The Lycan's Prey

I looked up at the stars twinkling in the sky, a sight of wonder before me. The full moon was high in the air, casting its silvery glow on the trees as they stood bare. Thick snow covered the ground like a blanket. A sigh of relief comes out as a puff of smoke, as I looked to the sky. The relief didn't last long, however, as I heard the voices and the shouts of men in the distance. Shifting at this point made no sense as it would slow me down, so I just ran; as I've been doing for nearly eight months now. I haven't seen a bed in three of those months as the cold hard ground had been where I'd been sleeping.

The cold winds shot straight to my bones, but as adrenaline pumped through my veins, it gave me the boost I needed to put some more distance between me and the bounty hunters. Each step was a battle as the thick snow felt as though it was trying to grab ahold of me.

Suddenly, a shadow zips past me. He'd been far faster than the others. I turned in the opposite direction, not slowing down. I knew he'd gain on me even more if I did. There was no doubt in my mind that he was a Lycan. I decided to climb a tree once I'd put enough distance between us and his range of sight. I clung to the tree like a Koala praying he couldn't hear my heartbeat with his heightened senses. My Nose seemingly did not get the message of how stealth I needed to be as a sneeze escapes my lips. The world seems to pause for a moment as our eyes made four. A smile spreads across his lips as if to say 'got ya' as he stalked towards me.

I accepted my fate, but as the winds shifted directions pushing his scent towards me, my breath hitched, and I felt the moment the realization of what we were to each other hit us. Everything around us stilled as we looked to one another. Fate had been cruel, placing the man who was out to capture me as my mate.

Our intertwined fates hit harder than any pursuit or fear. His predatory instincts seemed more primal as he drew nearer. I braced myself for his approach, the inevitable capture I'd resigned myself to. However, whether it be the capture of my heart or of me, I wasn't intent on letting him capture either. After all, he was still a bounty hunter that had been after me. The pounding of my heart echoed the urgency of the moment, a steady rhythm in sync with the rapid pace of my footsteps as I fled deeper into the veil of the barren forest.

The moon cast ethereal beams of light, making the forest feel as if it were glowing, guiding my escape as I navigated the labyrinth of trees. Each step carried me further away from the magnetic force, drawing me towards an uncertain future fraught with peril and uncertainty. Where was I meant to go to escape my mate?

The faint echoes of his footsteps reminded me of his presence. As the night enveloped me, I disappeared into the wilderness, a lone figure running in the still quiet night. Fatigue clawed at my limbs, threatening to betray my resolve. As I drew closer, the glimmer revealed itself as an old run-down cottage nestled within a secluded clearing. It stood as a solitary beacon of hope in this desolate expanse. Relief washed over me at the sight, mingled with cautious optimism. Perhaps here I could sort my racing thoughts and calm my howling wolf.

I approached the cottage, my senses on high alert for any sign of danger. The wooden door creaked open at my touch, revealing a modest interior. Firewood was stacked beside a fireplace, and I made my way over to it and started a fire with the lighter I always kept on me. Even though my wolf keeps the two of us warm, we were tired and mentally and physically exhausted. The extra heat would be nice.

The fire crackled to life, flames casting a comforting glow across the room, revealing the simple dust covered furnishings. It felt both unfamiliar and strangely inviting; a haven veiled in mystery.

Before I could fully grasp the tranquility of the moment, a rustle outside shattered the stillness, jolting me back to the imminent threat of pursuit. I instinctively sought a cover behind a heavy oak table, heart hammering in my chest. The door swung open with a force that rattled the old door. The silhouette of my relentless pursuer framed the doorway. His figure loomed in the threshold, eyes scanning the room with an intensity that made my breath catch. I knew that he knew I was here. His scent was strong in the air, and no doubt mine was as well. Time seemed to freeze as our gazes looked once more.

"Please," I whispered, the word escaping my lips as a plea for understanding of the situation. He hesitated , caught in his own conviction and the mate bond.

"I won't harm you." he spoke, his voice soft yet tinged with the weight of the oath he'd sworn, a conflict mirrored on the depths of his gaze. I held my breath, torn between caution and a flicker of trust that dared to blossom. With a solemn nod, he took a deliberate step back until he was out the door, a silent promise of temporary retreat. It was a fragile truce; an unspoken agreement between predator and prey in this tangled web of fate. As the door closed behind him, I was left alone once more, enveloped in the quiet embrace of the cottage. I got up from my hiding spot, deciding to get some form of rest before I started moving again. I moved closer to the crackling flame, drawing in as much heat to myself as possible. I could still sense his presence nearby, and maybe he could hear me when I say, "Thank you, but I have to go when the morning comes!" It felt strange shouting this into the dead night. I curled up in front of the fireplace and slept until the first rays of dawn rose. I looked around for any sign of my mate, only to see a bag propped against the dying fire. I rushed to it and saw a flashlight, a sandwich, a bottle of water and a knife. The bag contained his scent, and I knew he was the one who gave this to me. I quickly ate the sandwich using the water to wash it down whenever it got stuck in my throat. With food in my belly and my mate's backpack on my back I scanned the horizon looking for any potential threats, or maybe even him but his lingering scent was almost faded and I knew he was probably long gone. I readied myself and headed for the thicket and underbrush of the forest.

As I fought my way through the wild terrain, snow fell, making me feel cold. I stopped a moment to catch my breath and calm my wolf. She couldn't get over the fact that he'd left us before we had a chance to leave him. I just wondered if the bag was a gift saying he'd stopped pursuing me. Though I doubt that was the case.

The events of the night lingered heavy on my shoulders. I'd met my mate and it so happened that he was a bounty hunter after me. Then he allowed me to get away. The remnants of his scent still clung faintly to the backpack, a bittersweet reminder of how I couldn't let him find me again. Next time he may just capture me and bring me in.

Even though for now I was assured of my safety because of the belief I held that he mislead the other hunters after me but the fact still remained I was a wanted person in a land full of werewolves who could maybe smell me from a couple miles away. The sun had fully risen now and I pressed onward hoping to get to a town to stalk the new bag I carried and hide out for a while.