The Wolf At My Door

by Sam Hall

  What came after was dizzying. Flash after flash of human children being born from their Tirian mothers, the women returning to human form, now sleek and well fed, to care for their children. New villages were built and children grew. When raiders came, the women instantly shifted into Tirian form and tore the flesh from their bones, teeth cutting through armour like butter. Now the raiders were lined up in a neat line, as the women spoke to their bloody faced children. As they grew, it became apparent there were more male children than female, and that it was the women who ran the village. The original praying woman acted as leader, right up until she became grey and wizened, a horde now of young men and women at her feet. When she died, her badge of office, a crystal necklace that looked much like the spear head of the wolf raiders, was passed to the next woman. Time sped up, showing woman after woman after woman taking the necklace and the position, bands of men standing with one woman, children milling at their feet. This started to flick by so fast, my view almost zooming out as I saw many villages with the same cycle of women stepping up and leading their people. Then, I saw the gate.

  Made from rough-hewn stone, looking much like the smaller standing stones in Europe, a woman and several of her men sniffed around it in Tirian form, jerking back when a blue light flared between the rocks. The white Tirian, the female, touched the blue with her nose and… I blinked and saw that I had returned to the original plain where I first met the Tirian. Though now when I looked over my shoulder, I could see in the distance the set of standing stones they had gone through. “So that’s how they got into my world,” I said, “through a gate?” The Tirian nodded. “And that’s how I came to be. Someone from here, like that, was one of my ancestors.”

  “She needs to be brought out of the coma in three days.”

  “It’ll take longer than that to reduce her dosage safely…”

  “You don’t get it, Doc. Whatever health emergency you’re predicting will be resolved once she shifts.”

  “You… Fine, if this is what you want, I’ll leave you the instructions. I am done with this. This, this was handled badly, all of it. The policy of keeping people, particularly the girls, in ignorance has to change. Better that you have them bolt out into the world beyond, than this. I’ve kept my peace in the past, as there’s been no real casualties but--”

  “Your concern is noted. Go back to the surgery after you’ve written the instructions. We both thank you for all your hard work.”

  “Don’t be tempted to drop the tranqs too early. She can die from seizures before the full moon, easily.”

  “We will follow your instructions to the letter.”

  “Doc, I’ll stay with her, right to the end. Slade or Brandon can switch with me when I need to sleep. We’ll do what we can, around the clock, I promise.”

  “If that’s what you’ve decided, I’ll leave the instructions in the hospital office. Good luck.”

  “I think--”

  “Just wait… OK, she’s gone into the office. Go on.”

  “I think I should give her some of my blood. It could help the transition, and keep her going until the full moon.”

  “And it will bond her to you, almost guaranteeing you as the leader of her pack. Apart from the riot that will incite with the men, I’m not sure tying you to the girl without her permission is wise. She’s had blessed few choices since she’s come here, and I am loathe to take more from her unless we have to.”

  “We’ll monitor her, but I want latitude if it comes to it.”

  I was on the back of my Tirian, and we were moving like the wind. I whooped as I felt the rush of the breeze on my face, my wolf beast covering ground like a racehorse on steroids. I gripped my thighs tight around her ribcage, but it didn’t slow her down. Finally, she stopped in a stand of trees. I slid off, my toes burying themselves into the spongy, mossy turf. She jerked her muzzle, drawing my attention to what lay beyond. I dropped down into a crouch, peering past the tree trunks. There was a beautiful waterfall, the water clear as glass, pooling in a sandy hollow. Perhaps my wolf wanted to swim? I went to get to my feet and walk towards it, but my beast kept me down with a paw to my shoulder blades. She indicated I should sit and watch. I settled down against the cool soil and waited.

  He moved so quietly, I hadn’t realised he was there until he appeared from between the trees. It was the black Tirian, the one that hurt me, I’m sure. His eyes gleamed red, and he was huge, his fur a furious plume of smoke. He made his way down the slope and to the water with precise steps, dropping a bundle on the bank and lowering his muzzle to drink. His head jerked up, I watched the drips fall from his muzzle, and he scented the air, taking in long whuffing breaths. I froze, not that that would prevent him from smelling me if the wind went the wrong way, but I couldn’t stop it. I remembered those knife long claws and those razor teeth… I looked up at my Tirian and started to shift, wanting to get on her back and run and run… She looked down at me and shook her head. We were in luck, he seemed to almost shrug it off. Instead he walked into the pool, submerging his body, and when he popped his head up to take a breath, he was a man.

  I studied the broad, well-muscled shoulders and long, wet black hair. He looked much like the guys at the Sanctuary, the same tight, hard bodies, but his had seen more action. White scars raked down his torso, partially covered by spiky black tattoos. He scrubbed at his skin, then scraped his hair back from his face, walking towards the bank, water running down in rivulets across his washboard stomach. I didn’t care how fucking cute he was, he nearly bloody killed me. Once he’d finished, he stepped free of the pond, reaching down into the bundle for a cloth to dry himself and some clothes to put on. I was forced to watch his toilet by the heavy paw of my Tirian, though I didn’t know why. Not until he reached down and retrieved a familiar looking white skull. I watched him with my heart in my throat and my heartbeat loud in my ears as he placed it on his head, tweaking it until it sat just so, before he looked up and met my eyes.

  19

  My eyes flipped open wide, and I sucked air into my lungs as if I was dying. The pain was back again, a sudden surprise, as while dreaming, I was freed from all of that. I couldn’t seem to get enough breath in, it was like my lungs were made of lead, my chest unable to expand.

  “Jules! Jules! You’re OK, you’re OK.” I saw Finn’s face swim into my field of vision. “Just take slow breaths for me, in and out. Get her a drink of water!” he snapped at someone beside the bed. Brandon arrived back, holding out a glass of water with a trembling hand. “Little sips, Jules,” Finn said. I tried, but my throat felt as if it would close around it, drowning me. I coughed and most of it splattered on Finn, and I noted the blood that came out along with it.

  “C’mon princess, you got this. You’ve been swallowing like a pro for ages,” Slade said, trying for a smile, but it came out shaky. “C’mon, my girl. Keep breathing, or we’ve got to put you back on the machine. You don’t want that.”

  “Let’s unhook her,” Finn said.

  “I’ll carry her out onto the grass. The moon’s about to rise. Maybe if she’s under it…” Brandon said, but I smelled the stink of fear on him. They all stank of it, like the sour scent of unwashed bodies.

  “Fuck it, let’s try. What else can we do? If she shifts with this stuff in her…” Finn said.

  Slade moved to my arm and placed a hand above the bend. “This is going to pinch, princess, but you’re a tough girl, aren’t you?”

  I watched them fuss over me like a corpse, because that’s what I was close to being, I realised. I smelled of death, stinking, sickly, sweet rotting death. If I could have raised my head, I would’ve seen the wound sites had gone rotten. The bandages at my wrists were pristine, but I knew they hid a sight much more awful. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t even breathe as Slade’s hand closed too easily around my arm like an iron band. Something peeled away from my skin, feeling like it was pulling the flesh with it. I squeezed out a whimper, and all eyes whipped to meet mine.
“I know, love,” Slade said, and I heard the tears in his voice. “I don’t want to, princess, but I have to. I’ll try to be quick.”

  Maybe he was, it was hard for me to say. My entire world was pain, and it was all I could pay attention to. Something was pulled from me, feeling like it grated and tore as it came off. I cried out, but no sound came from my desiccated voice box. I was frozen in a curve of agony, unable to do anything other than blink as the waves of it crashed over me. I was moved, I felt the sensation dimly but it couldn’t take my attention away from the pain. They held me around the shoulders and under my legs, because that’s where the muscles shrieked in protest. I felt like I was going to throw up as the swirl of motion sent my head spinning, but there was nothing to come up. Instead, my abdomen clenched and spasmed weakly, sending further spikes of pain. I was laid down on the ground finally, the guys coming to sit beside me. I wanted to scream at them, force them back and not hurt me further, but all I managed was a slight spastic moving of my limbs.

  “Give her the blood,” Slade said. "I’ll fight every cunt here if I have to. She’s not going to make it. She’s been wasted away by that fucking prick’s venom. Give it to her, now.”

  “You’re going to do what?” I shifted my eyes slowly to see Shaun had arrived, his hair made golden by the floodlight behind him. “You take her choice.”

  “She’s not strong enough to make a choice right now! The doc warned us, she might not be strong enough to turn. The blood, it’ll at least give her a chance.”

  “Fuck,” Shaun said, kneeling down beside me. “Jules… What they want to do, it’ll give you some strength, but you’ll be bonded to them, for at least a while.” His eyes searched mine, looking for some answer, some clue. “She can’t give consent, she can’t tell us what she wants.”

  “Surely not to die would be high on her list,” Brandon snapped.

  “She’ll come back strong and wanting to fight. This will put a target on your back if you do this,” Shaun said.

  Finn answered by bringing his wrist to his mouth, teeth sharper than a human’s snapping out and making a tear there. “Open her mouth, Slade, and keep it open.”

  I saw my Tirian over Finn’s shoulder, watching what she did. “Help me,” I said, but didn’t move my lips. She shook her head.

  I cannot. You have to be strong enough to come to me. If you can, I can fix the rest.

  “I can’t!”

  Then you will die. I kept you from the pain, stopped it from tearing your mind to pieces, let the chemicals they pumped into you have a chance to do what they intended, but you must take the final step.

  “I can’t.”

  You must.

  “How? How do I do this? I can’t even breathe!”

  Swallow, my Tirian commanded.

  My body made the swallowing motion without even thinking as the salty metallic liquid filled my mouth. I dimly heard them all twittering on about it, but I focussed within. Moving my muscles, opening and closing my throat in a series of agonising movements, getting the liquid down before it went the other way, into my lungs. Then, I became fire. It was different to before as it was not painful in the proper sense, I just felt a terrible heat spread through me but as I did, my chest opened and I could breathe more freely. My muscles relaxed and lay flat against the earth, loosening a tension I hadn’t even been aware of. I swallowed, reaching up now to take the strong, hard wrist in my hands and pull it against my lips. I fought back the urge to moan as the trickle of crimson made its way down my oesophagus, spreading blessed relief through my body.

  “It’s happening,” Finn gasped, “I can feel her fangs.”

  “C’mon, princess. You shift and no one will ever take you down again,” Slade said, rubbing a hand over my forehead. I thrust both of them back, amazed when I saw them fly through the air to land far away from me. I tried getting to my feet, no, that wasn’t right. I needed to be on all fours, anchored to the earth with my great paws, ready to fight off or chase down these men, depending on what I wanted from them. Brandon and Shaun remained close, only drawing away when I let out a godawful growl. I was getting hotter and hotter still, until it felt like all that was me was molten and liquid. I shut my eyes, stretching back, feeling things inside me pop and crack and rearrange. Then the dust settled, and all was well.

  I smelled like earth, smoke and the wind now, all that a healthy animal should. I shifted restively, and my muscles obeyed without complaint. No, instead I felt a great coil of power in my gut that was itching to get out. My Tirian had disappeared, because I was her now. I could run for miles, cover massive areas in a few strides. And run was what I wanted to do. I looked around at the beings next to me, drew in the hot woody scent of their desire on each of them.

  “You want to run, princess?” the big one with the fur on his face asked, baring his teeth at me. “You want to chase us down?” I threw back my head and howled my contempt at his words. I could smash his head against the ground with one swipe, and claw out his entrails if he tried to run. “Looks like we’re going to have a mating run,” the man thing said.

  I growled in disgust, hackles rising at his blatant lack of respect. I was his better, his only appropriate response was to roll before me and bare his throat for my pleasure. Just as I was about to coil my legs and leap after him, the other man things stepped in my path. “Every bloke that’s able to will be down here in moments, heeding the call. She’s going to get drawn back to you, Finn, for the blood,” the light furred one said. "Are we staying together? She’s already picked us once, all except for Brandon.”

  “We should let her choose,” the dark furred one growled.

  “She has chosen. When she was human, she chose all of us, and she has to live with whatever decision the wolf makes when she wakes up. This way, she will be happier living with the end result.”

  The man things had obviously decided to submit to my superior strength. I took one stalking step towards them, then the next, growling my intention to gut the lot of them. I still had the taste of the reddish one’s blood in my mouth, and it was so sweet. I looked forward to gouts of it splashing my muzzle as I tore into him. “Time to go,” the reddish one said, his eyes already gone to green. I screamed my warning at him, not to make the same mistake as the other, not to take his other form, but in the next moment, the three of them were no longer man things. White and two greys, they howled their derision at me and then took off into the night.

  I followed them on wing-like feet, seeing their forms disappear into the darkness, putting on extra speed to close the gap between us. Instead, a river of other Tirians came from every direction, running towards me, eyes bright in the darkness, heads down and taking one insolent stalking step after another. The stench of lust was so thick, it was almost sickening. I snorted to free myself from it, to retain my former fury, but another hunger woke. This is the mating dance, a voice said inside my head, and I knew then what that meant. They thought themselves contenders, thought they deserved the right to plunge themselves into me. I felt a lowdown ache that told me just how ready my body was for that, but refused to give in to it. I shook my head and growled as one, and then more, dared to draw closer. I opened my great jaws and rushed the impudent bastards.

  It was heaven, the feeling of skin and flesh ripping under my teeth and claws, the spurts of blood in my mouth dissipating like smoke from my fur when it splashed me. The cacophony of yelps and growls was the purest music to my ears, making my heart sing, making me redouble my efforts. Bones cracked and guts dropped in steaming piles as I fought my way through, looking, looking for the strongest among them, the one who earned the right to be by my side. I found my way out the other side of the crowd without having found him. I laughed my wolf laugh, my muzzle dripping with blood in the cool night air, looking over the now greatly reduced group who had presumed and then turned tail and ran. I could feel him, out there in the dark, the one I wanted, the one I needed. Wolves followed hard on my heels but they did not have my reach, my s
peed. I howled in mockery before effortlessly tearing away from them.

  Once I broke into the forest, I was hit by a wall of sensory information. Smells, like dead leaves, rotting animals, trees mouldering into the soil. Bright harsh pine resin, and the crunch of needles under my feet. The haunting calls of night birds, the flutter of wings, the snap of branches under animals’ feet. And there, off a ways and to the left, my prey. I dropped down low, I had a fair distance to cover until I found them, but the need to stalk was strong. He was it, the thing I needed, the thing that made my insides burn again, though much more pleasantly. I knew what it would feel like when I covered him, my body hot against his, the wedge of his dick working itself inside me. I would howl and convulse, and it would go on and on and on… You’ll need more than one for that, the voice said. I laughed, there was plenty to go around.

  I wove through the trees like a shadow, the grey of my fur mottled and perfect for blending in on a silvery night. I looked like moon glanced foliage or bark on a tree, impossible to see. I shifted so that the breeze washed past me, bringing me the tantalising sent of the one I wanted, and washing mine away to taunt those who dared to follow. I crept through the forest on silent feet until I found him. I crouched down on the crest of a riverbank, watching him drink from the river, his white body stark against the darkness. There were reddish marks marring his fur, but he seemed unconcerned by them. His head pulled up from the water, smelling the wind and listening to the far-off howls. I opened my mouth in a wolfish smile and then began my slow descent. My steps were concealed by the sounds of him lapping, I dropped down into the undergrowth each time his green eyes flicked around, but he continued to drink. I coiled my legs under me as he stood in the small stream, panting hard to catch his breath, then I struck.