Chapter 13

As I turn, my breath makes clouds in the air as my breath rushes out of me in a gasp. Hackled up

and growling, I am met with the red eyes of one wolf stepping into the maze center when another

growl rings out from the side. Their fur is no longer white but red with the blood they have spilled

throughout the night. They reek of it when the third one steps out, each one's steps calculating as

they size me up.

I turn, trying to keep an eye on all of them, when they step closer, caging me in. The biggest one

growls at its brother, and it snaps its teeth in return back at its brother. Great, they are fighting over

who is taking the first bite.

The third one cocks its head to the side, sniffing the air.

"Are you trying to decide which part is juiciest, sorry boys, I'm more the jerky kind of meat. You

won't find much meat on these bones, no need to fight, and I'm sure I taste as bitter as I look,” I tell

them. The big wolf huffs, cocking its head to the side.

"Well, clearly, they are fighting over the rump.” Well, those two will be disappointed; not much meat

there either my diet of leafy greens and fish and the occasional deer don't allow for such juiciness,

especially this time of year when everything is hunted by bears before we get a chance to find or

catch it.

The other two are still arguing and bickering over their midnight snack, which turns into a fight

between them, and I am long forgotten as they fight, and the other wolf turns its attention to its

brothers for a second.

“I'm chewy, I will definitely get caught in your teeth. You don't want this,” I tell it. Yet the third one

tilts its head to the other side as if it understands exactly what I am saying; it sits back on its

haunches, watching me. Maybe he is deciding I do I look chewy, or maybe he had his fill on the red-

haired girl; she looked tasty but obviously not much to his taste he only ate part of her; he must be

a picky eater.

My eyes flick across the two wolves fighting, the bigger one slamming its brother on the ground. I

take a step closer to the nearest exit when the wolf suddenly rises, and once again, all attention is

back on me.

A feral growl tears out of the big one and the second one as they both charge at me, and I know I

am gone, yep they were definitely fighting over the bone they wanted.

Instead of running, I accept it. I couldn't outrun these beasts, so I give in knowing death is

inevitable, so why fight it? Besides I rather go this way than be cleaning the Kings toilets for the rest

of my life, or scrubbing their backs or worse still King Regan making me his bed chamber slave, so

death by wolfy chew toy sounds far more appealing.

I squeeze my eyes shut, praying to the fates that I get to see Granny in the next life, and drop to the

ground on my ass. Dew covers the grass, wetting my already cold skin, the dress offering nothing in

the way of protection from the elements. Growls tear out around me while I wait for my death to

come. Their paws pad on the soft grass audible when I hear the grass get torn up as they tear it up

to get to me—waiting expectantly for the tearing pain when instead, I flinch when I get a whine next

to my ear.

Then a wet nose to my cheek, another to my neck as they start sniffing me. Fur brushes my skin as

one wolf weaves its body around mine like a cat, rubbing itself on me.

My eyes fly open when the smallest, which is not small at all, nudges my hands, trying to get his

nose under it while whining loudly

My hand shakes as I lift it, and it drags its face beneath my palm as if it wants me to pat it. I swallow,

my heart thumping against my rib cage, when the biggest one drops onto his stomach, resting its

head in my lap.

I blink down at it. The other seems inquisitive and keeps sniffing my hair, my face, and my neck

before, finally, it lays down behind me. My hand gently pats the small one’s head, too afraid to stop

and upset the beast.

Eventually, it lies on my other side. I remain frozen in place, too scared to move or even breathe

loudly while wondering why they aren't killing me.

Yet, as the night sky lightens and the stars start to disappear, my eyes droop, and my head falls

forward. I shiver, the frosty air chilling me to the bone when I feel paws hit my chest and jolt me

awake as I doze off. The wolf's paws hit my shoulders and shove me into the one behind me.

I tense, waiting for it to rip me apart as the huge wolf presses me against its brother who whines

loudly behind me, and lifts its head. He licks my cheek and lays back down. While the other wolf lays

across me while I half lay on its brother, its fur warm, and they all suddenly move and wiggle around

me, covering me with their huge bodies and warming me.

After a few tense minutes, I realize their intention is to keep me warm, or maybe they are heating up

their breakfast; I'm not sure, but it still leaves me with the question of why. Why am 1 still alive when

I watched them maul everyone who entered this maze? Knowing I am never going to get that

answer, I finally relax, and the warmth they offer sends me crashing from exhaustion. It doesn't take

long before I fall asleep huddled with the kings’ wolves.