CHAPTER 01 - HUNTED

After the sad days that had passed, I assumed the painful task of taking care of my beloved sister’s body and burying it next to our parents. A sense of abandonment engulfed me as I looked at the newly covered land, as if everyone I loved had turned their back on me. A protest erupted from the baby in my arms, provoking a tired sigh from my lips.

“All right, it looks like everyone left me except you, Conan,” I muttered with a tender smile directed at the little being fidgeting in my hands. Soon after, tears burst in my eyes, and a single stubborn tear rolled down my cheek. “ Yes, I know,” I continued as I carefully picked up the baby and put him in the trunk in front of my chest. “ I miss her, too, but now it’s just you and me, the brave one.”

A gentle smile touched my lips as I caressed the softness of the baby’s cheek, gently swaying it to calm his restless spirits. As I did so, I would hum a soft melody, a reminder of the songs my mother used to sing to us as children.

Suddenly, a disturbing noise echoed on the other side of the graves, forcing me to turn abruptly towards the sound. My heart quickened as I came face to face with a pack of wolves emerging from the shadows, their eyes glowing with a hungry wildfire. Naked fangs and ravenous growls painted a terrifying picture.

“Wolves?” My voice escaped in a whisper of fear as I held Conan firmly in my arms, instinctively seeking to protect him. “ What the hell are these wolves doing here?”

Desperately, my eyes searched for any support in the vicinity of the cemetery, but the landscape remained desolate and empty. Taking cautious steps back, I cast my eyes toward my car, which was not far away.

However, my movements did not go unnoticed. One of the wolves let out a piercing howl, almost like a command. The sound echoed like a battle cry, and the wolves advanced, moving with ferocious agility toward us.

“Shh, my love, it’s all right. It’s all right.” I tried to calm Conan, who was mumbling in agitation.

My legs pumped vigorously as I tried to reach the car shelter, but a gray-haired wolf intercepted my path, jumping with bare fangs and aiming to snap at me. My bag was hurled hard towards the wolf’s muzzle, causing him to retreat momentarily, but his eyes burned with intense anger.

My eyes frantically scanned the surroundings for anything that could serve as an impromptu defense. A stiletto, a gift from my father, hidden in my pocket, brought a flash of determination. I took it out and pointed it at the wolf that threatened to hurt us. To my horror, two more wolves joined the first, forming a menacing circle around me with their eyes fixed on me with predatory intensity.

“Damn!” I muttered through clenched teeth, my mind quickly recognizing the disadvantage I was at. The gray wolf attacked again, and in a swift motion, I dodged to the side, trying to avoid the attack. However, a second wolf silently emerged from behind, its paws slamming my back hard. Despite the impact, I managed to hold my ground, avoiding a fall.

A wave of burning pain spread through the wounds caused by the lesser wolf’s attack on my back. Panting, I growled at the wolves with fierce determination, my words charged with a genuine threat:

“We will not be your snack!”

The wolves did not hesitate and threw themselves at me once again. I acted on instinct, avoiding one of his attacks and giving him a powerful kick in the mandible of the lesser wolf. A painful grunt escaped as the gray wolf approached the wounded, caressing him gently with his snout. A third wolf, with a layer of gray and black spots, advanced tirelessly. With few options, I ran towards the dense Goethe State Forest, seeking refuge.

However, the wolf’s speed was impressive, and he caught me before I could get far enough. I felt his fangs sink into my ankle and acted quickly to protect the head of my faithful companion, Conan, from imminent impact. With effort, I dragged my body back, lifting a dagger in a defensive gesture. “You won’t touch it, you mangy wolf!” He growled with a mixture of fear and bravery, closing his eyes with the wolf.

The creature’s roar intensified into a menacing sound that almost seemed to carry a repressed laugh. His sharp teeth were inches from us, ready to part us. At the crucial moment, the wolf launched, its jaws closing around my arm. With my other hand, I took the dagger with determination to his hairy belly. The wolf’s eyes widened, but he did not flinch, continuing to press his teeth against my arm in a brutal effort.

A cry of pain ripped from my lips, echoing through the forest as the wolf crushed my arm. Conan cried inconsolably, his anguish echoing through the desperate scene. With tears in my eyes, I cast a comforting look on his path and whispered, “I promised I would protect him, and I will protect him!”

Desperately, I struck a knee to the side of the wolf, which stood on top of us, using all my strength to push the dagger even deeper. The beast tried to release my arm, but I resisted, forcing her to keep her bite. Tirelessly, I continued to attack with the dagger until I felt the animal’s body give way.

With an effort, I finally managed to push it aside, struggling to get up. My flesh was exposed and torn by the attack. With a soft and reassuring voice, I murmured to Conan:

“Shhh, Conan, it's alright, it's alright. Auntie killed the big bad wolf!”

But before I could try to calm the situation, the other two wolves appeared before us. The smaller she-wolf approached the body of the animal I had defeated, her actions showing sadness, and her tears seemed to blend with the fur. A desperate growl tore through the air as the second wolf stared at me with fiery eyes. With each step they took towards us, I could feel the intensification of hatred emanating from them.

My efforts to retreat were in vain, and my wobbly leg soon brought me down to the ground. I pleaded to the wind in a tone filled with hope: “Please, please, someone help us...” I stared firmly at the larger wolf, releasing Conan from the kangaroo and gently placing him on the ground. The wolves watched my every move closely. My trembling voice continued:

“I don't know if you can understand me... You can devour me, but I beg you, don't harm this innocent baby.”

The wolves exchanged glances in a communication only they shared, and it didn't take long for them to advance toward me. However, before they could reach me, a new wolf suddenly appeared in front of me, its fangs grabbing one of the hostile wolves by the neck and forcefully bringing it down, ending its life in an instant.

Involuntarily, my hand went to my mouth, witnessing such a display of strength. The surviving wolf charged at its opponent, forcing the white and gray wolf to retreat and strike its paws into the ribs of its foe. A deafening growl ripped through the air as the white wolf attacked again, biting the gray wolf above the leg and, in a second strike, sinking its teeth into the opponent's face, intense red flowing, signaling the severity of the injuries.

The gray creature stepped back, casting a brief glance at the lifeless bodies and turning its gaze in my direction. With a menacing move from the empowered white wolf, the gray wolf vanished into the forest, fleeing to the safety of the depths.

The wolf returned its attention to the baby. Instinctively, I leaped over Conan, protecting him, and cried out, “Do not dare to approach. I have already taken the life of one of you, and I will not hesitate to repeat the act with you!” However, it continued to approach, and my vision began to darken due to the loss of blood.

Desperately, I addressed the baby, “Conan, forgive me.” Tears flowed freely down my face, meeting my nephew's delicate face. Then, I turned my attention back to the wolf, my perceptions dimming as I struggled to raise the dagger. At the edge of my vision, I witnessed the white wolf transforming before my eyes, revealing a human form.