Chapter 2
2086 Words
Lucille’s POV
Night falls and I grab the two wolves, dragging them out of the cave.
“Time to wake up boys!”
Dropping them from the ledge down the short cliff onto the grass below in the clearing, I make for the next part of a forest, waiting for them high in a tree, pretending to look at my nails. Both really fell asleep with their stupid game and are taking their sweet time in waking up, scratching here, then there, then stretching!
“I don’t want to spend all night waiting for you boys, can we get moving please.”
Tapping my nails on the bark of the tree, I turn and run between the trees with the wolves below.
Catching small pieces of scent here and there, but the path is going cold. We will have to pick up our pace and find a way to move during the day.
Rogues POV
Red lifts his snout. The lone wolf is definitely ahead of them. His scent getting stronger and stronger. He must be sick, not smelling them or moving away, but then there is the smell of magic in the air as well. Maybe that is confusing his senses.
If he is a lone wolf, Red can’t see why he won’t join them... Being rogue is a lot more fun than being part of a pack and their rules. What if he is injured? What if his pack left him behind because he is injured?
“Pfffffft”
That won’t matter! Then we just kill him. Put him out of his misery. The wind turns and they stop in their tracks falling flat on the ground. The wind is blowing against them! Someone might find them now.
Lucille’s POV
Not even knowing if we are going in the right direction, we follow a scent we know as his hoping we will find him soon when David quickly hits the breaks and takes a ninety-degree turn left. It takes Brian and me a couple of seconds to realize he turned without telling us.
His ears pulled tight against his head, his legs pulling in tight together when he runs, he picks up his speed and it’s not long but Brian and I eventually catch up with him.
Mindlink: What is it, David? Brian asks.
A pack of rogues and they are following Thomas. He says sounding frightened for their friend. David replies.
I sense the change in the air and the urgency with which they are moving, meaning on one thing, they found his scent and he is probably is big trouble.
Charlie’s POV
My blanket twisted all around me, my plate upside down on the ground with my hand on top of it… My buzzer goes off, making me jump up, waking up and hitting my head on the roof that is so close to my head.
“f**k! OW!”
Trying to untie myself, I step on the plate and hear it crack underneath my foot.
“Great! That was the last one you had Charlie!” I fight with myself.
I tried plastic plates and cups, but it wasn’t long before they also ended up in the bin, then I tried paper, those poly plates, and cups, but I just can’t seem to keep my stuff from breaking. Jumping in the shower I wash my hair trying to wash the sauce out, wrapping a towel around me planning to let my hair dry on its own.
My alarm goes off again telling me it’s time to leave but I’m not even dressed yet!
“Crap!”
Grabbing the first clothes I can on the floor I jump in them at lightning speed. For a fairy, I am always late! I run down the stairs, slide on my skates, and make my way over to the pub. It’s still too early to open for customers, but there is cleaning and stocking to do before the lunch rush. At least Billy lets me do all that on my skates.
Unlocking the back door, I hear the bushes behind the bar shuffling around. Could it be the lone wolf? Would he make the mistake of coming into town? Deciding to take the chance to warn him I go on a search for him, but all I find is a rabbit staring at me with its big eyes.
So, it wasn’t him, luckily… I sigh, feeling a little letdown. That howl last night sounded so heart-wrenching. As if he was being split into pieces.
Thomas’ POV
Waking up with a full stomach is a good feeling. Proud of myself, I climb out of my new house, stretching as I go. I sniff the fresh…
“Wait a minute!! That’s not fresh air! Those are rogues!!” Taking a quick assessment of my surroundings I decided to cross the river. That will hopefully get them off my scent.
Leaving the tree, I make for the river as fast as I can, feeling the dirt give way under my feet, not even thinking of which way the wind is coming from or going, just running for my life.
I reach the river and take a quick scan of my surroundings to make sure nobody notices me and shift so I can swim through in my human form. The water is a lot colder than it looks, but at least I’m getting a bath. Two birds with one stone. Saving my life and washing my ass!
What the hell am I thinking?! I reach the other side and shift again, drudging through the mud at the river edge I look around and make for the closest tree line. The direction I saw the girl coming from. The smell of her town might even frighten off the rogues. I would have to do nothing to get rid of them.
“Dude! Run, you have wolves chasing you!” I shout at myself
“Stop thinking about where just run!”
Charlie’s POV
Billy rushes into the bar from the kitchen.
“Lock it up Charlie, all of it. Guys, we have wolves in the forest!”
They clear out the bar so fast, I don’t even have time to blink! Oh, f**k! What if it’s the lone wolf? These guys will chase anything and declare war for no reason at all. I have to go look for him, warn him somehow if I can. Locking up the bar as Billy said, but with me on the outside, I put on my skates and rush home.
Women and children are all rushed home and men preparing for world war three. Really guys??! When I get home, I search for the purple pouch at the back of my chest and find it all the way at the bottom.
“Thanks, Grandma.” Kissing the pouch, I take a little of fairy dust out and sprinkle it all over me, waiting for my magical wings to show.
I flap them once or twice, tie the bag to my belt and fly out the window, straight to where I last saw the wolf. If I’m correct he would probably still be near there somewhere.
I find his trail and follow it to a hollowed-out tree. He was here all right, finding rabbit fur left behind. Looking around me, the only tracks I can find are the ones to where he stalked and killed the rabbit and the ones to the river.
The wind whispers past my ear, the first time I miss it, concentrating on my task in front of me.
“Danger” it whispers again, and when I look up three rogue wolves are looking right at me, growling. Too close to fly away, I would have to move away a couple of steps to get away safely. The declaration of war and lone wolf’s disappearance all makes sense now.
The rogues could be on his trail or even worse already killed him! The fairy lookouts noticed these disgusting creatures because they wouldn’t know how to stalk to save their own lives and now, I am their target right where they need me.
Trying to look at the ground behind me from the corner of my eye to make sure I won’t stumble over something, I quickly turn and fly, praying that I get away fast enough. For safety I turn to my right if he should decide to jump, I would be out of his way in any case. My plan working, I take off like an arrow shot from a bow.
The only other possibility and I do hope to find proof is that he swam through the river to cover his scent. I would have to move quickly so I don’t get caught or give away his position.
Finding his tracks, I take a breath of relief and take off again. Saying a spell and casting some dust, it shows me the way he went. Now I need to find him. I don’t know if the townspeople are also hunting him, if they are hunting the rogues or what exactly is happening.
Thomas’ POV
I make it to the town and find there it to smell human. Creeping around the back alleys, I look out for anything that could make me think differently. I have to thank Selena for many things. If she didn’t show me how to look out for the supernatural, I would walk into a trap and never even know.
The town is too quiet and I don’t trust things, I decided to leave for a bit and rather find a way to stay close but not get caught by the rogues. I am lucky to find a washing line with clothes that fit and tie them to my hind leg. Sniffing the air, I get their smell, they are close, but there is something else. A sweet smell, like sparkles, something sweet popping when you put it on your tongue!
***
A bone-chilling scream comes from the forest behind him. Everything stops and goes silent. Birds in the sky disappear, they don’t even make a noise.
***
Lucille’s POV
Hearing the scream, we slow down slightly.
“Wait! Stop!” I smell the air to see if there are any other scents than the rogues and Thomas.
The wolves doing the same. I pick up a faint sweet smell. Almost like some sort of lollipop or something.
“It could be magic. We have to proceed carefully. We won’t know which kind of magic until we almost step on it and some of these creatures can be worse than Damian.”
I whisper, looking ahead, dropping to the floor without a sound, I walk between Brian and David. Taking it slow, we find the tracks of the rogues. There are three of them which shouldn’t be much of a challenge.
“Rogues in fairy territory is also a warning to our pack. We need to find Thomas fast. If our pack needs to defend our territory, we will need our Alpha!” I explain.
Not sure if Brian and David know much about the history or tradition of wolves. And of course, because I always tend to still treat the wolves as beneath me. Brian growls at me.
“Did I do it again?”
He nods.
“I’m sorry guys.” I apologize sincerely.
Brian and I have an agreement to work on the way I speak to them because I now have a wolf for a mate. It’s not easy after centuries of looking down on them!
Charlie’s POV
I follow the light intently, blowing on dust when needed, not even thinking about what’s happening behind me, when this huge thud hits me from my side, knocking the wind right out of me. I hear growling, but my head hurts terribly and my ribs hurt and my eyes can’t stay open. All I can do is listen to growling and whining and give in to the darkness, but not before hearing the gunshots.
Donella’s POV
The gunshot ringing in her ear as they watch a wolf goes down and the other three scatters away. There is one who goes in a different direction, grabbing Billy’s attention before he realizes Charlie is passed out in the clearing. “Stupid girl! Where did she get dust from?” Someone go check on her. She could have been shot!”
“Is that Charlie?” Billy asks furiously.
“Yes, she is hurt badly.”
- Writer
