Tyler's breath came in ragged gasps as he bolted through the dense, shadow-laced woods, his legs aching with every pounding stride. On his back, Bella lay limp and bloodied, unconscious, her arms dangling lifelessly over his shoulders. Her blood had soaked into his torn shirt, mixing with his own from a gash along his ribs. The night air was cold, sharp against his skin, but adrenaline pushed him forward, faster, harder.
"Just hold on, Bella," he whispered between breaths, his voice trembling. "We'll find shelter… we'll be fine. I promise you we'll make it."
Branches lashed against his face as he darted between trees, their twisted limbs clawing at him like the hands of ghosts. Moonlight filtered through the canopy above in scattered beams, painting patches of silver across the forest floor. The earth beneath him was soft, wet with blood and mud, and each step threatened to throw him off balance.
Then he stumbled.
His boot caught a root. The world tilted.
With a grunt, he hit the ground hard, Bella tumbling from his back and landing with a dull thud beside him. Pain exploded in his chest, but he ignored it, scrambling toward her.
"Bella!" he gasped, crawling to her side. He shook her lightly, brushing her blood-matted hair from her pale face. "Come on, please. Wake up. We're not safe yet."
Suddenly… the air shifted.
Tyler froze.
A scent cold, metallic, and sickly sweet slithered into his nostrils.
His eyes narrowed, his pupils dilating. "No…"
A low chuckle echoed from above.
From the branches of a tree ahead, a figure emerged. Pale, tall, and twisted in posture, a vampire crouched like a predator, its eyes gleaming crimson and its lips curled into a sadistic grin.
"Look at you… poor little creatures," it hissed, voice distorted, slithering like smoke. "So lost. So broken. Stranded in the dark."
Tyler rose to his feet, fists clenched, trembling with rage. Blood ran down his side, but he didn't care. Not now.
"You," he growled, voice low and dangerous. "You attacked my family… You'll pay for that."
The vampire let out a distorted laugh. "Your family? Fools. They should've died long ago. Weak. Just like you."
A tremor ran through Tyler's frame. His eyes glowed icy blue igniting like fire and his skin rippled as bones twisted and muscles swelled. In seconds, his human form vanished, replaced by a massive beast his werewolf form a towering black wolf streaked with hints of deep red across his mane and back.
Without warning, the vampire lunged from the tree like a missile, claws outstretched. Tyler met him head-on with a roar that shook the woods. They collided mid-air, a blur of snarls and slashes, fur and flesh, strength against speed.
The vampire was fast too fast.
With one brutal swing, it slammed Tyler into a thick tree. Bark exploded. The trunk cracked. Tyler grunted in pain but didn't fall. He shook off the blow and charged, teeth bared.
They clashed again.
Tyler bit into the vampire's shoulder, throwing it across the clearing. The creature crashed into the underbrush, only to flip mid-air and land on its feet.
"You can't win, mutt," the vampire spat. "You're nothing but a frightened pup!"
It darted forward with terrifying speed, striking Tyler square in the chest. The blow sent him flying across the clearing. He hit a jagged rock with a sickening thud and crumpled to the ground, blood dribbling from his snout.
But he rose.
Shaking, battered, his blue eyes blazed with fury.
"I… will never… let you hurt her again," Tyler growled.
He sprinted toward the vampire, faster this time, fueled by something deeper than rage love, grief, vengeance. As the vampire lunged, Tyler ducked beneath its strike and lunged upward, jaws snapping.
With a feral roar, he sank his teeth deep into the vampire's neck. The creature screamed, thrashing violently, claws raking against Tyler's sides but Tyler held on. He clenched tighter, crushing the throat, feeling bones crack and blood gush.
The vampire's movements slowed. Then stopped.
With one final wrench, Tyler tore the creature's throat out and hurled the limp body aside.
Silence fell.
Panting, he shifted back into human form, staggering toward Bella. His limbs trembled, his body cut and bruised, but none of that mattered.
She still lay where he had left her silent, unmoving.
"Bella…" he whispered, falling to his knees beside her. He pulled her gently into his arms, checking her pulse. Relief flooded him when he felt the faint thump beneath her skin.
"We're not safe here," he murmured, lifting her onto his back once more. "But I've got you. I'm not letting go. Not ever."
He turned from the battle-scarred clearing, his bare feet bleeding as he walked. The moon above lit his path forward. And in the distance, somewhere beyond the trees hope waited.