CHAPTER 01 - HUNTED
Her breathing was heavy due to the frigid air of the Colorado streets; her lungs burned with every deep breath as she desperately sought air during her relentless escape. In the distance, she caught the menacing sound of a whistle, accompanied by cruel laughter and a hate-filled promise.
"You can't escape us. We'll hunt you to hell, and you'll pay for your betrayal," declared one of the pursuers.
"Damn them!" Agatha whispered to herself, exhausted. "Why won't they leave me alone?"
Turning the corner and entering a dark alley, she believed she had found temporary refuge. However, before she could catch her breath, heavy footsteps approached. A silhouette in the darkness emerged in the form of a wolf, teeth bared, clearly announcing imminent danger.
"Please, leave me alone... I promise I won't reveal anything to anyone!" Agatha pleaded with the creature before her.
"Ah, my dear, we can't let you escape. You carry our victory against him, and we need the offspring!" roared the supernatural being, casting a cold gaze that made her tremble.
"That wasn't part of the deal," Agatha said, clenching her fists firmly. "It didn't involve an innocent. You used me!" she protested firmly.
"Did we use it? Haha, wasn't that exactly what you did to him? What do you think will happen when he finds out that you were an infiltrator who seduced him and bore his heir as a bargaining chip for another pack, just to gain money and power?" The tone of the being became even more menacing, urging him to advance toward her.
"You won't do anything if you can't find us!" Agatha caressed her belly, positioning herself defensively, ready for any attack.
At that moment, a wolf with warm brown fur lunged aggressively, attempting to bite and tear with its sharp claws. Agatha hissed as she skillfully dodged, quickly pulling out a powdery substance from her pocket and blowing it into her predator's snout. The wolf, now disoriented, sneezed.
"DAMN IT, WHAT IS THIS?" the enemy exclaimed as his vision blurred, causing him to stagger from side to side.
"A little gift from the witches. Return to the shadows from whence you came and tell the leader of the Blood Moon Pack that you will NEVER lay your claws on my son!" With that, Agatha turned her back to flee, but not before hearing his final threats.
"We will find you. We will kill everyone you love. Your fate is sealed, human."
Looking over her shoulder, Agatha could see the seriousness in his words before the Beta collapsed on the cold, freezing streets.
A few months ago, my identical twin sister, who had disappeared, returned without further explanations. She had us wear a necklace that emitted the scent of moss. Her justification was simple: protection granted by the reclusive witches of Colorado, acquired during one of her journeys around the world.
I noticed an increase in her weight and, consequently, in her restlessness. She seemed to live in a constant state of alert, as if she were being pursued by something invisible.
"Is something wrong?" I questioned her, watching her spread a shimmering purple powder around the house.
"I need to tell you something!" she exclaimed, her wide eyes meeting mine. Her countenance showed fatigue, something I had been noticing since her return. Her mouth was constantly dry, and her skin was pale and cold. None of that matched the 23-year-old young woman she used to be.
"You don't look well. You should lie down," I said, but stopped abruptly when I felt something wet at my feet. A puddle of water surrounded her legs, with traces of blood running down her skin.
"There's no time, I…Aiiiiiii," she screamed, making me rush to her side in shock.
"What's happening?" I asked in despair.
"I, I, aiiiiii. I'm in labor!" Her statement echoed in my mind. Pregnant? How could that be? How did I not notice?
"Pregnant? You must be delirious. I would have noticed."
"Forgive me, my sister. You wouldn't have noticed. I've been using frog saliva in your drinks to alter your perception, distorting my appearance."
"You did WHAT? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?" I clenched my fists, feeling anger rising.
"Aiii, it hurts so much… Please, please, Sophie, help me." She fainted immediately after.
"Damn it, Agatha, why do you always attract trouble?" I cursed her before taking her to the hospital.
The machine's beeps echoed, evoking frightening memories of the past when we received the call from the hospital informing us that something had attacked our father. " The beeps remind me of that terrible day. A call from the hospital... our father..." Local police claimed that the creature responsible was supernatural, but there was never any proof of this; the case was closed as a "bear attack." After his death, our mother went into depression, eventually leaving us.
Agatha was always impulsive; her irresponsible actions forced me to mature prematurely at the age of 18 and take care of her ever since. I gave up a lot of things for her, but I always made sure she didn't miss anything. Even when she disappeared, I remained faithful to our secret account, continuing to deposit money. It was for emergencies, a lesson we learned from our father, who strangely lived in a constant state of alert, just as Agatha had been doing in recent months.
"Where am I?" Agatha woke up from her fainting, groaning in pain. " This can't be a dream… The pain is unbearable, something is tearing me up inside!"
"Wait, I'll call a doctor!" I hurried, but she desperately grabbed my hand.
"NO!"
"What are you saying, Agatha? You're in labor. We need a doctor urgently." I point to her condition with furrowed eyebrows.
She squirms, screaming in pain. "Please, Sophie, listen to me... Please understand… AAA, it hurts so much!"
"We can talk later. Just wait!" However, she wouldn't let go of my hand.
"Listen to me. I don't know how to face it alone." His gaze was anguished. "But you are all I have now." I nod as I gently caress her hand, trying to calm her down.
"The father of this child… He is not ordinary, he is extraordinary, something I have never seen before. I was foolish.AAAAA!" Another wave of pain interrupts her.
"Please let me call the doctor. We'll deal with the idiot who got you pregnant later. I'll personally take care of him!" I smiled comprehensively.
"No, pay attention. I've changed… I've become almost superhuman to protect him. Furthermore, I need you to protect him and hide him because there will be those who seek him. Evil will pursue him."
"You're talking nonsense, Agatha. You're delusional!" I argued, but strangely, her words seemed lucid given the circumstances.
"Sophie, I made another big mistake, that's why I disappeared… I... I wanted to pay for everything you did for me. It was easy money. All you had to do was seduce him and sleep with him. It didn't seem like a big sacrifice." She grimaced as she shook my hand, indicating that another contraction was hitting her. "I tried to find out the truth about our father's death." She paused to take a deep breath. "I don't have much time..."
"The death of our father? What does this have to do with all this?" I put my doubts aside, I smelled deeply, and I looked at her seriously and said, "Stop talking nonsense, Agatha. She's in labor, not dying!" I shook her hands tightly, fearing the desolate look she directed at me.
"Regardless of what happens here, you're going to take care of this baby, put my necklace on him, and run. You understand? Never stop running for nothing, trust no one."
"You're scaring me, my sister."
"Promise me you'll do what I'm asking." Your breath became heavier and more irregular. " Please, Sophie... We always promise to protect each other. This baby is a part of me. Please protect him as if he were yours!"
Her words stunned me as she fainted. A whistle comes out of the device, and an alarm echoes throughout the hospital:
"Code blue, north wing, room 13."
Nurses and doctors rush into the room, pulling me aside as I remain frozen, watching in despair.
"She's in cardiac arrest!" cries a doctor, looking at the others.
"Emergency C-section!" They ran with the medical cart, and I drove them into a state of distress.
"Wait, don't take her. Please don't take her away from me!"
However, I am prevented from continuing when one of the nurses keeps me in place. It did not take long for a doctor to approach me; words were unnecessary in the face of news that my heart already felt. I felt as if a part of my soul had separated along with hers. I could almost feel his last breath, see his last tear fall, and hear his pleading whisper:
"PROTECT HIM!"
I breathed deeply, my eyes fixed on the doctor in front of me.
"Can I see the child? When can I have it?"
"I want to take it now!" I would abruptly rise from the chair that was once a paradise for my tears and prayers. "When can I have it with me?"
POV: SOPHIE
After the sad days that had passed, I assumed the painful task of taking care of my beloved sister's body and burying it next to our parents. A sense of abandonment engulfed me as I looked at the newly covered land, as if everyone I loved had turned their back on me. A protest erupted from the baby in my arms, provoking a tired sigh from my lips.
"All right, it looks like everyone left me except you, Conan," I muttered with a tender smile directed at the little being fidgeting in my hands. Soon after, tears burst in my eyes, and a single stubborn tear rolled down my cheek. " Yes, I know," I continued as I carefully picked up the baby and put him in the trunk in front of my chest. " I miss her, too, but now it's just you and me, the brave one."
A gentle smile touched my lips as I caressed the softness of the baby's cheek, gently swaying it to calm his restless spirits. As I did so, I would hum a soft melody, a reminder of the songs my mother used to sing to us as children.
Suddenly, a disturbing noise echoed on the other side of the graves, forcing me to turn abruptly towards the sound. My heart quickened as I came face to face with a pack of wolves emerging from the shadows, their eyes glowing with a hungry wildfire. Naked fangs and ravenous growls painted a terrifying picture.
"Wolves?" My voice escaped in a whisper of fear as I held Conan firmly in my arms, instinctively seeking to protect him. " What the hell are these wolves doing here?"
Desperately, my eyes searched for any support in the vicinity of the cemetery, but the landscape remained desolate and empty. Taking cautious steps back, I cast my eyes toward my car, which was not far away.
However, my movements did not go unnoticed. One of the wolves let out a piercing howl, almost like a command. The sound echoed like a battle cry, and the wolves advanced, moving with ferocious agility toward us.
"Shh, my love, it's all right. It's all right." I tried to calm Conan, who was mumbling in agitation.
My legs pumped vigorously as I tried to reach the car shelter, but a gray-haired wolf intercepted my path, jumping with bare fangs and aiming to snap at me. My bag was hurled hard towards the wolf's muzzle, causing him to retreat momentarily, but his eyes burned with intense anger.
My eyes frantically scanned the surroundings for anything that could serve as an impromptu defense. A stiletto, a gift from my father, hidden in my pocket, brought a flash of determination. I took it out and pointed it at the wolf that threatened to hurt us. To my horror, two more wolves joined the first, forming a menacing circle around me with their eyes fixed on me with predatory intensity.
"Damn!" I muttered through clenched teeth, my mind quickly recognizing the disadvantage I was at. The gray wolf attacked again, and in a swift motion, I dodged to the side, trying to avoid the attack. However, a second wolf silently emerged from behind, its paws slamming my back hard. Despite the impact, I managed to hold my ground, avoiding a fall.
A wave of burning pain spread through the wounds caused by the lesser wolf's attack on my back. Panting, I growled at the wolves with fierce determination, my words charged with a genuine threat:
"We will not be your snack!"
The wolves did not hesitate and threw themselves at me once again. I acted on instinct, avoiding one of his attacks and giving him a powerful kick in the mandible of the lesser wolf. A painful grunt escaped as the gray wolf approached the wounded, caressing him gently with his snout. A third wolf, with a layer of gray and black spots, advanced tirelessly. With few options, I ran towards the dense Goethe State Forest, seeking refuge.
However, the wolf's speed was impressive, and he caught me before I could get far enough. I felt his fangs sink into my ankle and acted quickly to protect the head of my faithful companion, Conan, from imminent impact. With effort, I dragged my body back, lifting a dagger in a defensive gesture. "You won't touch it, you mangy wolf!" He growled with a mixture of fear and bravery, closing his eyes with the wolf.
The creature's roar intensified into a menacing sound that almost seemed to carry a repressed laugh. His sharp teeth were inches from us, ready to part us. At the crucial moment, the wolf launched, its jaws closing around my arm. With my other hand, I took the dagger with determination to his hairy belly. The wolf's eyes widened, but he did not flinch, continuing to press his teeth against my arm in a brutal effort.
A cry of pain ripped from my lips, echoing through the forest as the wolf crushed my arm. Conan cried inconsolably, his anguish echoing through the desperate scene. With tears in my eyes, I cast a comforting look on his path and whispered, "I promised I would protect him, and I will protect him!"
Desperately, I struck a knee to the side of the wolf, which stood on top of us, using all my strength to push the dagger even deeper. The beast tried to release my arm, but I resisted, forcing her to keep her bite. Tirelessly, I continued to attack with the dagger until I felt the animal's body give way.
With an effort, I finally managed to push it aside, struggling to get up. My flesh was exposed and torn by the attack. With a soft and reassuring voice, I murmured to Conan:
"Shhh, Conan, it's alright, it's alright. Auntie killed the big bad wolf!"
But before I could try to calm the situation, the other two wolves appeared before us. The smaller she-wolf approached the body of the animal I had defeated, her actions showing sadness, and her tears seemed to blend with the fur. A desperate growl tore through the air as the second wolf stared at me with fiery eyes. With each step they took towards us, I could feel the intensification of hatred emanating from them.
My efforts to retreat were in vain, and my wobbly leg soon brought me down to the ground. I pleaded to the wind in a tone filled with hope: "Please, please, someone help us..." I stared firmly at the larger wolf, releasing Conan from the kangaroo and gently placing him on the ground. The wolves watched my every move closely. My trembling voice continued:
"I don't know if you can understand me... You can devour me, but I beg you, don't harm this innocent baby."
The wolves exchanged glances in a communication only they shared, and it didn't take long for them to advance toward me. However, before they could reach me, a new wolf suddenly appeared in front of me, its fangs grabbing one of the hostile wolves by the neck and forcefully bringing it down, ending its life in an instant.
Involuntarily, my hand went to my mouth, witnessing such a display of strength. The surviving wolf charged at its opponent, forcing the white and gray wolf to retreat and strike its paws into the ribs of its foe. A deafening growl ripped through the air as the white wolf attacked again, biting the gray wolf above the leg and, in a second strike, sinking its teeth into the opponent's face, intense red flowing, signaling the severity of the injuries.
The gray creature stepped back, casting a brief glance at the lifeless bodies and turning its gaze in my direction. With a menacing move from the empowered white wolf, the gray wolf vanished into the forest, fleeing to the safety of the depths.
The wolf returned its attention to the baby. Instinctively, I leaped over Conan, protecting him, and cried out, "Do not dare to approach. I have already taken the life of one of you, and I will not hesitate to repeat the act with you!" However, it continued to approach, and my vision began to darken due to the loss of blood.
Desperately, I addressed the baby, "Conan, forgive me." Tears flowed freely down my face, meeting my nephew's delicate face. Then, I turned my attention back to the wolf, my perceptions dimming as I struggled to raise the dagger. At the edge of my vision, I witnessed the white wolf transforming before my eyes, revealing a human form.