Chapter 37 – Grace

Vultures, that’s how the desperate males acted as soon as they see a lone she-wolf rushing to cross the veil of the Run. Like a carcass in the dessert, the moment the males scent a female, the descend on her and fight to mate her. As soon as a male inserts himself inside her, the others back away knowing that she-wolf has been claimed. I feel pity for the poor girls, every fiber of my being wanting to run back and save them but that would lead me to being claimed if I am not careful.

The sun had begun to set a few minutes ago, the sky a vibrant mix of red, orange and yellow. I have until midnight to cross the veil when the magic in the moon recedes for the next six month until the Run returns. I can see the wolves waiting on the other side, some unmated wanting to see the action, some mated waiting to see if their friends can score a mate. My paws thunder against the earth as I push myself forward, moving faster and faster with my race against time and the desperate. Victory is within reach and soon I will be taking my father’s precious Beta position away from him and there is nothing he can do about it.

[Grace we are so close!] Amelia calls out through our link, yapping happily. I can see the veil of magic shimmering, the Moon Goddess letting this be her way of showing us out of the cage they call The Run. I howl excitedly, my companions doing the same as we announce our victory in completing the Run without being claimed or claiming another.

[My father is there, I can see the look of shock on his face and the rage on your father beside him.] Amelia calls out with laughter in her words. Inwardly I smirk, zeroing on my father who is seething with rage. He must see Caden’s golden wolf between Amelia and I and know that we have been traveling with a strong male – a male that could have claimed either of us but didn’t. Cheers from my pack thundered in the air behind our Alpha, ignoring my father as he shouts at them when they chant my name. Word of the bet must have traveled around as every last one of my pack mates the despise this event lined up ready to accept my triumph. As soon as I cross the border no one in Silver Birch will be forced into the Run ever again. I am only a few meters from the border now.

My attention shifts to the right as twigs snap loudly, the sense of danger towards my Alpha coming from that direction. Without thinking, I rush towards Amelia, leaping just in time to intercept a grey wolf that was just about to tackle my friend. Our bodies tangle in a flurry of claws and fangs as with fur being ripped by one another. Caden turns around, his intention clear when he rushes towards me but I snarl at him, my head motioning to Amelia who is just rushing towards him. The grey wolf takes my distraction as an opportunity to throw me off of his body, a yelp of pain escaping me when my shoulder hits the ground hard before he rushes off towards Amelia.

Caden changes course, his golden body grabbing onto Amelia’s scruff before he takes off towards the border. The grey wolf is still in pursuit and I force myself to stand, to run and tackle the grey wolf once more. We go tumbling to the ground with our claws scraping against each others flanks, the scent of blood filling my nose. The only thought running through my mind right now is screw the bet, I have to protect my Alpha. Gasps from the spectators watch as the male and I struggle to dominate the other, My grip on his neck never loosening while he does everything he can to be rid of me. Without warning, his teeth manage to sing into my paw, the feeling of my bones snapping under his bite and blood gushing from the wound forces me to release my jaw from the scruff of his neck and fall to the ground. I whimper, standing to my feet and snarl at this male. He is an Alpha, his blood radiating the power of one the will soon be inheriting the pack. Every instinct in me wants me to submit to him, to allow this Alpha to win, but I harden myself and prepare for the next round of our fight. Finally he moves and I wait as he jumps into the air, his intention of tackling me clear as day, before I run. Sliding under his air born body and turning around quick enough to claw his side and soft underbelly giving him a sever wound. Hearing the high pitch yelp as this wolf falls to the ground, I take this opportunity to rush over to his injured body and sink my teeth into the tender spot of his neck deep enough to cause harm but not deep enough to kill him. He shifts, intending to throw me off again but he does not understand the precarious position he is in. Sinking my teeth further into his skin and using my injured paw to claw at the open wound on his underbelly, I growl in warning, threatening more damage to this wolf if he doesn’t submit. After a brief moment of pause, the grey wolf sticks his neck out as best as he can in submission, letting me know I have won. I pull away with another growl, letting him know that I will end him if he tries any underhanded tricks, before turning and limping my way towards the veil.

"Grace you can do it!" Amelia shouts encouragingly, her body wrapped in Bryden’s embrace as the two cheer me on. I send a wolfish grin her way, my vision becoming blurry with the pain from the battle and blood loss. I feel my body sway for a moment before I stumble, doing my best to keep going until I feel my legs give out. Laying on the ground, a shadow covers my body and I growl. But the truth is I am too injured to fight, my body covered in claw marks leaking blood. This male before me will claim me easily and there is nothing I can do to stop him.

With a sigh I close my eyes waiting to be claimed until a long tongue brushes the spot between my eyes. Shocked, I open my sapphire orbs to see Caden licking at my injured paw, worry in his emerald eyes. Relief that it is him coming to my side fills me and I do not fight him when he picks me up by the scruff, his teeth gentle yet his hold firm. Curling my body into a ball, I allow him to carry me and do my best to not get in the way of his paws. The magic of the veil passes over our body and the little strength I have seeps away. The Run is over for me and Caden. I have won the bet and made it out of this Goddess forsaken forest with out being claimed and mated. With that though in mind I closed my eyes and let darkness take me as I drift off to sleep.