Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Michael POV

I had decided to go hunting. Not because I particularly enjoyed it, but because I needed to get out of the house. After the whole mess with Sarah, my brother, and the crazy wedding fiasco where I met the father to my fake girlfriend and Marissa, I needed some fresh air. And by fresh air, I meant the kind that came with the smell of pine trees and the sound of birds chirping. 

My uncle Greg, of course, had invited himself along after he saw me wandering in the forest. It was such a huge unfortunate coincidence that we happened to see each other at the same time, I couldn't even find the chance to hide. He was the kind of guy who couldn't take a hint if it hit him in the face with a frying pan. But here we were, trudging through the forest on the coast of the sea, armed with a bow and arrows and a bear's worth of enthusiasm.

"So, Michael," Greg said, his voice way too loud for the quiet forest. "You ever hunted deer before?" 

I sighed, adjusting the strap of my quiver. "No, Uncle Greg. I'm planning on going something small, probably like a hare or something."

"come on, why don't you try something big. I'll show you."

"Fine, I guess" I sighed

Greg grinned, his teeth gleaming in the dappled sunlight. "Right, right. Well, first rule of hunting deer: don't let them see you coming. Second rule: don't let them smell you coming. Third rule: don't let them hear you coming. Basically, don't let them know you exist until it's too late for them." 

I raised an eyebrow. "That's... surprisingly insightful." 

Greg puffed out his chest. "I've been doing this for years, kid. I'm basically a deer-whisperer." 

I rolled my eyes but didn't argue. Greg was in his element, and there was no stopping him once he got going. 

We walked in silence for a while, the forest growing denser as we moved further inland. Greg was in his bear form now, his massive frame moving surprisingly quietly through the underbrush. I followed behind, my bow at the ready, trying not to step on every twig in existence. 

Suddenly, Greg stopped, his ears twitching. He turned to me and let out a low growl, which I interpreted as, "There's a deer herd up ahead." 

I nodded, crouching low as we crept closer. Sure enough, a herd of deer was grazing in a small clearing, their heads bent low as they nibbled on the grass. 

Greg pointed a massive paw at a particularly large buck, his eyes gleaming with excitement. I nodded, nocking an arrow and taking aim. 

The chase was on. 

Greg burst out of the underbrush with a roar, sending the deer scattering in all directions. I stayed back, my eyes locked on the buck as it sprinted away. I drew back the string, took a deep breath, and let the arrow fly. 

It hit the buck square in the neck, and another arrow followed, piercing its heart. The buck stumbled, but before it could fall, Greg pounced, his massive jaws closing around its throat. 

By the time I caught up, the buck was dead, and Greg was already shifting back to human form, a satisfied grin on his face. 

"You have a pretty good aim, kid," he said, wiping blood from his mouth. "Not bad at all." 

I shrugged, trying to hide my pride. "Beginner's luck." 

Greg laughed, clapping me on the back hard enough to make me stumble. "Beginner's luck, my ass. You are a great hunter…for a human" 

We set to work skinning the deer, Greg showing me how to do it properly. It was messy work, but oddly satisfying. 

As we worked, Greg started up another conversation. "So, Michael, when are you going to introduce me to your girlfriend?" 

I groaned, my hands freezing mid-cut. "Uncle Greg, I don't have a girlfriend." 

Greg waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But you should get one. Even though your ex-fiancée left you for your brother, you shouldn't give up on love. In fact, you should go out and get another girl pregnant. That'll show them." 

I stared at him, my mouth hanging open. "What? No! That's... that's not how it works, Uncle Greg." 

Greg shrugged, his grin widening. "Why not? It's the perfect revenge. Plus, you'd get a kid out of it. Win-win." 

I shook my head, trying to focus on skinning the deer. "I'm not just going to sleep with anyone just to spite my ex-fiance." 

Greg chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. "You'll thank me later." 

We finished skinning the deer and started arguing about how to cook it. Greg insisted on roasting it right there in the forest, while I thought it would be better to bring it home. 

"Why waste time dragging this thing back when we can eat it now?" Greg said, his arms crossed over his chest. "When the warmth leaves it, the meat will taste like dry leaves and rust."

"I'll tell you why, its because we are civilized and not animals, plus we have a kitchen," I replied, my patience wearing thin. "With actual utensils. And seasoning." 

Greg rolled his eyes. "Seasoning is overrated. All you need is fire and meat. Trust me, kid, I've been doing this for years. How else do you think I got to be the strongest bear shifter in existance" 

I sighed, knowing there was no winning this argument. "Fine. We'll cook it here." 

Greg grinned, clapping me on the back again, this time I almost fell on my face "That's the spirit!" 

We built a fire and started roasting the deer, the smell of cooking meat filling the air. As we ate, Greg kept up his stream of really inappropriate and weird questions. 

"So, Michael, what kind of girls are you into? Blondes? Brunettes? Shifters? Witches? Elementalists?" 

I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Uncle Greg, can we not talk about that? " 

Greg ignored me, his mouth full of deer meat. "You know, I once dated a witch. She could turn water into the best wine. Best relationship of my life." 

I stared at him, trying to decide if he was serious. "What happened?" 

Greg shrugged. "She turned me into a toad. Twice. I just had to leave her." 

I shook my head, deciding it was better not to ask. 

As we finished eating, we heard a rustling in the bushes behind us. I instinctively grabbed my bow and arrows, my heart racing. Greg was on his feet in an instant, his body tense and ready to shift. 

"What is it?" I whispered, my eyes scanning the trees. 

Greg shook his head, his voice low. "There shouldn't be any predators or prey in this part of the forest. We're too close to the sea." 

The rustling came again, louder this time. Greg shifted into his bear form, his massive body blocking me from whatever was coming. 

And then we saw it. 

A giant. 

The creature was massive, easily the height of a tree. Its body was covered in war camouflage, blending perfectly with the forest. Its beard was thick and bushy, and its features were exaggerated versions of a human's—larger nose, wider eyes, and a mouth full of teeth that looked like they could crush boulders. 

I stared at the giant, my mind struggling to process what I was seeing. Greg let out a low growl, his fur bristling. 

The giant noticed us at the same time, its eyes widening in surprise. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the forest silent except for the crackling of the fire. 

Then the giant muttered something in a language I didn't understand and swung a massive knife—or what looked like a sword to us—toward Greg. 

Greg ducked, the blade missing him by inches, but the backswing caught him in the side, sending him crashing into a cluster of trees. 

"Uncle Greg!" I shouted, my heart pounding as I nocked an arrow and let it fly. 

The arrow hit the giant's arm, but it barely seemed to notice. I shot another arrow, then another, but they stuck in the giant's skin like toothpicks. 

Out of arrows, I was defenseless. The giant reached down and grabbed me with its massive fingers, lifting me up to its face. 

I struggled, trying to break free, but the giant's grip was like iron. It stared at me, its eyes narrowing as it contemplated what to do with me. He assessed me the same way Uncle Greg looked at a roasted dear's heart, with lust.

Then it opened its mouth. 

I was horrified as I realized what was about to happen. The giant's mouth was a cavern of teeth and tongue, and I was inches away from my head being bitten off. 

But something inside me snapped. A burning, rebellious energy surged through me, and before I could think, I shifted. 

Not into a bear. Not into anything I'd ever shifted into before. 

I shifted into a fly. 

The giant's grip tightened, but I was already slipping through its fingers, my tiny wings buzzing as I darted away. 

The giant roared in frustration, swinging its sword wildly. I flew a few meters away, then shifted again—this time into a fully grown saber-toothed tiger. 

The giant turned, its eyes widening in surprise as I charged. It swung its sword, but I shifted into a dragonfly moments before the blade could hit me. I darted around the giant, then shifted again—this time into a colossal mammoth, my tusks gleaming in the sunlight. 

The giant barely had time to react before I slammed into it, my tusks digging into its chest. It stumbled back, crashing into the trees, but I didn't let up. I charged again, my massive body knocking the giant off its feet. 

As I prepared for the final blow, the giant reached into its pocket and pulled out something small. It swallowed it in one gulp, and before I could react, its body exploded into a bloody mist. 

The force of the explosion sent me flying back, my mammoth form crashing into the ground. I shifted back to human form, my body aching and my vision blurring. 

The last thing I saw before everything went black was Greg's bear form limping toward me, his eyes wide with concern.