by E. S Night
“Grayson, look, thank you for before, I don’t know what would have happened if you didn’t - but you need to know I meant what I said before, I need space to think all of this through. I need time to myself to figure it out, I’m sorry – I should go inside.” I half-heartedly explained. It was less than four hours ago that Grayson had dropped
this bombshell on me and I needed some distance from him to piece everything together and think about what I wanted my future to look like.
Grayson hesitated for a second before speaking. “I’ll give you the space you’re asking for, please just know I love you and if you want to ask me anything else, anything at all, just call me, please.”
I moved towards him and kissed him on the forehead. “I love you.” I reached for the handle.
“Bye.” Grayson replied just before I closed the door. I stood there leaning against it with my head pressing on the wood, knowing that was the single worst thing I had ever needed to do in my life so far. I could feel the pain rushing through me again as I whimpered, shedding my tears all over the floor.
I thought about how a life with Grayson might work out for me, no children of our own, his and my family divided - secrets which would no doubt lead to ever more secrets. All I was sure of was that there was a war going on between my head and my heart. I really didn't know which side would emerge victorious.
Chapter Seventeen
Bad Dog
It’s been eight days since I last spoke with Grayson – no messages, calls or emails. He even passed on the written methods of correspondence, which would have suited him more, to be honest, than using all the technical crap, the man could barely even text.
He was respecting my wishes and letting me come to him in my own time; I got it, but that didn’t mean I didn’t miss him. The first day I didn’t speak to Grayson, Riley had to pull me out of bed and even when I did get up, I spent my time watching romantic comedies all day, stuffing my face with anything fatty or sugary I could get my hands on – it wasn’t a pretty time.
I’d had over a week to process my feelings and decide what my next course of action was going to be. I knew I wanted him, of that; I was in no doubt whatsoever. My emotions had settled, and I really didn’t care any more about what he was or what he could turn himself into. I couldn’t care less about his stupid family including the bitch that was trying to intimidate me – he wasn’t
bothered by any of it, so why should I be? I thought about the situation; I felt that Grayson was even right about the children thing, if it came to it, we could adopt and I’d be happy with that if we had each other, I planned to tell him everything today.
I snatched my dressing gown off the bed and wrapped it around my body noticing that Riley had already got up – that was new; she slept in my bed last night. I couldn’t hear anybody, not a sound; the whole house was silent. It’s like a stampede of elephants in our house on a weekend. Mum and Konrad are always yelling about something and Logan and his friends are usually stamping around in his room making a total mess, but today everything was quiet, something was wrong.
I opened my door fearing that something was amiss. The faint sound of chatter was coming from outside my house. Peering down from the landing window I found my family stood with others from our neighbourhood. What was going on? I trampled over the morning newspaper, hurrying down the stairs. I was brought to a complete standstill by the image that stared out at me from the front page.
Splashed across the front cover was a picture of a wolf. I picked up the paper eager to read what had happened, had Grayson been found out? I read the first sentence of the article carefully, falling to my knees in disbelief. My legs were unable to support my weight, and I came crashing down, taking a seat on the stairs as I continued reading.
At approximately 11:00p.m, on Saturday evening the body of Michelle Briar, aged 29 was discovered next to the Garrison, surrounding Star Castle.
St Mary’s Police Department initially investigated the death and concluded that this was not the result of a criminal act. It has been stated by the police that Ms. Briar suffered multiple injuries due to an animal mauling. The physical evidence drawn from the body and witness testimony have led investigators to end this case. It is believed the killing was caused by a pack of wolves.
Over the past few weeks, a few islanders have noticed the wolves’ presence settling in the nearby woodland of St Mary's. It remains a mystery how the animals have arrived here in
the first place; it certainly is the number one question on everyone’s mind presently. Reports of their appearance have differed in consistency but generally the beasts are described as rather like a large dog with a wide chest. Some islanders have even commented on the pack’s fur, it is said that their colour is grey and their backs are streaked with white.
An officer from St Mary’s Police had this to say: “UK Environmental Health Officers have ordered traps to be positioned in the forested areas where it is believed the wolves have been previously spotted in earlier weeks. If we find any of them living in the woods, we won’t hesitate in killing them – we can’t let this happen again.”
A programme to legally euthanize any wolves found in the immediate vicinity has been put in place. This arrangement is regrettable by the environmentalists but due to public safety concerns, it is deemed there is no other possible option. Investigations into the biological factors that brought the wolves to this island will be conducted after they have been captured and humanely destroyed.
A member of the Wild Animals Strategy
Committee said: “I don’t understand how this has happened; I can't fathom how the wolves have even got on the island let alone kill someone, it doesn’t make any sense.”
This attack will come as a shock to the residents of St Mary's and no doubt be the catalyst of much fear among the people of Hugh Town.
Officials say at least six wolves attacked Briar, a young restaurant owner who had only moved to the island two years ago. Eyewitnesses jogging near the edge of town had seen Briar only an hour before her death. They believe she continued her nightly jog up to the Garrison Walls where the wolves sadly set on her. Although, there are no bystanders who saw the animals attack Michelle Briar, officers are certain that the wolves are to blame. It is believed that her small frame and physical movement could have made her an ideal target for the attack. On Sunday morning, there are rumoured plans to track down and exterminate the wolves responsible for the killing.
Conservationists have argued that they have no idea what could have triggered the attack on Briar. They disagree with how officials have
chosen to handle the situation, advising them that the attack was probably a fluke arising from hunger, instinct and confusion. They proceeded to say, “The only way that wolves could have made it onto the island is by human interference, it is the fault of the person or group that put them here in the first place, not the fault of the wolves.”
Officials are warning people not to venture into the wooded areas of the island. I expect this killing will infect the islanders like a disease and frighten a few people into staying in their homes until the wolves have been permanently stopped. The forest that once offered a sense of protection for its residents now provokes a feeling of terror. There’s one thing for certain, at this moment, there are still wolves out there and I don’t think St Mary's will be the same for anyone for a long-time.
Written by: Stephen Harris
No! I didn’t just read that – I must be dreaming. I tried to pinch my arm to wake myself up; after all, I had been known to have very realistic dreams. I must have squeezed the skin
on my arm ten times before I knew I was wide-awake. I didn’t have time to experience the worry that was agonising me; I rushed upstairs to my bedroom and got dressed quickly, I couldn’t stop thinking of Grayson! I cried as I pulled up my jeans attempting to work through my anxiety. The only section of the artic
le that held my attention was the order to kill the wolves this morning - it was now dinnertime – I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to him.
I threw myself downstairs and launched out of the front door running to my mum. There were so many of our neighbours outside conversing about last night’s scandal.
“Have they found any of the wolves yet?” I screamed at mum.
“No, not yet from what we have heard, take it you read the newspaper then?” She locked eyes with me.
Listening to her answer prompted me to continue running straight past her. “Where are you going?” I heard my mum crying out in the distance, shrieking my name but I couldn’t stop running. Nothing could stop me from reaching Grayson’s house and I mean nothing.
There was a feeling inside me that
heightened my senses and ability – I didn’t even know I could sprint that fast, I was frightening myself.
I stayed out of the woodland, keeping to the path that bordered the forest. I didn’t want to bring about any more suspicion that would lead people to the Hales and potentially to me. I glanced to the side and saw the shadows of four men sauntering through the trees, without warning they started to jog but I couldn't see what they were following. I turned my direction into the woods, chasing after them. I’m not a fearless person, I’m afraid of roller coasters for God’s sake but the smallest chance of Grayson being harmed infuriated me, feeding my reckless behaviour. I still couldn’t make out what they were pursuing, which caused me to run even faster, how was I doing this? The men seemed oblivious to my heavy stomping at the back of them; they looked too enthralled at what they were tracking.
The men continued with their wolf hunt. They were charging through the forest and I was struggling to keep up. Out of nowhere, the men suddenly disappeared; it was as if the earth had swallowed them all up. As I came closer, I could
see a gigantic trench in the middle of the ground. I was trailing shortly after them unable to stop my feet from moving, it was as if my legs were possessed.
A figure powerfully pushed me to the ground from the right-hand side. My head hit the solid dirt beneath me. Someone was holding me tightly, lifting me to their chest. I caught a brief glimpse of my rescuer before I was out for the count. I half expected it to be Grayson, but it wasn’t. The man crouched down cradling me; was a striking, blonde vision with bright blue eyes. He looked a few years older than I did and I was certain I’d seen him before. I could feel the man’s thumb caressing my cheek as I fell silently unconscious in his arms.
Chapter Eighteen
Birthright
“Abigail! Wake up, come on.” I heard a familiar voice shout just above my head.
I attempted to regain my bearings.
“Where am I?”
“You’re at my house - it’s Grayson.” He spoke softly causing my emotions to stir.
“What am I doing here?” I opened my eyes wider to see his face.
Grayson gently lifted my head, causing me to sit up on the couch. “You took a nasty hit on your head. What were you doing in the woods?” He was obviously angry with me.
“I was coming to you, to check you were all right. I heard about the attack and I was afraid that you were –” Grayson interrupted me.
He was getting even more frustrated. “I’m fine, you should have called me. You went running in the woods Abigail, everyone was told to keep out of there.”
“I stuck to the path but then I saw four men in the forest and they started running. I was afraid that they’d found one of you so I went after them.
Then they just fell – they fell down a ditch out of nowhere and I couldn’t stop myself. Then somebody rammed into me before I got to the hole. I know how this sounds, but it's the truth.” I described, not wanting him to think I was a complete idiot.
“Wait! – What! Who saved you?” Grayson demanded.
“I don’t know who he was – he was blonde and as pale as me with blue eyes. That’s all I remember.” I wanted to change the subject and fast. “Where’s your family?” I half expected them all to be huddled around me like last time.
“They left the island; they were on the first boat this morning.” He blurted out, appearing uneasy at my question.
“Gray, you need to tell me – did your family do this?” I whispered, maybe if I said it quietly it wouldn’t sound as insulting.
“What! No! Of course, we didn’t. My family believes there’s a mutt on the island that followed us here somehow– a lone wolf without a pack, they tend to follow their own rules and don’t give a damn about our code or hiding our identity from humans.”
I reached for his hand hoping that he would
forgive me for even asking about his family’s potential involvement. “I’m sorry Gray; I shouldn’t have even asked you that. What code?” I continued, persistently asking him questions.
“We have a code that every one of our kind must follow, if they ignore the boundaries they get rejected from their pack.”
“What does the code say?” I asked impatiently wanting to know more.
“It’s basically a list of rules that we have to follow to stay with our clan – it’s been used for hundreds of years to keep our kind under control. Not killing humans is at the very top of that list. You kill a human and you die. It's that simple. We can't have mutts drawing attention to us.”
“Is not dating humans in the code?” I don’t know why I even asked, I already knew what the answer would be.
“There is something like that, yes.” Grayson admitted, touching my hand.
“So, if we continued to see each other, you would be cast off from your family, or worse! Grayson I won't let that happen to you, there’s no –”
Grayson stopped me. “No, that will not
happen. I will take my query to the counsel and show them how this will work. They wouldn’t dare send a member of the Hale clan away and never, ever will they hurt me, not when there’s only my family left in existence to carry on the Hale bloodline.” He added, calming my fears.
“But isn’t that more of a reason for them to make you take a wife they selected for you, to carry on that bloodline?”
“I have siblings; there are enough of them to successfully carry on Hale’s legacy. I refuse to give you up Abigail, there’s nothing for you to worry about – I’m not going anywhere.”
I could tell that he was becoming a little sensitive to the issue. “So why have your family gone?"
“They’ve gone to Ireland to meet with the counsel about the girl. Isaac and Colton are still here though. Isaac’s working on the investigation – keeping an eye on everything from that end and Colton just didn’t want to go. My family went because they need face-to-face authorisation from the counsel to kill the 'mutt'. They enjoy murdering humans and they don’t stop until someone stops them.” He clarified, sensing my principles on killing.
I held his hand tighter, making him realise that I approved of what he had to do. “I understand. You haven’t told me much about the counsel - do they decide everything for you?” I needed to know more about what I’d gotten myself into.
“No – well sort of. Remember when I told you about the first wolf – well his son, Cona began the first counsel after Hale went missing hundreds of years ago. He vowed that the wolves would never be alone and without the wisdom of their elders. There are ten members always in the counsel and they are always selected based on their responsibility showed in the clan. In my family, Rafe was an elder - then he stepped down when he turned seventy and came to live with us. My dad would have been one if we could have stayed in Ireland, it’s said the leading member of the counsel is always a Hale, but that rule ended when the Lasair targeted wolves from the Hale bloodline.”
I could tell that this story bothered him and that his heritage was important. I sensed his fury towards the Lasair for their cruelty in slaughtering his clan but I also knew that they were preventing him from taking his rightful place
“We saw it, you know? I saw the woman get killed. It came like a vision on Saturday night, but this time was different. I normally see an event as if I’m witnessing it, a fly on the wall. I didn’t think it was worth mentioning before because we hardly even have them, I think I’ve only had four of them in my lifetime. This one was strange – it was clear, I didn’t even see the wolf, it was as if I was the one doing it. My whole family had the same foresight, but when we got there, she was already dead.” He spoke, reliving the traumatic event in his mind.
“I’m so sorry Gray; no one should have had to see that.” I brought his head closer to my chest. “The newspaper said it was more than six wolves though, not just one.” I said, trying to make sense of what happened.
“It’s because a werewolf isn’t a normal wolf, its' bites are more vicious and powerful. Its strength is incomparable to any other animal alive. So – to a human investigating the death,
one werewolf attack could look as if a pack of wolves had done it; to be honest, it looked like the 'mutt' was taking it easy, it could have been a lot worse, like I said they enjoy killing. This was different, if he was trying to murder her it would have been horrifying, she probably just saw him and reacted, it wasn’t a pleasure killing.”
I sighed. “Okay that’s it, I’ve had enough of hearing about the murder for now and it’s making me feel sick. So, how did I get here, you never said?”
