Running with Wolves Ch. 18

Within a couple of minutes there was a group of nearly 70 wolves all preparing to kill one of their own pack. Sol stared each of them in the eye before nodding.

Her nod seemed to be a cue to the others that Dominic didn't understand. Everyone that had not stepped forward began stripping off their clothing and migrating into the trees. They were ghosts in the forests, not making a sound even as some grew fur and stalked into the woods.

"What is this, Misty?" Dominic's eyes tracked the movement of the smaller group of hunters gathered and began discussing their plan of attack. Inside, Lark was starting to show signs of unease. His pacing was jerky and his eyes fearful as he watched the pack get into position.

"This is how a Run is done. The hunting party is chosen, then the rest of the pack goes out to create a perimeter to keep the accused contained while he is killed. Once everything is in place, Lark will be set loose and the hunt will begin."

"You don't actually expect us to be there, do you?" Ben snapped. His protective nature was showing through again.

"Of course not." Misty bristled. "We aren't a part of Five Rivers, and most of you are humans anyway, so participating is out of the question." From the trees, Kate came strolling cautiously out to great them. She was followed by three others who all made a barrier between Dominic and Lark.

"Once it begins, the trees won't be safe. We need to leave now." Misty took one last look at Lark before turning on her heels and heading for the trailhead. The others followed quickly after her, not wanting to be left behind. The last to go was Dominic. He stayed and watched as the Five Rivers hunters got into their final places. One of them in her hybrid form was poised at the door, ready to open it when the signal was given.

As he stepped to follow after his family, Lark turned one last time and locked eyes with him. Just like before, his eyes were swirling golden pools of hate. Dominic could feel his wolf touch the surface in response, giving him shivers down his spine.

"Dom?" Samantha had paused, noticing her friend's hesitation.

"Yeah, I'm coming." As Dominic turned his back on Lark, shuddering violently as the creature let loose a howl that told of just how much hatred and fury was inside of his soul.

*

Augustine listened to the hunting party with half an ear while she watched her pack move into the trees, preparing to do their part in the Run. A feeling of dread passed over her. This wasn't fair to them. They shouldn't have to be a part of killing one of their own pack members, someone they had called family, no matter what he had done. It would hurt them in ways only this could. What if they ended up hating her and the other victims for putting them in this position? What if killing Lark ended up changing the pack for the worse, and she was to blame? Augustine's hands shook as she watched the last of the pack disappear from sight.

Someone reached out and touched her shoulder from behind. Startled, Augustine gasped and spun around to find it was Alpha Orion. He looked exhausted, but he was able to stand under his own power again. Storm and Thunder flanked him, prepared to assist if need be.

"I can feel your guilt, Augustine; there is no need for it. Know that the pack feels no animosity towards Lark being sentenced to Run. They understand and are glad they can be a part of setting this wrong, right. We have all suspected him of being black at heart and after what has been heard tonight everyone is willing and eager to go through with this. Those that did not want to participate have gone back to the Den to inform the others, so no one is doing this because they were forced. There is nothing for you to worry about."

Augustine felt tears well up in her eyes as her Alpha pulled her forward and kissed her forehead. It was such a relief to hear those words from him. She kissed his cheek in gratitude before he walked off to join his mate.

As she turned to rejoin the hunting party's discussion, Augustine just happened to glance in the direction of where her mate had been standing with his pack during the trial. She could see Kate and Cliff leading Ben and his family out and away from the clearing. It made sense, seeing as how they were human and of a different pack, but Augustine still felt upset seeing Ben leave. Her wolf stirred in her mind and she ended up whining like a pup.

On the other side of the clearing, Ben froze. He spun to look around, his eyes searching until they locked gazes. His dark green eyes pierced into her, making her knees weak and heart flutter. He took a few steps towards her before Flint stopped him. Her cousin whispered something to Ben, who snapped back and flung his arm off, before looking at her one last time. He gave her a sharp nod, his way of giving her encouragement, and turned to disappear into the darkness. It pained Augustine to watch him go, but she gained comfort by reminding herself he would be safer in the Den than amongst the dark trees.

A snarl drew Augustine's attention back to the task at hand. Her eyes turned cold as she looked back to where Lark paced inside of his prison. He was glaring at where Ben had disappeared. She snarled back at him and began to strip, feeling her wolf finally rising up to the coming challenge. Threatening her was one thing; threatening her Destined was completely different. Her wolf would revel in Lark's death that night.

Rejoining the discussion with the other hunters, it was no surprise that Everest was the one leading the plans. He was an experienced warrior who had brought many victories to Five Rivers over the course of his life. He was legendary for fighting off three Betas while wrapped in a silver tether they had been using to keep him subdued. Unfortunately for Everest, his struggles to get free caused the silver to break through the skin and etched a permanent reminder of his time behind enemy lines.

As he contemplated their options, Everest watched Lark watching them from inside the cage. "We should shift. No need for Lark to know exactly what we have planned for him." He reached down and unzipped his pants. They dropped easily to the ground as he shifted into his massive dark grey wolf form.

Following his lead, the entire group of hunters began stripping. Augustine quickly pulled off her yoga pants and Ben's sweatshirt, pulling the fabric to her face and drawing in the last little bit of Ben's scent from the fibers. She would have to give it back to that he could wear it for her again.

After neatly folding her clothes and placing them aside, Augustine closed her eyes and drew out her wolf. It was a slow process, and more uncomfortable that it had been in a long time since her wolf was still feeling the affects of being dominated, but soon she was on all fours with her sandy blond fur catching the gentle breeze. It felt good to be back in her wolf form after so long. Her inner beast was itching to run, but they had a job to do.

Everest was already communicating his plan to the rest of the hunting party by the time Augustine trotted over to meet them. His voice was slightly muffled, since they didn't have a Pack Mind or any kind of physical bond, but he was close enough that it didn't matter.

'We will drive Lark east, towards the creek. It has the sheer cliffs we can pin him against.' Everest's large black head lifted up to test the air. 'He will be upwind of us while we hunt him. Does anyone have a different idea they would like to share?'

Forest, a younger wolf of Theta status, pitched in. 'If we take him there, we could lose him in the hills. We should have some of the pack stay in the area to keep him contained.'

Everest thought about it a moment, silently deliberating Forest's suggestion until he nodded in agreement. He began pushing images into their minds to show how he wanted them to move and keep Lark confined. The pictures he showed them were a bit fuzzy, but enough to understand. It took two hours of back and forth for them to finally come up with a plan of attack, but it was a bulletproof plan by the time they were done. 'June, go tell the others and guide them in the chase. We don't want him getting away because someone left an opening.'

June immediately darted off into the trees, her mousy brown fur glowing in the dying fire light before being snuffed out by the clustered foliage. Augustine could only gauge her distance by the sound of her fading footfalls. June was one of their fastest Betas, which was how she got the title in the first place. No one could match her in a foot race.

Lark was quick to take interest in June's departure. He started when she took off and growled once she was gone. It was a signal that his punishment was soon on its way. It gave Augustine a sick satisfaction when she scented his fear on the breeze. Her wolf grumbled out a snicker, only to cower back as Lark spun to glare at her.

'Augustine.' Everest came over to nudge Augustine with his nose, his voice gentle as he spoke into her mind. 'I want you to stay on the edge of the hunting party- don't argue,' he cut off her dispute, nipping her gently behind the ear. 'Your wolf is still out of sorts from her ordeal.'

'I can push through! Please, let me fight him, Everest. With the pack here, I know his wolf won't be able to intimidate mine into submission again.'

Everest shook his wolf head. 'Your wolf has always been treated as the strongest, and don't get me wrong, you are. But that is only amongst your female year mates. Your wolf has only ever fought when she had the advantage or in a controlled setting. Now, your wolf knows she is not quite as strong as she thought and it will harm your confidence. Trust me, I know exactly what you are feeling, and it is too soon for you to be going head to head with Lark.' His sad, reflective tone reminded Augustine of Everest's time spent as a POW. He had been the strongest Beta in the pack before then, never losing his fights and always inspiring others to follow him into victory. That is until he became too confident and took on a neighboring pack's Patrol Unit to gain the land. Everest was the only one of six to survive. His actions cost him close friends and his rank, while the ordeal left him permanently damaged and lame. After losing the kind of omnipotence he had built up, it was no surprise he had experienced what Augustine was feeling now. She lowered her head and kissed his chin, submitting to his request without further argument.

In the distance, June howled. It was her signal that everyone was in place. The rest of the hunting party howled in response, pumping themselves up for the coming challenge. They were under no illusions; Lark was of Beta status. He would be a formidable opponent, but Augustine was confident they would have no issues in the end. There was the entire pack after all.

Getting into position, Augustine and the others created a V formation with the cage door at the point. She was behind the first line, the secondary support if Lark decided to try and fight his way past right from the start. From the way he was pacing and panting in fear she doubted he would. Every fiber of his being was going to tell him to try and make the run for it. He froze as Madam Alpha Sol stepped forward, pushing the steel key into the lock.

Her voice was colder than ice as she spoke. "If it is any consolation to you, we will still burn your body after it is finished." She turned the key. "May Luna have mercy on you in the next life." She pulled the door open, allowing four of the hunting party to rush in and attack Lark.

The skirmish was fierce and loud; a true dog fight. The four who went in were in the same Patrol Unit and were adept at creating a Pack Mind. Lark stood no chance against their synchronized movements.

As they fought, Lark was able to get in a few good hits on the attackers. His sharp claws came down on one of the Unit's face, gouging at her eye and damaging it severely. The other three responded to the injury of their comrade by stepping up their assault on Lark.

Within minutes, Lark's right hind leg was rendered lame. The attack would have continued, but Everest snarled to back them off. 'This kill belongs to the pack. Get him moving.'

Understanding their orders, the four wolves made their next move. Stopping their direct assault, they purposefully left the way to the door clear. Seeing an escape, Lark's instincts took the opportunity and bolted out into the trees. The hunters were ready for him, flanking him on either side as he tried to run with one limp leg.

Augustine kept to the back of the formation as Everest had requested. She so badly wanted to be one of the wolves close to Lark, darting in to nip at his heels to keep him moving. It was frustrating to be delegated to the back where she had no real purpose.

'There is no one without a purpose.' Suddenly, Aunt Sol and Alpha Orion were flanking Augustine, Thunder and Storm taking up the rear. She could feel the impulse to back off and allow them to take the lead, but Orion stopped her. 'No, Augustine. This is your hunt. We are only here to observe.'

The wolf in Augustine felt such pride being allowed to take lead. She picked up her pace and focused in on their prey, eager to make the most of this opportunity.

Lark had been quick to get his wolf back under control. He was beginning to plot, testing the bounds of the hunters, veering to the right and left but always being met with resistance. He kept running, trying to find some crack in their armor.

'Keep him contained, but leave some room. He is smart, don't let him get his claws into you.' Augustine and the others settled into a half loop, keeping a 30-foot radius from Lark at all times. As horrible as Lark had been, he was still one of the few wolves on track to become one of the strongest male Betas of Five Rivers. They needed to be careful not to give him any chances to get away. He was already trying to pick up his pace so that he could make a move in the upcoming denser trees.

His opportunity would be difficult to find.

As they arrived in an area Lark undoubtedly knew he could lose his tail, they came upon a pile of boulders. Atop the massive stones, haloed in moonlight, were a dozen Five Rivers pack members standing at the ready.

The moment Lark came into view, the guard of wolf opened their jaws and bared their teeth. Their snarls and barks caused Lark to skid and dart to the right. They followed him, keeping between him and his possible escape. Unfortunately, being lower ranking wolves they tired quickly, but they succeeded in their task and Lark was forced to continue on looking for another way out.

It continued on like this for hours. Every time Lark would try to make a play to get away, there was another blockade of his former pack members there to stop him. Sometimes it was wolves, other times it was snipers in the trees, waiting for Lark to get just a flicker of hope before opening fire at his feet. There was never a moment Lark couldn't feel death closing in on his heels. His frustration and panic were thick in the air, lending to the excitement in the hunt. They were wolves, after all, and a hunt was a hunt at its core.

They continued on covertly guiding Lark in the direction they wanted, but at some point he must have figured out something was wrong. He began trying to break through the wolves blocking his way, attacking them, only to be pushed back by their superior numbers. He would then have to deal with the lead hunters as they caught up to him. The only time Augustine felt worry that Lark would get away was when he attempted to shift into his hybrid form. Taking on the half wolf, half man body took an immense amount of energy and the balance of both the human mind and instinctual impulses. If he were able to concentrate and pull off that form, it would make keeping him under control immensely harder. Everest had been quick to go on the attack when he noticed the beginning of the shift, forcing Lark's wolf to pull back out to the front in order to protect himself. By the time they were even close to their end goal, Lark was littered with gashes from claws, punctures caused by fangs, and burning holes from the snipers' bullets.

It was clear by now that Lark had figured out where he was being lead. He, like the rest of them, had grown up running these woods, and knew them like the back of his hand. He knew his time was running short, and his desperation reached an all time high. The last place he could possibly make an escape was the line of short, yet steep hills that led into the sheer cliffs the pack was planning to use as his final battleground. His running picked up once again, using his damaged leg in an attempt to gain some distance.

The trees thinned out as they came up on the creek. It was wide, a hundred yards in some areas, but it was also shallow with the creek bed breaching the surface in multiple areas. Lark didn't hesitate to enter the water. The hunting party was close behind, their splashing feet spraying droplets of water into the air to catch the silver light of the moon. In any other situation, the sight of the strongest wolves in Five Rivers running amongst the tiny diamond-like drops, bathed in moonlight would have been breathtaking, but it was tainted by their bared teeth and focused attention. They had no time to be carefree when they had a wolf to kill.

As expected, Lark made a run for the shorter hills at the beginning of the range. There were 20 wolves there to block his path, plus a sniper in the trees. It was a show of force that would scare off any seasoned wolf, but Lark was truly desperate now. He knew if they got him down to the sheer cliffs he would be pinned. This was his last shot to try and get away.

Lark charged the hills, pushing through the pain so that he could use his healing hind leg. The group ahead readied themselves, completely focused in on their target. They were so focused, that they didn't notice the flicker of movement behind them.

Augustine saw it and immediately dismissed it as one of the guard, but that didn't make sense. Why would they be so far back in the trees while in their wolf form? She lifted her nose to the sky. The wind had shifted to come in from the side, so she couldn't identify the wolf from her position from the back of the hunting party. She decided to continue on, assuming it was some new part of the plan that the group ahead had come up with.

That is until she spotted dirty blond fur she recognized.

'BEHIND YOU!'

A split second after Augustine forcefully projected her thoughts, Colt came bolting from the trees, and all hell broke loose.

Augustine's warning only reached those closest to her, namely her Alphas and Everest, so Colt was able to take the others by surprise. He attacked from behind, barreling through in a blitz attack. His sudden appearance drew everyone's attention away from Lark, who took full advantage of the situation. He pushed his body forward into an all out sprint, diving into the fray of confused and fighting wolves.

'Contain them!' Sol took the lead, using her Alpha connection with all of them to communicate how she wanted them to respond. There was no point in joining the fight; it would only cause more chaos. Instead, they all formed a tight circle around the moshpit of snarls and fur, keeping everyone confined so that Lark and Colt could not escape.

Colt's element of surprise quickly wore off. He was soon at the mercy of the pack, the much stronger and better trained Betas and Thetas taking him down quickly. Lark was another situation all together. He knew this was his last chance, therefore he was putting everything he had into this last stand. He swiped and growled, spinning to attack then dodging just as quickly. He at one point attempted to shift into his hybrid form, but doing so mid-battle was near impossible without years of training. Even so, the fighting wolves weren't willing to take the chance he may succeed. Two Thetas, siblings with their own close connection, lunged as one and slammed into Lark's side, knocking him onto his side.