Title: The Wolf Girl's Mate

Disclaimer: Nothing at all….

Author's Note: Hey, you guys! I hope you're still hanging fine….Okay now, let's get on with the show!

Chapter 9: Blood Wolf Hunt

"Nao, there's trouble! Men in black are hunting down the pack! And we've got no luck in finding where their orders come from! I suggest-"

"Bang!"

Nao swiveled her head in the direction of the gunshot and the suggestion fell on deaf ears. Lime green orbs filled with hatred and immense rage as the red head watch a brethren collapse into a pool of its own blood with a last yelp escaping it muzzle. Nao gritted her teeth, almost grinding them to dust as she force herself to hold her stand and think logically in spite of her unsatiated desire for revenge.

"Get the jeeps here now! I want you to get everyone out of here!" Nao said through clenched teeth and snapped her cell phone angrily, cutting off anything else that her men might've wanted to say. The pink plastic cracked under the red head's grip.

Turning to the assailants, Nao hissed, her voice seething with red hot fury despite her attempt at calm. "What do you bastards want?!"

"Do not take this the wrong way. We merely execute the orders given to us by Kanzaki."

"What orders?!"

"We are ordered to take your lives. And we don't question Kanzaki's sanity or we lose ours."

"Screw your orders! We aren't going down without a fight!"

"But it seems you have no leader, how would you fight?"

Nao wore a confident smirk as she sneered. "Easy, we just have to kill you all. Nothing to it. We're a lot more than meets the eye. Care to test it out personally?"

A surge of anger flashed past in the black solid orbs and Nao found a small pleasure in getting a reaction from the stoic man. Her smirk only grew wider at seeing him clench his large fists and shaking lightly with suppressed rage. Thinking quickly, Nao decided to use his anger to her and the pack's advantage. But the red head didn't know how wrong she is.

Moments later, just as fast as rage had come, it disappeared and the man was back to being calm and indifferent. Nao cussed under her breath, seeing her plan has failed before it had even begun but it didn't stop her from continuing to try to provoke the man. But her attempts were once again useless as the man had her figured out. The red head wasn't much of a tactician but at the very least she tried.

However, Nao isn't that transparent. She has an ulterior motive, of course. She was buying as much time as she can so that the pack could get away in the jeeps. But damn! She can't hold out much longer. They'll figure it out sooner or later. And of all the days to disappear, Nina, the second in command, has abandoned her post but still it was for a good reason. Nao couldn't blame the girl, which didn't help in solving her current predicament.

"Screw it all! Where the hell are they?"

"Well, why don't we enjoy ourselves? It seems we have nothing to do anyway." Nao addressed the pack and they gave loud howls of approval.

A rare calm engulfed the red head as adrenaline rushed through her veins. Her heart pumped faster just thinking about the fight. And her body felt as light as feather. She leaped, shifting in midair with her jaws opened. Successfully covering the few feet in a single bound, she landed on one of the men in black. Her weight knocked the air out of him and she closed her teeth around his neck before he could recover.

Blood spurted and the man gurgled, choking on his own blood as the last of his life force drained away. But before the lime green-eyed wolf could spit the bloody chunk of meat out, she sensed movement from above. But when she turned, the golden-eyed wolf had the man's arms in her mouth. The man rolled on ground, shouting in pain from his severed limbs.

Nao mentally smirked and jerked her head. Mikoto understood and howled furiously. The rest of the pack followed-up their attack and took down one each. Nao is really psyched now. She went for another one.

"Heh, they aren't so tough after all. Kanzaki's a shit for underestimating us."

"Bang!"

"What?!"

A small silver 9 mm cartridge tore through her flesh. Seconds later, she felt a few more dig themselves into her body. Suddenly, her body felt very heavy and she just wants to fall asleep. But she knew she can't. The pack depended on her but her struggle was a futile effort. She just felt herself succumbing more and more to the darkness.

"Damn, I was careless."

Nao was well on her way to an eternal sleep when a frantic screaming woke her up. Her half-lidded orbs somehow managed to flutter open and focus on the panic-filled face. It reminded her of the time when she watched her family burn to the ground. She had the similar expression of fear on her face. The red head had always been afraid of death but now she realizes death actually isn't that scary at all.

She was certainly going to die, that she knew but the only condition for her sacrifice is that the pack have to survive. She owned at least that to the mutt. Even after so many years, she still hates to admit that the mutt has given her a home, a family and hope. But still, she isn't ungrateful. She just hope that this would be enough to repay Natsuki.

"Well mutt, you better come back to claim your pack."

Nao let herself go just as her ears picked up the familiar screeching tyres in the distance and she smirked.

"You guys made it after all. I'm counting on you guys."

When she felt her eyelids droop, the insistent cry became worse but as she lost her senses one by one, the noise faded into a mere buzz and then eventually silence. Floating in the muted darkness, Nao slept, thinking she would never wake up again.

As night begun to settle on the horizon, Chie cooked dinner while Natsuki stretched herself and flexed her body. She has recovered much of her strength but she still wasn't hundred percent. And the cobalt blue-haired girl is also in good terms with the charcoal-haired woman now. She could finally sleep without having one eye open. The smell of food made Natsuki's stomach growl.

Embarassed, she blushed and her cheeks are tinted with their usual dark scarlet. Swiftly, Natsuki made her way beside the warm, roaring fire and sat down, grabbing her share and adding a particular thick white condiment that she favorites. Even after a week, Chie still cringed at the sight of the cobalt blue-haired girl consuming that much mayonnaise in every of their meals. But of course, she also felt a sense of wonder at how the girl manage to keep her figure slim despite the calories.

However, the peaceful dinner image was shattered when an obscured figure stepped just out of the reach of the fire's light at the entrance of the cave. Immediately, Natsuki abandoned her delicious dinner and her long, flowing cobalt blue hair molded onto her skin and turned gray. She bared her fangs, growling threateningly with her fur frizzed out. But Chie on the other hand, was much cooler but just as tense as the emerald-eyed wolf.

The figure stepped in and recognition flashed across Chie's hazel orbs. She sneaked a side glance to the wolf beside her with the corner of her eyes but nothing changed in the twin emeralds.

"So, Natsuki doesn't remember being rescued?"

"I believed we have met before but we haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Chie Hallard. And you are?"

"I'm Miyu. I'm here to eliminate Kuga Natsuki."

The emerald-eyed wolf growled louder. Her body itched for the familiar thrill and adrenaline but she didn't want to screw up whatever the charcoal-haired woman had planned. She crouched lower, her furry chest almost resting on the ground. However, the cyan-haired woman wasn't at the least fazed by the threat. Casually, she pulled out a golden sword. Seeing this, Chie habitually flexed her wrists.

"So, you up for a fight, Natsuki?"

Natsuki gave a howl of delight and in a fraction of a nanosecond, there were only blurs of blues and blacks and grays. Flesh hit flesh and teeth tore clothes. It would seem none of them were injured but as fast as the battle began, two wounded figures lay on the rough soil, bleeding out rapidly from the huge gashes made by the cyan-haired woman's sword. Natsuki reverted automatically.

Heels clicked in a steady rhythm as Miyu approached the beaten cobalt blue-haired girl. Chie found herself losing consciousness. Her vision was hazy but clear enough to see the cyan-haired woman raised her sword directly above Natsuki's chest. The sword plunged downward and the cobalt blue-haired girl gave a strangled scream before falling back on the ground with a loud thud. Natsuki's head rolled on its side and blank emeralds met half-lidded hazels.

"I'm sorry, Shizuru-sama. I couldn't protect Natsuki. She's too strong…."

But before Chie could even finish her trail of thought, darkness swept her away.

To Be Continued….

Author's Note: Oh yeah! Finally I'm done! Sorry about the delay guys! Until next time! Please R&R….