He lunged out of the cell, his chest heaving.
“He’s got Emily,” his voice rattled ferociously. His eyes looked venomous as he bounded out of the morgue.
Michael just stared in awe, unable to move or put together a clear thought.
“I know where Charlie is going,” William advised.
“We’ll take my jeep,” Mack said, loading the three bullets into her gun.
“Michael,” William called out.
Michael was in a numb haze. He felt William nudge him toward the door and his body begrudgingly moved.
##
Charlie raced out of the morgue and down a small alley to the back of the building, running into the woods. He sniffed the air, now able to smell the alpha.
“You can’t kill me,” scoffed the alpha. “Not while you’re still holding onto your fear, Charlie.”
“I don’t fear you,” Charlie’s thoughts screamed back at the alpha.
“But you fear the wolf. And unless you become the wolf, you won’t be strong enough to kill me.”
Charlie skidded to a stop. He knew the alpha was right. He wasn’t strong enough. He took a cleansing breath and spoke calmly. “I might die trying, but I won’t let you hurt Emily. Or anyone else.” He ran forward, deeper into the woods, stopping when he spotted movement ahead. He could see the alpha.
The alpha, in werewolf form, was much more menacing than the wolf that had bitten Charlie ten years ago. It stood over seven feet tall, and its body was slim and muscular. It reared its head upon seeing Charlie’s shadow emerging from the woods.
It gnashed it jagged teeth, readying to battle.
“Surrender yourself or die!” it threatened.
Charlie saw Emily tied to a tree just to the side of a small bonfire. He let out a primal cry as he sprang out of the woods. He assumed the alpha would expect him to stop and confront him, so instead he rushed forward, plowing his partially transformed body straight into the werewolf.
Emily closed her eyes, as a vicious fight erupted. Melinda had promised her everything would be fine, but seeing Charlie trying to fight this terrifying creature worried her immensely.
SIX
Michael didn’t remember getting into the jeep.
He didn’t remember the ride.
He did remember arriving, stopping, getting out of the car and confronting William.
“What did you do?” he spat at the vampire. “Offer up Emily as bait?”
William calmly put his hand on Michael’s shoulder.
“I swear to you, Michael, that Emily will not be harmed.”
“How can you know that? How can you be so calm? How could you allow this to happen?”
William sighed.
Michael stuck his face right in front if William’s.
“If anything happens to her, I will drive a stake through your heart, William. Without a second thought.”
“Michael, if anything happens to Emily, I will drive a stake through my own heart.”
Michael said no more. He turned and followed Mack. She had her gun cocked and ready to shoot, as she worked her way down a pathway. He wanted to storm by her, but she motioned for him to stay put behind her.
The smell of salt water wafted through the trees, followed by the flickering flames of a bonfire.
When Michael, Mack and William stepped over a small ridge, they saw Charlie, still only partially transformed, crouching, as a fully transformed werewolf stared him down. There was blood dripping down Charlie’s arm, as well as the alpha’s face.
Michael searched desperately for Emily. “Do you have a shot?” he asked Mack, too loudly.
“Not yet,” she mumbled back, adding, “Stay put, Michael. I don’t need to worry about shootin’ you by accident!”
The alpha swung his arm at Charlie’s head, missing it as Charlie ducked out of the way.
“You know you want to give in,” the alpha said. “You want to kill me, I can feel it.”
Charlie ignored the alpha’s taunts, focusing on his movements.
William used his vampire hearing and located Emily struggling to free herself. Within an instant, he dashed to her side, freed her and delivered her into Michael’s arms.
It happened so fast neither was sure what had just happened.
“Are you okay?” Michael asked her.
“Can’t say I’d like to do that again, but I’m fine. My God, Michael! You’re shaking something wicked.”
“I was so afraid something was going to happen to you.”
She grabbed his face and looked into his eyes. “It’s all going to be okay, Michael. Melinda told me everything. It’s going to better than okay,” she added, smiling. “Do you think I’d go along with such a hair-brained plan if I’d thought I was in any real danger? I just had to get Charlie here. Without an important enough reason, he wouldn’t have come. And everyone else he cared about was already busy.”
Somehow, between all the chaos ensuing around them, Michael could see nothing but truth and confidence in Emily’s eyes.
“Would you please tell me what the hell is going on?” he implored. “I am really, really confused.”
“Just wait,” Emily replied, stroking his face. “Melinda should be here any minute now.”
Back at the bonfire, the werewolf and Charlie continued to stare each other down, taking turns running at each other. Neither was making any real progress towards winning the battle. The alpha egged Charlie, hoping to force him into a full transformation, and therefore becoming Charlie’s master.
Mack continued to look for her shot, but the alpha seemed to realize that staying in one place was a bad idea, and it continually charged out of her sight. She cautiously worked her way closer, sticking to the edge of the woods.
“Why the crowd?” the alpha’s voice leaked into Charlie’s mind. “Why not come alone, since you care about these people so much?”
“So they can witness me killing you,” Charlie told it, lunging forward.
The alpha lunged to the right and Charlie’s body skidded across the dirt. He got to his hands and knees, preparing to lunge at the alpha again.
“Did you think I would make it that easy for you?” the alpha’s voice raged in Charlie’s mind.
“You’ve done the last damage you’ll ever do on The Demon Isle!” Charlie kept the alpha’s gaze on him, hoping he would not hear the click of the gun, behind him. He bared his teeth at the alpha, taunting it to attack.
A gunshot rang out, cracking through the nighttime silence.
Mack wasn’t fast enough.
The alpha heard the click, too, leaning out of the way just as the bullet whizzed through its fur, missing its body.
The alpha turned on Mack, bolting toward her. With one swoop of its muscular arm, it hit Mack’s body, throwing her ten feet into the air. She came down with a thud, unconscious. The gun flew out of her hands, disappearing in the underbrush.
Charlie took the advantage of the alpha’s distraction and flung his body at the alpha, but he wasn’t strong enough. Not while he was still partially in human form. The alpha pushed Charlie back, and in a split second bounded off the ground and pinned Charlie’s body to a tree. Charlie wanted to give in. It felt inevitable. He could not go on like this.
It was time to make a choice: either surrender to the wolf, losing all freedom to a new master, or get killed trying to protect the ones he loved.
He craved to surrender to the wolf. And yet, refused.
The alpha then surprised Charlie, by stepping back, letting go. “I don’t want to kill you,” it admitted dejectedly. “I want you to join me.”
“Why?” asked Charlie. “Why would you think I would want to live under your control? Why would I let you use my powers to your advantage?” Charlie spoke as if reminding himself what he was hanging on for, just as much as he wanted to hear the alpha’s response.
“You misunderstand,” the alpha’s thoughts echoed. “You would be my willing partner.”
“I will ne
ver be willing…”
“Once you surrender, your will is mine,” it snarled, turning and jumping into the woods. It stopped a few steps in. Charlie could see its piercing yellow eyes, taunting him to follow.
“I know you won’t give up so easily,” the alpha said. “Maybe you can’t kill me, but let’s see if you can catch me,” the alpha ran deeper into the woods.
Charlie could sense that the alpha truly desired to get him alone, away from the people that he cared about… away from the anchors of his human life.
It did not matter, Charlie would follow regardless. He had to kill this thing, somehow.
Charlie cast a gaze toward William, Michael and Emily. They were helping Mack off the ground; she was conscious again and thankfully didn’t look injured, just shaken. He wished Melinda had been standing beside them, as he wanted to look at her one last time. He knew now he would have to break his promise to her. Everything would not be okay.
From behind them, over the ridge, a silhouette emerged.
“Melinda,” he whispered. His wish was granted, but before he could follow the alpha into the woods, Melinda ran past the others, heading directly at Charlie. She stopped, out of breath, opening up her palm.
“Put it on,” she ordered him.
He cocked his head, confused. Why did Melinda have Nina’s ring?
Melinda took hold of his wolf-hair-covered hand and slipped the ring onto his finger.
Calm and control crept through him, spreading through his veins, calming the wolf instantly, and Charlie became Charlie again. The wolf disappeared, completely. Charlie looked down at his body in bewilderment. Even his mind was calm and controlled. But still, confused.
A golden glow emanated from the ring and out of that glow, a dark skinned woman appeared, standing in front of Charlie.
Melinda stepped back, standing next to William, Michael, Emily and Mack, all watching in electrified astonishment.
Charlie fell to his knees. “Nina,” he whimpered, wrapping his arms around her waist. He rested his head on her stomach, exhausted and yet relieved to see her. “I’m so sorry that you died because of me.”
Nina smiled a heavenly, inviting smile, pulling Charlie up to his feet.
“Dying for you was the most precious thing I have ever had the privilege to do. Everything that happened today happened exactly as it was supposed to, Charlie.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I didn’t just happen to vacation here. As Guardians, we don’t actually take vacations,” she smiled, raising her arm to his face. “Although, working here definitely had its perks.”
Nina turned so she was facing everyone.
“We are not all knowing or all powerful. Our physical bodies can, and do, die. Being familiar with foresight, you understand that it is not always clear as we would prefer, but sometimes... sometimes it is.” She cast her gaze back at Charlie, and then again toward the others.
“Our most honored job is to keep the balance of power in the favor of the good. We have not always succeeded, but we hope our actions today will ensure this balance remains, as we have foreseen battles on the horizon unlike anything you have ever witnessed before.”
Her body glowed in golden light, and to look upon her felt both empowering and comforting.
She turned back to Charlie.
“This ring is now yours. Never before has any mortal man been given such a gift.”
Charlie stared at the ring and then at Nina. “Why?” he pleaded. “Why give up this ring, forfeiting your life for mine?”
“Because the wolf should not be a curse, it should be a gift, to help you in the battles to come. As long as you wear this ring, the wolf will no longer be a threat to you, Charlie. The wolf will be ruled by you, and you alone. You will be free to transform at will. The moon will have no sway. The alpha will have no sway. You will never fear the wolf again.”
Charlie looked with awed reverence at the ring and back up at Nina.
“I still don’t understand why the Guardians would give this to me.”
“Because of whom you are Charlie. Not just the wolf or the witch that resides in you, but because of your compassion, your love, and your ability to be selfless and yet lead with a firm hand. These will all be necessary in the battles to come if we are to succeed in keeping the balance of power on the side of good.” She paused, smiling brightly. “You have fought for so many years, never forsaking your responsibilities, never giving into the temptation or greed that the wolf’s power could have so easily given you.”
“Why now? Why here?” he asked, clearly still disbelieving.
“Because you have now sacrificed enough to understand the need for the wolf to be controlled, and yet how the wolf can help you succeed.”
Charlie looked into Nina’s eyes with deep respect, but also apprehension. “What will happen to you?” he whispered, stepping closer.
Nina smiled regally.
“I get to be reborn. My soul will get to live a human life. To experience things as humans do, and when that human life is over, I will again be called into Guardianship.”
She stepped close to him, cupping his head in her hands. As she did so, the golden glow engulfed both of their bodies, hiding them from view to the outside world.
“Don’t dwell on my loss, Charlie. Live. Live fully and freely, as you did with me.”
Charlie could not speak. The love and gratitude he felt for Nina overwhelmed him beyond words.
“I regret nothing,” she told him, laying her hand on his chest. He took her hand in his, holding it against his cheek. “It is time,” she whispered encouragingly. Her lips pressed against his for just a moment, and she leaned into his ear. “Just let go, Charlie... give in.”
A low growl rumbled in Charlie’s chest and with his next blink, his bright blue eyes flashed brilliant silver. His lips swept over Nina’s one last time, as he allowed the exhilaration of total surrender to pass through his body.
Nina let go of Charlie, her eyes dancing playfully. “There’s my big bad wolf,” she whispered, stepping backwards. Her glow faded with each step, her silhouette fading into darkness.
Charlie glanced again at the ring and then into the wide-eyed faces of his friends and family. A devilish grin spread across his face. “Don’t follow me!” he ordered.
He looked up into the sky, his chest heaving with anticipation.
He outstretched his arms and bayed at the full moon; it transformed into a chilling howl as Charlie Howard surrendered to the wolf, for the first time completely shedding his human skin.
With an explosive force that took but a second, Charlie Howard’s human body disappeared, morphing into something much larger, and stronger. He gnashed his teeth, peering at the moon, which no longer held any sway over him. It was just a moon. Nothing more.
His skin was dark gray, his arms thick and muscular. His nails jagged and elongated.
Most importantly, his mind was sharp and his own.
All the power without the loss of control.
His head dropped, his piercing silver eyes gazing into the woods where the alpha had disappeared. He let out a snarl, preparing to start his hunt.
The alpha would not see another sunrise.
He sniffed the air, easily catching the scent. He let out a roar, warning the alpha that he was coming. He sprang, on all fours, into the woods, in pursuit of his prey. Not far in, another scent hit his nostrils. Eva Jordan… at first, he feared this scent might overpower him, but the ring did its job and protected Charlie from this danger. It was still a pleasant smell, but it no longer gave him the urge to kill her. His next thought, however, was Why do I smell Eva?
He skidded to a stop as the woods came to a clearing.
Eva’s house.
He had never been here before, but he could tell she lived here. Her smell was everywhere.
This is also where the alpha’s smell ended. It was here, hiding somewhere nearby.
He snarled, casting his silver eyes into t
he darkness searching for some sign of where the alpha was hiding, surprised it no longer spoke to his mind. Had it given up so easily? Or had the ring blocked this, too? Severing the connection between him and the alpha completely.
He sauntered into Eva’s backyard, one muscular step at a time.
The alpha flew at Charlie, out of nowhere, sinking its teeth into Charlie’s shoulder. The same shoulder it had bitten ten years prior. But this time Charlie fought back, taking a bite of his own. He tore at the alpha’s throat, sinking his knife-like teeth into its thick skin.
Something seemed different. The alpha seemed crazed all of a sudden, as if it had decided to give up on controlling Charlie and just wanted him dead, instead.
It charged at Charlie again.
Charlie lunged at the alpha, their bodies colliding in mid air. They fell to the ground with a thunderous crash. Charlie took the alpha into his muscular arms and threw him across the ground, slamming its body into a tree. The trunk cracked and another crash followed when the tree fell to the ground.
A light came on at the back of the house. Charlie saw Eva looking through her screen door. Her eyes were wide with confusion, fear and wonder as she watched the werewolves fighting in her yard.
“Stay inside!” Charlie snarled at her.
The alpha picked itself up, shaking itself off, thrashing its way toward Charlie, again.
Charlie stood his ground this time, waiting until the alpha was just a few feet away, and then jumped to the side, using his arm to cut down the alpha. Charlie’s sharp claws caught the skin of the alpha’s shoulder, digging in. It howled murderously as blood spurted from the wound.
Charlie wasted no time, lunging on top of his downed prey. Its eyes looked crazed. Its arms and legs flailed, scratching at Charlie. Its teeth chomped at Charlie’s body, but missed his skin. The alpha’s mouth opened up wide enough that Charlie could see all of its blood-covered teeth, including the one that was missing. The one it had left behind in Charlie’s shoulder.
Charlie roared viciously and in one swift movement, ripped the alpha’s jaw in two, tearing it completely out of its body. One last final cry erupted and the alpha’s body went limp. Charlie had expected the body to revert to its human form once it had died, but it did not.
Witches of The Demon Isle Box Set, Volumes 1, 2 & 3 Page 17
