Chapter EIGHT

Max continued to stare at Connor, taking him in inch by inch. The large man stood high, proud and mighty- exactly like his wolf.

"What are you doing here?" Max asks, his voice clipped and nothing less than annoyed at the intruding werewolf. The vampire tried to stay confident... He really did but the blood marring Connor's skin was giving him shivers.

It took him less than a few seconds to take her down, which wasn't normal. A newborn vampire, in some instances, is actually stronger than an experienced one or even a wolf. Reason being, is because they're newly turned- they still have 90% of most of their human blood before vampire DNA takes over.

Connor stared emotionless at Max before he began to circle the vampire. His fluorescent eyes glaring into the latter's soul.

"I don't answer to the likes of you, vampire." Connor's voice came out deep and husky, his words coming out slow- drawled. His own fangs sticking out from between his red lips while blood cascaded down his chin.

Max scoffed.

"Doesn't look like you have a choice, werewolf. Why were you following me?" Max's own red eyes bore back fiercely.

"There's your reason right there." Connor grunted and gestured toward the, now, heap of mauled meat lying on the ground. Max followed his gesture for a few seconds, his eyes lingering onto the disembodied vampire before snapping back onto the werewolf— only to find Connor staring straight into his soul. It sent an uncomfortable shiver down his spine.

"I had it covered." Max hissed, on the inside, he was fuming. He didn't know what the hell it was but he was always angry in the presence of the other. The mere presence of the latter had his skin crawling.

"You were gonna' let her go." Connor growled, flashing his own set of fangs. The tension was so thick that you could practically see it swirling between the two supernatural beings.

"This is my territory, I have free reign wherever I go on these lands." Connor husked out, his jaw set tight and hard as he glared at Max.

"Your territory? Last time I checked, it belonged to Chase." Max hissed. Ok. Maybe he was trying to rile the wolf up a bit.

Max watched as the wolf circled him slowly, like a predator to prey. Connor's eyes raked over the male’s body inch by inch. The wolf's body bare and glistening against the moonlight.

Connor grunted.

"Not for long." Connor growled, the sound chucking it's way down Max's spine and settling at the pit of his stomach uncomfortably. After Max got over the initial shock, realization seemed to settle in and his eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" Max's voice began to waver slightly. He felt like something bad was going to happen and it was going to happen soon.

"Why do you think Chase never told you about my appearance?" Connor drawled again but this time... His voice was taunting and mocking. Max didn't like it one bit. He always hated not knowing and right now... He felt helpless.

"What the hell are you playing at?"

Max stood his ground, watching Connor attentively as the bigger man circled him.

"There's going to be a lot of changes around here... You best be ready for them." Connor licked his blood stained lips. Max followed his tongue before he watched it vanish back into the larger man's mouth.

"Stop beating around the bush and tell me." Max was starting to get impatient and he could practically feel his body shaking in anger and anxiousness. If Connor wasn't going to talk soon then he knew that the wolves' need to fight would come true that night.

Connor stayed silent and just stared at Max. Then suddenly, Connor's eyes flashed a dark crimson before it went yellow and then back to orange grappled with red.

The vampire gasped out, he felt his heart thump painfully and fearfully in his chest. Suddenly, the noises of the night wood became something more than white noise as he stared at Connor in disbelief.

Max didn't know what was going on, why Connor was able to change his eye colour, why Connor is larger than any wolf he's ever seen, why was he able to take down a newborn with no fuss at all. It scared him and it's still scaring him to no extent.

"What.are.you?"

Max spoke slowly, each syllable tight and constricted as he muttered the words. He refused to take his eyes off Connor... Even for a second due to fear of the unknown. Connor refused to speak, instead he opted to just stare and this was infuriating Max more because Connor wasn't taking him seriously.

"What are you?"

This time, the vampire's voice hardened and dropped an octave, his eyes flashing brighter as a defence mechanism. A way to scare opponents off or to give them a warning but Connor still hadn't said a word.

The werewolf seemed to have gotten tired of being questioned and turned his back toward Max in an act of retreat and— hell no, Max was not having that.

Just as Connor turned, Max used his speed to appear right next to him and in a flurry of emotion— he grabbed Connor's shoulder and yanked him harshly in order to turn him around.

"What are you?!" He screamed but sooner than later, the air was knocked out of his lungs when Connor slammed his palms into Max's chest.

There was a big difference in force compared to Connor and the newborn.

With the newborn, Max only skidded a few metres but with Connor...

Max found himself knocked off the ground and hurdling backward till he slammed onto his back a few feet away. The vampire's eyes widened in shock because no one has ever taken him down before. He stared at the night sky for a few seconds before adrenaline kicked in.

He was up on his feet within seconds and zipped back to his original spot, hissing as he extended his arm out to attack but Connor grabbed his wrist and held it tightly while the other wrapped around his neck.

Connor used his strength to slam Max against a nearby tree. His sheer power had Max levitating off the ground, his fangs pushed out in a snarl, a deadly growl leaving his lips as he pressed his fingers harder.

Max choked, forced gasps leaving his lips, he used his one good hand and grappled for Connor's assaulting hand. He tried wrenching the grip away from him but it was almost impossible.

"I'd watch yourself from now on Max. You have no idea who you're messing with and I promise you... If you ever touch me or get in my way again, I'll rip your throat out and watch you die."

Connor's voice came out deep and gravelly, like that of a beast. It was probably his alpha wolf talking. The wolf let go off Max abruptly, watching as he fell to the forest floor gasping, his hands flying up to soothe his red skin.

Max looked up at Connor with teary eyes, they sprung up after the choking. The vampire licked his lips and watched as the wolf transformed and took off into the darkness.