Chapter 3

August removed the tranquilizer he's been hit with and threw it away, glancing back at the woods that took precedence over the appealing and mysterious look it always gave.

Now it was a place where thousands of them died and all that could be heard were the cries of help and sorrow. There wasn't the usual chirpiness or the beam that let the tenderness sink in through the pathway of the trees.

It was now a maze to death. If one wolf gets lost in there, there's no way he will come back out alive.

August could make out Hunter's figure that had possibly shot him. In all that darkness surrounded him like a blanket, he could make out the smirk that had a slight glint.

It wasn't the teasy or amused smirk but a mischievous, deathly smirk that could run chills down the spine.

"Take cover." Dagger suggested.

He was the first to feel the effect of the tranquilizer kicking in their body.

"Listen to me and take cover. If you try to be stubborn again, I will take over you-" Dagger felt an adrenaline rush as his nose picked up an unusual scent.

"Is it just me or this scent is captivating...?" August breathed out as his feet were slowing down and it was hard for him to keep up.

"Not just you. It's intoxicating but in a good way. Follow it." Dagger commanded, his eagerness to find out the scent belonging.

"We're in the middle of a runout. We can't let ourselves get distracted. What if this-"

"Follow it. Just do one thing for me, will you?" Dagger's voice had the urgency that he wanted to find it out.

Though he knows that the way to the shore was clearly not the route the scent was giving off from but he couldn't just ignore it.

It wasn't just for the beautiful scent that he hadn't picked up from anywhere. It was that too, but it was also that it radiated the welcoming to him. The longing, the fortune to find it seemed worth it than getting to safety from the Hunters.

Surprisingly to the fact, it wasn't just Dagger who felt the same. Surely they shared the same emotions and could feel each other in an instant but when it came to this scent, August felt a rush of home.

He smelt of home and it was weird for him because he thought he had forgotten the scent of his once standing tall home. Home of not just a building but the people who lived with him.

How could he remember when he was just a kid?

He didn't know either. He wasn't doubtful either. He was convinced. Second most in his life after he had pledged to not let Dagger out in his wolf form.

Could it land them in other trouble or save them from the trouble that they were running away from?

"Why is it so sweet?" August mumbled, following the line of invisible scent.

"I don't know... but it's addicting..."

If Dagger could figure it out, he would've. Usually, he wasn't the curious one. That side of him died along with others so trying to search for this was bringing back his curiosity.

"What if it's the Hunters...?" August wasn't so sure about his question either.

He didn't want to believe it was Hunter's new trick to lure them into their death trap.

What's the most he had thought of that Hunters don't have emotions. If they did they wouldn't be ruthlessly killing all the wolves especially the ones who never messed up the human world and were off living well.

"It's too unbelievable. They only know blood as their official badge to get everything." Dagger said.

"And home... they don't know that."

Certainly, he would think it like that. Why won't he? He couldn't sketch them out having families and being chirpy with them and spending time with their little family.

It all too just looked absurd. There weren't smiles of genuineness that could be drawn on their faces.

"We're near. It's getting strong." He was being careful while following the aroma and walking under the shades of shadows to be not seen.

Hunters, too suddenly, had gained extra senses which were what made them more strong. The traditional ideas were modified and the treaty that had been signed with them way back was probably in the pits of doom.

"Go faster."

Dagger was impatient but August had to try to keep his sense awake as the faintness was drawing him close.

"I'm trying."

After walking through the cracks and crooks of the little streets that seemed corrupted and daringly empty with danger, he came up to a medium wooden house that wasn't just of a single whiff.

"I don't feel good about this." August gulped down the vomit that was threatening to spill out.

"Focus on the scent." Dagger sneered.

Nevertheless, August went with Dagger's wish to reveal the hypnotizing scent that even he couldn't dodge away. What could keep his wolf on the edge was definitely important.

August just didn't want to go by what his wolf tells him. He didn't hate him but he wanted to keep them both safe. One thing, he doesn't ever want to lose is his best friend.

No more than Dagger. If he ever were to lose him, he wouldn't find a way to live.

But fate had it tough. Was it tough or not was August's decision to make.

He rounded his walk at the back of the building where he could hear faint grunts and sounds of hitting or slashing something.

The smell was other than the one he felt strong was giving it off. He didn't hesitate and pushed open the door only to be met by blood splashing on his face.

His eyes that had retracted back to close from the impact hesitantly opened and landed on a pair of white and silver orbs.

The girl's eyes flickered, carrying the knife in her hand and heaving from the effort she was putting on cutting the lamb's body.

"Are you alright? Sorry about the blood. It was too stiff and hard to be cut. I wonder what this one ate." The girl pushed back her dark black hair, accidentally a speck of blood drop on her forehead. "Do you need a cloth or napkin...?"

Dagger felt the euphoria reaching from the doors that were locked away for him. He only ever wished all the time and now his wish came true.

"We meet our mate. Loving mate, August."

"Mate... so this is how I meet one..." August muttered, lost in her eyes.

"Hello? Are you a timid talker? because I can't hear you well. I won't force you to talk loud, that would be rude of me but could you speak up loud?" The girl raised her brows, hopingly waiting for his response.

The response was his eyes losing focus and collapsing on the ground when the faintness he was holding away had streamed voluntarily to the last of his senses.

"Amora! Who did you kill now?" Her owner shouted from the shed where all the other lambs were in the column to be slaughtered next.

"Does one kill by spilling lamb's blood on it?" Amora shouted back, snuffing the blood on her hand. "Does it smells that bad?"