like this.

Every year before I'd locked myself in the hut and he'd helped me fortify it and put on the extra locks so no amount of charging or digging would get the wolves into my domain.

Every year I was safe. Because of him.

Now I won't be...Because of him? It didn't seem right. It felt like the deepest betrayal.

He knocked aside the bit of wood blocki