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This bitch is outta her fuckin' mind! Pointing a gun at Maria like that. I want to jump her ass for it, but I'm hoping that it's a bluff to save lives. She wouldn't actually shoot her? Would she? She's shouting at Jason and I'm aware of the others circling around us. Davis is a few yards to my right when I see the Bear come runnin' toward him. I scream as he's barreling down through the trees. Davis turns and leaps just as the Bear was to make contact, landing on the ground opposite him. As my back is turned two of the Wickett brothers come for me. I'm thrown to the ground with a thud and held down. I try to get my footing, but I can feel teeth graze my shoulder. I call my wolf, so does Davis. We both let out a howl. His is loud enough to draw the attention of my attackers and I feel the weight on me lessen just enough that I am able to scurry out from beneath the two on me. I'm out of my clothes and on my paws instantly. I'm twice the coyote’s size, it will take more than two of them to subdue me now. I run for Davis, he won't be able to hold off that bear alone. I glance at the scene of Danny and Jason and see that they are struggling, I hear the guns go off and duck turning to see Maria with Danny's hunting knife. She'll be okay I promise myself going to Davis' side. His shoulder is bloodied, but he's still in fighting shape. The Bear is just a few paces from us, he seems to want to hold us off, not do real damage. I can hear snarling and growls surrounding us again. This time the wolves think to get involved.
I turn around to face them, starin' them down. They can't take the direct eye contact and look away, dropping their heads. I lunge forward and they cower even with the coyotes at their side. They know when they have been dominated. They step backward. They really need guidance, I’d take them with us if not for the circumstances. More howls, and Danny is between shapes. Tearing at Jason and fending off one of the other brothers. She's lost her guns on the ground, but Maria is there as they fall. Sliding across the grass, she catches them and rolls out of the way as the last of her brothers goes at her heels. She turns on the ground and fires hitting him high in the chest. He loses his footing and rolls to stillness. Then another shot rings through our ears and everyone seems to stop. Staring. Maria has shot Jason dead center in the face. By the time he hits the ground he is unrecognizable.
Maria collapses. Davis and I run to her, nuzzling her, she wraps her arms around us tightly, sobbing. But her sob is odd. More so it turns into a quiet almost relieved laugh. Danny stands heaving, her shirt covered in blood, is torn open. Her chest heaves as she hits her knees. The brothers run for their Alpha, the wolves and the Bear stay back watching.
Maria, my beautiful creature, stands up on shaking legs, using us to keep her standing. She holds the gun in her hands. “I've a bullet for each of you, if you dare to come near me again. Understand me? I am no longer yours for the taking.” She shoots the gun into the air and the brothers run for the woods like the cowards they are. Her legs give and I take back my human form, cradling her. She is bleeding hard from the thigh.
Danny seeing the wound tears at her top from a relatively clean spot and ties it high on Maria's thigh. “To slow the bleed,” Danny whispers.. I nod as Davis hands me my clothes. The two sub wolves and the Bear re still with us, I keep one eye on them as I dress. Then the Bear turns to his human. What a human! He is huge! Everywhere... He walks to us as though being naked is a past time he rather enjoys. Danny stands taking her gun from Maria.
“Silviu, I won't let you have her. Those brothers of hers are the real monsters.” She cocks the gun confidently, aiming for his head. “They were hurting her, you need to understand.”
“Why did you not tell us?” He asked plainly bending down to Maria, pushing a dark curl from her face.
“I thought that since I had been allowing it, that it was my fault. That I had no other choice. I'm so, so very sorry. Tell Aiolos, please. He needs to know I had no other choice. It was them or me... I chose me. For once in my miserable little life, I finally chose me.”