Hunted Wolf

by Stacy Claflin

  If I’d been braver, I might have been able to save Elsie so many years before. It was time to throw caution to the wind and help my younger sister at last—whether she would appreciate it or not. At least I would be able to live with myself and I would know she was okay.

  I got up and hung the blanket back on the wall where it stayed during the day. Heart pounding, I pressed my ear against the door. Everything was silent in the longhouse. I needed to make my escape now, while everyone slept, or the bears would stop me, having been given the job to protect me.

  Stepping back, I tripped over my suitcase. I groaned. Why hadn’t I thought to bring a backpack? I couldn’t travel on foot with luggage. I unzipped it and put on some extra clothes. That would have to be how I carried them—wearing two pairs of pants, two hoodies plus one tied around my waist, and some extra socks. If I grew too hot, I could try to turn one of the hoodies into a bag, tying it around myself. I’d have to leave everything else and hope the bears didn’t get rid of it in my absence.

  I pushed the suitcase against the wall and opened the door.

  Stella stood in the hallway. “Wherever you’re going, I’m going.”

  Chapter 9

  Victoria

  “Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?” I exclaimed.

  “I changed to the room next to you,” Stella said. “I heard you moving around and thought you might be up to something. Nice outfit, by the way.”

  I tugged on my outer hoodie. “You can’t go with me. It’s dangerous.”

  “How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t care. I’m sick of hiding from Verla. I’d rather go on one adventure with you than spend the next sixty years sweeping a longhouse.”

  I couldn’t argue with that logic. “Just know that I can’t make any guarantees. I’ve never turned anyone, and I’m putting myself in danger by leaving.”

  “Okay.”

  “And you’re putting me in more danger by coming.”

  She arched a brow.

  “You’ve got an angry vampire after you.”

  “Yeah, but it’s been three years. I’m sure she’s given up by now. Don’t you think?”

  I shook my head. “Not from what I know about vamps. They have a one-track mind, much in the same way they focus on needing blood. Also, you don’t need to understand the wolves that are after me.”

  “Then why leave?” She folded her arms.

  “Because I have other business to take care of. With any luck, my pack will have already taken care of the other pack by the time I’m done.”

  “So, there’s no problem taking me.”

  “I don’t want to be responsible for another death.”

  Stella tilted her head and her brows came together.

  “It’s a long story. Look, if you come with me, you need to understand the risks.”

  “I could die. Got it.”

  “And I might not be able to protect you.”

  “I’m not asking you to. Just turn me if you can. Try, that’s all I ask.”

  “One more thing you should know before you decide to come with me.”

  “What?” she asked.

  “You can’t survive as a lone wolf. Not for long, anyway. You’ll need a pack.”

  Her mouth slowly formed into a frown. “How long?”

  “I have no idea, really. I’m not saying it’s impossible. You can probably find other mutts, or I might be able to convince my pack into letting you in. We’re a lot more open than most traditional packs.”

  Stella’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

  “There are a lot of what ifs in between now and then—and no guarantees.”

  “Okay. No problem. So, you’ll let me go with you?”

  My stomach twisted in knots. There was so much that could go wrong—anything from a botched bite to Elsie’s pack hurting Stella to a vengeful vampire showing up. And that wasn’t even taking Toby’s father into consideration.

  “If you’re sure you want to go.”

  She moved aside. “We’d better hurry before we wake anyone.”

  I stepped into the hall and glanced around. All was clear.

  “Don’t you want to take anything with you?” I asked.

  “Nah. There’s nothing I want.”

  “Okay.” We walked to the door and stepped outside.

  Stella stretched her hands and spun around. “Ah, sweet freedom.”

  “That may be a bit premature.” I closed the door behind me. “Let’s at least get into the woods before we celebrate.”

  She continued spinning. “Doesn’t bother me.”

  “I hate to burst your bubble, but this isn’t going to be fun and games.”

  “That’s why I’m enjoying myself now.”

  “Come on. We need to get going. We both have targets on our backs and no more protection. The longer we stay in one place, the easier it’ll be for them to find us.”

  She finally stopped. I sprinted toward the woods, remaining at a pace Stella could keep up with. She came alongside me, and we jogged in silence until we reached the woods.

  “Do you know of any areas we should avoid?” I asked. “I’m not familiar with this area.”

  “I don’t think other species make it here very often. The bears do a good job of scaring everyone away.”

  “Good.” I headed for the woods and went north, wanting to get as close to the tip of the peninsula as possible. That was where Elsie had been in a number of the dreams. Of course, that was a large area to explore, but it was at least a start. I knew her scent, and that would help tremendously.

  The forest was quiet as we traveled through. Once we came out, waves crashed not far away. I paused and sniffed the air. Aside from the salt, I could smell humans, food, and in the distance, werewolves.

  Stella gasped for air. “Aren’t you tired?”

  “No. I hope you can keep up.”

  “I will. I’m just not used to so much exercise. I guess being in the longhouse made me out of shape. You could always turn me.”

  “Or not. That takes time, and right now I want to stay focused. It’s only a matter of time before Verla or the werewolves catch wind of us, and I want to find my sister first.”

  “No problem.”

  “This way.” I turned and sprinted in the direction of the werewolf aroma. I couldn’t pick out any individual scents, but hopefully Elsie was in the mix.

  Stella kept up but still gasped for air. “Much longer?”

  “We’ll see.” I continued sniffing the air, searching for any vampires or Toby’s old pack. Luckily, neither appeared to be nearby.

  “Are there vampires in Forks?” Stella asked.

  “Wouldn’t you know? You’re the one who’s hung out with vamps.”

  “I came to the safe house from Spokane. None of them knew anyone over here. So, do any live there?”

  “Not from what I know. Hunters show up from time to time, and any that did live there fled long ago.”

  “If we’re close, then I’m glad to hear it.”

  “We’re northeast of there, at the top of the Olympic National Park.”

  “Cool.”

  We continued on our way, and Stella’s huffing and puffing grew heavier and her pace slowed. She didn’t complain, but still, I should’ve known better than to bring a human along.

  “Can’t we take a break?” Stella asked.

  I stopped. We were just outside a small town. “Do you need something to eat?”

  “Yeah, but I don’t have any money. I don’t suppose you can use mind control?”

  “That would be a vampire thing. I’m actually glad I can’t. I wouldn’t want to manipulate people like that. Sorry, though. I’m sure we can come up with something else.”

  “Like what?” She leaned against a speed limit sign and gasped for air.

  “Good question.” I was a little hungry myself, so it probably was a good time to take a break. The aroma of some wildlife drifted our way. “In the mood for a campfire?”

  �
��What do you mean?”

  “Time to eat.”

  “Um, okay. But what are we going to do? Roast berries?”

  “I’m a top notch huntress.”

  “What are we going to eat?” she asked.

  I sniffed the air again. “There are rabbits, deer, and even an elk. Might be kind of wasteful going after the elk, though.”

  She made a face. “I’m vegetarian.”

  “And you want me to turn you into a werewolf?” I exclaimed. “In wolf form, you’ll have no other choice but to hunt. Your wolf takes over at times, and you just have to sit back and watch.”

  Her mouth gaped. “Really?”

  “I’m not a hamster shifter. What’s it going to be? Eat or go hungry?”

  “You’ll shift to hunt?”

  “That would be most effective.”

  “Well, I guess turning into a werewolf will fix my desire to be a vegetarian—and if that’s what it takes to get rid of Verla, I’ll do it. Will you bite me?” She clutched her hands together. “Please?”

  “I can’t—”

  “Guarantee anything. I know. Just try. Then maybe I can keep up with you.”

  “Okay. Let’s head over into the woods. And keep quiet. I have to focus on shifting.” We headed toward the forest and I thought about my dream. The sounds of Elsie’s cries echoed around in my mind. The feel of the acid on my skin and the ache of her punching me. Then I recalled her dream-words telling me to leave her alone forever.

  A couple ribs popped. I turned to Stella. “Wait. You know how to start a fire with sticks, right?”

  Her mouth gaped. “No.”

  I took a deep breath and calmed my emotions. “I’ll show you real quick, and then I’m going to snag us something tasty.”

  “You can make a fire with just sticks?”

  “I grew up in a traditional werewolf pack. You’d better believe it.” I jumped up, found the perfect sticks, and handed half to Stella. “Watch and learn.”

  Fifteen minutes later, we had a crackling campfire.

  “Stay right here.”

  She nodded and then lowered herself to the ground.

  I ran behind a bush, threw off my layers of clothes, and cried out as the fur sliced through my skin. Every bone in my body seemed to explode as it changed shape. I threw my head back and my wolf howled.

  The aroma of the rabbit grew stronger. I let my wolf take over and enjoy the thrill of the hunt while I thought about finding Elsie and all that would entail, which now included either keeping a human safe or turning her. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of biting her. Since I didn’t know what I was doing, she might just end up with a wound that we’d have to worry about.

  Before I knew it, my wolf and I were trotting back over to Stella with a large hare in our mouth. We found her, and dropped the meal at her feet. She said something, though I couldn’t understand because I’d given control over to my wolf. Stella’s voice sounded like there was a barrier of water between us. Despite that, I knew what she wanted.

  Who was I to stand in the way of her getting vengeance on the vampire who had essentially enslaved her? I took over for a moment and bit her arm, not wanting to slow her down with an injury to the leg if it didn’t work out. She cried out, but then thanked me.

  I ran toward my clothes pile, shifting as I went. As I reached it, I fell to the ground, fully human. Sticks and rocks dug into my skin. I rose and brushed them off along with the dirt. Then I got dressed as quickly as I could and hurried over to Stella, unsure what to expect when I found her.

  She sat on a log next to the fire, holding her arm.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. When am I supposed to turn? When will I start shifting?”

  “Remember, I know nothing about this. I don’t even know if I did it right. This is the kind of thing that was only whispered about in my pack growing up. In the same way kids would tell each other scary ghost stories.”

  “What?” she exclaimed. “Why’d you do it?”

  “Because I know it works. It wouldn’t be forbidden otherwise.”

  Stella grinned. “Nice. What are we going to do while we wait?”

  I glanced at the whole hare roasting over the fire. “Let’s eat. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. And I hope you’re not opposed to eating with your fingers.”

  “I’m sure I’ll adjust.” She leaned closer to the fire and sniffed. “It makes my mouth water. Maybe I’m already starting to turn into a werewolf.”

  Chapter 10

  Toby

  I slammed the phone down on my desk and went out into the living room. “Is anyone else having any better luck?”

  Jet covered the mouthpiece of his cell and looked over at me. “My brother has agreed to bring his pack. I’m trying to talk him into convincing other local packs.”

  “Good. Anyone else?”

  Soleil stuck her phone into a pocket. “Tap’s going through his list. He says he’s telling the other species this isn’t going to affect just you wolves. A pack like this could cause real trouble for everyone.”

  Everyone else went around and updated me on their progress or lack thereof. Finally, Bobby spoke. “I have bad news.”

  “Didn’t find anyone?” I wasn’t surprised. He’d been on the run before joining our pack.

  He shook his head. “Some of the wolves I know already agreed to help your father. They’re reaching out to packs, also.”

  “Of course they are.” I turned to Soleil. “You don’t know anyone else who can help? Beyond Tap’s reach?”

  “It’s tricky since I’m technically in hiding. If word gets out that I’m taking a break from my job, it could be the end of me. Sure, valkyries take breaks all the time, but we’re not supposed to.”

  I nodded, understanding. “Maybe you should go to the Faeble and help Tap reach out to people there.”

  “Sure thing.” She kissed Brick, rose, and headed out.

  “The rest of you, keep making calls. Talk to other packs in person if you need to. Reach out to anyone you can think of. I’m just glad that Victoria’s in the magic-free safe house. The thought of that group going after her…” I shuddered.

  “What about the vampires?” Sal asked.

  “No!” Half the wolves in the room glared at Sal.

  Ziamara scowled.

  Sal shook his head. “You guys saw how they helped us against the jags.”

  “Okay. You call them and let them know what’s going on,” I said. “I’m going to call Gessilyn’s coven again. Even though she’s busy with her training, they might be able to spare someone. I hate not knowing where my father is.”

  Everyone got back to making calls, and I headed back to my office. Even with Victoria safely inside the werebear camp, I couldn’t rest. All it would take would be one bear shifter letting his mouth run, and my father could find her, magic or not. Then no place she sought refuge would provide safety.

  I took a deep breath and reminded myself she was fine. Worry wouldn’t get us anywhere, only action. That was why I needed to call Gessilyn’s family again. Gessilyn herself was unreachable. Her parents, Killian, and she had gone deep into some mountains in an undisclosed location so she could learn from an ancient, highly experienced and feared coven.

  If we couldn’t get any help from the witches, I might have to call the vampires—or any number of other species the pack would object to. Whatever it would take to keep Victoria alive and well.

  Unable to sit, I paced the office and pulled out my phone. I called Frida, Gessilyn’s sister, who was known for being especially good with rune travel. If nothing else, maybe she could help me pop in and visit Victoria just to see her with my own two eyes.

  “Hi, Toby,” Frida said. “How are you doing?”

  I skipped the niceties. “It’s gotten worse with my father’s pack. Victoria’s in real danger.”

  “Oh, no! What can I do?”

  “Would you be willing to come here?”

  “No problem.
Give me a few minutes to gather some of my things. I’m the only one who can come this time, though.”

  “I really appreciate it.”

  “Think nothing of it.” The call ended.

  I took a deep breath and racked my mind for the next person to call.

  Cries of surprise sounded from the living room. My heart raced and I hurried in there. Frida stood in front of the mirror, holding a black bag. Everyone else looked pale.

  “You could’ve warned us she was coming.” Jet glared at me.

  Frida arched a brow at him. “At least we don’t use the rune in the bathroom for travel anymore.”

  “I’d almost prefer that,” Bobby muttered.

  “She’s here to help,” I snapped and turned to her, changing my tone. “I didn’t expect you so quickly. Thanks for coming on such short notice.”

  “I want to help Victoria. What do you need me to do first?”

  “Do you run locator spells? We need to find out where my father is.”

  Frida nodded. “Of course. Locator spells are fairly simple. I learned my first one as a child.”

  I waved her over to my office. She set up a circle of candles, spices, and flower petals on the floor. “Do you have anything of his?”

  “No, but he was here recently. Would something he or one of his men broke work?”

  “That should do the job.”

  “Give me a minute.” I raced upstairs to Victoria’s room. Ziamara and Soleil had fixed it, but there had been plenty left over that my father had broken for me to choose from. I scooped up an armful of broken mirror shards and headed back down to my office.

  “Perfect,” Frida said. She pulled some wavy, dark blonde hair behind her shoulders. “Scatter those on top of the petals, please.”

  As I did that, she dug around in her little black bag and pulled out a little satchel of something glittery. She sprinkled that on top of the broken mirror pieces, whispering in a foreign language. Then she lit the candles and took my hands. “Close your eyes.”

  I did as she said. The temperature in the room rose about ten degrees almost immediately. I could see light dancing from behind my closed eyelids. Frida spoke louder, chanting the same words over and over.