Chapter Forty-One

Venus shot toward the meadow and the pack houses. She ignored the stinging of the branches as they whipped her sides and face, drawing blood. She gasped for each heavy breath as she ran away from the wolf. But soon, his soft pads could be heard behind her long, fluffy tail.

"You need to do better than that." He snarled as he bit down on her tail hard.

Venus launched forward as the wolf's teeth sunk into her tail. The chunk of fur the wolf latched onto tore from her tail with her leap, bleeding profusely and reddening the skin.

She tore through the woods and into the meadow. Branches snapped and fell to the ground as she whizzed by. Those same branches were soon trampled by the grey wolf in his pursuit.

The wolf exited the forest in a rage. Its blood and brown fangs protruded from the tuft of fur remaining at the tip of his muzzle.

Venus lowered her head and sprinted toward the river.

"You can't cross the river. It's a part of the treaty." She howled over her shoulder, hoping to discourage the beast from his pursuit.

"What makes you think I'm going to abide by those rules?" The wolf scoffed. He quickened his pace, gaining on her.

Venus heaved from the excessive sprinting. She was not exactly used to a full sprint for such a long period of time. Droplets of spit bubbled as she breathed hard toward the goal of the river. She was almost there.

The grey wolf pushed off the ground, digging up dirt and rocks, launching himself over the few feet that were between Venus and himself.

His nails extended as he landed on Venus' back, crushing her with his weight. Venus whimpered as she landed smack into a rock. His claws tore at her fur and flesh. Venus released a long, mournful howl that was disturbed by the snapping of the wolf on top of her. The wolf clamped down on her neck and pulled. Blood flowed steadily from her neck as her eyes drifted closed.

She lay sprawled in the meadow of dead flowers and grass as the sun dipped beneath the horizon.

"I'm sorry, Regus." She whispered to the setting sun. She closed her eyes as cold filled her body. The snarls and scraping continued as she reluctantly accepted her fate.

A dark brown blur darted before her closing eyes. She snapped them open as the dark blur knocked the grey wolf from her back. They tumbled into the grass snapping and biting at each other.

"I thought I taught you better than that." Eli chided as he pushed the grey wolf into the dirt.

Venus flopped her head onto the ground, exhausted and relieved.

"You did." She sighed as she closed her eyes.

Eli sunk his canines into the wolf's neck. Thick, red blood oozed from the puncture wounds as the two tussled in the grass, staining it red. the grey wolf whimpered and pushed away from Eli, but Eli remained connected to the wolf, holding on by the skin of his teeth.

"Release me." The grey wolf commanded Eli.

Eli smirked and pressed harder on the wolf's neck. His large paw shoved the grey wolf's muzzle into the dirt. Eli pulled and ripped the chunk of skin he had latched onto. Blood squirted into Eli's face and splattered the ground. A large pool of the thick fluid formed beneath Eli's paws.

Eli dropped the slam of skin and fur into the puddle. It splashed onto the wolf's face. The grey wolf struggled to his feet and limped a few feet away before collapsing.

Eli turned to Venus, forgetting the defeated wolf. He nuzzled Venus' muzzle and licked the wounds on her neck. He whimpered and whined as he pressed his nose against her cold skin and fur. Venus shifted at his touch, nuzzling into him.

"Get up. We need to go see Regus when he gets home." Eli said warmly, nudging her to get up.

Venus obliged. She rested on Eli the entire way back to their home. With his support and her limping, the two made it home. Eli shifted as soon as the front door closed, exposing his naked body. Venus collapsed on the floor, blood dripping onto the rug and flooring from her neck wounds.

Eli wrapped his arms around her body and heaved her onto his shoulder. He carried her carefully up the stairs and into the bathroom. Gently, he placed her in the tub and ran hot water over her fur, cleaning it as he went. The water ran red down the drain.

Eli was silent as he worked through her fur. When he was finished, she shifted into her human form in the tub. The gashes from the encounter were red and puffy in her human state, but slowly healing. She grasped the rim and pulled herself up, grimacing at the effort.

"Let me put some ointment on there before you get some disease." Eli pushed her back down into the tub. She dropped against the porcelain, white surface.

Eli dabbed a clear ointment on Venus' wounds. His gaze was intense on his work, avoiding her face. Venus gazed about the small green bathroom. She examined every plant, curtain, and cabinet carefully, but avoided her husband's face. She was ashamed but didn't want to admit it.

"There." Eli straightened and put the ointment in the cabinet. He grabbed a nearby robe and draped it over her naked body, tucking in the corners. "Stay here until the wounds disappear. I don't want Regus freaking out." Eli rose once more from the tub and turned to the door.

Venus' hand snatched his wrist, holding him in his place.

"Thank you." She said, her voice raspy and tired.

Eli smiled softly for a second before planting a kiss on her forehead. He rubbed her hair away from her face and sighed.

"You scared me. I-I don't know what I would do if I lost you." Eli lowered his gaze and turned from Venus.

"I'm sorry. For getting mad at you. I didn't even think about how Atlas' lies would weigh on you. I shouldn't have stormed off and I shouldn't have investigated the cabin alone." She squeezed his hand and pressed it to her lips.

"Cabin?" Eli shook his head and pulled his hand from hers. "You know what? That's not important right now. Rest up before joining us for dinner. I'll save some for you."

Eli closed the door softly. Venus could hear his retreating footsteps down the stairs as she lay in the bathtub.

"What am I gonna tell Serena..." She mumbled to herself, pulling the robe closer to her body. "What am I gonna say to Atlas..."