Warwick and I sprinted down the street, my heart pounding in my ears. The scream still echoed in my head as we turned the corner into the alley. The night was dark, but the faint light from the street lamps gave us just enough to see.
There, at the far end of the alley, was Mal. She was running, her face pale with fear. Behind her, a large, snarling wolf was chasing her, its eyes glowing with a dangerous light. My breath caught in my throat.
“Mal!” I shouted.
She glanced back at us, her eyes wide in terror. “Help me!”
I did not hesitate. I shifted instantly into a wolf form, leaping forward with a snarl of my own.
Warwick stayed beside me, his eyes focused but unable to shift like I could.
“Keep it busy!” Warwick shouted, grabbing a nearby metal pipe.
I darted forward, my wolf instincts kicking in. The large wolf snapped its head toward me, its glowing eyes narrowing as it prepared for the confrontation. I could feel the power radiating from it-this wasn’t just any ordinary wolf.
With a growl, I lunged at the wolf, crashing into it with all my strength. We tumbled, claws and teeth slashing through the air. The impact sent us skidding across the alley floor, but I quickly regained my footing, circling around it, trying to buy Mal more time.
“Get her out of here, Warwick!” I growled, my voice rough in my wolf form.
Warwick nodded, running toward Mal, who was panting and clutching her side. He reached out for her, pulling her toward the other end of the alley. “Come on, we’ve got to move!”
I could see it in Mal’s eyes-she was terrified. Her gaze shifted from me to the wolf, and I knew she had never seen anything like this before. She wasn’t just scared of the wolf chasing her. She was scared of me too.
Mal took a step back, still looking at me with wide eyes. “What are you?” she gasped.
“Mal, no time to explain! Just run!” I barked, my voice deep and urgent.
Warwick pulled her closer, and they sprinted toward the alley exit, Mal’s breaths coming in quick gasps. “Keep going! I’ll hold it off!”
As they ran, the large wolf turned its attention back to me, growling. It charged, teeth bared, and I met its speed head-on.
I leaped to the side, dodging its attack, and swiped my claws at its flank. The wolf yelped in pain, but it quickly recovered, spinning around to face me again.
“Get out of here!” I growled again, but I could see Warwick and Mal hesitate, glancing back at the fight.
“Go!” I shouted, forcing more urgency into my voice.
“Don’t look back!” I barked as I focused on the wolf. It snarled and lunged at me again, but I dodged, barely avoiding its snapping jaws.
“Run faster!” I shouted as I swiped at the wolf again, my claws catching its side. It howled in rage and pain, giving me a brief moment of advantage.
Warwick and Mal sprinted down the alley, their footsteps echoing in the darkness. I could hear Mal’s panicked breathing and Warwick’s reassuring voice, but I couldn’t let my guard down. The wolf was relentless.
I lunged at the beast again, trying to keep its attention on me. “Come on, you overgrown mutt!” I taunted, trying to draw it away from my friends.
It charged again, its teeth bared and eyes filled with fury. I sidestepped and kicked off the ground, trying to create some distance. I could hear Mal’s voice fading as they got farther away.
The wolf growled and lunged once more, but I was ready this time. I shifted my weight, twisting out of its reach and launching myself at it from the side. My claws raked across its back, and it yelped, stumbling forward.
“Stay down!” I snapped, teeth bared. But the wolf recovered quickly, snarling and turning to face me again.
I prepared for its next move, muscles tense. The wolf growled, its eyes locked onto mine. It lunged again, aiming for my throat.
I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding its jaws. I quickly turned and swiped at its legs, hoping to knock it off balance. My claws connected, and the wolf yelped again, but it didn’t fall.
It spun around, eyes blazing with anger. I could feel its power, and I knew this was a fight I couldn’t lose.
I circled the wolf, looking for an opening. It lunged again, and I jumped back just in time. It landed hard, its claws scraping the ground. I took the chance to attack, jumping forward and aiming for its side.
My claws sank into its fur, and I felt a surge of adrenaline. The wolf howled, twisting to shake me off. I quickly let go and rolled away, getting back to my feet.
The wolf charged again, and I braced myself. This time, I didn’t move. I waited until the last moment and then leaped to the side, letting it fly past me.
I turned and swiped at its face, catching it across the snout. The wolf growled in frustration, shaking its head. It was starting to get angry, and I could see it was ready to fight harder.
The wolf growled low in its throat, lunging once more. I jumped to the side, trying to dodge again. But this time, it anticipated my move and changed direction, catching me by surprise.
Its jaws snapped around my leg, and I felt a sharp pain. I growled in anger, shaking my leg to break free. With a powerful kick, I pushed the wolf away.
It staggered back but quickly regained its footing, its eyes filled with rage. I could see it was getting tired, just like I was. We both needed to end this.
I focused, gathering my strength. The wolf charged again, but this time, I was ready. I waited until it got close, then leaped to the side and rolled, coming up behind it.
I growled, lunging at its back with all my strength. My claws sank into its fur, and I bit down hard on its neck, trying to assert my dominance.
The wolf howled in pain, struggling beneath me. I tightened my grip, determined to hold it down. But suddenly, it kicked me off with surprising force.
I stumbled back, giving the wolf a chance to escape. It shook its head, eyes wild with fury, and then turned to run down the alley.