Bella’s POV
Air burned my lungs as he dragged relentlessly from the cave entrance. My mind struggled to process what was happening. I was just human after all.
My wolf had stirred days ago, but the transformation never completed. I remained defenseless against this man who should have been frail and weak.
The raw power in his grip proved that assumption dead wrong.
Violent coughing seized my chest. My fingers clawed desperately at whatever bound my throat, cutting off my oxygen supply.
My legs scraped against jagged rocks and thorny underbrush as he hauled deeper into the mountain wilderness.
The old man released a harsh grunt before finally loosening his hold. We had traveled far from the safety of the cave, surrounded now by dense forest.
The mont his grip slackened, I collapsed to my knees, gasping hungrily for air. My palms pressed against the cold earth as I fought to push myself upright.
A vicious kick caught under the jaw before I could stand. The impact launched backwards, my body slamming into the unforgiving ground. I rolled over, blinking through the pain to focus on my attacker.
The sa elderly man stood before , but his appearance had transford completely. Gone was the frail, hunched figure. This version radiated strength and nace. The makeshift rope around my neck was his discarded shirt from earlier.
"What the hell is wrong with you? We ca here to save your pathetic life!" I scread as he stalked closer.
I scrambled backwards on my hands and knees, but his iron grip seized my ankle and yanked forward. That was when I noticed his destination.
A perfect circle of bare earth stretched before us, deliberately cleared of vegetation. No trees. No cover. Just open space where he intended to trap .
"Stop fighting , girl!" the old man snarled.
His voice remained aged and raspy despite his physical transformation. The realization struck like lightning.
His wolf was very much alive.
That explained his supernatural strength and endurance.
I twisted violently, trying to wrench my leg free while kicking at him with my other foot. He might as well have been carved from stone.
When he dragged back into the center of the circle, he montarily released my ankle to secure his bindings.
I seized the opportunity, spinning around and crawling frantically toward the tree line.
His fist tangled in my hair, jerking my head back before slamming face-first into the dirt.
This ti I fought back with everything I had, raking my nails across his weathered face and driving my thumb toward his eye socket. He caught my wrist effortlessly and pinned beneath his weight.
His full body pressed down on as fury twisted his features.
"For soone without a wolf, you sure know how to make things difficult. Just give up!" he roared inches from my face.
I froze montarily, processing his words.
"Why are you doing this? What did I ever do to hurt you? Why bring the children into this?" My voice cracked with desperation and confusion.
"Ah, so you must be that human researcher they ntioned," he sneered with recognition. "I was warned you might show up."
As he spoke in those gravelly tones about soone expecting , ice-cold dread crawled up my spine.
He noticed my reaction and began laughing darkly.
"You humans never change. Weak and predictable as always." His breathing grew labored with excitent. "As for your questions, those answers die with you. I was promised my freedom in exchange for sacrificing at least fifty of those brats."
The ntion of children and sacrifice made my stomach lurch with horror.
"But you complicated everything," he continued with growing rage. "Lucky for , I earned my freedom anyway. I keep my word. Once I dispose of you, I’ll collect those kids and finish the job."
His casual cruelty and the revelation of a larger conspiracy sent terror coursing through my veins.
"You don’t need to hurt anyone else. You’re free now. Just disappear!" I begged as he grabbed both wrists and stretched my arms above my head, preparing to bind them with his torn shirt.
"Derek!" I scread with every ounce of strength in my body.
The man chuckled while continuing his work with the makeshift rope.
Once my hands were secure, he reached for a large iron nail and heavy hamr instead of moving away. My blood turned to ice as I understood his intentions.
He positioned the nail directly over the knotted fabric between my hands and raised the hamr.
"Calling for your beast friend?" he taunted. "He misunderstood the situation completely. The mont he entered that cave, I had a syringe full of wolfsbane waiting. He’ll be unconscious for hours."
His laughter sent waves of pure terror through my entire body.
"You can’t complete your sick promise anyway. The children aren’t coming here. Warriors are positioned everywhere, blocking their path," I gasped between panicked breaths, fighting back tears.
He appeared completely unconcerned. After driving the nail deep into the ground, he stepped back and inhaled deeply.
"Do you honestly believe I would use the sa route twice?" he scoffed dismissively. "I changed the entire plan. So will slip past your warriors using a completely different path. Others were already hidden in the basent with from the beginning. All I had to do was wait."
He paused, flashing a grotesque smile.
"While we wait for them to arrive, I’ll demonstrate my specialty." He stepped back further and raised both hands.
I rembered my child’s warning as I watched him move his fingers in circular patterns.
Fire erupted from his fingertips just as Leah had said. He threw back his head and released maniacal laughter.
"Allow to fetch the alcohol. Where are my manners?" he cackled while walking back toward the cave to retrieve the fuel he planned to douse with.
The mont he disappeared from sight, absolute panic consud . I scread until my throat was raw, but no help ca.
"When he returns, I’m dead," I whispered, kicking frantically at the ground. My legs remained the only part of still mobile.
Then I felt movent in my finger. I turned my head sharply, watching as my fingers began twitching and my bones started cracking audibly.
"If you’re finally ready to erge, don’t you dare stop now," I muttered to my wolf.
But as the words left my mouth, I noticed how deep and rough my voice had beco.
Then I heard her clearly for the first ti.
"How could I possibly let you die at the hands of such filth?" she growled with fierce determination.
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