N. Walters - Alexandra's Legacy

The fine hair on the back of her neck stirred and a shiver skated down her spine. She turned her head slowly, careful not to make a noise. He was standing right behind her, a large brown wolf with dark brown eyes and very sharp teeth. He growled as he started to lope toward her.

Jumping to her feet, she ignored the shout she heard behind her, focusing on nothing but the animal in front of her. She kept the knife in her hand hidden by her side as the wolf raced closer. All her senses were heightened. She could hear the pads of his feet pounding against the ground as he ran. She could feel the breeze on her skin, the sweat on her back and the deep pounding of her heart. The forest seemed to recede into the background. There was only her and her attacker.

The animal took one final step and launched itself at her. She swung her arm upward with all her might and buried the silver-coated hunting knife in the wolf’s chest, aiming straight for the heart. She threw up her free arm, covering her face and blocking it from the animal’s large jaw.

She heard the yelp of pain, felt the gush of liquid as blood coated her hand. Leather tore as sharp teeth shredded the thick fabric of her jacket. Alex fell over backward, striking the ground hard. The wind was knocked out of her, but she managed to twist the knife deeper in the wolf’s chest. Claws tore at her jacket and she screamed out as he struck her bad arm.

The beast thrashed about and Alex’s already abused body took another beating as she fought to keep the wolf’s teeth from her throat. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, the wolf gave one final shudder and went limp. She lay there panting for breath, unable to move with the weight pinned on her chest.

She gathered her remaining strength and managed to roll to her side. The muscles in her arms and legs burned as they bunched and strained to shift the bulk of the large wolf off her. She flopped back to the ground, gasping for breath. She started to wipe the sweat from her brow and stopped when she realized her right hand and arm were covered in blood.

Alex rolled to her hands and knees. She sucked in a deep breath as her stomach heaved. She yanked off her jacket and cursed when she hit her bad arm. Using the lining of the jacket, she wiped off as much of the blood as she could.

It was only then that she heard the sounds of a fight in the clearing behind her. Joshua . She jumped to her feet and almost fell back to the ground again. She swayed and grabbed a tree for support, blinking as the world came back into focus. Joshua had shifted again and the massive black wolf was locked in a life-and-death struggle with two other wolves. Luther lay flat on his back on the ground, his sightless eyes staring at the sky, his head at an unnatural angle.

Although it made her stomach roil, she grabbed the hilt of her knife and yanked it out of the chest of the wolf beside her. What was it her father had said about how to kill a werewolf? Silver was poison. Breaking their necks or decapitating them would also kill them.

She stared at the knife and gave thanks that this was no ordinary blade, but one coated with a layer of silver. The shiny edge was now speckled with the blood of the creature on the ground. She’d never have been able to break its neck, but she’d certainly sunk the silver blade straight into its heart.

Alex swallowed hard and turned away from the carnage beside her. Reaching down, she grabbed Joshua’s gun from the pocket of her mangled jacket and jammed it into the waistband of her jeans. It wouldn’t kill a werewolf, but it might slow one down. Clutching the knife tight, she stepped into the small clearing.

The three wolves ripped, clawed and bit each other. Blood sprayed the ground as they growled and fought. Alex had never witnessed anything so brutal in her life. She swayed, but locked her knees. She had to be able to fight, to help Joshua.

Sucking much needed air into her lungs, she steadied herself as a deep calm settled over her. She and Joshua would defeat their enemies or die together here in the woods. Determination fired her blood as she took a step closer to the mound of growling fur that thrashed on the ground.

Joshua had one of his opponents by the neck, his teeth locked into the creature’s flesh in a death grip. The other wolf jumped on Joshua, sinking his teeth into Joshua’s black fur. Alex lunged forward and drove her knife into the rogue werewolf’s back. It raked Joshua’s sides with its claws as it jumped away.

Alex stumbled back as the wounded animal turned on her. The hilt of the knife was sticking out of its back. The wolf had moved so quickly, she’d lost her grip on her weapon.

Drawing the gun, she fired off the two remaining shots in quick succession. The wolf jumped to the side, but one of the bullets nicked him. Rather than slow him down, the regular bullet just seemed to piss him off.

She tossed the empty gun aside. She was on her own, weaponless. With one eye on the predator moving closer to her, she searched the ground for a rock or branch. Her back hit a tree and she stopped, but the wolf kept creeping closer.

The werewolf growled, saliva and blood dripping from its massive jaws. Alex braced her legs and got ready. If she was lucky, she could hold him off long enough to grab the knife from his back. Who was she kidding? She’d have her hands full trying to keep those large, sharp teeth from ripping out her throat. Not to mention the damage those long claws could do.

These guys were playing for keeps. Now that their leader was dead, she didn’t think mating with her was still on the schedule. Even if it was, she didn’t care. She was a fighter. If she was going to die then she was going to take this creature with her. “Come on,” she taunted. “Or are you too afraid to fight a woman. I’ve already killed a couple of you mangy critters.”

He leapt so suddenly she stumbled. She stuck out her arms and prayed for strength, as she was knocked backward. A low rumble seemed to fill the air and then the weight was gone from her chest. She turned her head and watched as Joshua dragged the smaller wolf away from her, his powerful jaws crunching the bones of the other beast’s neck.

She tried to sit up but fell back to the ground, swallowing a moan of pain. The wolf had raked her arms with his claws and they were bleeding. She watched, unblinking, as Joshua finished off the other wolf and dropped its body to the ground. The small clearing was littered with bodies, the stench of blood and death permeating the air.

Alex gagged and dragged herself as far away as she could get, which in reality was only a couple of feet. Soft fur brushed against her as she felt Joshua settle beside her. His tongue stroked over the torn flesh of her arms as if trying to soothe her. She gave a small hiccup—half-laugh, half-cry—and then began to cry in earnest.

Wrapping her arms around her wolf, she buried her face in his fur and sobbed. She didn’t cry for long, because in the back of her mind she knew they had to move. If these werewolves had found them, then others could as well.

Pulling her face away, she dried her eyes with the tail of her cropped shirt. Most of the bleeding on her arms had stopped. Hopefully, that meant the gouges weren’t deep, but just long and mostly superficial. Or maybe it was because her wolf was pushing more to the surface with each passing minute.

The massive black wolf lay quietly by her side, his chest moving up and down in a slow, steady manner. She came up on her hands and knees in a hurry, all pain and injuries forgotten. Joshua wasn’t moving.

She ran her hands over his sides and back and found several serious wounds. Jerking off her shirt, she began to tear what was left of it into strips and began to bind the worst of them. Joshua stared at her though his dark, liquid eyes, his expression unreadable. He’d taken on three opponents at once and won.