Mae POV
The sound of snarling and growling behind me makes me run as fast as I can. I try not to panic as I run because I don't want to upset the small child that I am holding in my arms.
I hold Sofia close to my chest as I run toward the forest. Sofia is crying loudly for her mother, and I fear that she will draw attention to us as we look for a place to hide.
Peeking over my shoulder, I see massive wolves clashing in battle. I don't know how they tell who is the enemy and who isn't. The fighting is loud and fearsome. Their claws rip into each other's fur, and their teeth rip out chunks of flesh.
I am frozen in fear as I watch them fight. The tree line is just a few feet behind me, and I can't make my feet move. Sofia wiggles awkwardly in my arms, and her puffy princess dress scratches my skin.
"Luna," she cries, and it breaks me from my trance. I look down at her, and her eyes are wide as she watches the battle. I know her parents must be in the fray somewhere. She shouldn't have to see this.
I quickly run into the trees. My eyes dart around the forest, looking for a place for us to hide. Sofia has her arms wrapped tightly around my neck. Her little fingers are digging painfully into my skin as she tries to hide her face.
A few meters into the forest, there is a hollow log that is turned on its side. The hole in the center is just big enough for Sofia to fit inside.
I stumble across the forest floor. My feet are rustling loudly against the leaves on the ground, and my toes keep catching on roots and rocks that are hidden beneath them. But I don't let that stop me. I need to make sure Sofia has a safe place to hide.
I finally make it to the fallen log, and I sit Sofia on the ground. "I need you to hide in there," I whisper to her.
Sofia looks at the log and wrinkles her nose. "But my dress will get messy," she whines. "Mommy will be mad."
"Your mommy would want you to be safe," I whisper as I kneel down to her level.
"Where are you going to hide?" Sofia asks as her eyes fill with tears.
"I will be right here with you," I promise. "I will make sure no one can get to you."
"I'm scared," Sofia whimpers.
"Me too," I answer honestly. "But we have to be brave."
"Okay," Sofia says as she sniffs back her tears. "I will be brave."
I place a little kiss on her forehead before I help her to climb inside the log.
"There are bugs in here," Sofia squeals.
"Shh," I hiss at her. "You are big, and they are small. Squish them with your fingers. Remember. We have to be quiet and brave."
Sofia whimpers, but she nods her head in agreement.
She is as far into the log as she can get, and her little feet are still hanging out.
"Sofia, I am going to cover your feet with leaves so no one can see them," I call out to her.
"Okay," she says back, and I can tell by the quiver in her voice that she is crying.
I grab a handful of leaves and cover her feet from view. She isn't completely hidden, but it will have to do.
I don't know how long a werewolf battle lasts, and I don't know how long we will be here. I am terrified, but I try to remain calm for Sofia's sake.
"You are being so brave," I whisper to her.
The sound of leaves rustling catches my attention, and I see two men walking through the woods. They are so close, but they haven't seen me yet. I crouch behind the log and try to steady my breathing. If they are werewolves, they must have good hearing. Sofia and I have to remain as quiet as possible.
"She must have come this way," one of the men says.
The other man is kicking leaves up as he walks. He doesn't care how much noise he is making.
I peer over the log and try to get a good look at the men. Both of them have mud caked on their skin and clothes. Their hair is long and matted. They have very similar features. They look like they could be related.
They are getting closer to my hiding spot. I can't get up and run because I don't want to leave Sofia behind. I am all she has right now. So, I tuck myself into a ball and hide behind the log.
"Do you smell that?" One of the men asks loudly.
There is a pause before the other man starts laughing loudly. "Smells like a human to me."
"Fuck," I mutter. I never considered my smell. I have too much to learn about the werewolf world.
"We must be getting close," the first man says. "Her scent is getting stronger."
"She smells really good," the other one replies. "I wonder if Jameson would let us play with her for a little bit."
"We are supposed to return her untouched," the first growls. "Don't even think about it, Brother."
"Jameson and Francesca would never know," the second snarls.
Their footsteps are getting closer, and I am beginning to freak out. Jameson is behind this attack. I never thought he would go to such lengths to get me back, but who is Francesca?
"Can you believe they let the brunette go?" The second grumbles. "They didn't let us play with her either."
"How can you be so stupid?" The first yells, and I hear a slap echo through the trees. "We need her to think she is one of us, so she will report back on Kieran."
A gasp escapes me, and I clap my hand over my mouth. I knew there was something Tish was keeping from me. I can't believe that she would betray me like that. Tears rush to my eyes, and I almost forget about the two men that are hunting me.
"Did you hear that?" The second man says. "I think she is around here."
"Let's take our time," the first says. "The longer we take to find her, the more members of the North Pack will die."
My throat turns dry. I try to swallow, but I can't. The battle won't end until they find me. People could die if I keep hiding.
I glance around my hiding spot and see a large stick on the ground beside me. Taking a deep breath, I grab the stick and prepare myself to do something stupid. I pop out of my hiding spot, and the two men are standing just a few feet from me.
I twist the stick in my hand like the bat Tish and I used to keep behind the front door. "Hello, Boys," I try to sound amused. "Are you looking for me?"