Chapter 16: Deucalion’s Hunt

After Ryan told me to run, I quickly grabbed Lila by the hand and began running through the house. My heart pounded like a drum in my chest. The back window was our only quick way out. I punched through the glass with my fist, I barely even felt any pain. Glass shattered everywhere, falling like rain on the floor. I helped Lila over the broken frame first, holding her steady so she wouldn’t get cut. “Careful,” I said. Then I crossed over myself, landing on the cool grass outside. I felt free on the inside like a heavy weight has been lifted off me. Then we started running as fast as we could.

The creature burst into the house through the front door right then. Wood splintered and flew across the living room. The beast was massive, fur dark and eyes glowing red with anger. Ryan turned fast, no time to think. He had to charge through it to protect Jax and his sister who were already on the run. Ryan shifted into a wolf quickly, bones cracking loud. He leaped at the creature with everything he had. Teeth and claws met in a crash of fury. Growls filled the house. Furniture broke as they fought. Ryan bought them time, fighting hard in the living room to keep the beast busy. He knew he couldn't beat it.

While Lila and I ran through the backyard, we didn’t look back. Our feet hit the ground hard. Branches scratched our arms. The night air felt cold on my skin. But I suddenly stopped. My chest tightened with guilt. I wanted to turn back to go help Ryan. He was family. He was protecting us. I couldn’t leave him alone with that thing.

“Keep going,” I told Lila, breathing fast. My voice sounded rough.

She grabbed my arm tight and pulled me. “You should know better than that. Ryan told you to run. The creature is after you, not after Ryan.”

I hesitated, looking back toward the house. Sounds of fighting carried on the wind. Growls and crashes.

Lila pulled me forward harder. “Listen to me. That creature is an alpha werewolf and It has come to kill you because if it does not, you will turn out to be something more dangerous than that creature. What they call that creature is Deucalion.”

I stared at her in the dark. “Deucalion? How do you know all this? Ryan never told me that name.”

“Ryan told me stories before,” she said quick, still pulling me. “Old pack legends. We have to keep moving. Don't think Ryan is that weak. Don’t make his fight useless.”

We ran deeper into the night. Branches whipped my face. My blue eyes glowed a little in the dark, lighting the way. Deucalion. The name sent a chill down my back. The roar sounded again behind us, closer this time. Ryan’s fight bought us seconds, but how long would it last? I held Lila’s hand tighter and pushed forward. The city lights glowed far ahead, but the shadows between us and safety felt alive and dangerous.

Ryan charged at the werewolf with everything he had left. His wolf form was strong and fast from years of fighting, but he was no match for its strength. Deucalion was an alpha werewolf, bigger, meaner. The alpha moved like lightning. He dug his claws deep into Ryan’s side. Blood flowed hot. Deucalion lifted him up high like he weighed nothing. Then he flung him aside hard. Ryan crashed into the living room wall with a heavy thud. Pain shot through his whole body. Furniture broke around him. He tried to get up, shaking his head to clear it, but the world spun. Deucalion didn’t wait around. He turned fast and chased after Jax, his powerful movements, shaked the whole place.

Lila and I were running hard through the dark streets behind the houses. Our feet pounded the ground. My lungs burned. But I noticed Lila was slowing me down. She was trying her best, but she couldn’t keep up with the new speed the bite gave me. I immediately picked her up, throwing her over my shoulder like she was light as a bag. I ran faster with her. The wind rushed past us cold and sharp. Houses and trees blurred by in the dark.

Lila was shocked at such strength and speed. She held on tight to my shirt. “How… how are you doing this, Jax?” she asked, voice shaky from the bouncing. “You weren’t this strong yesterday.”

Before I could answer or even catch my breath, I suddenly bumped into someone hard. The impact sent us all tumbling to the ground in a heap. My shoulder hit the dirt with a jolt. Pain flared for a second. I looked closely at the man lying there. “Elias?”

Elias saw it was me too. His eyes widened in surprise. He sat up quickly. “Jax? Is that really you?”

Lila pushed herself up from the grass, brushing dirt from her clothes. “What?” she asked, confused and breathing hard. She faced me, eyes wide. “Who is it, Jax?”

I stood slow, staring at him. Memories of the night we shared flooded back. “He’s from the family that slaughtered our family back then.”

Immediately Lila heard that. The rage in her rose up to the highest. Her eyes turned blue immediately. I was shocked. That was the first time I saw Lila’s eyes glow like that. They shone bright blue in the dark, full of power and pure anger. It was the same glow I had, but on her it looked even more intense. Her hands clenched into fists. Her whole body tensed like she was about to shift right there on the street.