Chapter 11 - Justin

The minute I saw Callie's text saying she was heading home without waiting for me, I headed straight for her cabin. What was she thinking, going home alone? Why couldn't she just wait for me?

And as I approach her house, I realize my worst fears have been realized.

From the cover of the tree line, I watch in dismay as Callie stands, cornered once again, this time by a group of shifters, not just the couple from the diner. Guy is at the head of the pack, and he's got a wild, crazed look in his eyes.

"Looks like I'm just in time for the party," I mutter to myself, assessing the situation before I jump in.

As I observe from the shadows, I tune into the conversation they're having. As accusations fly like venomous arrows, aimed at Callie with a viciousness that sets my blood boiling, I want to jump in, but I hold back, determined to get the full picture this time.

"You really thought you could escape us, didn't you?" Guy's tone is chilling as he advances, his eyes locked on Callie with intense accusation. "We've been following your every move, Callie. You can't hide from us."

Callie's voice trembles with anger and fear as she desperately defends herself. "You have no right to come here and accuse me of something I didn't do," she protests. "I left for a reason, Guy. I'm not part of your pack anymore."

"You can't just walk away from us, Callie. You're still one of us, no matter how hard you try to deny it."

"Wrong," Callie retorts, her voice growing stronger as she stands her ground. "I'm not part of your pack, and I never will be again."

"After what you did to Dante─"

"I didn't hurt Dante," she insists. "You know that, Guy. You're just trying to manipulate the situation to suit your own twisted agenda."

Guy's eyes narrow into slits. "Don't play innocent with me, Callie. I know what you did. It wasn't the first time, either. You've always been a cold-hearted bitch. You're coming back with us to face what you've done. You're going to be punished."

"I didn't do anything!" she yells, her voice rising to a desperate pitch.

"Stop lying to yourself!" Guy barks, and Callie's back hits the side of her house.

I can tell she's scared, and it takes everything in me not to jump in right then and there.

Callie's eyes blaze with defiance as she levels a pointed accusation at Guy. "You're the one who's been obsessive, Guy. Stalking me, harassing me. You can't stand the fact that I had the strength to leave, so you're resorting to these pathetic mind games."

As Guy's face contorts with rage, his nostrils flaring like an enraged bull, he turns to the others in his pack. "Enough talk," he growls, his voice echoing with authority. "Let's show her what happens when you betray the pack."

The others close in a Callie, rambling on about how she's a traitor and getting vengeance for Dante. My heart pounds in my chest as I watch the situation escalate, knowing that I can't stand by and let them harm her.

With a surge of adrenaline, I leap from the shadows, stepping boldly into the fray. "That's enough," I declare, my voice commanding and resolute. "Leave her alone."

Guy's gaze snaps to me, his lip curling into a snarl. "You again? I thought I told you to mind your own business, mutt. This doesn't concern you."

"Get the fuck away from her," I warn. "If you take another step closer to her, I'm going to tear you apart."

Guy holds out his arms, gesturing to his pack mates. "You're the one who is outnumbered this time. You can't take all of us on. Why don't you just get out of here and save yourself the embarrassment?"

I take a step forward, my fists clenched at my sides. "That's not going to happen."

A tense silence settles over the scene as we face off. Then, without warning, Guy lunges forward, shifting as he goes. In an instant, he's a large black wolf, baring his teeth at me. The rest of his pack shifts as well, and I can see the bloodlust in their eyes.

This is not going to be easy.

Reacting instinctively, I shift into my own wolf form and launch myself at Guy, pinning him to the ground. As we tumble on the ground, teeth and claws flashing, his pack surrounds us, snapping their jaws. Guy manages to kick me off him, and as we land on the ground, we exchange blows. My teeth sink into his flesh, drawing blood, and he whimpers. Then, he sinks his teeth into my leg, and a searing pain shoots through my body. I yelp as I kick him away, but as I rise to my feet, I glance up at the porch, seeing the last seconds of Callie's shift into a brown wolf. She bounds off the porch, headed straight for the chaos.

Fuck.

"Callie, no!" I cry, but she's already charging into the fight, snapping her teeth and growling.

As the rest of Guy's pack focuses on her, I jump in, knocking two wolves aside as I make my way to Callie. But I've lost track of Guy, and I watch in horror as he comes in from the side and gets ahead of me, his claws slashing through the air toward her. Before I can react, his talons rake across her flank, leaving deep, bloody gashes in their wake.

"No!" I roar, and my vision is tinged with red fury. In that moment, all rational thought evaporates, replaced by a possessive instinct to protect Callie at all costs.

With a guttural growl, I launch myself forward, my senses honed solely on Guy. He barely has time to register my approach before I'm upon him, teeth bared and claws slashing.

We collide with a ferocity that shakes the ground, and all around me, the other wolves are knocked off their feet. It's a whirlwind of claws and fangs, the two of us attacking each other in a blind rage. Guy is a formidable opponent, but I'm driven by adrenaline and desperation. Each strike is fueled by an unyielding rage, a primal need to avenge the harm inflicted upon Callie.

I barely notice the other wolves as they circle around us, and their snarls and snaps fade into the background. All that matters is tearing Guy apart, obliterating any threat to Callie's safety.

My blows rain down upon Guy with relentless force, each strike punctuated by a deafening growl. But with every blow, my rage only grows into a white-hot fury consuming my body. The image of Callie's wound burns in my mind, and all I can see is red.

His own attempts to counter are feeble in comparison to my sheer animalistic power. There's a look of shock and disbelief on his face as we wrestle, but he doesn't stand a chance against me. His fangs pierce my skin as his claws rake through my fur, but I feel nothing. His movements are sluggish and uncoordinated against my onslaught.

Time loses all meaning as we wage our savage battle, but as my claws dig into his flesh, I realize that his hold on me has lessened. His strength is fading, his movements slowing. My teeth sink into his neck, and I feel the gush of his blood on my tongue, hot and coppery. The world narrows to a singular focus: destroying the one who dared to harm Callie.

It's only when he lets out a high-pitched whimpering, desperate cry that I snap back to reality. My limbs are aching, my muscles throbbing as I force myself to let go.

Guy drops to the ground, his head bowed, his shoulders sagging. When the dust settles, I stand victorious, panting heavily as I survey the aftermath. Guy lies sprawled on the ground, bloodied and battered and barely breathing.