Survive the mafia… get taken out by coyotes.
Behind the pack, I see the door to the house open, but he’s too far away. They’re coming in closer, heads low to the ground, teeth bared as the snarling continues. Behind me, Ralph huffs and paws at the ground with his hoof, and I assume it’s him they’re here for.
Panic and fear works through me, my skin breaking out in a sweat.
“Elena!” Knox’s voice roars through the darkness.
The coyotes begin to close in, forcing my feetbackwards until the fencing containing Ralph hits my back. I can smell the predators, wet and earthy, the low menacing growls making my heart race and stomach knot in fear. I can’t get to the house, not when they surround me. I can only go backwards, so that’s what I do.
I hear the paws and claws scuff into the dirt as I hop the fence and run. Right toward the bull facing my way. Behind me, they chase, so close I swear I feel their breath on my legs. Ralph lets out a bellow, his head swinging left and right as his tail swishes and his hooves make a deep divot in the ground. Loud huffs of air blow from his large nostrils, and while I don’t know a thing about bulls, I can understand that this one right now ispissed.
Hopefully, it’s at the coyotes and not me. I suppose it won’t really matter if I become food for them if he tramples me to death. I get to his side, running my hand down his thick, muscular body.
“Please don’t kill me,” I whisper, voice trembling.
The coyotes come to a skidding halt before they start to create a semi-circle around both me and Ralph, eyes watching, analyzing, trying to figure out the best way to attack.
The one in the front lunges, and a scream rips from my throat, the coyote latching on to Ralph just below his neck.
He throws him off only for another to come in on theother side.
“Knox!” I scream, but Ralph knocks into me, his weight pushing me to the ground as another one nips at his ankles.
“Elena!” Knox’s voice is closer. “Don’t move!”
What the fuck does he mean,don’t move!?Does he even see –
My thoughts cut off at the first sound of the shotgun, the boom of it ricocheting off the mountainside to rattle inside my brain. Another sounds a moment later as he shoots at the ground to scare the predators away. The coyotes scatter, darting off in every direction. The Heelers begin chase, the shouts of the hands filtering in a second later.
“Darlin’?” I swing my gaze around, seeing Knox lowering to a crouch ahead of me, but my eyes fix on the blood running down Ralph’s leg.
“He’s hurt!” I scramble to my feet, using Knox to help me up, and don’t hesitate to go to the bull. He’s breathing heavy and fast, eyes wide, and I spot another wound, just below his neck. I don’t think about what I’m doing as I begin to scratch his muzzle, trying to get a better look at the wound.
“Shit, Knox!” Chase jogs toward us, his own shotgun in hand. “We saw ‘em running off, didn’t even hear them arrive!”
“They’re hungry,” Knox grumbles, “And desperate.”
Ralph turns his head toward Chase and paws at thedirt.
“Might wanna get the fuck outta here,” Knox warns, “Injured or not, his sight is set on you.”
Chase tips his hat. “I’ll call the vet.”
“Do that,” Knox confirms.
“Is he going to be okay?” I hold the bull’s head as if he’s just some oversized puppy, and I swear he leans into it. Knox looks at the two of us and shakes his head with a sigh before he turns to inspect the wounds, his lack of urgency on the matter pissing me off.
“He’ll need a shot,” Knox says as he inspects the lacerations.
“You’re going to shoot him!?” I cry.
“No, Elena, I am not going to fucking shoot him. A shot. A vaccination to make sure he doesn’t get any type of infection.”
“Oh,” I deflate.
He rolls his eyes at me.
“Wait a damn minute!” I yell at him, “Why the fuck are you getting pissy at me? So what? I care about him, and he saved my life.”
