Free Web NovelChapter 39: The Hunt
Thor’s POV
Faint...but deliberate.
My grip tightened around the dagger as I turned swiftly, every muscle in my body coiling in preparation to shift if needed.
But instead of a predator—
I found a man.
Young. Unfamiliar.
And human.
His scent was unmistakable.
It hit me immediately—warm, fragile, laced with something distinctly mortal. No strength beneath it. No dominance. Just flesh and blood, weak and easily broken.
He raised a hand at once, beckoning urgently for me to lower myself. His movements were quick, cautious, his eyes darting around the forest as though he feared being seen.
I hesitated for only a moment before scanning the area myself.
He was alone.
No other human scent lingered nearby. No hidden threat, no second heartbeat tucked behind the trees.
Slowly, I lowered myself, crouching slightly while keeping my gaze fixed on him. My fingers remained wrapped tightly around the dagger, ready to strike if necessary.
"What are you doing here?" he snapped in a harsh whisper. "Why are you just standing there? They will kill you! Those wolves are clearly winning!"
There was urgency in his voice—real urgency.
Concern.
I could hear it clearly, just as I could hear the frantic rhythm of his heart. It pounded loudly in his chest, betraying both fear and relief at the sight of me.
Relief.
At seeing me.
My fingers tightened around the dagger instinctively, the urge to drive it straight through his chest flickering through me with sharp clarity. I could already imagine it—the resistance of bone, the warmth of blood spilling over my hand.
But I paused.
Because of what he said next.
"We need to warn the others... we were told to watch out for large wolves like this... this might be one of them!"
He cursed under his breath, taking a cautious step backward.
I didn’t move.
But I wasn’t about to let him leave either.
I glanced briefly over my shoulder, ensuring the fight behind me was still under control. Axel and Rex were holding their ground, their movements powerful and precise despite Axel’s reckless aggression. They didn’t need me. Not yet.
So I turned my full attention back to the human.
He was still watching me, uncertain now.
"...You have steel weapons! That’s great! I only have an iron sword... can I borrow yours?"
He smiled—awkwardly, almost sheepishly—as though the request were harmless.
I stared at him.
The audacity.
But before I could respond, my ears caught something else.
More movement.
More footsteps. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
Not one. Several.
My body remained still, crouched low, as shadows shifted between the trees. Then they emerged—four more humans, moving cautiously, weapons drawn, their bodies tense and alert.
They froze the moment they saw me.
Their eyes widened slightly, surprise flashing across their faces before it was quickly replaced by something else.
Wariness.
Not fear.
That was... interesting.
The man in front of me turned toward them immediately.
"Who is he?" one of them asked, their gaze flicking between us.
He shrugged, though there was a hint of anxiety creeping into his expression now.
"I thought he was one of us."
The silence that followed stretched thin.
There were four of them. All well-built, their grips firm around their weapons. They were cautious—but not intimidated. Despite my size, despite the clear difference in strength, they stood their ground with a confidence that did not match what I knew of humans.
I exhaled slowly, considering my options.
Kill them now.
Or learn something first.
Their words lingered in my mind. Watching for large wolves. Prepared. Aware.
That alone made them dangerous.
I had just begun to lean toward interrogation when the decision was made for me.
One of them suddenly gasped, his entire body trembling as he raised a shaking hand to point behind me.
I turned instinctively.
Axel and Rex.
They had just finished the fight.
The manticore lay dead at their feet, its massive body collapsed against the forest floor, its three horns angled awkwardly, its thick hide torn open in several places.
Axel and Rex stood in their human forms once more.
Covered in blood.
Especially Rex.
His body was drenched in it—too much of it his own. His side was torn open badly enough that I could almost see the glisten of his insides beneath the wound.
He looked pale.
But alive.
Healing.
I turned back just in time to see the four humans raise their weapons in unison, their breaths hissing through clenched teeth as uncertainty flickered across their faces.
"They are real... they are actually real!" one of them whispered, his voice shaking.
The words settled heavily in my chest.
They knew.
Or at least... they suspected.
Our existence was meant to remain hidden. Humans outnumbered us by an overwhelming margin. Even if we were stronger, faster, deadlier—it would not matter if they came in numbers.
Axel and Rex had already noticed them.
They began walking toward us slowly, their gazes sharp, assessing. Rex’s wound was already closing, flesh knitting itself together at a pace no human could ever comprehend.
The humans saw it too.
And fear finally crept into their eyes.
I rose slowly, stepping back toward them, letting my movements appear hesitant—uncertain.
"You... you’re humans?" I asked, forcing a tremor into my voice.
Axel smirked.
Of course he did.
The expression spread across his face with amusement he clearly wasn’t bothering to hide.
"Of... of course not," one of the older men stammered quickly, his fear now obvious.
"They are evil spirits pretending to be humans! We have been asked to kill them on sight!"
His voice rose, but it lacked conviction. It wavered under the weight of what he was seeing.
Axel bared his fangs.
Longer. Sharper. Far from human.
The effect was immediate. The man faltered, stepping back.
I moved with them, retreating just enough to maintain the illusion. My grip on the dagger loosened slightly, allowing it to tremble in my hand.
"We’re four... surely we can—" I began, letting doubt seep into my tone before cutting myself off deliberately.
I tilted my head slightly, glancing toward Rex for the briefest moment.
"...or we run and call the others?"
It was subtle.
But enough.
Rex understood.
The four humans began backing away almost immediately, their decision made for them. Their confidence shattered completely as they watched Rex’s wound close further—unnatural, impossible.
Their breaths quickened.
Their fear deepened.
And just as they turned to flee—
Rex moved and I moved to help them.
