“Heed your own words! I believe you have consumed excessive alcohol.” He rose and grasped his friend’s shoulders. “Any thoughts you have will be futile. He is perpetually surrounded by associates, and Colton will not support us in this matter.”
“Do you desire for your wife and children to be murdered or captured and subjugated by the kingdom? Do you wish to forfeit all your liberty?”
Gradually, he lowered his hands. “No, I certainly do not desire that; what kind of inquiry is that?”
“That is precisely what will occur if we do not halt it immediately.”
The man remained silent, observing his friend with an involuntary curiosity. What actions do you propose we undertake?
His friend smiled broadly, revealing his decayed teeth. “We must demonstrate our strength and assertiveness. We should ambush him as he exits Colton’s cabin, adopting a predatory approach. He will be caught off guard, providing us with a strategic advantage.”
“What if we eliminate him?”
His friend laughed, sending chills down Molly’s spine at the sound of someone finding humour in such a dreadful situation. She sensed the awakening of the wolf within her. “It is advantageous for us to proceed. The kingdom will be deterred from pursuing us.”
“Such an action could instigate a war if we were to eliminate him-”
“It is preferable to assert a position rather than passively allow our residence to be obliterated!”
The man acquiesced, leaving Molly incredulous at what she was hearing. They intended to ambush Jayce and sought his demise.
She retreated further into the shadows. She needed to caution him.
“There is no time for that! You will not succeed; you must eliminate them immediately!” Her wolf bellowed within her.
“Eliminate them?!” Molly exclaimed internally. She covered her mouth to suppress her words. “I cannot eliminate them! Do you observe their size? They will tear me apart!”
“They shall not rend me asunder!” Cordelia snarled. “Grant me control!”
Molly looked back around the corner and observed that the men had vanished. She swiftly surveyed her surroundings to observe them approaching Colton’s cabin and remained a short distance away.
“Now!” Cordelia exclaimed. Molly experienced her bones fracturing and her body disassembling and reassembling into a new configuration. She bellowed as her hands struck the snow and transformed into furry paws to which she remained unaccustomed.
It was excruciating, yet she could scarcely perceive it. Attention was directed towards her, yet she remained unseen. The door of Colton’s cabin opened, prompting the men to shift. Their garments were shredded before their paws made contact with the ground. The remaining villagers observed with bewilderment and powerlessness.
As Jayce exited the cabin, one of the men emitted a howl. His keen eyes located them immediately, and Molly realised he would not have sufficient time to transform before they approached him. They growled and sprinted towards him, but Molly had already arrived before they could reach him.
She collided with both of them laterally, displacing them off course. They were so astonished that they could scarcely compose themselves before she confronted them once more. She exerted maximum pressure on one of their legs while the other attempted to seize her from behind. Molly lunged for his neck, and the wolf collapsed more swiftly than she could comprehend. This type of power was difficult to grasp.
A subsequent howl emanated from behind her. She observed Jayce in his lupine form, his gaze menacing. She lamented her decision to gaze at him, as one of the other wolves pounced on her, and she feared imminent death by throat tearing.
Jayce charged at the wolf, seized it by the neck, and swung it around like a rag doll before hurling it against a nearby tree. The wolf did not rise again.
The other wolf incapacitated Molly and lacerated the side of her arm. He stained the snow with her blood as she cried out in agony, simultaneously biting down on his neck while Jayce seized him by the leg. Although Molly had released him prior to inflicting significant harm on the man, Jayce effortlessly tore the front of his paw off.
“That is sufficient!” Colton bellowed, seizing one of the wolves by the neck to prevent it from lunging at Jayce once more. Jayce positioned himself in front of Molly as though he were her protector. He snarled at the two wolves that had embarked on a mission to slay him.
“Jayce, Molly. Proceed to your cabins. This altercation has concluded.”
It was unusual to witness someone issuing a command to Jayce, yet he complied after a brief moment of confronting the wolves. He guided Molly to her cabin, and she followed with a subtle limp. Upon entering, Jayce immediately altered his position, prompting her to avert her gaze from his unclothed form. He draped a long cloak over himself before retrieving clothes for Molly and placing them beside her, after which he turned to don the garments he had left in her cabin.
Reverting to her human form was less painful than transforming into a wolf. Her bones elongated, and her skin rapidly shed all its fur. As soon as she stood up, she hastily donned her clothing. She was indifferent to her ongoing bleeding, as if she were entirely numb to it.
Jayce pivoted upon her completion. His eyes were as dark as the night as he scrutinised her. Her blood had already permeated her shirt.
“What was that?” he enquired.
“They intended to terminate your life.”
Jayce’s jaw tightened. “Did you truly believe you could confront two wolves alone? What were you contemplating, Molly?”
