Fangs of Fire

"Let go of me," Mira ordered, trying to pull her wrist from the werewolf's grip. His yellow eyes still locked on hers, seeing her true nature without the brown contacts to hide it.

"You're her," he said again, his voice stronger now. "The Ruby Wolf."

More howls echoed outside, closer this time. The werewolf's pack was coming, and fast.

Panic shot through Mira's chest. She'd stayed hidden for years, moving from town to town whenever someone got suspicious. Now, in one stupid moment of kindness, she'd blown everything.

"I saved your life," she hissed. "Now let me go before your friends get here."

To her surprise, fear flashed across the werewolf's face. "They can't find me here."

"What? But they're your pack—"

"Not my pack," he growled, trying to sit up. His cuts were healing, but too slowly. The blue glow of moonfire still pulsed weakly under his skin. "Hunters. Eclipse Order."

Mira's blood turned to ice. "Eclipse Order? Here?"

He nodded grimly. "They've been tracking me for days. I thought I lost them, but..." He winced in pain.

The screams were even closer now. Mira's mind raced. If the Eclipse Order was here, they weren't just hunting him. They were hunting her too.

She made a choice.

"Can you walk?" she asked, already gathering supplies—food, medicine, her journal, and a small bag of backup cash.

The werewolf groaned as he pushed himself up. "If I have to."

"You have to," Mira said, shoving goods into a backpack. "There's a basement door under the rug in the kitchen. It leads to a cave. We can leave that way."

"We?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You think I'm staying here to let the Eclipse Order find me? I just need to grab one more thing."

Mira ran to her bedroom and opened a small wooden box on her dresser. Inside lay a diamond pendant—the only thing she had from her parents. She slipped it around her neck, tucking it under her shirt.

When she returned, the monster was on his feet, leaning heavily against the wall. Blood still seeped from his cuts.

"I never asked your name," Mira said, pulling the kitchen rug aside to show a trap door.

"Draven," he answered. "Draven Kael Vyktor."

Mira froze. Even she had heard that name. Draven Vyktor—Alpha of the Duskfang Pack, the most feared werewolf in three regions. Rumors said he'd killed a hundred foes, that he could shift into a monstrous wolf twice the size of any other.

And he was standing in her kitchen.

"You're the Duskfang Alpha," she whispered.

A flash of pride crossed his face. "And you're the last Ruby Wolf. Looks like we both have names."

A crash from outside cut their talk short. Something—or someone—had broken through her front window.

"Time to go," Mira said, pulling open the trap door. A wet, earthy smell wafted up from below.

Draven looked doubtfully at the dark hole. "You first."

Mira grabbed a lantern and climbed down the ladder into the cave. Draven followed, moving surprisingly fast for someone so badly hurt. She pulled the trap door closed above them just as the sound of her cottage door splintering echoed above.

The tunnel was small and low. Draven had to hunch over to fit. Mira held the lantern high, revealing rough dirt walls supported by wooden beams.

"You built this?" Draven asked, sounding amazed despite himself.

"First thing I do wherever I settle," Mira answered. "Always have an escape route."

They moved as quickly as Draven's injuries allowed. The tunnel smelled of damp ground and roots. Water dripped from the roof. Above them, faint thumps and crashes told them the hunts were tearing her cottage apart.

"So," Draven said between difficult breaths, "the Eclipse Order is hunting both of us. Interesting coincidence."

"No such thing as coincidence," Mira muttered. "Why are they after you?"

Draven's face darkened. "I have something they want."

"And what's that?"

"Information. About you, actually."

Mira stopped so suddenly that Draven bumped into her. She spun around, eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, about me?"

"Keep moving," he encouraged. "I'll explain, but not here."

She paused, then continued forward. The tube began to slope upward.

"Where does this lead?" Draven asked.

"Cave in the hills. About a mile from the house." Mira stopped. "You said you were looking for me. Why?"

Draven was silent for a moment. "I need your help."

"With what? The moonfire poisoning? I already helped you."

"You stopped it from killing me tonight, but it's still in my blood." He touched his chest where blue light still pulsed faintly. "I'm stuck with Moonfire Madness. It gets worse with each full moon. Eventually, it'll turn me into a mindless beast."

Mira had heard of Moonfire Madness—a rare curse that affects werewolf Alphas. It outlined why the Eclipse Order was after him. A rabid Alpha would be dangerous even to them.

"And you think I can cure you?" she asked.

"I know you can," Draven answered. "The legends say Ruby Wolves can purify any curse with their fire."

Mira shook her head. "I'm not that strong. What you're asking would take more energy than I've ever used."

"You don't know your own strength," Draven said. "I felt it when you healed me. There's more power in you than you know."

Before Mira could answer, a howl echoed through the tunnel—behind them.

"They found the entrance," Draven growled.

Mira broke into a run, Draven keeping pace despite his injuries. The tunnel got narrower, the ceiling lower. Roots dangled from above, caught in their hair. The lantern light bounced wildly off the walls.

Finally, Mira spotted a faint glow ahead—moonlight streaming through the tunnel exit. They exited into a small cave nestled in the hillside. Beyond the cave mouth, forest stretched in all directions.

Draven sniffed the air. "We need to keep going. They'll track our smell."

"I can't run much longer," Mira revealed. She'd used too much energy healing him. Her limbs felt heavy, her vision blurry at the edges.

Draven looked at her, then made a choice. "My pack's area is east of here, beyond the river. If we can reach it, you'll be safe."

"Safe? With a pack of werewolves?"

"Safer than with the Eclipse Order." Draven's face was grim. "They won't just kill you, Ruby Wolf. They'll drain your power first, use it for their rites. Trust me, you'd rather face my pack."

Mira wasn't convinced, but she had no better choices. Her home was destroyed. The Eclipse Order had found her. She was out of hiding places.

"Fine," she said. "But when we're safe, you tell me everything you know about the Eclipse Order. And why they're hunting Ruby Wolves."

Draven nodded. "Deal."

A howl cut through the night, closer than before. Then another answered from a different direction. The searchers were spreading out.

"Can you run?" Draven asked.

"I'll manage."

They dashed into the forest, moving as fast as they could through the dense trees. The storm still raged, rain soaking them to the skin. Mud sucked at their boots. Branches whipped their faces.

Despite his injuries, Draven moved with confidence, never hesitating about which way to take. Mira struggled to keep up. Each step felt heavy than the last.

After what seemed like hours, Mira tripped. Her legs gave way beneath her. Draven caught her before she hit the ground.

"I can't," she gasped. "Need to rest."

Draven's eyes darted around the forest. His nose flared, scenting the air. "They're still following. We can't stop."

Without notice, he swept Mira into his arms. She was too exhausted to argue.

"Hold on," he growled.

Then he began to run—faster than any human could, racing through the forest with supernatural speed. Pain was written across his face with each jarring step, but he didn't slow.

Mira felt something strange as Draven carried her—a warm feeling where their bodies touched. The same feeling she got when using her healing skills, but different somehow. Stronger. More powerful.

Draven felt it too. His eyes widened, meeting hers in surprise. For a moment, the yellow glow of his wolf eyes seemed to mirror the ruby red of hers.

"What is that?" he whispered.

Before Mira could answer, an arrow whizzed past, inches from Draven's head. He ducked behind a huge tree, setting Mira on her feet.

"They've found us," he growled.

A person stepped from the shadows ahead—a tall woman dressed in black, a silver bow in her hands. The moonlight glinted off the Eclipse Order sign on her chest.

"Nowhere left to run, Alpha," she called. "Give us the Ruby Wolf, and we might let you live."

More figures emerged from the trees, surrounding them.

Draven's eyes glowed brighter. His hands curled into claws. "If you want her," he growled, "you'll have to go through me."