56 Chapter 56: Fallen pack

"Aaarrghooooooowww." An inhuman howl pierced the air, followed by a loud thud.

Elize woke up startled. Something had fallen down next to where she was curled up. She was confused. When did she fall unconscious? What was that scream that she heard?! What was happening?

She wanted to open her eyes to take a peek when suddenly something wet splashed all over her naked back. Elize shrank further into herself as a reflex, dreading to guess what the wetness was. Placing her hands over her ears, she decided to keep her eyes shut. Squeezing her eyes further closed, she prayed that it would all go away. Her heart was hammering against her chest all too loud. She knew that the wolves would be further enticed by her fear, but she couldn't help herself.

More agonizing screams echoed around her. Her hands covering her ears did little to suppress the heart wrenching sounds. She could hear it clearly. It sounded neither human nor animal.

The wet slick substance splashed on her once again, spluttering all over her body from head to toe. She could feel it drip down her hair to the sides of her face. Elize felt sick to her core at the feeling of the warm gooey liquid sliding down her skin. Bile rose up her throat as an overwhelming stench filled her surroundings. Hoping that whatever was surrounding her wouldn't notice, she slowly opened her eyes.

The grass that covered the forest floor was no more green. Her eyes widened at the realization of what she was covered in. As it trickled down her forehead, she wiped it away with her palm instinctively, convulsed at the feeling. She couldn't ignore the rusty smell anymore. She brought her hand in front of her face, only to confirm what coated her body. She shuddered at the sight of the dark red substance that stained the insides of her palm.

"Blood." She whispered, her voice breaking.

It was not the first time that she was seeing blood. But the realization that it came from dead things sickened her. The first thought that came to her mind after seeing it was Zack. Was he safe?! She tried reaching out through their bond, but there was no reply. She knew that she had to get up and see for herself where he was. What if he was injured?

With much effort she turned her blood stained body towards where her mate was once standing. She was shocked at the scene unraveling before her. The wolves who were once standing around her, nipping at her skin were no more there. Instead, they were scattered around the place, some looking around themselves in a panicked state while others were trying to escape.

Something was picking them off one by one and tossing them into the air. Elize looked up, as a huge wolf was grabbed from the midst of a thicket and thrown up towards the sky. Its body desperately flailed in the air while howling its lungs out. It was evident that it was scared beyond comprehension. Something flashed above its body, as it was ruthlessly torn in half. Blood splashed all over her once more, this time falling directly on her bare front. Elize shielded her face just before the liquid spluttered all over her.

One by one the wolves were torn apart in fron tof her by something too swift to be caught by her human vision. A sense of panic gripped her heart when she realized that Zack was nowhere to be found. She tried reaching out to him through the bond once more.

'Zack?! Answer me please!' She shouted through the link.

Once again, there was no reply.

Elize thought hard about Nina's explanation a few days ago on the intricacies of the mate bond. If she remembered it right, mates could not only communicate through the bond, but could also sense each other's presence through it. If Zack was anywhere near her, she would be able to sense him. Elize concentrated on the bond again, this time focusing her attention on finding his presence. It was hard at first with all the screaming going on around her, but within a few seconds, Elize could feel a heartbeat through the link.

She sighed, relieved at the realization that her mate was alive. Now all she had to do was pin point his location. Clearing her mind, she concentrated harder, feeling around the bond for Zack. For some reason, she could not get an exact location of her mate. But the bond suggested that he was close. Elize opened her eyes and looked around. Where was he?

"Zack?" She shouted with all her strength, hoping to get a reply.

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard a sound that she didn't expect.

"Grrrr.." A low growl sounded from ahead.

Elize looked towards the direction, only to realize the mistake that she had done. In calling out for her mate, she had alerted the wolves who were preoccupied with saving their own lives. Two wolves inched closer to her, their brown eyes gleaing in the sunlight. Their attention was now entirely upon her, forgetting the carnage happening around them. Baring their fangs at her, the creatures barked threateningly.

"Shit!" Elize swore under her breath.

With a loud bark, one of the wolves jumped towards her, its eyes gleaming with hunger. Just as the its body reached above her head, a heart wrenching scream erupted from its throat. Something had caught its body mid-air and was stretching its limbs apart, tearing it slowly in the process. Desperate to escape, the wolf tried shifting back to its human form, but it was too late. The wolf was torn into two, midway between its shift. It's half human lifeless body landed next to her feet. Elize quickly withdrew herself from it, unable to conceal her disgust and fear. That was when she realized the reason for the screams being inhuman. Many of the bodies that lay around her were of half shifted wolves. Some were human from above their hips and the other were from above.

*THUD*

A huge animal landed in front of her, standing in between the other wolf and her protectively. Compared to the massive body of the creature standing in front of her, the wolf in front of it seemed like a cub. Seeing the threat, the wolf ran away, not even taking a second glance at Elize's body. Long howls sounded soon after, while other wolves abandoned their pray to follow suit of the escaping wolf, as if eager to escape.

Elize looked at the broad muscular back of the creature. Its fur was covered in blood, matted close to its body. The mate bond tugged at her heart furiously, placing inside her a yearning so hard that she couldn't resist.

"Zack?!" She asked, confused.

The creature looked back at her and bobbed its head up and down, its blue eyes displaying the truth of its identity.

'Babe.' Zack's relieved voice echoed in her head.

She gasped in surprise. How was this possible?! Her bond screamed at her that it was her mate but the appearance of the wolf standing before her confused Elize. Her eyes wandered around the creature's body. This particular wolf had a much bigger body. Its golden- brown fur had white streaks in them. A pointed white line ran along the back of his neck and ended between his eyes, making him look almost like a mythical creature. The blood on his fur screamed the superiority of its strength. But his eyes, they were the same deep blue eyes that she had fallen in love with.

"Is it really you?" She asked, extending a hand towards the wolf.

The creature came forward and rubbed its snout against her chest in reply, sending pleasure waves down her stomach.

"Oh Zack!" She exclaimed, tears streaming down her face.

'Come, let me get you some place safe.' He said bending down next to her.

Elize nodded her head and painstakingly forced her body up the wolf's back. Zack got up from the ground, hoisting her well above the forest floor. Standing tall above the carcasses of the dead wolves, he whimpered, a lone tear escaping his eye. The pain that wrecked his heart tore through her as well. She glanced at the torn limbs scattered all around them. They were once part of their pack. She was once their future Luna. Guilt squeezed at her insides till she could bear it no more. With a long howl, Zack took off into the forest, carrying her on his back.

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