Chapter 35
THIRTY-FIVE
Jack
Witnessing the werewolves clash was like watching two mage-powered engines going full steam at one another. Every time the beasts struck out, the ground trembled with the impact. Trees cracked and fell as the behemoths crashed into each other with abandon.
Blood matted Marcus’ back leg and neck. The brown female werewolf was limping as the two warriors circled one another again.
Her eyes were still full of hate, but she was tiring.
For all the impressive speed she could summon at a moment’s notice, it didn’t seem that endurance to sustain such acts were in her wheelhouse of abilities.
Then, it happened. Just as soon as the fight had begun, it was over.
Marcus pretended to lunge directly at his opponent.
As he anticipated, she dodged to her right where he had already moved and landed right into his jaws.
Marcus would never be as quick as the female werewolf he fought, but years of combat experience had taught him that it wasn’t always the fastest unicorn in the race that won.
With strong jaws, Marcus clamped down around the female’s throat. They both understood it was over as Marcus took a dominating stance above her. She struggled for a moment, then decided better of it and lay still. The only thing that moved now were the chests of the two giant werewolves.
Blood trickled down the area where Marcus’ jaws began to penetrate the female werewolf’s throat. She whimpered in pain.
Jack had seen enough. “Don’t do it!” The insanity his father battled against, the monster within he was just beginning to understand, was winning. “She was wrong to challenge you, but you’ve won. It’s over now! Stop! Dad, you need to stop!”
For a brief moment, Jack thought his words would not be enough. The other werewolves in the pack made room for Jack as he ran forward and placed his hands on his father’s face.
A deep growl rumbled from Marcus’ throat.
“You don’t need to kill her.” Jack felt his father’s hot breath on his hands. Under his fingers, he could even feel the muscles of his father’s jaw trembling. “Aareth needs you. This is over.”
With extraordinary reluctance, Marcus finally let go of the other werewolf’s throat.
The brown werewolf scrambled up on all fours and ran to take shelter amongst the bulk of the pack.
Jack moved to stand by his father’s side as he whispered, “I’m proud of you.”
The large white werewolf turned to his son and winked one yellow eye. In a moment, his attention was back on the rest of the pack. He lifted his head to the sky and let out a commanding howl.
Each one of his pack members, including the female that had just been bested, followed his lead, and the sound melded into one as the pack showed its fealty to their leader.
Marcus took the lead a moment later, bounding into the dark forest, headed toward Term with the world’s first united werewolf pack behind him. The sound they made as they galloped through the forest was like a cavalry unit heading toward the battlefield.
“Let’s go.” Kimberly picked up the front of the stretcher. “With each passing moment, Aareth’s chance of life lessens.”
“Oh, please.” Aareth coughed hard, and blood dripped down the sides of his lips. “Don’t hold back. Tell me how it really is.”
Jack ran to obey, lifting the back of the makeshift stretcher. As one, they headed into the forest, following the pack.
“You’re dying,” Kimberly said, missing the sarcasm in Aareth’s words. “Your wounds would have killed a mortal. Still, your werewolf DNA may not be enough to see you through the end of the night.”
“I think he was being sarcastic,” Jack shouted from his spot behind Kimberly. “He was just teasing with you.”
The wizard, the werewolf, and the gargoyle were going through the dark forest at a light run now. Kimberly was doing her best to hide her own limp, but Jack could see that every step she took was only barely touching the ground.
“What is this sarcasm you speak of?” Kimberly asked from her lead position. “I’m not familiar with it.”
“It’s like if I were to say ‘This has been a great night.’” Jack thought for a moment. He’d never had to teach anyone sarcasm before. “It really hasn’t been a great night, but I’m being sarcastic.”
“Yeah, or if I say that you’re one hell of a stretcher maker and that I’m not in pain with every step you take.” Aareth groaned. “That’s sarcasm, because you’re bouncing me around like a freaking tennis ball on a racket back here.”
“Hmm…” Kimberly didn’t look back and neither did she slow her pace. “Sarcasm, you say?”
Jack could only see the gargoyle’s back, but he could imagine the look of concentration on her face as she mulled over the word.
“I would like to try.” Kimberly ducked below a low-hanging branch. How she was finding a path in the forest through the dark was beyond Jack. “Aareth, the gift you’ve been given as a werewolf is a true blessing. You have a knack for safety, and you’re one hell of a fighter.”
Jack couldn’t help grinning. Whether Kimberly was honestly trying to be sarcastic or not was anyone’s guess, but it was making the time go by faster and hopefully taking Aareth’s mind off his pain.
Before anyone could say another word, screams filled the air somewhere in front of them as the sounds of battle drifted through the forest. Aggressive barks and growls were followed by shrieks of pain.
Jack was no friend of New Hope or the new queen’s vampire soldiers, but a twinge of regret, even remorse, touched him now. He could only imagine what it would be like to wake up in the jaws of a werewolf.
The shouts were still distant, but with every step, they got closer.
“The doctor I know lives in the center of town,” Kimberly shouted over her shoulder. “If she’s still there, she’ll help us.”
Jack’s heart was beating out of his chest and his legs screamed with fatigue. A new rush of adrenaline was now coursing through his veins.
“If we get stopped, you’ll have to deal with the obstacle, Jack!” Kimberly had to shout louder now as the sounds of battle grew stronger. “You don’t know where the doctor lives.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t let you get stopped!” Jack shouted past the cacophony of screams and roars coming from Term. “You just get Aareth to the doctor!”
A moment later, the trio burst through the forest and into the outskirts of the city, and what met Jack’s eyes was something he had never seen in his life.