Chapter 20

As soon as he stepped outside, Aiden heard a heart-stopping snarl that sent every hair on his body standing on end. He had just enough time to dive out of the way of the huge brown wolf, as it came hurtling towards him at full speed, with all its teeth bared and saliva dripping from its muzzle.

“Holy shit!"

Aiden scrambled to his feet and ran to the corner of the pub where he crouched low, waiting to see what the wolf would do next. He didn’t need to wait long. The wolf pushed off from the tarmac, its powerful back legs propelling it into the air towards Aiden. His heart thudded in his chest and ears as the huge front paws loomed towards him. Aiden ran forward, towards the snarling wolf, then dropped to his back on the tarmac. Raising his legs, he put all his strength into making his feet connect with the wolf’s soft underbelly. The wolf toppled over itself and hit the floor, its claws scrabbling as it tried to gain balance. Aiden, taking advantage of the few seconds that he had bought himself, looked around for something, anything that could help him get through the fight alive.

I'm going to get killed, he thought as he looked around frantically. I have to survive for Charlie’s sake. What the fuck am I going to do?

Aiden ran to one of the two wooden picnic benches and called out. “Is that all you have? I’ve seen feistier fleas on a bald dogs' arse, mate.”

The wolf arched his back and flashed a half-grin, half snarl as he righted himself and stared at Aiden with empty eyes.

“I hope this fucking works,” Aiden said to himself as the wolf lowered his muzzle, like a bull about to charge. Aiden's eyes widened in a mix of awe and fear as he took in the size of the wolf’s shoulders and his streamlined back.

“Come on!” He roared at the beast.

Thunder set off at a running charge, his paws landing silently on the tarmac as he hurtled towards Aiden. Waiting until the last possible minute, Aiden ran to the side just as Thunder crashed into the picnic table, smashing it to pieces. With no time to waste, Aiden dashed to the broken table, grabbed a splintered chunk of pine and swung it at Thunder’s muzzle. As he did, Thunder swung a front paw at Aiden's legs, knocking him from his feet.

Aiden, lying on the pavement dazed and winded, was completely helpless as Thunder stood over him and howled with satisfaction at the easy victory. Lifting his arms in what he knew was a pathetic defence, Aiden attempted to protect himself as Thunder snarled in his face.

Wolf slobber dripped onto his cheek as he turned his head, trying to find a way to get away from the teeth that wanted to rip him apart. Grabbing a fistful of fur, Aiden tried to propel himself under the beast, when suddenly, his entire body jolted with an excruciating wave of pain.

He opened his mouth to scream but his voice was lost to the pain coursing through him. He knew he was dying because only death could cause the amount of pain that he felt at that moment. His limbs felt like they were being ripped from him one by one and every noise seemed amplified by one thousand and as though it would shatter his eardrums. He could hear a heart beating rapidly and knew it must be his own, trying to keep himself alive as it was being ripped from his chest. He felt his back arch as he was hit by another excruciating wave of pain, one hundred times worse than the ones that had come previously. His bones were being broken but by what, he had no idea and nor did he care. His vision seemed to fail him as everything around him went dark and disappeared. Aiden wanted to scream as his skin was torn apart but he wouldn't do that. He had already given Thunder enough satisfaction.

I love you, Charlie, he thought as he waited for death to take him home.

As suddenly as it began, the pain ceased, leaving Aiden listening to a constant thudding noise. He could hear crying, along with the thudding and there was a smell so powerful that he felt as though he needed to run to it if he was to survive. A smell so divine that it filled his body with warmth, love and hope.

Charlie! Oh my God, that’s Charlie!

Aiden's lungs pulled in a huge gasp of air, but it felt strange, abnormal almost. Suddenly, he heard a snarling growl and the sweet, fragrant scent of Charlie became tainted with fear. There was a scream, a woman he knew from a past life. She was screaming his name, telling him to get up. He knew he should listen but he was dead, wasn’t he?

Forcing his eyes to open and face death in all its gruesome glory, Aiden was overcome with a rush of emotion.

Amazement swelled in him as he took in his newly formed grey paws that held long, sharp black claws that looked sharp enough to tear through skin with the slightest ease. Pride filled his heart at finally finding his wolf but most of all, fear threatened to tear him apart as he saw a huge brown wolf prowling towards Charlie and Sarah.

A throaty growl of warning left Aiden's newly acquired muzzle as he bared his teeth at the brown wolf, then charged forward. The way his new body felt and the speed at which he moved surprised him, but what surprised him more was his unbelievable strength as he ploughed into the side of the brown wolf.