Chapter 2:

The russet-furred wolf sighed as she stretched outside the den as she woke slowly in the cool morning air. Kira, the pack had called her when she had been assimilated, meaning "far sighted" and she was indeed worthy of the name, bringing in many kills over the years since she had flowered into womanhood. Many a wolf had sought to gain her affections and mother their cubs but she had chosen Akela as her mate and had barred the gate to any others. They had created at least 13 cubs together over the years and were blissfully happy, especially since the cubs had all lived to a ripe age. She had been a good alpha female and she swung her tail sensuously as she thought about last night. The rest of the pack were already sitting around Akela in a circular motion so she padded over and sat next to him, her level eyed gaze travelling over her pack members and few cubs she had sired who were grown into adulthood. This had bolstered the numbers well; providing much needed gristle to survive the coming winter chill. Looking around slowly with narrowed eyes, Kira scanned from one side to another and yelped in surprise as one of her cubs went down and toppled over, crimson blood spurting onto the white snow.

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Rising with hackles bared, Kira snarled and looked at her mate as another went down and then another as the wolves were being picked off one by one. The rest of the pack disintegrated into chaos and confusion as the couple snarled and looked around before trying to bark for order though they couldn't be heard. As a man stepped out and set his sights on one of her female friends, Kira snarled angrily and raced towards the man in a streak of russet lightning. On top of him before he could shoot, she fought with him and then ripped his jugular vein open as he floundered. Attacking another of the men, she swiped at him and caught his ribs as he tried to club her with the butt of the gun. Backing off, she snarled with blood dripping from her fangs when she heard a sound and turned to see her mate in action. In close proximity was a man with a gun, pointed straight at her beloved mate.

As she ran towards him, the man fired and hit Akela in the chest as he went to strike. Slumping on the ground, he fell silent as blood pooled under his body. Kira's eyes blazed as she saw her mate crumpled there and she lost all rational control as her form began to grow larger and larger as the men gasped. Changing from wolf to Siberian tiger, she snarled and roared as the snow began to shake on a nearby ledge and the sound echoed through the canyons and beyond. The man dropped his gun and ran with the others as Kira gave chase and savaged one after one of the assailants. She could hear gunshots behind her but was so intent on killing them that she didn't rest until she had devoured all of them.

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Then, she raced back and nuzzled her mate slowly with a pleading whine and a sad look in her eyes but he didn't respond. Hearing a noise, she looked up from her crouch and staring right into the barrels of a shotgun. The man grinned and shot her seven times with the tranquilizer gun as she tried to attack him. Falling on the ground, she slowly changed into human form as her head fell to the side and her eyes closed tight. Tying her arms and legs together, the assailant tossed her in the ute and then collected the pelts of every member of the wolf pack from the killing field.

Driving towards Russia, he smiled as he looked at his captive evilly. He knew just where to put her...