Cruel to be Kind

Meera's POV

I've never run this fast in my life. I was running for hours but I wasn't being delusional. I knew better than anyone I couldn't escape. I've been taught to avoid werewolves at all cost and to be as far from them as possible since I was kid. Even if they were merciful to my kind, it would be a miracle to get away from wolf in one piece. Image how hard it is not to anger something that's always furious. Stories how ruthless and merciless they were to witches would make your blood run cold.

My grandma used to say they hunted as because of fear. I never understood it. My kind lives in covens. There was no unity in our society even at the most dangerous times. I think that was the reason why elders decided the best way to keep our kind alive was to hide. No one was bold enough to stand against allied packs, not after what happened to those who fought. Call us cowards but in the end every one of us wants to survive. Not all gets to be a hero.

I know that life doesn't treat everyone kindly. I know I shouldn't complain, but it still felt heartbreakingly unfair. I wasn't even looking for trouble. All I wanted to have peaceful time drawing in this breath-taking place by the lake I found many years ago. I always kept the place as a secret and cherished it. This was my escape, my safe heaven. In the end these false feeling of safety that I created in my head and used it as my security blanket had to be crushed someday.

I tried not to get attached to things that could be taken away easily. I was preparing myself that someone would find out where I was sneaking to, spending alone time. Elders wouldn't be happy that I wasted time in woods and would take this privilege away from me.

I just never imagined that those creatures would be the one to tramp down my paradise.

I was always being careful. But after spending years in this beautiful place somehow my guard started getting lower and lower. However I did nothing to attract their attention.

At first, I though they probably sensed my powers, but more I was beating myself up over it more I realized they just got lucky. The sound of footsteps getting close alerted me and I couldn't realize when my feet started dragging me. I wasn't runner, fast runner at that. But I knew how to boost myself with magic, how to make myself move faster.

Both of them where chasing me in human form, but I knew right away their kind. Probably they weren't prepared to bang into a witch and decided to play it safe, not changing. Smart choice I must admit. If they transformed and decided to chase me as wolves I could get chance to attack while they were vulnerable as process of changing form would leave them open to my witchcraft for few seconds. I could take at least one of them down, but it wasn't my lucky day. One of the males seemed more experienced. Even at first glance anyone could tell he was trained hunter, barking out order to his inexperienced partner.

I could feel my legs shaking and wasn't sure if I was scared or just getting tired. The only reason why I managed not the get caught was that I practically grow up in these woods and knew my way around it. Few time my desperate self though of calling out for help to someone, anyone. But rational part of me knew there was no hero in silver armor waiting my call to come and save me.

I don't know where I found the courage to make up my mind. I wasn't even sure if I made the decision or it made me. No matter how hard I wanted to surrender, I wasn't going to be an obedient prey. No one could say the death found in me a willing comrade, or that I went easily. My death wouldn't be meaningless.

I had a plan.

They didn't ask question, gave second chance or had mercy, so I've heard. They just got rid of my kind as if we were dirt on their shoes.

My mind was about to blow up. I've never done that much of multitasking as I was doing in that very moment. Even if the odds were not in my favor, I wasn't some helpless maiden. I could do something at least.

Firstly, I had to run as far from my coven as possible.

Secondly, I had to put any destroying spell on myself, so when wolves did kill me I would take them with me. I did sound like a coldblooded murderer in my plan but those killings would have more meaningful purpose than revenge.

Technically all witches are very sensitive to life energy. There was no way three dead people and little old school explosion this close to the coven territory going unnoticed. Quite effective warning if you ask me.

The last and the hardest part of my plan was to run without tripping on those goddamned branches in a slightly panicked state and still keeping my head clear enough to cast a spell.

I've never said it was a great plan.

I must give those animals in human skin some credit. They were too fast for my good. I could feel them breathing down my neck. It wasn't easy to concentrate in these circumstances but the spell was the only hopeful thing of plan. It was vital not to mess it up. I was so pissed at myself. If only I had been more attentive. Fuck my luck.

I wasn't warrior witch by any means. Of course I knew some defensive spells but I wasn't trained enough to get myself out of this plight. The spell I chose to cast on myself would need so much energy that it would leave me almost drained, but it was powerful enough to reach others.

Priorities. I made a decision and things must be done I reminded myself. It was no time for over thinking. Funny, it was my own damned life I was betting on. I started working on my spell and felt how my legs were getting weak. Not very reassuring feeling I must admit.

Few seconds before I could have finished the spell I felt claws on my shoulders. It was cutting deeper and deeper; giving me physical pain I've never experienced in my life. But my not-so-best-laid plan getting flushed down the toilet was much more agonizing. After claws left my flesh I immediately fell on the ground and in the blink of an eye one of the werewolves was already on me, restraining my hands.

I know it was stupid of me to spend huge amount on that spell, but panic clouded my judgment. Being held down to the ground by massive body didn't make it seem such a brilliant idea after all. I knew I was about to die.

It's weird how much you want to live when you are about to die. Books create wrong impression of death. Even when I thought it was my last moments of my 20-year-old life, I wasn't thinking about loved ones at all. Fear didn't leave any place for other thing. I was about to fall into an abyss when clicked in me.

"Take at least one fucker with you". I heard the voice in my head.

Suddenly my brain started working again. I chose the one on top of me. The asshole was restraining my hand to the ground, nailing me to the earth efficiently. I tried to move but failed, somehow he managed make his grip on my wrists stronger. There was nothing but pure animalistic instincts coming out of his aura and it made my hair stand on end. He was being so brutal I was sure my hand would snap at any time.

Being unable to move forced me to get creative. I started crushing his brain with magic I had left in me and he's screams he made were music to my ears. I've never imaged something so inhumane and violent would bring me such a satisfactory.

He fell off me with loud crash, holding his head in his hands. My body was so exhausted couldn't even sit up.

Another wolf seemed to be little shocked, but it didn't last long. He understood I was the reason of his partner's suffering. He reached for my neck and start squeezing it. Very soon I felt burn in my lungs due lack of oxygen, my head started to spin. I knew I had little time left. I was determined to keep crushing the male's brain with all my might but it was getting harder and harder in every second.

I was chocking and feeling my brain shouting down. All I could see was white. I couldn't hear pained screams anyone. I gave up or he was dead now slow functioning brain decided, one of two. I was desperately hoping for the second option.

At that point I was almost sure that my body and brain blocked all my senses. But I was wrong.

Man chocking me let his hand get little lose around my neck as he permitted me to take a breath. I started hearing some voices again but I couldn't make it out. Only air held any importance to me.

They gave me few seconds to breathe again. Things started to get clearer in my head and suddenly I realized that chocking me to death wasn't his intention, otherwise he'd never stop. That meant only one thing: they had bigger plans for me.

The happiness for being able to consume oxygen was short-lived. Fear got the best of me and I started shaking pretty badly. There was no fight left in me. I was so tired even death started to seem appealing.

I can't say how long I stayed on the ground, but it was long enough for the werewolf to recover from my attack. I saw his figure coming closer to my limp body; he knelt right in front of me. If he was pissed before now he was spiting fire.

Still I wasn't prepared to what was coming. He gripped my hair, forced me to look into his eyes and unexpectedly he hit me in the face with such a force it made me see stars. My body embraced the pain and I knocked out.