In the Heart of the Wolf Pack

The first thing that Natalia noticed was the pain - it was searing, and she felt as if her side had been ripped away from her body.

Upon squinting open her eyes, hissing as the brightness made them water, she glanced down at her chest. The sight that met her bleary gaze was horrific - her previously cream shirt was a sickening shade of crimson and brown, and the ripped fabric showed her oozing, shredded muscle beneath.

Involuntarily, Natalia let out a cry of terror - the sight was one she'd not expected to see, not that badly at least. But, all of a sudden, her hearing jumped back into action. The sound of low murmurs, laced with a slight smell of musk and sweat, crept to her senses, and she bolted upright, almost crying out as her side burned in agony. Heavy-set chains around her wrists yanked her back into position, preventing her from fleeing.

She was sat in the middle of a large, circular hall, and it was significantly dim. Still, she could make out the shape of dozens of people - and, before her feet, a bloodied and dishevelled dog sat quietly. Its ears were pinned and it fidgeted irritably, chained to the ground, and for a moment, Natalia couldn't help but feel its plight.

But then its head turned to her, and she saw its muzzle, thickly coated with blood. Her blood. She almost balked, her vision swimming momentarily. It was the wolf.

It was almost embarrassing to think this measly creature had taken her down - but, as Natalia's eyes met its, she couldn't help but think it held a wisdom not befitting a young wolf.

A door to the front of the hall crashed open, and a man stormed into the room, dressed in the sleekest suit and wearing a glare upon his face that could have turned entire armies to dust. Natalia breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she'd been rescued - but that was when she noticed it. The slight limp with which he walked.

He, too, was a werewolf - albeit an untransformed one.

It was something she'd noticed very early on during her time as a wolf hunter: the ankles of werewolves, even from an early age, were often weakened in their human form. It was something most tried to hide, of course, but that ever so subtle limp would always shine through when they let their guard down. The weight of carrying around not only their own soul, but that of their wolf's, was overwhelming.

"What is this!" the newcomer roared, and from the tone of his voice alone and the way he commanded the audience, Natalia realised with horror that he must have been the pack's alpha. Although he was young for an alpha - probably no more than 25 years. Normally, they were 30 or 40 years of age, having mastered their wolves enough to take control of the pack. Those who challenged younger than that often didn't have quite the expertise to lead, nor the bond and alignment with their wolf, to hold control or take it by force.

The wolf before Natalia whimpered and lowered itself to the ground, cowering visibly. At this angle, she could see just how thin the creature was - its ribs and hips jutted out at odd angles, and its skin looked as if it could almost peel off. It was a hideous sight, and the meek voice that accompanied it was suitably fitting. "Alpha Cae-" it began, its voice holding an odd wolf-like growl, but the man before him cut him off partway.

"How dare you call me your Alpha, you filthy mutt!" the Alpha boomed, his voice making Natalia's bones feel as if they were quivering. "You lost that right when you betrayed the pack!"

The small wolf whimpered and cowered further, looking as if it wished the ground would swallow it up. "I have come to make a-amends for my actions, please!" it begged, and the way its wolfish voice trembled almost made Natalia pity it. Almost - as it was, she couldn't help but feel it deserved this. "I have c-captured the huntress who struck Alpha Rego, in recompense!"

The large alpha's eyes only momentarily flicked towards Natalia before he began to take a step forwards, his eyes glaring mercilessly. "And why should we accept you back into the pack?" he demanded.

"Please, good Alpha-" the wolf began, only to be silenced by a sharp kick in the ribs. It howled in pain, groaning and whining, before attempting to continue. It did not attempt to get up - from the looks of it, it probably couldn't. "Being apart from the pack, my wolf is dying. It cannot live, and I am dying myself. I beg you, Alpha, please accept this gift of the pack's mortal enemy as a sign of my sincerity."

The Alpha paused, and then narrowed his eyes further. "You were warned, mutt, to never return to this pack after your treason. Filthy creature - you know the consequences, and pack law must always be upheld."

The wolf whined and whimpered in terror, but its noises were cut short just a moment later. A loud gunshot sounded through the room, and the wolf was down, its own barely-red blood pooling around its head.

Natalia gasped and attempted to scurry backwards, but the searing pain in her side attempted her from even trying. The clanking of her chains captured the alpha's attention, and he looked up sharply, stalking towards her. Knowing this was surely the end, she clamped her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitably bite on the neck that would end her life.

"My, such a pretty little thing," the alpha sneered. "You'd hardly believe such a delicate woman could murder so many of my pack. But that's alright. You'll make us a nice rug, just as my subjects did for you."

It was too much. Natalia cried out and began to thrash, attempting in one last ditch effort to get free. But it was no good; within moments, the massive alpha had pinned her where she sat.

But the bite never came. She could feel his breath on her face, feel his fingers - no, claws by now - digging into the flesh of her arm. And yet, he hadn't struck, had seemingly frozen.

Letting out the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding, Natalia peeked her eyes open - only to see the deepest, chocolate-brown eyes staring directly back, as if into her soul itself. And then, slowly, the man's features shifted, his nose lengthening into a muzzle, his eyes becoming more animalistic. His breath became hotter, and his claws dug in more; Natalia felt the thick heat of blood trickling down her arms.

In a deep, throaty, and raspy voice, he breathed into her ear a single word that made her body quiver with anticipation and lust: "Mate."

The room exploded, and the gathered crowd began crying out in disgust and horror. But Natalia could not hear a thing but the ringing of her own ears, and could see nothing but the deep brown of the werewolf's terrifying eyes. Her world crashed down around her, and all she could think to do was scream.