The Hunted { old version }

Heart of Darkness

Faster. Elena. Faster. 

Thud. Thud. Thud. My heart thunders against my chest as I look over my shoulder into the darkness and then I turn back weaving left when I see a pair of glowing red eyes in the distance. 

Come on, you have to run faster Elena! I push my way through the trees plunging myself further into the darkness. Branches smacking me in the arms and scraping across my skin. I ignore it all as I propel myself faster weaving through the trees and jumping over hollow logs. I’m being hunted. Just as I knew I would be the moment I heard Mikhail’s roar. My mate wanted me but in what way I was unsure but I couldn’t allow him to hurt anyone trying to get to me. So I had told Dante that I would lead Mikhail away by acting as bait and that he could grab the guys while I corralled him somewhere far enough away. They would then follow my sent and take care of it. I left out the part where I was going to try and bring him back from the edge as I had done with Victor but he didn’t need to know that part.

A loud howl sends shivers down my spine and I resist the urge to look behind me as I run because I can tell without looking that he’s on my trail. My wolf seems surprisingly quiet at the moment and I can only wonder what the sudden change means but I can’t focus on that right now. My eyes look through the darkness for a small opening that will allow me more of an advantage over Mikhail because as things stood I was just going to spend all night running. 

My eyes catch something and I turn sharply and run in it’s direction. Fear begins to swell in my chest as I hear the sound of feet running behind me. I push myself a little bit harder tapping into my wolf a little more without shifting. I’m able to get just enough speed to keep a good distance between us. I come into the opening and keep running quickly as I spin on my heels and bringing myself to a halt. My muscles are burning and my lungs are screaming as I stand waiting for my mate to come to me. 

I stared at the tree as I watched the large black wolf stalk out of the shadows his eyes glowing in the darkness. I watched him cautiously as he took a few more steps into the opening and then stopped. We both stood there staring at each other and I wasn’t sure what I should do now. When I took a step towards him his ears laid back against his head and his lips peeled back into a warning snarl.

I decided to do the only thing I could think of. I slowly lowered myself to the ground, my knees digging into the wet earth under me. The wolf watched me still looking at me with those thirsty eyes. I never took my eyes off of him and then I took in a deep breath as I lowered myself further into a position that was one of submission, which was hard for me but my wolf seemed completely okay with it. I closed my eyes and waited. Either Mikhail and his wolf would accept this as a surrender or he’d kill me. 

As I heard him coming closer to me my heart began to beat harder in my chest that I was actually concerned it my beat itself right out of it. A low growl came into my ear and my body froze, just stay calm Elena you know your mate would never hurt you. He couldn’t—right? As moments passed self doubt continue to creep in. When I felt a wet nose pressed to the exposed neck I had to hold back a squeak of fright. He took in a deep breath smelling me and then I felt him growl before I felt his teeth on my skin. My eyes opened wide as they sunk into my flesh. My eyes immediately flashed to wolf and I let out a whimper from the feeling. He quickly released his hold on me and I reached up grabbing a hold of my shoulder as I looked up at him. I remained still staring into those eyes and I felt like I was staring into the heart of darkness.

Those eyes were staring down at me harshly as the wolf puffed out his chest at me blowing a hot breath towards me through his nose. Before I could gather my thoughts the sound of other howls echoed around me and I knew that the other enforcers had found me probably a lot easier now that the scent of my blood was in the air. They all came barreling through the trees together in attack mode. There eyes found me hunched over in front of Mikhail holding my bloody shoulder. They all seemed shocked for a moment and then they turned into blood thirsty creatures. 

Mikhail stood taller and pawed at the ground before he lowered his head and let out a loud growl that made me want to cringe away. So this what my mate had been trying to keep hidden from me. This raw and wild part of himself and while it was completely terrifying a part of me was still completely enthralled by it. My wolf seemed to be purring over the fact that we had such a strong and powerful mate even though minutes ago I couldn’t be sure that he wasn’t going to kill us. 

They charged forward towards Mikhail and he jumped in front of me and charged towards them. I watched with wide eyes as they bit into each other and tossed each other around. Mikhail seemed to be taking them pretty easily he tossed one of them onto their back and grabbed onto his neck with his teeth and I felt my eyes open wider, is he going to kill him? Luckily on of the other enforcers knocked him off by ramming him in the side. It was like I stuck in a daze as I watched them ripping each other apart then like a soft whisper I felt energy vibrate through me and it shook me back into myself. 

Getting a hold of myself I pushed myself up off the ground as quickly as I could keeping a hold on my wounded shoulder. My feet began to carry me forwards toward the fight, “Stop—“ I spoke but they couldn’t hear my voice over all the snarling and growling. “Stop!” I yelled more firmly but they didn’t seem to even notice that I existed. My wolf stirred inside me letting out a rumbling growl that no one was listening to me. They were going to kill each other if I didn’t stop them. Frustration and anger took over and I crouched forward and opened my mouth. A loud roar rumbled through the night echoing off into the distance. They all stilled immediately, even Mikhail stopped. 

“Shift!” I growled at them. They all remained perfectly still staring at me. I growled loud again, “I SAID SHIFT!” Quickly all of the wolves are shifting back into their human shapes even Mikhail is becoming human again. I don’t quite understand how I was able to get them to obey me but I don’t have time to worry about it right now. I quickly make my way to Mikhail who is trembling and holding his head in his hands. When I get close he growls at me, “Stay away from Elena!”  I ignore his order and keep closing the distance between us. “Elena!” Dante yells my name in a warning but I ignore that too. 

Mikhail’s head snaps up and our eyes meet and I freeze for a moment. His eyes are flickering between human and wolf and I know he’s barely maintaining control. He snarls at me and then shakes his head looking away with a tortured expression. My heart sinks at the sight which is all I need to refuel my courage and determination. I march the rest of the way over to him, “Look at me.” I say in a low voice but he keeps his face turned away. “I said look at me Mikhail.” I bark at him. He slowly looks up towards me and I can still see his fighting hard to remain in control. I stared into his eyes and then I slapped him hard across his face. 

The everything around us seemed to grow incredibly still after that even Mikhail’s body froze. “That’s for biting me you ass!” And then his body began to shake violently and I knew that his wanted release but I wasn’t going to give him a chance. I quickly reached out and grabbed his head in my hands turning him to look at me, “Don’t worry, I’m going to help you.” I say softly like a whisper and then I focus as I had when I was with Victor and Sarafina, “I hope…”

I felt it like an electrical current running up my arms and into my body. It was so much more then when I had been with Victor but I kept myself focused on Mikhail. I stared into his eyes and watched as disbelief and then awe took over his face. My wolf was quiet during the whole exchange. Finally when I couldn’t take it anymore I released my hold on Mikhail. I gave him a soft smile as my body began to fall to the ground weak from what I had just put it through. Mikhail’s arms were quickly around me and his eyes were still full of disbelief and awe, “What did you just do?” He asks me as my eyes begin to flutter shut, “No idea—“ I say before I fall into the darkness.