Oliver froze. Zarine loomed over him, an enormous wolf, fangs bared, her eyes bright pinpricks in the dark. They faced off for one long moment.
A surge of terror flashed through Oliver. It was the only warning he had.
He was saved by sheer instinct. Before his confused mind could wrap itself around what was happening, Oliver was already diving to one side. Less than a second later, Zarine’s enormous jaws crunched together in the air, where his head had been a moment earlier.
Oliver rolled to his feet and ran, faster than he had ever gone before, his heart pumping liquid fear into his legs, moving them faster still. Behind him, Zarine let out a bone-chilling snarl. The crashing noises of her pursuit filled the air. Her paws smashed into the ground like earthquakes, nearly knocking Oliver off his feet. He could hear trees snapping behind him like twigs as Zarine barreled straight through them.
‘Zarine is trying to kill me.’