Caged Wolf

Song of the Chapter: Ready or Not by Mischa Book Chillak

I’m lazing with Carl and Tucker in the grass when the storm front rolls over opening up the skies with light rain at first, from there it evolves into a full-on downpour. We retreat into a large cave where one of the humans uses his lighter to burn a group of sticks so they can see in the dark. My nerves are on end, Dusk and Victor haven’t returned yet and I can’t help but feel like something’s going on. Something bad is happening. I stand close to the entrance of the cave watching the rain come down when Crane approaches me with Hayley.

“Can you feel it too?” Crane asks me and I know he is referring to the bad feeling.

I’m about to nod when suddenly my bond with Dusk shudders in my mind and I collapse into a ball on the cavern floor grabbing onto my head as I scream in pain. The normal content connection I feel with Dusk shudders inside me with fierce pain before it falls into something completely different. I shake violently as if I’m having a seizure as I feel the pure wild urges being loosely shoved to me through the bond. I breathe as the pain eases and I stop shaking as I regain myself. My breaths are shallow gasps as Dusk’s own violent thoughts bleed into me. She’s gone feral, and not half, full-on. A haunting howl rips through the air as pained Wolf screams echoed to my aching ears. My heart begins to throb painfully in my chest as I blink open my eyes seeing doubles swaying above me. Crane crouches beside me with Garth and Carl hovering close but none of them are looking at me. They are all pale as they gaze out into the forest completely captivated by the noises they are hearing. I barely see Penny as she shakes Crane’s shoulder trying to get his attention as my vision blurs black.

“Crane.” I slur out trying to get his attention as I fight against the overwhelming feeling to go away into a darkness so I can find Dusk.

“Noah, what’s happening?” Crane asks looking back to me his voice creates an ache in my already throbbing skull.

“Dusk, she went feral, something is wrong. Help me up.” I command even though I feel anything but strong at this moment, standing is the last thing I want to do.

Crane doesn’t ask anything more as he helps me to my feet, I sway the moment he lets me go and blood drips absently from my nose. Quickly Carl steps forward at the same time that Garth does as they take my armpits over their shoulders keeping me up. I should scold them but I don’t instead I move us slowly out into the rain trying to lead us to Dusk. When my feet threaten to fail me I turn and look into Carl’s one-eye.

“Take me to Dusk, her urges are so strong I don’t know how much longer I can fight this off,” I tell Carl, a hint of panic flooding into my voice.

I’m terrified, it’s been a long time since I’ve been terrified. Dusk is feral and if we don’t hurry up I’m going to be joining her soon purely because it’s what our bond commands. If one mate is feral than the Wolf within the other can be driven crazy if they refuse to give in to the feralness. Carl simply nods and the earth begins to dip and sway as Carl and Garth run practically carrying me between the two of them. The rain quickly soaks through us gripping us with a sleek cold feeling. The closer we get to Dusk the worse I get, to the point that as we reach the edge of a ravine I turn vomiting violently into the bushes. The sound of complete battle reaches my ears and I make my eyes focus. Looking down into the ravine I see Dusk fighting hard against two Wolves that attack her relentlessly. One of them does it’s best to try and kill her but the other seems to be just trying to weaken her. I open my nose and try to take in their scents but the rain washes everything away. Dusk fights savagely, her jaws finally finding one Wolf’s throat and ripping it clear open. Blood gushes everywhere as my system shocks with a need for it. Dusk doesn’t stop there she completely destroys the already dead Wolf until bits and pieces litter the forest floor and the river runs red. The second Wolf lets out a terrible cry, a cry of the loss of its mate. A cry that shockwaves through my system igniting rage within me that almost causes me to lose control as my eyes begin to glow.

“Perry.” I seethe rage pouring into my voice.

Strength suddenly surges through me as I leave Garth and Carl’s help. I’m about to shift and launch down the ravine when Crane reaches out grabbing onto my shoulder.

“I know you want to kill him but you can’t give in, Dusk needs you. You are her only hope!” Crane tells me turning me so I am looking right into his eyes.

Crane re-centers my priorities as I shake off as much as the rage over Perry as I can. My eyes zero in on Victor who has scrambled his way up the far side of the ravine, littered with small cuts and fear flowing off him.

“Help Victor, I’ll get Dusk back,” I tell Crane before I shift launching myself down the ravine.

I land on Perry’s back with a hard force knocking the wind clear out of Perry’s body. He falls beneath me as I pin him down. Dusk growls at us ears pinned back, teeth fully bared as her attacker heaves for breath.

‘ Are you ready to finally die like you should have that day you forcefully kissed my mate?’ - I send Perry my voice menacing.

He whimpers beneath me sudden fear pouring off him as I beat him hard on the back with one paw causing a sickening crack as I break his spine. He crumbles beneath me terrible wheezing leaving his body. I step off of Perry’s body moving around him, Dusk lets me meaning on some level she recognizes me as her mate. Moving around Perry I squat down so I am eye to eye with him, his eyes are round.

‘ I really thought I would break her before you got here, but, then she went feral. At least if I can have her neither can you, not anymore. If you bring her back from this she will never be the same.’ - Perry’s demented thoughts laugh into my mind as he cracks a crazed smile.

‘Haven’t you figured it out by now Perry? Dusk and I are meant to be together, we always find our way back to each other. Dusk will come back and she will be different but so will I.’ - I reply easily as I submit to some of my rages, I can feel the wildness enter me the moment I let it as I go half-feral.

I lash out with my claws slashing Perry’s throat not giving him the chance to respond. His blood spurts into the wet ground signalling the end to one threat. I turn my head to the sky and howl my satisfying triumph. I’m surprised when Dusk’s voice joins mine supporting me. She moves to me and I can see the wildness within her actually isn’t her being feral. Dusk never went feral, she just let everything in. She let the darkness she was holding back help her, she utilized the worst part of her. I rub my head against hers as I let what I was fighting against flow into me giving me a new kind of strength. Suddenly flames ignite around creating an illusion to the outer world. Our eyes glow as our skin and fur fall away leaving white bone. The Hellhound revealed.