Prey to the Pack

The horrifying realization about these three men is abruptly shattered. A massive, rough hand clamps tight around my bicep. The grip bites into my flesh with a brutal, bruising force, snapping me out of my internal panic. I wince, the sharp pain shooting down my arm as the freckled man physically yanks me closer to his broad chest.

"Listen to me," Kaelar snaps. His pale lips slowly curl into a sick, sadistic grin that sends a heavy layer of ice straight through my veins. "You’re in the presence of the future king. We demand respect. Kneel."

The entire cafeteria goes dead silent. The lively chatter from moments ago vanishes into thin air. Every single student in the massive hall turns to watch this terrifying display of dominance with bated breath. My heart pounds against my ribs like a trapped bird desperately throwing itself against a cage. The tension in the air is thick, suffocating. I know with stark certainty that if I submit right now, if I fall to my knees in front of these bullies on my very first day, I will have to endure being walked all over for the rest of my time at this school. I refuse to be their pathetic doormat.

Gathering every single ounce of my suppressed royal pride, I plant my feet firm on the linoleum floor and glare right back into his dark, angry eyes. I refuse to cower.

"No," I spit back at him, my voice echoing loud and clear in the quiet hall. "I don’t put up with bullies. Which, clearly, you are. So let me go, and back off."

Kaelar's pale face shakes with unrestrained rage at my blatant defiance. His nostrils flare wide. His iron grip tightens painfully on my arm for a split second, his knuckles turning white, before he shoves me away.

I stumble backward, losing my footing. I crash hard into Tessa, who desperately catches my shoulders before I hit the floor. I let out a sharp breath, steadying myself, but Kaelar has already turned his back on me. His twisted, menacing smile returns in full force. He dramatically shifts his attention to the surrounding crowd of eager, aggressive students, spreading his arms wide.

"We have our first hunt!" Kaelar announces loudly, his voice booming with unquestionable authority.

The words send a bone-deep, primal panic ripping through my chest. The massive crowd instantly erupts into feral hollering and deafening cheers. The sound bounces off the high cafeteria walls, a terrifying wave of predatory excitement.

"First one to make her submit, wins," Kaelar shouts over the wild uproar. He glances over his shoulder at me, his eyes gleaming with dark malice. "Bonus points if you take her down in the process."

Absolute chaos takes over the room. Students scramble to their feet, knocking over heavy chairs and abandoning their lunch trays. Their eyes flash with predatory intent, colors shifting in the dim light. I can hear loud snarling erupting from every corner. Several of them deeply sniff the air, their noses twitching as their supernatural senses try to lock onto my scent.

Tessa grabs my shoulders and shoves me toward the cafeteria exit. Her eyes are wide with sheer terror.

"Rhea, you need to run!" she begs, her voice shaking with real fear.

I know full well that their supernatural wolf speed massively outmatches my pathetic human limits. But standing still is a guaranteed death sentence. I don't hesitate for another second. I spin on my heels, slam my hands into the metal bar of the door handle, burst through the heavy double doors, and break into a frantic sprint across the campus grounds.

My exhausted muscles protest immediately. They are already sore and stiff from the morning's grueling ten-mile run, and now they burn with blinding agony as I blindly flee. A terrifying chorus of howls echoes from the cafeteria behind me, spilling out into the open air. I don't dare look back. Checking over my shoulder would only slow my pace.

I dart across a wide grassy courtyard, my heavy boots slipping slightly on the damp earth. My lungs heave, desperate for air. I scan the area for a place to hide, but the open space offers zero cover.

Suddenly, a massive, terrifying grey wolf with glowing, unnatural purple eyes leaps into my path, blocking my escape route. The beast lands heavily on the grass, its massive paws tearing up chunks of dirt. It bares its sharp teeth and snaps its powerful jaws at me, a low growl vibrating in its throat.

I sharply swerve to my left, trying to go around the creature. Before I can even take three strides, another snarling auburn wolf steps out from behind a stone pillar. Its golden eyes track my every move as it blocks me again.

Breathing heavily, I forcefully pivot and dart down a narrow, shadowed back alley wedged between two brick academic buildings. The air here is cooler, filled with the scent of damp moss. I push my failing legs to carry me faster, the shadows hiding my frantic movements.

My pounding heart sinks deep into my stomach as I hit a dead end. A towering, impenetrable chain-link fence blocks my only exit. It stretches way past my reach, the metal links thick and unforgiving.

Trapped.

I slowly turn around to face my pursuers. Four massive wolves advance on me. Their sharp teeth are bared in terrifying predatory grins, saliva dripping from their maws. A giant, imposing blonde wolf paces aggressively at the very front of the pack, its sheer size dwarfing the others.

Suddenly, a voice echoes directly inside my skull. It is a sharp, disorienting telepathic intrusion that makes my temples throb with sudden pressure.

"Submit! Apologize!" she demands through our minds. The voice is authoritative, demanding, and dripping with mockery.

I freeze, profoundly shocked that they possess the supernatural ability to speak directly into my mind while in their shifted forms. I bite down hard on my tongue to force down the rising terror. The metallic taste of blood grounds me. I cannot let them see me break. I refuse to show them fear.

"Or what? You’ll eat me?" I challenge aloud, squaring my shoulders. My chest heaves with every rapid breath. I keep my chin tilted up. "If Kaelar wants to play this little game, it’ll end when I decide."

The blonde wolf’s massive snout physically curves upward into a deeply unsettling, mocking grin.

"Good luck," she sneers in my mind.

Without another warning, they charge simultaneously. The ground trembles beneath their weight.

I react with pure, desperate adrenaline. As they close in, I kick out wildly and throw blind punches at their snouts. My fingernails dig desperately into the cold metal of the fence behind me in a frantic attempt to lift my body away from their snapping jaws. The metallic tang of rust fills the air as their teeth clack just inches from my boots.

The massive grey wolf rears up on its hind legs to bite my ankle, its jaws stretching wide. I track its movement, calculating the timing. I swing my heavy boot down as hard as humanly possible, driving my heel directly onto the grey wolf’s skull.

The beast lets out a loud, pained whimper. I use its heavy, furry head as a physical stepping stone to launch my body upward. My hands wildly grab the top edge of the chain-link fence. The sharp, twisted metal tears at the skin of my palms, but I ignore the stinging pain. I frantically scramble over the top, swinging my legs clear of their snapping jaws just in time.

I drop heavily onto the hard dirt on the other side, rolling to absorb the severe impact. I end up in a heap on the ground, dirt clinging to my clothes. Severely bruised, aching in every joint, but miraculously not broken, I hobble quickly to my feet.

"FUCK YOU, BITCHES!" I yell over my shoulder at the snarling beasts trapped behind the metal barrier.

I know they will easily find a way around the fence. I force my newly acquired limp into a desperate run. I frantically search the darkening campus for any safe hiding place as more terrifying howls pierce the evening air. Are they communicating with each other? Alerting the rest of the pack that I escaped the alley? I don't let myself dwell on it. I just need to keep moving.

I keep my head down, pushing my failing, battered body forward, focused on nothing but raw survival.

Then, a massive, immovable physical force suddenly collides directly with me from the side.

My entire world spins out of control. I am lifted off my feet before hitting the ground hard. The air rushes out of my lungs in a sharp, painful gasp. I blink away the dark, blurry spots threatening to consume my vision. My head throbs with a vicious pounding, feeling as though I have been run over by a speeding bus. I try to catch my breath, my chest heaving against the cold pavement.

As I groggily and painfully stagger back to my feet, a massive, unyielding hand clamps firmly and inescapably around my slender wrist. The grip is ironclad, locking my bones in place. I desperately try to shake my arm free, thrashing against the hold. I slowly tilt my head up to look at my towering captor.

Of course, it was Ares.

"Let me go," I hiss through my teeth, fiercely struggling against his unyielding grip.

He merely smirks down at me, unbothered by my frantic struggling. The faint scent of mustard still clings to his ruined white shirt.

"Come on, little human," he teases cruelly, his glowing golden eyes filled with dark, predatory amusement. "Just give up. Submit and recognize you’re nothing at this school."