My breathing comes fast. The sound of my paws beating at the ground and my fast beating heart fills my ears. I sniff the air and a growl erupts from my chest as I pick up the scent of the rogue. She's not getting away from me this time. This time I'm prepared for her.
I push my body to the limit, urging my legs to propel me faster and faster. I have to protect my town.
Hoc lepore atque virtute praecipio fortiter flamma. Ut qui tenet illam permiserat, videtur idem esse. I chant a few lines of one of the only spells I know in my mind over and over until I feel the warmth of a fire around me. Something falls to the ground next to me and I hesitate long enough to see a bird, feathers slightly singed, dead. Its life force flows through me, giving me enough strength to push myself a little faster.
That's the thing about using magic; the power has to come from somewhere.
I see a flash of something light grey in the corner of my eye. I release a howl and lunge after the other wolf. The rogue is becoming more and more exhausted, allowing me to catch up. I chase her for another mile or two through the dense woodland until I see my opportunity. I leap forward with all my strength and dig my teeth into its Achilles heel.
The rogue wolf falls to the ground, yelping and struggling to get out of my grip. I take the opportunity to lunge snap at its neck. The wolf whimpers and stops fighting, a sign of submission. I stand tall above it and growl menacingly, daring it to make a move. Suddenly, the wolf is gone, replaced by a small woman, her hands held palm up in surrender.
"Wait, wait." Her voice is shrill as she pleads. "I haven't done anything, please," the woman begs, her body shaking. "You can't kill me unless I broke a law, right?. I haven't. I-"
A deep growl rumbles through my chest, stopping her in the middle of her sentence. The woman tries to scramble to her feet but I snap at her, a warning not to move. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, concentrating on pulling myself together, controlling my anger. When I open my eyes again I am on two feet, in my human form.
"Yet," I growl out, clenching my fists.
"What?"
"Yet." I force the last of the spell's power into my voice. "You haven't broken any of the laws, yet."
The she-wolf whimpers. "I swear, Your Grace, I wasn't planning on hurting anyone; I was just passing through."
A bark of laughter escapes my lips. "I am not on the Counsel, no need to use formalities with me. Just stay out of my town."
I can see her sorting through this new information, her brow furrows. She glares at me and stands, dusting herself off. I let her.
"If you're not part of the Counsel, then who are you and what authority do you have?"
I smile, my sharp fangs a warning. "Don't push it with me, wolf. I don't give a shit about the counsel and the laws. This is my town, my territory, my humans. And I don't share. Got it?" I blast more power into my voice and I notice her shudder.
She nods hastily.
"Don't let me ever catch you around here again."
I jerk my head to the side, letting her know that she can go. The rogue scampers to her feet and I watch as a grey wolf takes her place and disappears into the trees.
I shift back into my wolf form and let a howl rip its way out of my throat, a warning for all other wolves to stay away. I am the only wolf in this territory and, so far, I have been able to keep all others away. There have been some close calls, but it has all been worth it. I have to keep her safe.
I make my way through the trees and at the edge of the forest, I phase back into my human form. I quickly find the clothes I always keep in the hollow of a tree and get dressed. My phone buzzes in my pocket. Six missed calls and a text from Elissa.
'Calla? Answer your effing phone. Call me. Now.' The text reads
I sigh and set off at a light jog towards town. I dial my best friend's number.
"Calla? Thank God. Are you okay?" Elissa voice blares from the other side of the phone.
"Liss, relax. I'm fine." I assure her.
"Where have you been? It's almost midnight."
"I ran into a rogue on patrol, that's all."
"That's all? Fuck, Calla. You are not supposed to face them alone."
"I know, I know. Relax, kay? I'm fine. I'll see you in a few."
"Okay. Love you."
"Ditto." I respond finally.
I end the call and put my mobile in my back pocket. Elissa hates it when I track rogues on my own and when I do I always hear the same lecture.
I slow to a walk when I round the corner onto our street. The houses on either side of the street all have their curtains drawn and some of them still have smoke coming from the chimneys. I silently hope Elissa has put the heating on. It is the beginning of winter in our little town in Kent, England and I am already missing the sun's warmth.
I let myself into the communal entrance to our flat building and take the stairs two at a time. The door opens before I can put the key in the door of our second floor flat. Elissa is standing in the doorway, her short red hair in a messy bun, her dark eyes bright with tears, and her mouth in a tight line. She looks awful.
"Calla," she envelops me in a hug and pulls me through the doorway. "Don't you ever, ever do that again."
I nod but we both know that I don't mean it. "I'm sorry, Liss." I respond, pulling back from her embrace and kiss her cheek. "I really am fine though. She was no match for me." I smirk and bump her hip with mine.
"I just wish you would stop looking for trouble. One of these days you are going to be up against someone stronger and more experienced than you. Then what?" Her face is humourless, angry even. "Then I will give it everything I have got, and God knows that is a lot. I will protect you with my life. You know that."
She starts to argue but I cover her mouth with my hand. "Shush," I say. She mumbles something under my hand. "Stop talking. You know what happened the last time someone found out about us, about you."
A shudder goes through her delicate body and I remove my hand. "I just hate that you are out there risking your life and I am just here, useless, waiting for you to come home."
"Elissa." I bark out a laugh. "You are anything but useless. You are, like, the only reason I am here. I would not be able to go through all of this without you. You keep me sane." She smiles but it doesn't reach her eyes. "And besides, you are much more practised at all the witchy stuff than I am. I might as well be full werewolf."
This is true. Elissa is a full-blooded witch, which means her powers are a lot stronger than mine and easier to control. I have to concentrate and chant spells for my magic to activate, whereas she just visualises what she wants and it happens. It could be because of my mixed blood, but we're not sure.
We're not sure about anything, to be completely honest. Everything we know, or everything that think we know, is based on experience. We have to just assume things because we don't have anyone to ask about any of this.
We were both abandoned as kids and grew up in various foster homes before being dumped in the same orphanage. That's where we met. We were both sixteen and trouble makers when we ended up at the Meribeth House. I lived with my foster parents, Gabe and Alice Smith, for two years before they decided I was not worth all the trouble. And by that time I had gone through so many foster families, my social worker thought it would be better to put me in a orphanage until I was old enough to leave. I was happy enough with that arrangement. At least in a orphanage I didn't have to pretend to get along with anyone. All I wanted was out. Meeting Elissa was one of the best things that had ever happened to me.
"Come on," Elissa says, yawning. "Let's get to bed. We both have work in the morning." I groan and follow her to our shared bedroom. We climb into bed and turn off the lights.
"Goodnight," I say, pulling the bed covers up to my neck.
"Sweet dreams," Lissa replies. I can feel her burrowing deeper into the duvet.
Little did we know our lives were about to change forever.
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