Chereads / THE LONELY BEAST / Chapter 10 - Into the Abyss

Chapter 10 - Into the Abyss

The rogue wolves circled them like vultures, their eyes glowing with predatory hunger. Caden's muscles were taut, his instincts fully awakened, and his wolf formed a mere breath away from taking over completely. Mira stood by his side, her wolf eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight, her claws poised and ready. She was no longer the frightened girl she had been days ago. She was becoming something else, something far stronger.

The leader of the rogue pack, a hulking figure with black fur that seemed to absorb the light, stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Caden. "So, this is the mighty Caden," he sneered, his voice deep and rumbling like thunder. "I thought you'd be more of a challenge."

Caden's jaw clenched. "You're making a mistake. Turn back now, or I'll make you regret it."

The rogue's laugh was low and mocking. "You think you can stop us, little wolf? You've always been too weak to face your destiny. But it's too late now. You've already sealed your fate by coming here."

Mira stepped closer to Caden, her body tensed, the air around them thick with danger. She could feel the power of the rogue pack emanating from them. They weren't just here to fight. They had come for something here. And they weren't going to stop until they had it.

"I'm not afraid of you," Mira said, her voice steady, though a flicker of uncertainty lay beneath the surface. "We'll fight you, whatever it takes."

Caden glanced at her, his heart swelling with both pride and concern. She was strong, no question about it. But the battle ahead would be brutal, and he didn't know if she was truly ready to face it. "Stay close to me," he said quietly, his eyes locking with hers. "Don't do anything reckless."

Mira nodded, but there was a fire in her eyes that made Caden's heart race. She wasn't just going to sit back and watch. He could set the same resolve that had burned in him when he first shifted, the same hunger for freedom from their shared past.

Without warning, the rogue leader lunged, his massive form charging at Caden with terrifying speed. Caden barely had time to react before the two wolves collided in mid-air, their claws scraping against each other as they hit the ground in a violent roll.

The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the clearing, and Mira staggered back, her feet slipping on the wet ground. She steadied herself and faced the other rogue wolves, her body coiled with tension as she prepared to fight. She could sense their movements, their hunger for blood, and something inside her stirred. She was no longer the prey.

With a sharp snarl, Mira lunged at the nearest rogue, her claws slashing across its side. The rogue howled in pain but retaliated quickly, snapping its jaws at her. Mira ducked and spun, using the momentum to slice through the rogue's side, sending it tumbling to the ground. The fight had begun.

Meanwhile, Caden and the rogue leader were locked in a deadly struggle. Caden's wolf instincts kicked in, his agility allowing him to dodge the rogue's powerful blows, but the rogue was relentless. His claws slashed across Caden's chest, drawing blood, and Caden roared in pain. He fought back fiercely, sinking his teeth into the rogue's neck, but the rogue leader fought with the fury of a wolf that had nothing left to lose.

The rogue leader snarled, "You can't win. You've never been strong enough."

Caden's vision blurred as pain shot through his body. But he couldn't let the rogue get the upper hand. He couldn't afford to fail now, not when Mira was fighting alongside him. He focused all his energy on his next move, summoning the strength he hadn't known he still had.

With a final, deafening growl, Caden twisted his body and slammed the rogue leader into the ground with such force that the earth itself seemed to shake beneath them. His claws dug into the rogue's throat, and this time, there would be no mercy. He tightened his grip, cutting off the rogue's breath, until the leader went limp beneath him.

Panting heavily, Caden rose to his feet, blood dripping from his body. His gaze immediately shot to Mira. She was holding her own, her wolf form moving with deadly precision, her claws slicing through the other rogue wolves with the same fierce determination that had saved them both so many times before. But she was struggling. There were too many of them.

"Mira!" Caden shouted, his voice raw with desperation. "We need to get out of here. Now!"

But Mira didn't respond. Her focus was on the rogue who had just tried to land a fatal blow on her. She had gotten caught, her leg trapped under the rogue's weight, and it was only a matter of time before the others closed in.

Caden's heart pounded in his chest as he charged toward her, his body moving on pure instinct. He had no time to think, only to act. He slammed into the rogue with all his might, knocking it off Mira, who scrambled to her feet.

"Mira, move!" Caden yelled, his voice desperate as he glanced back at the clearing. The rogue wolves were regrouping, preparing for another assault.

They couldn't stay here. They needed to get to safety. But that would mean running something Caden had always avoided. He had never been the one to run from a fight, but this was different. If they didn't escape now, they would both die.

With a grunt, Caden grabbed Mira by the arm, pulling her toward the edge of the clearing. She hesitated, her eyes flicking back to the rogue wolves closing in, but then she nodded, her teeth gritted in defiance.

Together, they ran.

The woods seemed to close in around them as they sprinted through the trees, the sound of their pursuers hot on their heels. Caden's heart raced, and the pain in his chest flared with every step, but he couldn't afford to slow down. He had to keep running. For Mira.

For both of them.

As they pushed forward, the distant howl of the rogue pack echoed in the forest, a promise that the battle was far from over. But they had gained a small victory. For now.

They burst through the trees and into a clearing, the moonlight illuminating the path ahead. And in the distance, Caden spotted a cabin old and worn, but a possible refuge. It was their only hope.

"Come on," Caden urged, his voice hoarse. "We're almost there."

Mira nodded, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Her eyes were wide with exhaustion and fear, but there was something else in them now a fierce determination that reminded him of the wolf she had become.

They reached the cabin just as the rogue wolves crashed through the trees, but it was too late. Caden slammed the door shut behind them, breathing heavily as he turned to Mira.

"We made it," he said, his voice filled with relief. But even as he said the words, he knew this was far from over. They were safe for now. But the storm was still coming. And this time, they wouldn't be able to outrun it.