Chapter 2: The End is Here

The act was her last, final way of possibly escaping death, giving over and shifting as she heard the first guttural snarl erupt from a massive wolf's throat. Asta was barely even sure these were Shifters. Shifting in front of wild wolves would do no good, but if they were like her, perhaps someone would show mercy.

In one fluid motion, a young woman took the place of where the doe had come to a halt, crouching with her arms over her head to brace for impact. All that remained of her beast were her large animalistic ears, pinned to the back of her skull in fear.

The whole pack startled in unison, but the largest grey wolf in the front shook his furred body from head to tail, stalking forward with his teeth bared.

[What an idiot]

[All this and we can't eat her?!]

[Who says. She'll die a doe]

Asta couldn't understand the barking and growls, but she now knew for sure that these were shifters by their movements; and she also knew they were not all in agreement that they didn't eat fellow shifters.

Nearly without warning, except for a sharpening of his eyes, the grey wolf jolted forward, grabbing Asta in his jaws by her loose linen dress.

The Shadow's composure was gone, shrieking while she started to hit the wolves' face with her fists as she was dragged towards the rest of the pack.

[SHUT HER UP] a black wolf barked, rushing forward.

The next twelve seconds were a haze that Asta never did entirely slow down and piece together.

There was a yelp; a white blur of fangs and fur clouding her vision before she squeezed her eyes tight waiting to be killed. And when she allowed herself to inhale, that warm, lavender scent hit her like a wave again, except it was not in the distance anymore. It was right there, in front of her, a mountain of a white wolf shielding her from the rest.

There was no used deciphering the bickering that was going on between the pack, the white wolf snarling and barking the rest of them, a salt and pepper mix of every fur color imaginable, whining, growling, and howling back. All Asta could do was inch backwards. She considered shifting and running, but she knew she would never get far in the state she was in.

She hadn't realized how overwhelmed she was, until she felt a calloused hand on her arm. Asta had had her eyes closed tight, tears streaming down her face in desperation. Quickly she shot her eyes open, snapping her arm away from the man just as fast.

She was wild and wide eyed, staring into the face of... the person - the wolf- who scented of comfort.

He was a young male, his white hair tied back in a loose bun, pieces of it falling into his golden eyes that were locked into hers, unwavering. He wore the traditional leather of the wolf clan - they always wore dead animals, and stunk of it when they were shifted into their human form.

"Shh, you're okay," his voice was almost as rough as his hands, but he kept his head low, his eyes quickly diverting as to not cause her more fear.

"Let me go," Asta whispered back, her voice quavering so much he could barely make out the words.

Snorts and growls rose behind the male, his expression hardening as he whirled around on his brothers in arms.

"For fuck's sake Molaki, knock it off!" The largest grey wolf had shifted in frustration, raising his voice with clenched fists. "You've never cared before, get out of the way."

If Asta could dig her own grave and end it, she would have. 'Never cared before.' That meant this pack, even the white wolf on his own, had murdered Shifter Deer before. She wanted to be sick, her stomach churning.

The white haired male hissed, stepping back towards the cowering doe, keeping himself between her and the pack.

"I SAID, Do not TOUCH HER."

Despite her heart pounding against her ribcage, Asta was hit with a rush of calm, that warmth and lavender again. It was almost an ease, even if it only allowed her to hold her stomach down. At the same moment, the wolves in front of him whined, taking a few steps back, diverting their glances. It wasn't a full submission, but the sentiment was clear. They had all heard the order - except for the large grey, who backed up, but kept his eye's locked on Molaki, lifting his lips to flash his canines.

"Pathetic," he hissed. "If you aren't going to kill her, bring her into council and explain yourself."

"I don't take orders from you," Molaki barked, but his insistence only made the other man, somewhat older, stride forward, closing the space between them until they were almost nose to nose.

"The fuck you don't. Today I was the hunt leader. You failed the hunt. Get over yourself. Bring her in or I'll kill her as soon as you release her."

The angry male jutted his jaw out, snorting in disgust, before turning confidently around and staring down the other wolves.

"The rest of you, return home. If you find something else to bring down, do so, but go home and tell The Tri we're bringing in a Deer woman, alive, for ... some reason."

There was lip liking and tail wagging before they all turned in unison, loping off.

"Get her up. We'll walk."

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