CHAPTER 02 - THE LAST HUNT

POV: CALLIE

“What? Why would I do that?” Orion asked anxiously. “Did you have another vision? Is something bad about to happen?”

“I’m not sure, but I need you to be safe… Please, I insist that you leave the pack today!” I pleaded. Even though I couldn’t see, I could sense he was hesitating. “Orion?”

“Alright… But what about you?” he asked, and I felt him stand up with a heavy sigh.

“I’ll be fine. Just stay safe—you’re like a brother to me,” I said, forcing a smile.

“Brother,” the Omega growled in distaste. “You better still be alive when I return to the pack!”

“I’ll do my best!”

I sensed he had left. In a prayer, I called out to the Goddess:

“Please, protect my friend and brother in spirit.”

I succumbed once again to the exhaustion of my wounds and awoke in my darkness to a sharp kick in my stomach. I groaned desperately, tears welling up as I sniffed the air. Among the scents, I recognized someone familiar—someone furious.

“You wretch! You made me look bad in front of the Alpha today!” he hissed, grabbing my fur and yanking me upward before delivering another brutal kick to my body.

“Me?” I whimpered. “Forgive me, Dante.”

Grabbing my head, Dante brought his foul breath close to my snout. I couldn’t help but wet myself in fear.

“Disgusting creature,” he growled, letting me go. “Once we’re joined, it’ll only be a matter of time before your life is snuffed out for good. Then I can have a real mate.”

“Like Esmeralda?” I snarled through clenched teeth, anger burning in my voice.

“Jealous?” he sneered, his cold laughter echoing as he grabbed me again. My body was limp and weak, no longer able to endure such relentless torment. “You’ll never be able to give me what I want or meet my needs. Look at you… not even the goddess had pity for a wolf like you!”

“If you make it through the night alive, maybe Esmeralda will give you what you desire,” I said with bitter irony, feeling the vibrations of the ground shift beneath us. The air grew heavier, and the scent from outside was thick with power, hatred, and blood.

“What are you talking about?” Dante growled, his fury rising.

“Dante? Have you prepared the prey?” the Alpha’s commanding voice boomed as his firm footsteps approached.

“Yes, my king,” Dante threw me to the ground as he answered the Alpha with vehemence. I trembled, understanding the weight of his words—my father wouldn’t leave me in peace. He wouldn’t wait for me to heal before hurting me again.

“My Alpha,” I whispered, trembling with fear of being reprimanded. “I’m not in acceptable condition to be a worthy prey for your hunt… I beg you, give me this night to recover.”

Something grabbed my flesh tightly, tearing through it as if ripping fabric apart. I screamed in agony, my body trembling uncontrollably.

“If you want to eat tonight, you useless wolf, you’ll have to contribute to the pack in some way!” My father’s foul, bloodthirsty breath made my insides twist in disgust. “Don’t disappoint me this time. You know how I feel about easy prey.”

His words sent shivers down my spine. I nodded silently, letting the tears flow freely.

“Yes, my king.” I whispered, resigned to my fate.

As I was dragged away, I heard the hushed whispers and laughter of other wolves mocking my situation. In the distance, I caught snippets of their conversation:

“Finally, the Alpha is going to get rid of the cursed one,” growled a wolf.

“Maybe then the Goddess will bless us again,” remarked a she-wolf.

At that moment, everything became clear. The reason the hunt was resuming, with the Lycan king himself chasing me… This wasn’t just another hunting exercise; it was an impending execution. My own father would toy with my fear and despair, tearing through my flesh before finally ending my life, breaking even my spirit.

I trembled uncontrollably, weak from the lingering pain in my body. They released me, their dark laughter echoing. I heard Hunter say:

“Run, prey. Let this be one last, pleasurable hunt.” He growled into my lupine ear. “I’ll give you a head start. Go on, run fast.”

Even though I was shaking, I began to run, stumbling and falling repeatedly. I stopped when I came across what seemed to be a hollow tree. I curled my small, wolfish body inside, tears streaming as my heart pounded erratically and frantically. Lifting my snout to the sky, I inhaled deeply, taking in the surrounding scents, and cried out to the goddess:

“Please, my Moon, I beg you, grant me a quick death with little pain… I can’t take this anymore!”

“Run to your destiny, my child,” the breeze whispered, brushing against my face and carrying a woody aroma laced with the freshness of dew. “Go… follow.”

“Destiny?” I murmured, just as I heard his growl.

“I can smell your repugnant scent; you cursed spawn of hell.” Hunter roared, his heavy paw steps shaking the ground beneath him. “Today, you’ll join your mother—that worthless wolf who couldn’t even produce a pup worthy of an Alpha!”

“Damn you!” I growled in anger, forcing myself to run again.

The breeze against my face grew stronger, and with every path I considered, the intensity of the wind pulled me in another direction. But his footsteps echoed closer and closer until I felt his overwhelming presence over my body, his weight pressing down on my back.

Hunter had found me. He leapt onto me, biting down hard. I groaned in agony as the pain surged through me, my body crashing face-first into the ground. Amused, the Alpha ground my snout into the cold forest dirt, reveling in my suffering.

“You piece of trash, I hate you so much. I should’ve killed you the moment you were born!” he roared, his voice seething with fury. “Since the day you came into this world, you’ve brought nothing but disgrace to this pack. I’ll correct that mistake by ridding us of you slowly.”

Grabbing my paws, the Lycan king broke them in half. I writhed in despair, groaning in unbearable pain.

“Father, please.” I begged, my voice trembling. “Just kill me!”

“Shut up, you inferior creature,” he growled. His powerful fist struck my face, dislocating my jaw, leaving me unable to speak or even growl.

His claws dug deeper into my flesh, ripping at my sides. My strength ebbed away with the thick red liquid soaking into my fur. His attacks no longer registered—I was numb to the pain, and I could feel the end drawing near.

“Useless prey. You can’t even last long enough to resist,” he spat. I felt something warm pour over my body, the acrid stench of urine burning against my open wounds.

“Now die!”

I gasped as powerful blows pummeled my skull, pressing it into the forest floor. In my darkness, blind and deprived of sight, I silently thanked the Goddess for sparing me the vision of my life being taken by the one who should have protected me as both a wolf and a father.