Chapter 25 : The Beast

♦Lena*

Xander was gone in an instant. I screamed his name, but it was useless. Bethany had just enough time to catch the bolstered knife he’d thrown at her before he disappeared in a blur of ripped clothing and fur, his wolf bounding through the woods at an impossible speed.

I cursed loudly, catching up to Bethany in two quick strides as she reached the edge of the mist-covered clearing, her eyes wide with shock, and ten or.

“I can't shift." I ground out. making eye contact with her.

She nodded, her dark curls trembling around her ears as she swallowed back whatever exclamation was at the tip of her tongue. She handed me the knife without looking at me. her eyes focusing on the direction in which Xander and the beast had gone.

I didn't know which direction we were facing. I could still see the boundary wall behind us. but that was it. In front of us was a seemingly endless, dark forest.

‘•The farm is this way." she said shakily, pointing her finger through the trees. “We can go back-"

“We can't leave him out here!" I protested, gripping the hilt of the knife as I took it from its sheath, tossing the leather on the ground. “We're going after Xander."

I started walking to the edge of the clearing, glancing over my shoulder at Bethany. She gave me a quick, tight nod. then followed.

The woods were dense and completely dark. It was nearly impossible to see where we were going even with pale moonlight filtering through the canopy of trees. Leaves crunched beneath our feet as we followed the frantic trail of scratched dirt and broken, low-lying branches that were left behind when Xander tore after the beast. My heart was in my throat as we walked, eventually meeting up with the boundary wall again.

for only a mile or so." Bethany whispered, pointing

which was nearly as tall as me. I could see scratch marks on the

effort that took my breath away. I wasn't the most athletic, but I'd managed just fine. Bethany

Lena. I can't see their trail any longer. I can pick up their

the woods, alone. Bethany was right.

began to take off her clothes. "I'm not a very big wolf though, so it

in Valoria as a child, my fingers tangled in liis chestnut-colored fur. I felt a rush of tears well in the comers of my eyes. I wondered, briefly, if I'd ever see him again, and how stupid I'd been over the last few years by putting distance between myself and my

of me in her wolf form, her eyes glowing amber in the faded moonlight. I had no way of communicating with her now. I'd have

climbed on her back, holding onto her niff with one hand while I gripped the knife with the other,

in a violent zigzag motion as we traveled through the forest for the last mile of dense trees and rotting, autumn foliage. I held on for dear life as she leaped over felled trees and tangles of thick brambles. She knew where she was going after a few minutes. I could tell. She no longer lifted her long snout to sniff the air. We were on their trail, and I

on in front of us. pockets of moonlight

was falling down on me and tightening itself around me in a terrifying embrace. The stars were sharp and clear out here, and several bunted an eerie red color above us as we finally

ridge that towered over the rest of the hills. There were no trees in sight, not a single plant or bush as far as the eye could

could with me fixed firmly on her back. I

sure what I saw when we reached the top of the ridge. Xander was pinned to the ground by another wolf, but it didn't look like any wolf I'd ever seen. Xander's teeth were white and reflecting in

into fists, trying in vain to catch my breath. My vision blurred, the

bearings just enough to roll to my side, looking down over the ridge at the battle taking place below... but

head over heels, right into the

my power to stop, but it was useless. My feet went right over my head one last time before I came

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