The Heat #WATTYS2019

Chapter 26

     Leaving the Pack behind would once have been a very easy feat for me. I hated company and I hated slow people, not only physically but intellectually too. However, as my legs brought me farther and farther from the females I'd rescued, my heart sank. They had managed to weave theirselves around my stone heart and had sunken thorns of affection in it. I'd finally found friends in Sahara and Eclipse, and Dawn's admiration of me and her eagerness to learn were endearing. I'd miss them.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the distinct sound of paws crunching in the deep snow of the Wulf Fangs. I stilled. Who was there? Ever so slowly, my body relaxed into the snow, until I was frozen, but hidden out of sight. The wolf approached, followed by a quicker, lighter set of footsteps. A female. In a distracted corner of my mind, I wondered if she was there of her own free will. However, my survival instinct won over and I crouched even lower as I waited with a baited breath.

My sharp ears could clearly catch the sound of the two wolves' heartbeat. Weirdly enough, it was the bigger heart that beat the fastest. I distantly wondered why.

The larger set of footsteps crackled in the snow as they calmly walked to where I was. My whole body tensed, ready to fight.

Are you sure she's here? I can't see or smell or hear anyone, came a gruff, but clearly female mind-voice.

The one who had stayed back.

I can sense her, Etna. It's— it's like a feeling I instinctively know she's here. Beast is telling me so, the male responded.

His voice reminded me of something, but something I couldn't remember. No matter how hard I tried, grasping at the memory was like trying to catch a dream or keep sand from flowing between open fingers.

The female sighed.

And then, suddenly, a head popped up above me.

I didn't think. Instead, in one, powerful leap I grabbed at the wolf's throat, snarling and growling. He jerked back in surprise and the movement, coming from a beast such as himself almost made me lose my grip on his neck. He whimpered as I tore through the thick skin and reddish fur. I clamped down hard and forced myself not to let go as he swung his head from side to side.

Why aren't you defending yourself? the female asked, and over the sound of my growling and the wolf's thrashing I barely made out the crunch of the snow under her feet. She's less than half your size and she's missing an eye.

The reply came not long after, Yes, but she is the one! She holds Amarok's wild!

How interesting it was to listen in on them.

Suddenly, I let go. Without waiting a second, I striked again. This time I darted between his front legs and grabbed a mouthful of skin from his stomach, biting into it. He whined out in pain, and I smiled deviously in my mind. However, I had miscalculated my vulnerability under such a massive opponent because he plopped down in the snow, effectively smothering me. I struggled under his weight for a few minutes until the lack of oxygen made me let go. He stood up then, and I didn't think, rather jumping at him again. In one swipe of his paw, he wiped me off, like he would a pesky fly.

I growled low in my throat, a threatening sound that had never failed me. My hackles raised impossibly straighter, until my back was all puffed up.

She's cuter than Amarok. Amarok was this big white intimidating thing.

I snarled viciously, baring my sharp white teeth at him. He flinched back.

But somehow she manages to be scarier.

     I flicked my ears to the front and then back to show him I agreed, and then stalked to him. My paws padded silently in the snow and he backed away a few paces. My single eye took in his massive form and I froze.

     To compare the giant beast in front of me, one would have to cross a large wolf with a small lion. He had the long fur and body of the former, and the wild mane of the latter. The strands of hair were a deep crimson, like blood, or rose petals, and his underside was a creamy white color, like bones or vanilla ice cream. He, too had a blind eye, a milky blue hue, and the other was a deep, reddish amber. However, this was not any beast, or mutant wolf, no. This was The Beast, Teras, one of the Great Warriors who had fought against Luna under Amarok's call.

Who are you? I seethed in his mind.

     He plopped his butt in the snow and then lied down. The female I'd heard and seen came to sit next to him. She was average-sized, with a coat of medium to long sandy black fur. She reminded me of Sahara.

I am Teras, the Beast. I was looking for you. I did not think you would attack me, my Queen.

You thought wrong, Teras. I do not take well to being hunted. Why were you following me?

I needed to find you. Long ago, Amarok told us that when we get wild came back, we would be free to change Dimensions and that we should leave for the Wolven Dimension as fast as we could and find you.

     He bowed.

I am at your eternal service, my Queen.

     I liked that idea.

Call me Cassandra.

A/N) OH MY GOD I'M SORRY I COMPLETELY FORGOT TO UPDATE EARLIER!!
So, my best friend keeps telling me that Yonatan looks a lot like me (however, he's taller, no freckles, let pudge more muscle, blond hair...) and it feels weird because she doesn't know about my crush (I like to keep my dignity in front of Yonatan when I see him) and, yeah...
How was your week?
- Lexie

How did you find out about this book?

I wrote it, duh