by Skye Winters
They didn't stop. The voice came again, and this time, I could almost make out the words.
I got out of bed and stared out the window, looking in the distance at a very faint, orange light.
Humans.
My stomach dipped, and I gripped at the windowsill. The haze outside made it hard for me to see much else, but that was definitely the light of a lantern. I'd seen others just like it whenever the humans got too close to the boundary.
And if humans are here—
The huntress couldn't be too far behind.
I searched the room for anything I might need to take with me, but aside from the comfort Rowan's belongings offered, I had everything on my person. The less I had to carry, the better.
But why are they out here now?
The game was sparse, and much of the vegetation was non-existent. There really wasn't much of a reason for them to come out this way. That is until I realized they were still heading in my direction. Right for the house.
They aren't here to hunt.
That much became crystal clear once I picked up some of their conversation.
"It needs a bit of work," a female said with a cough, "but you can't beat the location. Wild game right on your doorstep. Clear spring water from the streams—"
"I don't know why I let you convince me to come up here. In a storm no less," the male said with a huff.
"The storm already passed. They're active when they want to be, but they generally don't last very long. Besides, you said you wanted privacy and that it was urgent. Right here? This is as private as you'll ever get."
I had to agree with her. Even this was far enough outside the boundary to avoid seeing another wolf unless they came looking for me. The property was huge if one were to include the outlying trees. It actually would've been the perfect place for Rowan and I to get a fresh start if the edge of the boundary could expand out this way a bit more.
But it's not within pack territory, so stop thinking like it is.
It served its purpose as a bit of shelter while I waited for the huntress to arrive.
Looks like you're about to meet her.
And a human if I didn't hightail it out of here.
I searched the room, gathered as much as I could and headed behind the house. If they thought it had been lived in recently, it may have driven them away, and I still needed someone to show me how to reach the human settlement. Even if it means stalking them the whole way home.
I watched the ground to my right as the glow of light around the corner of the house grew larger. Footsteps crunched on the hard ground as one of them scuffed their shoes.
"You call this a house?" The male’s voice was thick.
"I said it needed some work," the woman replied.
The man scoffed. "This is the only land you could offer me?"
"Look around? Do you see any neighbors? Any at all? It's just what you asked for, and I found it. The last owner's been gone for decades."
"I wonder why."
Damn.
This woman wasn't the huntress at all. She was pawning off a property that wasn’t hers to begin with.
My wolf bristled, and I fought her back down.
They can still lead you to where the huntress lives.
Only if she was still living among the humans.
This is the best chance you're ever going to get.
Likely the only chance. If her house truly was on the market, that gave her no reason to venture this way anymore.
The woman went on. "You don't want it, I can find someone else."
"I doubt that. Listen, you drop you finder's fee so I can use the remainder on repairs, and we'll talk. For now, I've seen enough." He hadn't even walked into the house. "Probably better off tearing it down and replacing it with a garden. At least that would serve a higher purpose."
"A feeding station for the local wildlife you mean," the woman retorted.
The man mumbled, shuffled his feet, and as he continued back down the path, the woman stepped out of the cabin and ran after him.
I tucked Rowan's belongings under a bush behind the house and, with the orange glow still in sight, I followed them. The late fog didn't allow me to keep my distance for long, but it was enough to hide my form if they'd decided to look back.
They never did. Completely oblivious to the wolf following them home, the humans continued down the trail.
It was odd seeing humans without the huntress to accompany them, let alone at night when the game's hiding or asleep. Why now? Was this the only human looking to move outside the larger settlement? Would there be more?
The threat of humans closing in on the boundary had always been there, but with the huntress leading them away, they were never really a concern.
But if the huntress is gone—
They was no telling how close to the boundary the humans would get. And that was something we couldn’t afford.
Chapter Three
The longer I walked, the more saturated the ground became. The storm had passed over the boundary, but there had been a complete downpour here. Aside from a rushing stream that had been flooded by the rains, all else was quiet. The tension between the humans remained, but as I neared their homes, the faint glow of the lantern gave way to even more light.
I slipped under the trees and watched them go, parting ways without even a handshake as they headed into their individual houses. Thatched roofs, some as bad off as the cabin had been, topped each one.
Long stone roads gleamed under luminescent lights from the rain. The only areas light couldn't touch were the alleyways positioned between rows of houses—the perfect place for a wolf to sit and get her bearings.
The smell of foodstuffs wafted in my direction, and once again, I thanked Rowan for all she'd done for me. My hunger wasn't nearly as unbearable as it had been this morning, which meant I could concentrate on finding the huntress instead of giving in to my own survival.
My hunger could wait. I was still strong enough to make it into the human city. Getting out? I'd worry about that once I found Surrena.
If you find her.
After watching a handful of silhouettes linger outside a large building, I fixed my posture and stepped out from behind the trees. No one even knew I was there, but I still had to look convincing, and humans seemed extremely clumsy on their feet. Some leaned against walls while others simply fell into them.
Some of our wolves had similar postures after a hard shift, but I wasn't quite sure what reason humans may have had for acting in such a way.
I dropped my gaze and tried to ignore two males as they called after me, whistling and belching long as I turned the corner. If the humans come here, maybe the huntress does as well.
What better way to find business than to go where your clients are?
But I couldn't go inside. If so many stood outside those walls, I could only imagine how many bodies I'd bump into once I walked through the front door.
But there's always an exit.
I rolled my shoulders back and shook off the strange advances the males had sent my way. The alley wasn't as bright or as overrun with staggering bodies, but the stench was blinding. Urine, feces and blood washed the walls. I fought to keep myself steady as something hard gripped my stomach.
Not a wolf. Not now.
I was in close quarters. The humans hadn't seen me as more than a scrap of meat, but a wolf was something they'd definitely notice. And I wasn't sure I could change back if I happened to lose control.
You think the smell is bad now—
Nausea climbed into the back of my throat. I doubled over, slamming a palm on the wall for balance. I had no idea what I'd see once I took my hand away, so I didn't even look. Step by cautious step, I guided myself along the wall in hopes of finding a dark corner to hide my pain from sight.
But every shadow was surrounded in a halo of orange light.
I shuddered as my spine straightened and cracked. My nails darkened and grew outward as my fingers br
oke and reformed right in front of my eyes.
I blinked around my tears as my vision blurred. I clenched my jaw as k-9s lengthened into fangs. To some, I was still human, but I was quickly losing my battle with the wolf hidden inside me.
Please. Please.
I bit back a growl.
Not now. Anything but this.
Stab me. Steal my breath.
Hell, I was more than happy to blackout, so long as I didn't have to face an uncontrolled shift.
Metal whined on loose hinges as a door opened not far from where I was. Footsteps hit hard stone, echoing off the surrounding buildings as the human drew near.
My wolf bristled again, throwing me into defense mode.
"Get away," I growled, backing up as the human closed the gap between us. I bowed my head to hide my face, but even as I gripped the wall with nails that had turned into claws, I knew whoever it was would see everything. The shift. The changing shape from human to wolf. And then my pelt would land on their wall.
"I said, get. Away."
My vision turned red and I lifted my gaze, raising my hand to strike the one breathing down my neck.
Something pinched the top of my spine. My knees buckled. And as I struggled to stay upright, the entire world went black.
Chapter Four
A blurred figure stood before me, and as she spoke, her voice was severely muffled. I was disoriented and, for some reason, my limbs didn't want to move. I was on the edge of a dream, ready to wake up but not quite there.
I blinked the haze away and met the gaze of a woman that must have been a few years older than me. This isn't just any human. I would've been dead if it was.
I licked my dry lips and struggled to speak. "I expected someone—"
"Older?" She passed me a knowing smile. "Illusions are sort of what I do. I could make myself look my age, if you'd like."
I swallowed and averted my eyes. "No. This... this is fine."
More than fine. Illusion or not, it was hard not to stare at her creamy complexion, her solid black hair or what must've been her hunting outfit. Silk top, long flowing skirt, a belt of equipment around her waist including vials inside its leather pockets.
Her eyes though, they held a mystery all their own. One moment they appeared blue, then green, orange and silver.
I shook my head to wash the illusions away, but when I met her gaze again, they were still there.
Stop staring. You're already bonded.
Regardless if my attraction was true to form or if it was one of the huntress's tricks, no amount of effort could pull my attention away from her. Nerves sparked under my skin as my senses went on high alert.
She didn't smell or look like any other human I'd ever seen. This has to be her.
"Surrie?"
"What did you call me?" Her eyes darkened. "You haven't earned it—no one's to call me by that name. Not unless they go to bed with me." She stepped forward, her face so close to mine I could feel her breath on my lips. "Are you willing to do that for me in exchange for my name? Are you?"
I scowled. "Hardly. I have no interest in dealing with humans."
Her eyes narrowed. "Then there's no reason for you to be here, is there?" She gestured at the door to the room we were sharing. "Feel free to leave whenever you like. Though don't expect the other humans to be as forgiving."
I clenched my jaw and took a step back, trapping myself against the wall. My knees threatened to buckle, but somehow, I stayed upright. "I didn't ask for this."
"So you'd rather have your wolf shot and its pelt used as a welcome mat?"
"I didn't say that." Something fuzzy touched my mind. I didn't have to ask to know it was the huntress playing mind tricks on me. "Stop... get out of my head."
Before I could react, she kissed me on the lips. Hard.
I turned my head and pushed her away as a wave of dizziness washed over me. "What the hell was that for?"
"To put your wolf in her place."
"That wasn't my wolf talking. It was me."
"Well, in that case, maybe I should bring the wolf back. She wasn't nearly as picky or as rude."
"Wait, the wolf? My wolf?" I blinked. "But I didn't shift."
"Blackout drunk is what you were. You honestly don't remember?"
"Last thing I recall is the alley, the pain and... you." My stomach twisted.
"And that's when I met your wolf. Lovely little thing. A little bitey, but then I guess you've had her caged for a while now, haven't you? Starving her."
"She isn't starved."
"Your wolf would beg to differ."
"I can't control it."
"I didn't say you could, but your wolf doesn't seem to understand that."
I thought back on what had happened earlier that night. Last night. It was well past morning now if the light filtering in through the windows could be trusted.
It could also be another illusion. She could be keeping you in a dungeon.
It was a possibility, but so long as this was the huntress, the woman I'd been looking for, the reality of the room we shared didn't matter. Only that she was here.
I glanced at the wall behind me, then at her. "How did you know I was coming?"
She smirked. "I have my ways."
"Then why make me come this far? Why didn't you come to the cabin like you were supposed to?"
"Supposed to?" She laughed. "Child, I'm not supposed to do anything. I come and go as I please. Besides, my ability to sense your kind only goes as far as the outskirts of town. Your pack must be pretty desperate to send you so far from home."
"They didn't send me. I came on my own."
Her eyebrows jumped. "I see. And that's what alphas are doing these days?" She shook her head. "Relax, I'm not judging. Curious, really."
I bowed my head and dropped my arms to my sides. "Future alpha."
"It's all the same to me. You were an alpha just as soon as you were born. No amount of time or circumstances will change that." Her smile widened as she leaned against a bookshelf. "You may not remember me, but I remember you. A little thing with wide, bright eyes and a fondness for all things shiny."
I rubbed the back of my neck and stepped toward her so I wasn't plastered to the wall. This is no way to act. She might’ve been the huntress, and she may have had more power in that room than I did, but deep down, I was still a wolf. A very powerful wolf.
And my wolf can still bite.
I hadn't felt her clawing under my skin, not even when Surrena kissed me on the lips. My wolf didn't go into defense mode, but I hadn't felt anything from the kiss, either. No spark, no connection. Just anger for the invasion of space and a lingering discomfort as she continued to look at me.
"My wolf—"
"Is fine," Surrena said with a nod. "Asleep, but fine."
I frowned. "I thought I was going to shift. I felt it."
"You did. Mostly." She shrugged. "You're in limbo right now. If I let her, your wolf could show through, but for now, she knows her place. Lucky for you, I was in the alley to redirect your wolf. Letting her out in the middle of town wouldn't just mean bloodshed, it would send every human into the woods looking for others. I can make illusions for some, but not all. There is a limit to my abilities."
I bristled. You sound like my father. "I didn't come here for my own enjoyment."
"I would think not," she said. "No wolf has come looking for me since your father sent me from the boundary."
"But my mother said you left... that he never knew."
"He did and likely still holds that mistake against her."
I got quite then. How much was too much for her to know? My mother trusted this human, so I should have as well. But something didn't sit right with me. There was more to her than my mother let on, and I wasn't sure I wanted to know what that entailed.
"What? What is it?" Her smug grin faded as she knelt before me. The playful gleam in her eyes was gone, and her voice shook as she spoke. "What's happened to your mother? Please, I have a
right to know."
I wasn't sure how she'd earned the right, but I couldn't question her now. Not when she was the one holding my wolf back. "My father's dead. The pack—"
"Dead?" She lost her balance as the color drained from her face. If she and my father had been at odds with one another, it clearly wasn’t enough for her to hate him. Not in the least.
What hasn't my mother told me?
I took a breath and nodded. "My mother is ill. Our pack... we're too weak. Devlin closed in on us. He has pack lead now and is waiting for my mother to pass. Once that happens, there's no reason to keep our pack within the boundary."
She stood and rifled through her books, talking over her shoulder as she did. "I don't understand. This Devlin, I assume he defeated your father in combat." She met my gaze, pausing as she went to take another text from the dusty shelf.
"Yes."
"And your mother sent you here? When you're the next alpha in line?"
"She knows I can't do this on my own. None of us can. Especially because—" I cut myself off. You don't have to tell her about your bond with Rowan. It wasn't her business and had nothing to do with my coming here.
Okay, so maybe that was a lie. If I'd bonded with Devlin—
Never would've happened.
I exhaled. "Nevermind."
"Why do you think Devlin will wait instead of killing your mother right now?" She offered me a partial shrug. "Sorry, just being realistic."
"Because, unless a challenge for alpha is made by another female, our laws forbid killing another wolf who is unable to fight for her or himself." At least that's one law I can stand behind.
"And this man, is he honorable?"
I opened my mouth to say something, but she'd made a good point.
"I thought as much." She set a handful of books down, grabbed a chair and then offered it to me. Once I sat down, she went on. "Tell me. How exactly did your father lose his life? This may be painful to talk about, but I need to know. Every detail. Leave nothing out."
Over the next hour, I told her everything I knew about Devlin, my father promising my heart to him, as well as Devlin's attack on the pack. And the entire time, Surrena paced the room, looked out the tall windows and collected various vials from locked cabinets lining the walls.
