The Panther's Rival

by Emilia Hartley

  He nodded to Alex who stood Torque upright.

  “You won’t get far,” the hunter replied struggling under Connor’s foot. He picked up the hunter with a single arm and held him overhead.

  “You deserve worse for everything you’ve done,” Connor said. He grabbed the hunter by the neck and squeezed hard. The hunter was quick, a flash of metal reflected against the morning sun, stabbing Connor in his side. It must have been silver because it stung just as his ear had the other day.

  “There’s a lot you need to learn, young pup,” The hunter said.

  For a brief second, Connor thought he saw something trying to escape the hunter, only to be silenced. Eli was a wolf and there was no doubt. But, it seemed he didn’t want to embrace that part.

  Connor dropped the hunter, clutching at the knife in his side, before doubling over from the pain. He wanted to remove the knife but it would take time to heal, time Connor didn’t have.

  “Now, give him back,” the hunter said calmly, “And I’ll let you live till tomorrow.” The hunter drew a handgun from his jacket, whether it had silver bullets or not, Connor didn’t want to stick around to find out.

  “Run,” Connor said to Alex who was still in possession of Torque.

  Alex took off through the forest toward the truck with Torque over his shoulder. Connor stood between Eli and Alex. The gun leveled at his chest.

  “Get out of my way, boy,” the hunter said, “I need that piece of shit.”

  Connor was shaky from the blood loss; his body wouldn’t listen to him. He sifted through the ground for a weapon and the only thing he could find was a large chunk of driftwood.

  “You’re strong,” the hunter said, “do you have any runts in your pack? You ever make fun of the smaller guys who just want to be the alpha someday?”

  Connor swiped the large chunk of wood at the hunter who dodged out of the way with ease.

  “Well, you used to be strong, but now you’re weak. Brains are worth more than muscle, and even a runt can take down an alpha if he works hard enough,” he continued his taunting.

  Connor threw the piece of wood at the hunter. He sidestepped it as it splashed loudly into the lake.

  “It’s time you learn what real strength is,” Eli said.

  The hunter cocked his gun. Connor feared for his life, searching for anywhere he could run or hide. His body seized in place, he felt a creeping darkness at the corner of his vision, the knife in his side still flowed freely.

  A large rock flew from the forest, catching the hunter off guard. He stumbled backward and fell splashing into the water, firing off a round from his gun as it went into the lake. Connor breathed a sigh of relief but could already see Eli scrambling back to his feet.

  The sounds of howls resonated from the camp. The gunshot must have alerted them. The bikers were already starting to give chase into the woods, shifting as they ran.

  “Run!” Alex shouted from the bushes.

  Connor didn’t give it a second thought and sprinted as fast as his legs would carry him through the thick brush. His feet were torn by rocks and he stumbled over roots but still, the beating in his chest surged his body with adrenaline, telling him he was still alive. For the moment.

  Samantha sat beside the truck, just ahead, scribbling in the dirt with a twig.

  “Start the truck!” shouted Connor from the woods, still clutching at his bloody side. She dropped her stick and skittered into the truck cab, starting the ignition as fast as her hands would allow.

  The truck thumped its loud call in the morning dew. Before Alex and Connor even arrived at the truck, she was already beginning to drive down the road.

  “Come on!” she shouted.

  The wolves barked loudly down the road. Alex tossed Torque into the bed of the truck, quickly joining him while still firmly holding him against the cold steel. The truck rolled down the road; Connor sprinted as fast as possible to catch up.

  Alex reached out his free hand to help, stretching his arm as far as he physically could. Their fingertips kissed briefly before finding a solid hold. Alex wrenched Connor into the bed of the Truck while Samantha sped off down the road.

  Connor sat panting heavily in the bed. He dug the thick chunk of metal from his side, breathing sharply with the pain. It was worse than being struck by the claw of a bear and sunk deeper than any wolves tooth. His whole body shook while he held his side.

  Alex sat beside him while he examined the wound; it was deep and Connor was lucky it hadn’t hit anything major. Connor laughed at their dumb luck and Alex joined in.

  “You guys are idiots,” Samantha shouted.

  “And dead men,” Torque added.

  Connor balled up his fist and planted it square in Torque’s face with every ounce of strength he could muster. The force of the blow knocked the man clean out.

  “You beat me by one second,” Alex said.

  CHAPTER 13

  “You know,” Cynthia said, “a lot of times I’ll just let the food burn. Alex always scrunches up his face and takes over. Gives me a good laugh, and a good meal.”

  Tess laughed heavily as well, the morning coffee was rich but over roasted; still it was better than nothing. The fire was stoked just enough to allow for the pot to boil over.

  Tess couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a good night’s sleep. The Cliff Walker den was nice, but she spent the entire time wondering if Connor was okay and today was no different. She’d try to lie in bed to sleep but would just toss and turn for a couple hours before getting tired of her predicament.

  When she walked out of her cabin to escape her insecurity, Cynthia was already starting the fire and trying her best to relax. They’d been chatting since. It was nice being able to talk to someone closer to her own age.

  “I’d try that with Connor but he doesn’t even know how to boil water,” Tess joked.

  Cynthia laughed louder than she probably should have because Beth walked sleepily out of her cabin while rubbing at her sore, tired eyes.

  “Morning,” Tess said.

  “Coffee?” Cynthia offered.

  Beth nodded while Cynthia poured a tall cup. She made her opinion of the coffee known after taking her first sip by immediately spitting it to the ground.

  Cynthia shook the pot and handed it to Tess.

  “It’s empty, which means it’s your turn to fill it up this time,” Cynthia said.

  Tess groaned but still went about the task. She was alarmed when she heard Crunch clomp his way along the wooden planks and began relieving himself over the balcony.

  The sound of a truck engine filled the air from all directions and that would only have meant one thing, Alex and Connor were back. Tess continued to work the hand pump in earnest while Crunch urinated into the wind.

  The truck that arrived wasn’t anything she recognized. She furrowed her brow in confusion but was snapped from it by a loud thunk.

  Crunch fell over lifelessly on the patio with Scab standing triumphantly over him. He spat on Crunch’s body while dropping the log he’d hit him with.

  The truck pulled to a stop to cover their only escape.

  “What the hell is going on, Scab?” Tess asked.

  “It’s simple. Get in the truck or find out the hard way what a silver bullet feels like,” Scab said, drawing a pistol from within his pants.

  Cynthia started laughing.

  “It’s a joke, right? Come on, Dad. Get up-”

  Boom!

  Scab fired the gun, the crack echoed against the trees. Tess was terrified. Was he for real? She didn’t want to find out.

  “Get in the truck, now!”

  The cabin doors opened. The other bikers looked just as confused as Tess and Cynthia.

  “You come out and I shoot you,” Scab said, menacing them with the business end of his pistol.

  “What the hell, man? What’s gotten into you?” asked one of the bikers.

  “Gotten into me? What got into you? This dumb bastard,” he kicked Crun
ch on the ground, “he treats you guys like servants. Torque wants us to do what we should be doing. We’re goin’ to run this mountain. Ain’t nobody goin’ to get in our way. Not the cops, not the bears, nobody.”

  “But, you followed Crunch!”

  “Yeah, I followed him. Followed him so I could make sure I’d get the chance to put him in his place. I’d shoot him myself if someone else didn’t already claim it,” Scab said. He kicked at Crunch again. Stomping on his back. Crunch didn’t wake up.

  The barrel of the gun returned to face Cynthia and Tess.

  “You’re his daughter,” Scab said, “But, you know what you look like to me? Live bait.”

  “Dammit, Scab,” Cynthia said. She was beaten. Tess watched her as she was helped into the back of the truck by the driver.

  “You too,” Scab said, motioning to the rest of the women, “and get that girl out here as well. I’m sure one of you people will have the answers that hunter needs.”

  Beth couldn’t even bring herself to tears anymore, she’d cried herself out. Greta came out shortly to join her and together they marched into the truck.

  “You’re making a big mistake,” Tess said, “Connor is going to come after you.”

  Scab marched over; his wiry body towered over her. He leaned in close.

  “You think I give a damn? Your boy is probably already dead!”

  Connor, dead? There was no way he’d be dead yet. He promised he would come back. Tess’s heart broke. Scab grabbed her by the hand, leading her to the truck.

  “If he isn’t dead yet, you’ll make some fine insurance.” Scab laughed a sickening laugh. He shoved Tess into the back, getting in to join them. “Let’s get the hell out of here,” he shouted at the driver.

  The truck backed down the dirt path between the trees. Scab leaned against the canopy of the truck bed, gun in hand. There was no easy escape. Even if the women overpowered him, there was nowhere to run that was safe. For now, they were along for the ride.

  Tess shed a tear for Connor while the truck rumbled down the road.

  Please be okay.

  CHAPTER 14

  “This is the guy?” Samantha asked, crawling in the back of the still moving truck.

  Connor’s wound had since closed up. He pulled on his shirt while taking charge of the steering wheel. Alex sat in the back with an eye on Torque while Samantha talked.

  “Sort of,” Alex said, “It’s complicated

  Samantha reached out and delivered a forceful blow with her tiny fist directly into Torque’s face.

  “I told you I wanted to hit him,” she said, “simple.”

  Alex shrugged.

  “You know I never wanted to fight you,” Alex said.

  Connor may have been distracted by the road but he still listened with earnest to the two talking in the truck bed.

  “I never wanted to fight you neither,” Samantha replied, “But I probably could’ve beaten you.”

  She smiled broadly at Alex, but Alex tapped her cast.

  “You tried,” he said.

  “You hurled me off a cliff,” she said.

  “You charged at my girlfriend,” he said, “I was just trying to save Cynthia.

  “Oh big deal, saving your girlfriend; there’s no doubt that if we were in an open field I could easily beat you.”

  Alex laughed.

  “Maybe you’ll get your chance someday,” he said, “how’s the leg?”

  She looked at the cast and wiggled her toes.

  “I’m not sure,” she said, “I can’t shift until the dang thing gets taken off.”

  “I could take it off right now,” Alex offered.

  “I’d rather wait for someone who knows what they’re doing,” she replied with a laugh.

  The light of dawn stretched out over the road and Connor was thankful to have it. They’d figured out the right path back and it would be much quicker to get back to Tess. He’d skirted death once again and the only thing to show for it this time was a man who meant almost nothing. Maybe Crunch could at least get some vindication for the things Torque put him through.

  The thoughts of his father swept in and mingled with those of the hunter, Eli. There was something familiar about him, like a small memory from his youth that would move away as Connor reached out to grasp it. Like an answer on the tip of your tongue that can’t be found.

  The alpha of the pack was there to protect everyone in his charge, that was their duty and any good alpha would protect every member equally. The hunter said he was a runt. Sure, he wasn’t the biggest man Connor had fought but he was still a wolf.

  “Connor!” shouted Alex from the back, “Wake the hell up and drive!”

  Connor came to his senses and checked his mirrors. He saw the familiar shape of the hunter’s van squarely behind them and was overcome with fear. His foot stamped down on the accelerator as he hoped to outrun the hunter.

  What little speed he could muster was easily eclipsed by the approaching peril. His old truck was reliable but nowhere near fast. And, within moments he was right on top of them.

  Boom!

  The side mirror of the truck disappeared into a shower of sparks and shrapnel.

  Boom!

  The driver’s side door was scraped with buckshot that tore the worn paint and ripped through the steel.

  Alex and Samantha were ducked down in the bed of the truck and through the rearview mirror he could see the old hunter taking aim at his head.

  Connor ducked just in time for the shot to break through the back window only to stop and crack the glass in the front window. Glass clattered all around him as shrieks of terror wailed from Samantha.

  Connor couldn’t see at all where he was going. With a mighty punch he smashed the remaining glass free and it fell to the roadside. Wind rushed through the cabin and Connor had to narrow his eyes to continue his drive.

  Boom!

  The rearview mirror tumbled out the front of the truck.

  Something had to be done. Connor hammered the breaks and the van steered clear of the obstacle. The hunter sidled up next to the truck and Connor could see the shotgun aiming straight for him.

  With a flick of the steering wheel his heavy truck raked into the side of the van. The sudden shock of motion caused the hunter to drop his gun to steer the van to stay on the road.

  Again, Connor turned hard and pushed the van a little harder, trying to nudge it into the ditch.

  Despite his attempts, the van barely held on. The hunter recovered his shotgun and took aim, but this time it wasn’t at Connor, it was at his engine.

  Boom!

  A series of holes spread out through the skin of the truck as the shot found its destination. Steam started to pour from the engine bay and it sputtered as it attempted to move forward until finally it came to a halt beside the road.

  The van screeched to a stop just a ways in front of the truck and was quickly backing up.

  “Go!” Connor shouted.

  Alex and Samantha leapt from the truck bed. Neither of them bothered to grab for Torque. Their minds only yearned for survival.

  Connor tried opening the driver door but the shrapnel had fused the hinge and it wouldn’t budge. He eased his way over to the passenger door as another shot rang out, narrowly missing him and embedding into the driver’s seat.

  He kicked his way out just in time for him to hear another gunshot and Alex fall to the ground just ahead of him. Connor’s rage built up and he clenched his teeth. He turned and saw the hunter aiming squarely at Samantha.

  If he were to let him take the shot, surely the young bear would die, but he would get the chance to attack his enemy and avenge Alex. Connor cried out in rage. Samantha was the furthest away and the only one with a chance to survive. Connor saw no other option. He leapt in the way of the shot.

  The silver buckshot tore through his leg, smashing bone and muscle. He fell to the floor with a thud and skidded. When he looked back he saw Samantha make it to the tree line and he laughe
d.

  Life is a funny thing, even when you’re about to lose it.

  The hunter strolled over and began reloading his shotgun.

  “You know,” he said, “I got this scar a long time ago from an alpha.”

  The hunter knelt down beside Connor who could do nothing but hold his leg from bleeding out.

  “He was my older brother,” he added, “I’m sure you wouldn’t know anything about older brothers being an only child yourself.”

  Connor clenched his teeth and held on to the pain. The hunter shoved another shell into his shotgun.

  “I was beat up more times than I remember. And, you know what I realized?” He asked with a smirk, “The only good wolf is a dead wolf.”

  The hunter lined up his shot and Connor felt the end start to take him. If he didn’t pull the trigger, Connor knew he would bleed out anyway. There was nothing left he could do. His muscles had all but given up on him.

  He thought of his father again. Connor could hear his voice as things started to fade.

  Did you learn your lesson?

  A gunshot rang out and everything went black.

  CHAPTER 15

  “You’re a damned fool,” he heard as jolts of pain shot up through his body, “You gotta be smarter than that if you’re goin’ to be a real alpha.”

  Crunch stood over him with a set of motorcycle tools and lengths of rope. Connor could barely move; every bone and muscle screamed out in agony. His wolf screamed to be released.

  “Don’t you dare change; if you do it might throw the shrapnel around in your leg and fuck it up worse!” Crunch ordered. Connor fought against his wolf. He clenched his teeth and dug his fingers into the dirt.

  “What happened,” Connor asked, fighting for breath.

  “I saved your life,” Crunch laughed, “as much as that’s worth.”

  By this time, Samantha showed up with a motorcycle helmet full of water and rag.

  “You’re awake?!” she said in shock. She reached around his neck to hug him, but Connor exhaled sharply from the pain of being moved. “Thank you!” she said, taking a step back, “you saved my life.”