26. Hunting

After saying goodbye to my friends, I head to the secret tunnel and follow Anna's instructions.

In less than five minutes, I find myself in the forest.

I scan the area to make sure that no one is near, and I start running as fast as possible.

A loud howl fills the air making the hair on my back stand up.

I knew it was Mateo. He should have found out that I escaped.

My breath caught in my chest as I pushed harder through the dark forest. Without Ivy, I was just a weak human. And even softer after being sent to the unconscious and beaten senseless.

I heard the leaves crunching behind enormous paws, and I suddenly turned right, hoping this would slow the beast.

The broken branches and harsh terrain made me trip and fall to the ground.

"Fuck!" I said when I realised he will be here any second now.

Struggling to get up as one of my ankles was broken, I am thrown a few feet away, hitting a tree trunk.

All the air was pushed out of my lungs, and I felt how one of my broken ribs almost perforated them.

Holding my torso with an arm, I push myself from the ground using the other.

In front of me, a vast grey wolf was growling, ready to attack.

He took a step forward, showing off his canine.

His hot breathing makes my heart stop for a moment. I knew deep inside that he won't kill me as this is not part of his evil plans. But it doesn't mean he will not hurt me.

I take a step back, looking around to see if there is anything that could help me. As expected, I came to nothing, so I started laughing. It seems like all my life is a sick joke, after all.

"What are you going to do now, Alpha Mateo? Will you bite my head off? Will you rape me? Kill me? Torture me? What? What is next?!"

I yell, laughing with tears streaming down my cheeks.

I thought that I saw compassion in his eyes for a moment, but the hope died when he sunk his canines into my right shoulder.

I screamed in agony but didn't fight back. After all, what chances do I have to defeat him? Wasting all my energy is not a great idea.

He bites again, only this time on my leg, lifting me in the air. I felt how all the blood was going down to my head, blurring my vision and making it hard for me to breathe.

He throws me again, and I land on the dried leaves and branches.

I couldn't breathe at all. My body was numb, and my vision fogged.

A memory of Oren's warm eyes makes me smile. But the smile transforms into a violent, bloodied cough.

I got in a sitting position and noticed a branch was sunk into my torso.

"Well, not long till there now, Mateo! Just be a man for once and kill me! Do you hear me?! Kill me, you fuck!"

He shifts back and steps towards me in all his naked glory. I'm sure if the bond wasn't broken by now, it will be hard for me to focus on the matter at hand.

"You are hurting me, Mate! What kind of person do you think I am? I do not kill women! But I will imprison them!" he said with a sick smirk.

His bloodied mouth made him look more like a monster now.

"You are sick, Mateo! You and that bitch of your sister!"

"I might be! But what are you going to do about this, uh? Trying to convince me with your nice words?" he asks and starts laughing.

I knew the river should be close, so with my last strength, I tried to do what I knew best; control the water.

It was draining me of all my power, but this was the only thing that could save me now.

"What are you doing?" he asks, confused, noticing my struggle.

"Are you trying to talk to animals from the forest?" he asks again, mocking me.

"I'm doing this!" I said and covered his head in a ball of water.

His eyes were wide in panic and surprise, and he was clawing at the water that was suffocating him.

I got up and tried to get away, but then he shifted into his grey wolf, and the water ball was now only on his muzzle.

I was walking as fast as I could. I tried to figure out where the river was. If only I could get there.

The colossal wolf starts jumping around before following me.

To my bad luck, I trip over a rock, and I fall to the ground. My body was covered in blood, and I knew I must have lost a lot as I feel dizzier with every minute.

'Hold on, Amaya!' I heard, and a smile appeared on my face. I must look creepy right now.

Mateo shifts back, probably knowing that I'm too weak for any tricks and in a second was in front of me, grabbing, strangling my throat.

"I know I said I wouldn't kill you, but do not taste my patience!" he shouts into my face and slaps me.

I felt my nails elongating, and I sunk them into his side.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance!" I shout back before clawing at his body.

'Thank you, Ivy! I said when I feel my wounds healing. But as usual, I didn't have time to rest as numerous paws could be heard in the distance.

I shift and run to the river. All of my body was aching, and most of my wounds were still open. But I couldn't stop. I needed to get to the Elemental Realm.

As soon as I got to the river, I went to the same spot where I landed the first time I was transported here. The tattoo on my wrist starts glowing again, and all I know is that I shift just before darkness envelops me.