Eva's POV:
Blood dripped from the leather handle of the dagger that pinned my uncle's lifeless body to the tree. It was unbearable to watch as the dark figure pulled the blade free from my uncle's chest, making his copes sagged against the tree before sliding down to the ground like trash.
No, no, no…
" Uncle marcus…" His name left my lips in a weak whisper.
I couldn't help but hold my breath in shuck with my fingers pinching hard into the rough bark of the oak tree I hid behind.
No! this can't be happening. Marcus is the strongest and oldest experienced male hunter in our clan ever since the lycans attacked our village 16 years ago killing my parents and my sister. He had been the one taking care of me since then and he was the one who taught me everything I knew about being a hunter.
I had been so sure we were chasing a rogue lycan that has been terrorizing villages. We have been following the tracks it left behind and the report from villagers who had witnessed it for the past three days now. We found trails of dead people and animals all torn to pieces leading us to this mountain.
But when the figure stepped into view under the moonlight, I froze.
it was a man, at list what seemed to look like one, but not what I expected.
He was covered in thick, dry mud from head to toe. The mud was cracked all over his body like old armor hiding his face and his skin beneath. He looked like someone from a bad dream.
Then suddenly, he turned towards the direction of the trees where I hid.
My heart smashed against my ribs. I had not moved or barely made a sound. Yet somehow he could sense my presence. His nostrils opened as if he had caught my scent which was impossible because my whole clothes was coated in wolvespan making my scent completely invincible to any lycans due to their inability to perceive it.
So how come, I said to myself while stepping out from behind the tree. Hiding made no sense now since he clearly knows I am there.
My hood kept most of my face hidden. the moment his eyes met mine. The air between us felt heavy like a rope pulled tight. My hand instantly found the hilt of my sword with the leather handle steady in my palm as my grip held it tight.
But what terrified me was his eyes.
They were bright red under the radiant moonlight. It was unlike anything I have ever seen before. All the lycans I had ever encountered in my life had yellow glowing eyes. But his - his was not yellow, instead they had this deep, red that glowed like raw fire.
Could he be an alpha, My mind whispered. I haven't encountered an alpha lycan once before, but I have heard stories that only the oldest or the strongest lycans, which are the alpha lycans, have eyes like that.
I glance at my uncle's lifeless body and then to the dagger in his arm still dripping with my uncle's blood. With that, rage exploded inside me. I let out an angry scream and ran towards him, drawning out my silver sword.
I aimed for his throat, wanting to decapitate him before he had any chance to transform, but he moved with accuracy dodging my blade before it could strike him, making my sword slice the empty air where his neck had been a moment before.
It was shucking.
The way he had reacted so quickly to my attack was precise, as if he knew I was aiming for his neck. He moved in a way I have never seen a lycan move before. But that didn't phase me. Due to my high skill and experience in combat, I instantly spun around and in a swift motion I struck towards the side of his ribs.
The silver steel of my sword bit deep into his side, but surprisingly he barely flinched. He just stared straight into my eyes like it was nothing, that was when I realized something int right with this lycan.
His skin should be burning and his whole body should be writing in pain from the contact of my silver sword coated with deadly werewolf - tocsin, but yet nothing, no reaction just his terrifying gaze fixed on me.
With shuck I quickly retrieved taking two steps back from him and to my surprise the moment my sword came free from his ribs some part of the mud that hung to his frame fell away from the spot and I watched as the wound from my blade miraculously closed up instantly.
No. That can't be, it's impossible. I muttered in shock at what I just saw.
Without hesitation I attacked again and again without holding back, I slash, parry, thrust. I moved with every training and combat experience I had. I sliced through his shoulder, chest, and thigh. Every cut I made around his body should have been deadly to him, but no. They all healed in seconds.
and what was even more terrifying was that he wasn't even putting much effort to fight back, it was as if he was letting me strike him on purpose.
I retrieved back again, this time trying to cash my breath. From what I was seeing, all my hunter instincts screamed at me to run, but I couldn't do that. I just can't bring myself to leave Marcus' lifeless body lying there, he was my only family.
"What are you? I said. while still gasping for air. not wanting to let my guide down I kept my sword up. "why won't you die? My voice came out rough with anger. you haven't even transformed yet so how is all this possible.
"Even so, silver should be able to burn you and with the deadly wolf tocsin my blade is coated with, you are supposed to be done for it by now. And how - how on earth can you hold that dagger like it's nothing without your hand melting?" just what kind of a monster are you.
Without saying a word he took a step forward and raised his right arm with his palm open.
stay back! I shouted.
"please," He suddenly spoke. His voice was low and rough. "I am not what you think, I am not your enemy. I do not want to hurt you."
A chuckled sound came out of my chest after hearing those words come from a monster's mouth. Maybe it was a laugh or a cry. I couldn't tell because all this felt like a joke in a nightmare.
"you stupid preak!
Is this a joke? you killed my uncle right before my very eyes and you say you aren't my enemy. what the fuck - you monster! I shouted. Since you refused to die from all my strikes, let's find out if you will still be alive when I cut off your head!.
I charged with every ounce of strength inside me. My sword became a blur to the naked eyes, faster than ever before, fuelled with the rush of adrenaline in my veins.
But he caught my wrist mid air as I struck.
It all happened so fast. One moment I was attacking and the next his fingers held my arm like iron, I couldn't break free from his grip and he didn't squeeze tight or tried to snap my arms off, he just held me there as if I was a child.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, before his other hand moved so fast, strucking me on the side of my head. The blow wasn't brutal but it was hard, just exact to knock someone like me out.
With that strike the world tilted and my sword slipped out from my fingers. I tried to reach for the small dagger hiding in my boot, but my body went gnome, I could no longer move a muscle.
In no time my sight started getting blurry. "Is this the end? I thought to myself. Do I die here without revenge, maybe this is the chance for me to finally reunite with my dead parents and sister. Who knows, maybe uncle Marcus might be waiting for me on the other side.
he let go of my fist and I fell with my cheek on the cold earth that smelled like miss and rot. Through the small tunnel of my eyes I saw his boots come closer. He knelt beside me, his muddy frame blocking the view of the moon.
And the last thing I saw before everything went completely dark. Was does eyes, those red glowing eyes. They were terrifying and yet beautiful at the same time. I couldn't understand why but somewhere in me hoped to see those eyes again.