Chapter 16The hunt was about to begin.
The four Alphas stood just before the designated area. Rafael looked forward... everything was as it should be, as he and Elijah had prepared it. The hunt was a straightforward enough activity, the Alphas hunted within a designated area, a way to show off their prowess.
Rafael had made sure the game was more than enough so each Alpha would catch something. No one would feel slighted.
The day was cool, perfect for hunting.
Everything should go well... no, everything would go well.
"Let us partake in communion with our wolves and with each other," Rafael said.
"As we hunt together, may the bonds that bind us grow ever stronger..." Rafael paused.
He looked at the Alphas by his side. They each gave a nod.
"By the goddess," they replied as one. Even Siluren.
"Let the hunt begin."
And they began to shift.
The sky was in its twilight phase. Underneath Rafael was a prowling wolf. He had his eye on a beautiful antelope a short distance away, munching on foliage. Its horns glinted, catching the little light still available. It might be prey, but it was a beautiful animal.
Suddenly, an urge caught him. He wanted to gift this beast to Julian. It would make a wonderful first courting gift... something about this beautiful prey, innocent and unassuming, reminded Rafael of Julian.
He crouched low and moved closer. The challenge would be capturing it alive.
He tensed and prepared to pounce.
Suddenly, he heard a loud, anguished howl. He recognized it immediately... that was Alpha Moran.
His hackles rose instantly. There was another howl, pained and anguished.
The sound was near, and so he ran immediately to answer. Someone was in danger. He ran as fast as he could until he was hearing sounds of combat and a wolf in pain.
Suddenly, he reached a clearing where he saw Alpha Moran fending a... vampire.
What?
He recognized it. It wasn't a normal vampire, it was a forsaken. Mindless and rabid in its attack.
Rafael joined the fray immediately, jumping in between the forsaken vampire and Alpha Moran, giving the older Alpha respite from the attack.
He bit and snapped at the vampire, but though it was mindless and lacked any real fighting technique, it was very fast... and though Rafael was able to defend and keep it off him, his stamina was being depleted. How long could he continue this?
He fought with everything he could. Alpha Moran was too injured to help, but he howled for help, hopefully another Alpha would arrive soon.
He was a second slow, and the vampire was able to land a hit. Rafael felt the sharp pain of claws piercing through fur. He ignored the pain and bit at its head.
Their claws were poisonous.
Rafael could feel something foul in his bloodstream, but he just kept on fighting. He had to.
Yet despite his efforts, he could feel his body growing weaker, slower.
He needed help, he howled as he prayed to the goddess. The snarling humanoid forsaken bared its teeth.
A forsaken's bite was deadly to werewolves with no known cure, if he was bitten he would die soon.
The thing jumped on Rafael's back, he bucked to get it off. he felt sharp pain as claws dug insistently into his fur.
Then he felt its hot breath on his fur, teeth grazing fur. At that moment Rafael faltered.
Was this the end?