Hunter

My heart skipped a beat. He was there, right in front of me. I could see toned muscles rippling under his thick fur, the shine in his glassy eyes and the way his chest rose and fell with his steady breathing. My heart rate quickened and I took a step forward. He bared his teeth at me, hackles raised. Now he was a hunter, nothing like the freckled boy I knew. A howl came from the other side of the valley, making all the hairs on my neck stand on end. He pricked his ears up and howled back. I knew what was coming and started to back away, a hunting call had been answered. But this time I wasn't the hunter. I was the prey.
I turned on my heels and ran, adrenaline fizzing through my veins. The forest floor was covered in logs and tree stumps, making it difficult to get to my fastest pace. I looked behind me. No one was there. Yet. Panting, I continued to run towards the end of the forest. My ankles throbbed and my heart pounded. Why? Why did Adam of all people have to be a shape-shifter? Why did a simple walk in the woods have to turn into a matter of life and death? The edge of the forest was drawing closer but I could heard howls in the distance. My lungs were burning and I was beginning to tire. I was almost there. Suddenly out of nowhere I was cornered. Three huge wolves were in front of me and when I turned around I found two more. They all had their teeth bared and their claws visible. Always, when I was stuck in a problematic situation, there was a way out. Always. This time there wasn't.