The Wolf Who Stole The Hunter's Wife

Agatha ran through the thickets of the forest with heavy and hurried steps. The metal rings on her boots clacked and clinked as it shook with every paced step she takes. The huntress’s eyes squinted through the dim forest. The sun was just rising, and she wanted to catch something, a boar. Or maybe even a deer.

Rumors had been circling around their small village, and it brought back sparks in everyone’s eyes. It was just a festival before. The Gladiator Run for the Lobo, and now — the myth, the Legend became their reality when the Alpha released his aura around the Kingdom, protecting everything where his Aura touches. Even the meadows, the animals and the life-giving rivers.

She and her husband, Tyrone always won the cup. Meaning, the King and Queen will be sitting next to them during the feast.

Agatha grabbed the bow from her back, snatching two arrows from behind as well when she spotted a boar. With a grunt, the Huntress stopped and laxed her strong thighs and legs. Positioning herself to release the nook of the arrow.

As she released the nook, it threw thin and pale shadows through the trees, the wind whooshed from the arrow’s release, the harsh wind caused by its speed. And even as she heard the cry of the boar — Agatha kept her senses alert, her footsteps soft against the ground, minding the crisp leaves and the dry twigs.

Agatha could feel it in her bones. She felt it the day she was assigned to watch the thing, the monster called ‘Shadows.’ Something was watching her since then.

Something was always tracking her and was always following her scent.

‘But what?!’ She mentally asked herself as she looked around. ‘A cat’s footsteps are lighter than air, and a boar’s stench is easy to spot.’ Agatha continued to speculate on her mind.

That was until she saw a tail. Thick and brown.

Her eyes widened, straightening her back. Her hold on the bow and arrow tightened.

“A wolf?” She said aloud even though she wasn’t that sure. A wolf’s scent had always been foreign to them. Even when a beast was declared as King, he did not smell of one.

Calleb Shaldan had always been described to smell like the forest and the mountain grass, and his Luna… Accashia smelled of vines and flowers.

But this wolf carried the scent of a human.

“How many men have you killed?” Agatha hissed, raising her bow again.

The Huntress wasn’t afraid. She had her bow and arrow latched on her back. And a sharp knife tucked on the side of her right boot. The huntress wanted to run towards the boar, toss it up to her shoulders and make a run back to her home — but Agatha knew that wasn’t so smart.

Her hunting the boar was probably the reason why swhy he was being tracked in the first place. “I should leave it here then.” She said to herself aloud then put down the bow and arrow.

It’s a sin to kill a wolf after all. Wolves are an endangered species and considered as messengers to the Spirit world.

The Huntress decided to leave the boar as offering, but then a strong gust of wind made the hair on her neck stand up. It shocked Agatha, turning her into a huge mess.

“FUCK!” She cursed when she miscalculated her steps. She ended up sprawled face first into the ground, the bow and arrow felt sharp and painful against her back. The leaves and twigs crunched under her body. A few arrows broke from the impact as well.

“Ah, shit.” Agatha cursed again, feeling the sting on her back.

The Huntress placed her hands against the ground, prompting herself up. But when she picked herself up and managed to sit up. Agatha gasped, and was frozen in place.

Just a few feet away stood a large, brown wolf. Its brown and fawn fur formed a collar at its shoulders.

Agatha couldn’t move, and she dared not to. For the wolf was big, and it didn’t look like the ordinary wolves she saw in the paintings of the Shaman. The wolf on the paintings reached up to a normal person’s hip. But this one is taller than her. It’s as big as a bear. The Huntress swallowed, and felt a sting on her throat from the building panic she’s feeling inside.

The wolf stared at her, right at her eyes. All Agatha could think about was calling her husband for help, but she couldn’t scream.

“Don’t come any closer.”

The Huntress pushed herself up, her thighs still shaking. She bent to pick up her bow, and the wolf growled. It bared its white, sharp teeth. And its fangs were sharp as blades.

Agatha took a deep breath, remembering what was taught to them by the Shaman named Azucena. Surrender. She held out her empty hands and showed her palm. And right after she did that, the Huntress cursed herself, thinking of how stupid she was for the wolf was walking towards her, one paw after another.

She tried her best to stare at the wolf in the eye. They looked... different. And she was told that wolves were supposed to have blue eyes. This one had auburn eyes. The same color of leaves during the fall. The same color of the river after the landslide — and the same color of rusted nails.

‘How odd.’ Agatha whispered to herself after staring the beast in the eye. It’s as if she knows it. “What are you doing here?” She asked through a whisper.

The wolf froze and snarled at her, snapping its jaws.

“What do you want?” She asked again.

And this time, instead of asserting dominance, the beast walked closer to her. It ran its black nose towards her stomach, up to her chest — along her arms then back to her breast. Agatha took a sharp deep breath when the wolf smelled her womanhood. And she had to use every ounce of self control on her body to stop herself from petting the beast. All she wanted was to run her fingers against that fur. To see if it’s as soft as it looks.

Suddenly, the beast stepped back and it snarled at her again. It snapped its jaws at her and then took off until all the Huntress could see was a blur of brown and white in the streams of morning sun.

When the wolf was no longer there, Agatha let out a relieved gasp. The sun blinded her after the darkness of the forest. But then something… a voice resounded on her head saying,

“Woman… you are mine. No one can ever have you. No one can touch what is mine.”

=============

As they ran back to the rock cavern, Mike scolded the brown wolf the moment he transformed.

Mike frowned, groaning right after. He was beginning to adapt to Mael’s beastly behaviors. “Why did you approach her like that, Mael?! You promised we will only watch her from afar! How could you get into her head like that, you stupid wolf!”

Mael huffed. ‘Because I like the way she smells.’ The wolf mumbled.

“Her smell?” Mike asked. “You’re so weird.”, whining right after. “And such a liar! You deceived me — again!”

‘I did not deceive you! I never deceive anyone! I simply move by instinct.’

Placing his hands around his waist, Mike sighed then his cheeks began to heat up. The young man just realized he was naked. During the transformation, his clothes would be ruined and torn into shreds. Mike lowered his hands, covering his private parts and suddenly felt awkward.

He had no idea what would happen next. Agatha saw Mael. They were only stalking her for weeks, watching her hunt in the forest.

Now what do we do?” Mike asked Mael and the awkward moment left as Mael spoke, giving the most ridiculous answer.

'I will bite her!'

“Are you not listening to my lectures, Mael?! I told you, she’s married!” Mike screamed on top of his lungs. Good thing they’re alone, or else, the woman from their village would endlessly gossip about him again.

‘And I told you many times we kill the Hunter!’ Was Mael’s answer. ‘He’s weak! Like a flea on my back. Once we kill him, I bite Agatha.’

“Agatha almost shot us with her bow and arrow, dumbass!”

Mael tilted his head to the side and scratched his head. ‘But she did not. Because she heard my voice. She felt it too, that she’s mine to claim.’

Mike closed his eyes upon hearing Mael chattering on his mind, snapping his jaws and enjoying himself for making Mike’s life miserable.

‘I know you feel it too… that Agatha is ours. You feel attracted to her. Have you forgotten, I can read your thoughts, feel what you feel. I am you, idiot.’

Mike’s body stiffened and couldn’t talk back.

‘She is our mate, Mike, son of the Late Beta, Donbrock.’ Mael said. ‘She is our fate, and the moon goddess has spoken. I need to claim her.’

Mike sighed. “Whatever. Do what you want.”