[IC] Winter Bliss (SmallWonders & Cupcake)

[Cupcake]

Zak looked at his group of friends, then back at the house. "Even with shitty tracking skills, Jericho will find her. The bond between slave and slaver is never broken in-between werewolves and humans. That's why she is still afraid, because she knows somewhere in her heart, that he will never give up," he explained. Kale sat next to him on the tree stump.
"Adony wants protective detail on Holly. We told him you were friendly with her, and he wants nothing but peace with the humans. It's our duty to protect this town, so don't worry, someone will always be tailing her. You don't have to be around her 24/7," he said. Zak scoffed looking straight at the house.
"If she was a slave to the Canadian tribe, then she has some part werewolf in her. Possibly minimal to none. I can't sense any on her. I'm surprised he didn't turn her," Zak said. Twins, Terrie and Timmie, joined in the conversation.
"It's a taboo for the Canadian tribe to turn any human into werewolf unless slaved unto them for over ten years," Terrie said.
"He only had her for 5. If he finds her and holds her for another 5 years, then he can turn her and she will permanently be enslaved to as he would be her master," Timmie pointed out.
Zak shook his head. "We need to make sure that doesn't happen," he said.

Zak heard a wolf rushing through the forest. The others ears turned towards the noise and sniffed the air. "I don't recognize it," Kale said.
"I think it's Jericho," Zak said, jumping up, the outer iris of his eyes glowing yellow. He felt a growl deep in his chest.

[SmallWonders]

For some reason, Holly couldn't concentrate on the TV. Her fingers twitched and she trembled. For some reason, an ice cold spike of fear had shot straight through her soul and she couldn't understand why. Tears began to well up in her eyes and her heart rate sped up in her chest. It felt like something was squeezing her heart and driving a rusty spoon through her stomach at the same time. Somewhere in her paralysed mind, she was aware of a scream echoing through her house. It wasn't until moments later that she realised it was coming from her.

[Cupcake]

Zak looked at Gale, who waved him towards the house. "GO!" he shouted. Terrie and Timmie already threw off their shirts, ready to shift. Zak turned his head towards the house. "Holly!" he yelled, throwing his shirt off as he ran towards the house. He unbutton his jeans and shifted quickly, his pants and boxers flying behind him. He ran towards the back door and barked, scratching at the door quickly. He couldn't protect her in his human form, and he could hear his pack growling at Jericho.
He barked loudly, and backed up, hoping Holly would come to the door.

[SmallWonders]

The scrabbling at the door knocked something in her consciousness. It sounded almost like Jack was trying to get to her. Holly stumbled to her feet, Jack darting to the door and backing as much as he could. She followed him, trembling almost too much to walk. Tears streaked her cheeks again and she felt as if she couldn't breathe. "H-help..." She whimpered, collapsing to her knees. Her corgi barked, moving closer and licking her cheek comfortingly but it didn't help. She looked up with blurry eyes, her glasses having fallen off when she fell.

[Cupcake]

Zak jumped on his hind-legs, trying to work the door-handle with his paws. He really didn't like having no apposable thumbs. ?He turned the knob and pushed it open, barking loudly. He kicked the door closed with his legs and ran towards Holly, seeing her on her knees without her glasses. He whined and walked up to her, nuzzling his snout at her arm, showing her that he was gently. He whined and started looking for her glasses, and found them at the sofa. He picked up the outside of the glasses and took them to Holly, dropping them in her lap , then heard his friends battling it out with Jericho. He turned towards the back-door, keeping Holly behind him as he hunkered down in a defensive position. He sprawled his front legs out, hanging his head down low. His teeth were bared, as he growled from deep within his chest, snarling.

[SmallWonders]

Holly reached out, her fingers running through coarse fur. Whatever it was, it wasn't Jack. The white mass seemed gentle enough, even fetching her glasses for her. She jammed them onto her face, blinking as her vision adjusted and the wolf she'd seen earlier came into view. Jack nuzzled his head against her side, trying to keep her calm when she realised a large wolf was in her home. She whimpered, hearing snarling and growling from outside as well as from the wolf in front of her. Something was happening and she didn't know what.

[Cupcake]

Zak could hear the other werewolves having to fall back. Jericho was strong, especially against 3 other teenage werewolves. Zak stood his ground then heard a loud bang at the backdoor. He snarled more, backing up, making his long body defend Holly. The banging was loud, and he heard Jericho shift. He needed to get Holly away. If she seen his face he wouldn't know what to do. He turned and nudged her towards the front door, wanting to get her out of the house quickly. He whined, pushing her hard.

[SmallWonders]

Holly stumbled, gasping as she was pushed back. It didn't take her long to realise she needed to run. Gulping, she stood and moved as quickly as she could to the front door. She didn't stop to wonder why she was listening to a wolf, opening the door and walking out. She didn't know where she would go but she couldn't stay in the house. There wasn't even time to grab a jacket, Jack barking at her to keep going. She followed him, walking towards the centre of their small town and visibly trembling with each step.

[Cupcake]

Zak headed outside, hearing the back door opening. He turned his head and seen a figure, that he could smell Jericho all over. Zak ducked his head in between Holly's ankles and lifted her up onto his back, sliding her down onto a comfortable spot and grabbed Jack by the scruff of his neck and started running. He wouldn't leave neither of them behind. He ran towards the forest edge. It would give him some cover. He heard Kale in the forest.
"Adony wants you to take her to the den, we will hold him off," he said. Zak nodded, running and panting. If he ever needed a workout, he was getting a good one. He burst through the tree line and saw the group of wolves waiting in formation. He saw more wolves joining in the ranks.
He lunged his legs forward, holding onto Jack and Holly both. She would need Jack with her if she was going to the Den.

[SmallWonders]

Holly gasped, her arms wrapping around the large wolf's neck. She squeezed her eyes shut, burying her face in the fur and trying to control the intense fear and almost pain that pushed through her chest. The smell of the forest hit her and she whimpered, her trembling worsening. She sobbed into the wolf's fur, her grip tightening a little in terror. She refused to look up, refusing to acknowledge the fact that she was in exactly the place she wanted to run away from.

[Cupcake]

Zak continued running, stretching his legs out as far as he could. He slowed down and turned his face towards the pack that held off Jericho. They were not allowing him to pass.
He was panting hard and whining, trying to catch his breath. Jericho was not getting past the formation of wolves. He took off on a light jog, heading to the caves at the den. He saw Adony in wolf form. Zak laid down in the dirt to let Holly off. He whined to let her know it's okay.

[SmallWonders]

Holly tried her best not to freak out too much. She slipped off the wolf's back as he stopped, looking up with wide eyes as she saw others surrounding her and keeping out one particular wolf. Jack quickly moved to her side, nuzzling his head against her ankle comfortingly before she picked him up and held him close. She didn't know where she was but for some reason, she felt safe next to this white furred wolf. Staying close to him, she glanced warily around at the rest of them, her heart pounding in her chest. Jack licked her cheek gently and she smiled a little. "I'm okay..." She whispered to him, as she always did after one of her panic attacks.

[Cupcake]

Zak looked up at Adony as he stood up. He heard Jericho fall back, but it wasn't over. He growled, watching the formation backing up towards the clearing next to the den. He listened in on the other werewolves becoming agitated with the presense of a human.
"This isn't right."
"Blasphemy,"
"Ultimate taboo,"
Zak stood up and growled, snarling at the comments of the other wolves, who backed off. Adony stood next to Zak.
"I called for it. Jericho is not following our laws, so we will show him that our laws have meaning. Care for one another," he started. He looked at Zak. "Your back-up supplies are in the den. Shift back so you can explain to Holly the situation."
Zak shook his head. "I can't, she is terrified of this guy. Just knowing he is in the area will cause a psychotic break," he warned. Adony growled and appeared taller.
"She has a right to know," he said. Zak hunkered down, forcefully from the alpha's influence.
Zak turned towards the caves, rushing into the darkness. He sniffed out his backpack and grabbed his clothes. He shifted and threw on his clothes, drowned in the scent of the forest, and walked out of the cave. "Holly!" he called out to her.

[SmallWonders]

Holly turned around in alarm as the warmth at her side disappeared and left her with just the comfort of Jack in her arms. She whimpered, trembling and stepping back. Her head snapped up as she heard Zak's voice, alarm flickering through her. "Z-Zak?!" She called, wondering how he had found her. It was selfish to call him to where these wolves were and possibly sending him to danger just so that she could have someone she felt she was safe with by her side. She didn't move from her spot, still eyeing the wolves around her warily as a few of them seemed to glare up at her.

[Cupcake]

Zak ran in between the wolves, rushing over to her. He looked around, all their eyes on them.
"Mind your own buisness!" he yelled to the wolves, who growled and turned their faces away. He looked up at Holly. "You're in danger. Someone named Jericho is hunting you down," he said.

[SmallWonders]

"They listen to you...?" Holly looked around at the wolves in astonishment, moving a little closer to Zak. Her head snapped up, that name sending a crippling shock of fear through her heart. "N-no... H-how did you find that name? H-he can't have followed me here..." She jabbered on, Jack jumping out of her arms when she squeezed him too tightly. She fell to her knees, wrapping her arms around her body. "I-I was supposed to b-be safe here..." It seemed that the past was catching up and she didn't know what to do. Holly felt more than helpless.

[Cupcake]

"There are alot of things that I have to tell you, but you are just too unstable right now. Just trust me enough to follow every command that you can follow. These wolves and me are going to protect you. You need to stay here at the den where we can protect you fully. Don't leave under any circumstance," he said. He watched the other wolves shake their heads in protest. He shook his head at them, and walked over to Holly, putting his hands on her shoulders to give her comfort.

[SmallWonders]

Holly nodded a little, feeling as if she couldn't move even if she wanted to. She was too shaken, too filled with terror. "Will you be staying with me?" She asked, looking up at him and feeling vulnerable. The wolves around them seemed to listen to him and she wanted to be sure she was safe with them. She shivered, the cold finally catching up with her now that some of the adrenaline had ebbed away.

[Cupcake]

Zak looked around, noticing the cold air getting more chilly. He looked at the other wolves, listening in on them talking. "We can take you home if you want," suggesting that to her. "You will have someone guarding your house at all times, so there is nothing to be afraid of," he said.

[SmallWonders]

"Will you stay with me?" Holly asked, her fingers around his wrist and her eyes begging him to. She bit her lip, wiping away the tears on her cheeks and looking around at the wolves. Shifting uncomfortably, she looked up at him. "I don't trust those wolves a-and..." She sucked in a breath, remembering her family. They'd be wondering where she was and why she'd skipped out on school and the psychiatrist appointment.