#Chapter 4 A woman?

Daphne's POV

Werewolves? It was already surprising that Arthur had found my little section of the woods, but there were more of them? Were they dangerous?

Based on Arthur’s reaction and the fury on his face, they likely were. He left my cloak folded on the table before slipping out my front door. I didn’t see him, but I felt his presence outside the cabin. I crossed the room to look outside, hoping it would ease the slowly growing anxiety in my heart.

The forest was quiet. The night was still. It wasn’t normal. There weren’t even frogs ribbiting or the hum of cicadas.

I turned and doused the flame of my lamp before darting back to my bed to grab my scissors. My stomach was churning, and I felt all of my senses straining to find the danger lurking in the darkness.

There was something out there. I was sure of it, and I didn’t need werewolf senses to know it.

Something glinting in the dark in the dark. They were wolves’ eyes with the intent to kill. I swallowed thickly as I realized why they were familiar: they were a great deal like Arthur’s eyes had been when he leaped on me.

I retreated, closing the door of the cabin and trying to calm my heart. Where was Arthur?

“I know you’re here, Arthur!” The voice was threatening,  “Your stench is everywhere.”

“Come out, coward!”

Silence filled the air. A terrible howl sounded in the night, shaking the air and filling me with fear before the door of the cabin shuddered with the force of a body slamming against it. I screamed as the wood creaked and cracked from the force.

“A woman?” The wolf asked, “What is a woman doing here?”

“Kill her.” Another wolf growled. I gasped, gripping my scissors tighter as he growled at me. “We can’t have it get out that we’re hunting--”

Something rustled, and I heard a howl of fury from farther back in the darkness. It was Arthur. He killed the wolf in front of the door. Blood splattered across the window and door. Arthur skidded to a stop, tossing the other wolf’s leg away from him, still gushing blood.

I trembled, shaking my head and sliding to the ground. I crawled backward away from the window as wolves howled and tussled.

Yips were cut short with sharp cracks and loud growls. Shadows danced on the wall in the moonlight of wolves clashing. There were a lot more wolves out there, but none of them were as big as Arthur.

Suddenly, the window exploded in a shower of glass as a wolf’s body came crashing through it and slammed into the far wall.

Blood splattered across the floor covering my feet and the hem of my sleeping gown as it hit the wall and fell to the ground.

I covered my mouth to smother the scream, yet I couldn’t breathe around the panic and fear as the scissors clattered to the floor.

The wolf remained motionless and I shuddered at the realization that it was just a corpse, thrown through the window from the fight outside.

“Daphne!” I looked up as a shadow appeared in the window. Broad-shoulders, filthy blonde hair, and glowing eyes like rubies.

“Arthur?”

He jumped in through the window and came to me, offering his hand, “We have to go. Come with me!”

Go where? Why? How? And for how long? I glanced at the body lying in the middle of the room and cast my gaze around the cabin that had been my home my entire life.

Maybe this would be the only chance I had to run away from Carl, but at what cost?

Kill her, the wolf’s voice rang through my mind, turning my insides cold and clearing my thoughts.

I couldn’t stay. If I stayed, I’d end up dead.

I looked up at Arthur who seemed mostly unharmed. He was covered in blood and sweat, naked, and panting. He was my only hope, so I took Arthur's hand.

Arthur's hand was wet and sticky, and I nearly retched as I realized that it was covered in blood.

I wanted to pull away, but Arthur pulled me into his arms. The scent of blood assaulted me and made me gag against his chest as he swept me off my feet.

I couldn’t even ask if he was harmed as he turned quickly and leaped out of the window and rushed into the trees. My heart seized in terror.

Wolves snarled and howled behind us. Their paws beat against the ground as fast as my heart was beating.

“Bastard, you won’t escape!”

“Murderer! You and your bitch are dead!”

I stiffened. A murderer? Arthur? How？

He didn't look like a murder to me. He was kind and protective.

But he had killed his kind without mercy. Who else had he killed? Was he hiding something from me?

I looked up at the man’s face as my heart raced with fear

I thought about escaping, but Arthur’s grip was like a vice, holding me to his chest as he ran through the forest. The trees passed in shadowy blurs, my eyes burned from the rush of the wind in my face. I tried to pick out something familiar in the passing scenery, but they were moving too fast.

The wolves behind us howled and barked at Arthur, leaping at his heels trying to bite him. Arthur cursed.

“Hold on to my neck, Daphne, and don’t let go!”

I wrapped my arms around his neck, looking behind them in terror as I felt the energy rippling over him. Smooth skin gave way to soft fur and he picked up speed. I tightened my grip on him as he twisted and the force of his movements shifted me onto his back. The wolves chasing us seemed to be getting farther away as my arms burned from trying to hold on.

I cried out as Arthur shot left, his jaws wide opened and closed with a loud crunch. I thought I may have heard a voice, but it was drowned out by the sound of liquid splattering on the ground and trees. Warm metallic-smelling liquid splashed across my face. I screamed again.

I wept, clinging to Arthur’s neck. He was moving so fast, I’d break my neck if I let go. Never mind if the wolves that were chasing me caught me. They had been prepared to kill me before Arthur had torn off their comrades’ leg. Whatever meager chance I  had to convince them of my innocence was gone now. How many wolves had he killed near my cabin?

How much blood was I covered in? Would I ever see my little cabin again?

I thought of the wolf lying in a pool of its blood, unmoving and growing cold.

“We’ll be okay. I promise I’ll get you somewhere safe,” Arthur said.

I clung to him, sobbing and wondering if I was bad at making decisions.  I was escaping Carl and the cabin I’d always wanted to leave, but I ended up in a more dangerous situation.

Could I be safe with a killer?

I mustered up my courage and stated, “They called you a m-murderer.”

He let out a low growl, not quite of agitation but of frustration, “Yes.”

His voice turned dark and malicious. “They all deserved it. They got my sister killed.”

I flinched. His sister? I worried my lip. This was some sort of blood feud. Could I trust him?

Arthur stumbled a bit with a low grunt of pain and slowed just a little.  My grip slipped a little bit as I realized that there was more blood oozing out of him.

He was injured.

I sniffed, blinking away my tears, “You’re hurt.”

“I’m fine. I can still run.”

It was a lie. I could feel the change in his gait. He was in pain. It may not be enough to kill him, but it was enough to slow him down.

Part of me shuddered with a little cry of fear, while part of me felt heart-twisted when I saw him bleed. I bit my lip and decided to trust him for now.

“No. You can’t run anymore. I-I… Please put me down. ”

“Are you okay?” Arthur slowed to a stop, careful not to drop me, and kneeled to make it easier for me to get down. My legs trembled and buckled as I tried to stand.

My breath hitched around the words I wanted to say. Of course, I wasn’t okay! I was covered in blood. I’d been threatened with death twice in less than a full day. Werewolves were after me, intending to kill me, and I didn’t know if I would live until morning.

I wanted to scream at him for such a ridiculous question, but as I looked at him, my fury puttered out.

He was covered in leaking wounds. His sweat had washed most of the other blood away giving me a clear view of his injuries. Was there a part of him that had made it out unscathed? How had he run so far like that? My tears welled up and overflowed again as I wailed.

Arthur drew closer, eyes wide with concern, “Did you break your leg? Was I not gentle enough? Don’t worry, I can carry you.”

I shook my head, “T-The bite on your leg … H-How could I let you carry me with an injury like that? I should be helping you and--”