The Beast And The Blessed

Ninety-Four: Natalie

Natalie's P.O.V.

The sound of wolves and other creatures trampling through the forest was oddly quiet. The muffled and skilled footsteps of warriors quickly covering the distance to the mountains felt like the timer of a bomb slowly ticking down to zero.

The humans would be driven in with the other witches, the medical equipment, and the healers later that night. But those that could run did.

A fleet of wolves and Lycans sprinted through the trees like a tidal wave, ready to take down anyone in its path. The council had teleported with Joselin and my mother to their positions to block Talia and her coven of witches from being alerted of our presence before we were ready for them to know of our arrival.

The plan to siphon their magic from them had long been thrown away as it wouldn't do enough damage to be impactful with our limited time. Instead, they masked the enemy, forcing them into a bubble to keep them blind to the outside world. We didn't know how long it would hold, but we hoped it would last through our journey.

We would camp several miles south of them tonight while scouts surveyed the area. At sun-up, we would attack.

My white fur rubbed against Killian's leg for only a moment as we ran before he moved away again. It was like he was working on a timer to brush against me or to have his knuckles touch my back or side every thirty minutes as if he wanted to confirm that I was still here with him and that I hadn't fallen behind.

It was strangely quiet in the pack link. All of their emotions had been pushed down. Killian hadn't entirely placed the wall like he did the last time he was here, but it still felt like there was a thick collection of water between us, muting everything.

I had tried not to focus on those around me. Still, every now and then, I would wonder which one of the wolves running amongst the thousands was my father and if I would even need to decide about meeting him when it was all over. We would both have to survive for that.

A poisonous, almost sour smell made me slow, and the pack followed suit.

communicating. Their primal beasts were talking instead of their humans through the link, and I was slightly jealous that I wouldn't understand

or if it was just their animals communicating with

noise down.' Killian

scouting a place to settle in for the night while the newcomers

and choose where we would sleep. I had never run so far or fast in my fur before, and my legs were

get here, and night had fallen hours ago. The good news was that

to our enemies, having no idea

pack, and I could see in the way his eyes fogged over that he was giving orders through the pack link. I couldn't expect him to comfort me today. He had to be a

as I observed our people, taking in every face. It would be the first and

had shifted and changed into

before, and it put me at ease knowing that they weren't concerned. They had either accepted their fate or trusted

a group of familiar barbarians. They wore their weapons with pride, and Charlie sat beside Damien as she chewed on a stick of dried meat with a smile as she

is what she

man was standing behind them but wasn't watching the boisterous group. He was watching me. His dark brown hair was easy to see between the moonlight and the enhanced vision of my wolf, and I felt my heart drop as I saw the same green eyes that looked back at me

Could it be him?

shook my head, looking away to find Killian's beast breathing deeply as he glared from me to the man. Whatever he saw, he didn't like. He moved quickly to stand between us, blocking me from the

it wasn't the last I would see of the man.

reason to come looking for me. I mentally kicked myself for letting my subconscious get the best of me. It wouldn't be surprising if I had even hallucinated

Killian's back, wanting to see the man again