I noticed that some of the mothers looked at me, a bit hesitant, and began to whisper among themselves. Ruda stepped forward, ready to begin the task.
He was a skinny, tall boy, about twelve years old. His skin was light brown, with brown hair and large, expressive green eyes.
“I’m ready, Miss Mihaela,” he announced, determined.
Mihaela smiled warmly at the little wolf and pointed in the direction he should go…
“You’re free to go,
Ruda. Find the lamb meat to complete the task.”
Smiling, all excited, he started ninning in the indicated direction. Alexandra moved, and I followed her, ignoring the glaring looks.
I could smell the meat and knew exactly where it was hidden. Twenty trees away, on the left branch. I also smelled other fresh foods, like cheeses and poultry and beef
We moved through the forest, going far beyond Fenrir’s teritory,
“I didn’t know you could leave the territory,” I said, jumping to the side and avoiding a branch.
I tried to make as little noise as possible so I wouldn’t distract Ruda. Alexandra and I were in charge of the pup, so I was hoping he would win the challenge.
“Only this way we can complete the task. Too close to the village, they could get confused by the smells. It’s done kind of in stages. This is their first time, so they’re looking for something with a strong, specific scent, far from anything that could interfere. Next time, it will be closer to the village, but nothing so obvious.”
Ruda stopped midway, raised his face, and flared his nostrils, taking a deep breath. He waited a few seconds before running in the direction the scent came
from.
I looked around, feeling a bit strange for being so far from the village. The shadow of Hunter’s wolves still terrified me. Only then did I realize how used had gotten to the sense of protection that Dâneşti provided.
The boy changed direction, disappearing behind the thick trunk of a tree. He was going in the opposite direction. My tongue tingled, but I didn’t interfere, just like Mihaela told me not to.
“We always get confused the first time, Alexandra mocked.
We quickened our pace, trying to catch up with him. My heart pounded in my chest when the scent of another wolf hit me. It wasn’t Ruda’s scent, nor was it from the Dineşti pack…
Alexandra felt it too. She looked at me, wide–eyed. We passed the trunk where Ruda had disappeared.
He was there, but he wasn’t alone.
A tall, strong male held him, covering his mouth with his hand. He looked at me and smiled.
“Finally, Savannah. You have no idea how much Hunter is eager to see you.”
I couldn’t move, completely panicked.
Being caught by Hunter was my greatest fear, the thing that terrified me most in life. Of all the fates awaiting me, that was the worst.
Another wolf jumped, falling from the high branches behind me and grabbing Alexandra with force. She screamed and tried to break free from him.
“Fenrir will crush your” she yelled, struggling with the male.
mad to take me back
She licked and punched, trying to hit him. He dodged every blow. He was unlike the others, trained for this. Hunter saw how difficult it ta and was sending trained males, prepared for it.
Panic spread through my veins, raising the hairs on my skin and making my blood run cold.
“Come on, dear, willingly, or I’ll kill your little friends,” he threatened, pulling Ruda’s head.
I extended my arm and took a step
forward.
“No, please,” I begged.
I would never beg for my life, not to Hunter. But… Ruda was just a pup, a little wolf on his first mission, just learning to detect scents.
The alpha holding him was a bloodthirsty, heartless monster, ready to kill him, ready to take the life of an innocent boy, if it meant he could get his hands on me. All to please a ruthless, immoral alpha.
Then come on, we don’t have time,” he said. He looked around, and I noticed fear in his eyes.
He was afraid of Fenrir.
I could vomit at any moment. The food in my stomach seemed to be turning, ready to come back up from the same place it had entered.
He pulled Ruda’s neck a bit more. The pup seemed terrified but tried to stay strong, not screaming or begging for his life, just like a true alpha would
Ruda was a brave boy, and he still had much to live for.
