The Hidden Hybrid Within

Chapter 15: First Signs of Danger

Xander’s POV

     “Xander everything alright, I have never seen anything like that.” Thank goodness Jake pulled me away from everyone. “Dude your eyes turned red. And I swear I felt nothing put power emanate from her.”

      “Well, I have already felt that power a few times, the binding must have made you feel it too.” I was glad I wasn’t going crazy, I knew she had a powerful aura, but now I wasn't the only one who had experienced it. “Did you see her eyes?”

      “I did, they turned a fiery red with gold pupils, but just for a split second.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Xander if we felt it, do you think that it surged beyond these walls. You know if it did, there will be those that will come for its source.”

     I don’t know why I didn’t think about that, “That just means we will have to protect her, at least until we figure out who she is.” I needed to find my dad. “Hey, I am going to go find dad.” I turned to leave Jake standing there and rushed back to dad’s office. As soon as I opened the door, I had a sense of danger. It felt like someone had crossed our perimeter and all I could feel was evil and darkness approaching fast.

     “I feel it too son,” Dad was standing behind the desk looking out the window. “Get her and Jake and let’s go scout, we need to know what's coming.”

      I didn’t waste time to go find Jake and Sin. I didn’t have to go far, and by the looks of it they knew why I was there. All I did was motion my head and we headed out of the wooden door to the outside of the facility.

      “Guys, I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel danger, please tell me what’s going on.” Sin stated, but she didn’t sound scared, I could tell she was curious more than anything. “It feels like pure evil, that’s the only way I can explain it.”

      "I will explain later." I nodded for them to follow. “Come on guys, stay within eyesight of each other and spread out, if you see something do not engage, whistle to let us know, and we will come to you. Dad is just on the other side of that tree line and mom is about twenty feet from him. The rest of the warriors are the other direction, spreading out.”

      I took off at a jog away from Jake and Sin headed toward the darkness and away from the walls of the facility. I probably should have stayed with her, this was her first time probably ever going through something like this, but in the back of my mind, something told me she could handle herself. 

       The further into the dark and the more away from the building I went I could feel it. It felt like a fog rushing over me with full of the darkness and evil. I sensed four or five beings around me, but they weren’t close enough to see me.

      I finally decided to stand still and crouch low to the ground and remain silent until they came closer. I had been itching for a battle all day to release some pent-up frustration with Sin. As much as I appreciated her ending things the way she did I still felt like I could take her head off for not letting me make her submit.

     Suddenly I heard the most blood curdling howl coming from my left, followed by several more. They weren’t howls I had heard before and before I could process what I had truly heard or how many there were all I could hear were whimpers and punches and thuds like heavy objects being thrown to the ground. Then it hit me, Sin and Jake went the way those sounds were coming from.

     I jumped as fast as I could and sprinted toward the direction of the noise. The only light shining was that of the moon over head. The closer I got to the noises the louder they became, and the stench was almost enough to make any person vomit, it smelled of rotted meat.

     I came to a dead stop at the scene before me illuminated by the moon light. There were wolves laying everywhere, rogues, I thought, they had to be from the smell, I counted at least six lying there. There were another four circling someone in the middle and I watched as one lunged to the middle and was thrown back toward the scattered bodies, looking down at it I realized it was dead; its neck was completely twisted around.

     My eyes quickly traveled back to the circle of wolves and there she stood. Her eyes were fiery red and the gold pupils illuminated the area around her. I could see wounds and torn clothing around her legs, abdomen and arms. Her hair was slightly disheveled from the messy bun she had it pulled in. There was blood dripping down her left cheek, and she was still standing on both feet fighting.

     Not having time to think any more about it, I found myself rushing to her side to help her defeat the others. She never even paid me any attention as she continued to battle them. We fought back-to-back as they kept coming at us, scratching, and snapping their jaws at every inch of our body they thought they could get a hold of. I heard her yelp behind me and when I turned around one of the wolves had managed to grab her arm and pull her away. I tried to go after her, but two attacked me. They had me pinned down as I kicked and punched with everything I had. Just as one swiped toward my neck trying to slice my throat it was drug off me and I watched as its neck snapped around. I opened my eyes to see her standing there throwing its body to the side. She reached down to offer me a hand and she was quickly thrown away as another wolf tackled her and rolled her across the sand. She wasted no time flipping it over and snapping its neck letting its lifeless body fall to the ground. She returned to me and offered me a hand to stand again.

      “Thanks,” That was all I could get out, not really believing my eyes.

      She gave me smile and we stood there observing the lifeless bodies that laid around us. “What is this? I thought you only kept wolves for protection and detection for smuggled items, not to kill.”

      I rolled my eyes to myself, as the thought crossed my mind, was that really what she thought. And then I mentally face palmed myself, of course that is what she thought, that's what mom and dad had told her, that's what they tell everyone who doesn't know.

      “Come on, we will get a clean-up crew to take care of this. And these aren’t our wolves, these are what we call rogues.” I tried to explain without saying too much.

      “But I didn’t think there were any other wolves in the desert. They can’t survive in this environment without the proper care needed.” She just wasn't going to let it go.

      “I know what you mean, I don’t know where they came from but that’s what they are.” I decided to just go with it. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and started leading her back toward the facility, “Come on, let’s go get cleaned up and finish enjoying the party.”

      We started to the facility and all at once I felt something pierce my chest. I screamed in pain and looked down to see and arrow protruding from my chest. I looked over to Sin and saw the fear in her eyes, something that would forever be seared in my brain, something I had never saw in her eyes;, just as I hit the ground and darkness followed.