The Beloved Beast

Part 11-A Friend?

 "I....I....." Tanya fumbled, feeling guilty, her face suffused with color. It was only then that she noticed that Tara wasn't alone. Another young woman accompanied her, an exquisite creature with a stunning figure, delicate features and to top it all a head full of shoulder-length, shiny hair. "Won't you introduce us?" the woman addressed Tara in her lilting voice. With a sneer, Tara pointed at her, "This is Neil's new wife, Tanya." "Nice to meet you, Tanya. I am Renee, Neil's friend." She stressed on the word friend as if trying to convey that she meant much more to him than she claimed. Tanya acknowledged her with a smile, waiting to find out if her newly formed opinion about that woman was correct or not. An awkward little silence had fallen in the group as both women sized each other up. Renee clearly found her wanting. At the same moment, the door was pushed open with a slam and Neil rushed out, a look of chagrin evident on his face. It was clear that his conversation with his father had not ended amicably. He stopped abruptly as his gaze fell on this newcomer, his mouth widening into a smile that made his whole face radiate with happiness. "Darling girl!" he held open his arms, oblivious of the presence of his wife as Renee walked up to him and was embraced in a bear hug. "How I missed you! Well, now that you are here, we can take up from where we had left off," she said, her manner clearly excluding Neil's wife. It seemed that he remembered her presence at last, for he pulled her forward by the arm. "You have already met Tanya, I believe." "Oh yes, your wife," her tone was sarcastic as if she had doubts whether Tanya could be categorized as a wife or not. Neil did not seem to find anything amiss in her words, rather they all moved away from there to sit in the living room, and the next two hours passed in which they discussed mutual friends and relatives, amid sips of tea, effectively excluding Tanya from the discussion. It was a little comfort though that all this while Neil kept Tanya firmly by his side with an arm around her waist. Renee left after lunch, another fraught affair, with Neil's father still in a grim mood.

"Can we go for a walk, please? I am dying to see the area. It's so scenic with the mountains and the woods," Tanya pleaded with Neil once they had returned to their room after lunch. "Of course. Wear some warm clothes and walking shoes and we shall tour the nearby area." Dressed in warm jackets and sports shoes, they started, Tanya with a camera in her hand. The immediate grounds of the manor house were quite vast with well-manicured lawns dotted with wooden benches, a landscaped garden with trees surrounding it, and a clear pool filled with colorful fish. Beyond the gates lay the settlement with a few impressive houses and numerous quaint cottages with lawns the size of pocket handkerchiefs. As they walked on the footpath of the sleepy little town, Neil pointed out the junior school, a whitewashed square building with an adjoining football ground, the primary health clinic, and the post office. A few shops made up the market with a cafeteria in the corner. "Beyond the town," Neil pointed in the direction of the market, "lie the mines that have made this small town so prosperous. My family owns them." "Do most of the people work there?" she asked. "Most of them do. A few work at the sawmill, also run by my family." "You seem to be quite important around here," Tanya remarked in surprise. No wonder he was so rich!

Another thing that Tanya noted was that whomever they met in the town, bowed deferentially to Neil. Most of them seemed to be in awe of him, while a couple of them seemed downright wary. Was it only because he was from the most influential family in town?

Leaving the town behind they had almost walked in a circle till they came to the woods behind the manor house. The forest was dense. Redwoods, ash, oaks, and elms abounded, as did various bushes. Rocks protruded at different places, reminding her that it was a highland region. They had been roaming the beaten tracks, taking in the beauty of the Sylvan surroundings, when Neil stopped suddenly and putting his nose to the air started sniffing. Tanya looked in surprise, a laugh escaping her as he gave a good imitation of a dog, she thought. "Shh....be quiet," he snapped, "I can smell wolves." Tanya almost jumped in fright. "Wol....wolves?" she whispered, recalling the monster she had encountered in the woods. If there were more like him, then they were done for. However brave she thought Neil to be, she doubted that he could ward off wolves barehanded. Why oh why hadn't he had the forethought to bring a gun? "There are rogue wolves in the bushes. More than one. My guess is three, for I am getting different scents. Stay close by me Tanya. They can be dangerous," he informed her, his voice ridden with anxiety. Her eyes widened. Where had he learned to sniff them out like that, she wondered. He must be an extraordinary hunter. She moved a bit closer to Neil's side, clutching his arm. They were going to turn around and walk towards whence they had come but there was a rustling of dead leaves from behind some trees and a huge brown wolf jumped in their path.

Neil looked at the rogue. Its beady, mean eyes glared at him. Its fangs were exposed and drool dripped down its jaws. Had Tanya not been with him, it would have been easy for him to bring them down, even if they were more in number. After all, he was an Alpha and as such, much bigger than them. Tanya was holding on to him for dear life, her face pale, and her body trembling. Neil threatened the rogue with a glaring look, warning it to back off or else, but it appeared that it did not have the desired effect. It advanced towards them menacingly, turning its gaze on Tanya, trying to sniff her out. At the same moment, the remaining two came out from the bushes, joining their leader. Neil weighed his chances. In his human form, Tanya and he would soon be dead meat. It left him with no other option but to shift, and shift quickly. He became ready in the blink of an eye, his muscles bunching up and stiffening, while his claws elongated. He felt Tanya stare down in astonishment as with a tearing sound, his clothes gave way, ripping from the seams. His eyes changed color, while his bones made a cracking sound. Within seconds, he was ready to pounce on the rogues.

Tanya felt her eyes almost pop out of her head. In front of her, within moments, Neil, her husband, had shifted his shape, turning into a monstrous black wolf, his eyes burning like the devil's. With the help of his hind legs, he sprung forward, landing next to the rogues. Tanya did not wait to find out what happened next. She ran for dear life, her heart practically bursting out of her chest, while her head swam, trying to take in the incredible scene she had witnessed. Fear lent her wings and she scrambled down the slope, stumbling and falling on an exposed piece of rock. Getting up on all fours, like an animal herself, she glanced over her shoulder, afraid Neil or any of the other wolves would be following her, but none was in sight. Rising to her feet, not even waiting to dust off her clothes, she ran again, out of the woods and towards the house. She was so blinded by fear and her need to escape, that she scarcely saw the man in her path, ramming into a muscled body with the speed of a mini truck.

Two strong arms caught hold of her, steadying her before she fell flat on her face. Tanya looked up in fear, her heart slowing down a bit, as she gazed into Ray's surprised eyes. With a sigh of relief, she leaned against him, panting for breath.

Neil had landed next to the leader of the rogues. Up close, its scent was strange. Not quite lupine. Before he could close his jaws around its neck, it turned and ran, followed by its companions. Neil ran after them, gaining ground, barely breathing hard. He was in prime condition. His wolf was spoiling for a kill. The curse was in full force, raising the bloodlust in him. It was impossible to turn back now. With a lunge, he caught hold of the leg of one of the rogues, dragging him into the dust. It let out a scream of pain, and the other two stopped to look back. Menacingly, they neared him, but Neil was prepared. A fierce battle followed. One of the rogues, the one he had dragged in his jaws, tried to escape, but Neil ripped him apart with his claws and fangs. He lay there on the earth, gasping and spewing out blood from his mouth with each breath.

The other two ran for their life, Neil following them until they came near a steep hill. Before Neil could corner them, they shifted into large ravens, and flew over the hill. So that was who they were! Neil mused as he licked his paws clean. The familiars. That old hag, Marina, must have sent them. There had been a period of comparative peace with the Coven. Why then did that witch send her minions to attack him? He could think of no other reason than that they had come to ferret out some information from the pack. Were the witches planning an attack?