My Mate, My Enemy

My Mate, My Enemy - chpt. 2 - The Gift

My Mate, My Enemy

Chapter two – The Gift

Keegan Stone

 

            We exited the tent and into the makeshift village. Ever since the werewolf population was driven out of human communities we had been living in makeshift villages in the forests of North America. Only a few towns had been taken over entirely by wolves. At the present moment we were in Idaho and were about to head back to my home state of Oregon.

            My uncle looked at me with a smile; he was always giddy after one of my speeches “That whole group of wolves looked ready to go sign on for the cause,” my uncle said. Translation; I had successfully signed up fifty more wolves to their deaths.

            I grimaced, “I’m glad to help.”

            “King Sebastian is happy with your work, and you know that if you’re dad was still alive he’d be proud too,” my uncle told me. My stomach twisted painfully in my gut, my father had been killed in the first year of the Feral War. He hadn’t exactly been a peacekeeper.

            “I’m glad the King is happy,” I replied. I always made sure my voice was cool and disconnected when I spoke with my uncle. If he knew how I truly felt, I’d be locked up for treason.

            I was the most influential speaker in the werewolf community. I could make a group of wolves do anything I wanted. My natural talent with words had made me important in the King’s eyes. And because of this, I met with him every few months so I could adjust my speeches accordingly.

            “Apparently, he’s waiting for us back in Oregon.” I groaned internally, this meant that some sort of advancement had been made in the war. Whether or not it was good was unknown.

            “I’m looking forward to speaking with him once we get back home,” I replied modestly.

            My uncle smiled, “I have a present waiting for you there as well. I decided to go to one of those underground auctions and I bought something I’m sure you’ll appreciate.”

            My smiled tightened, “Can’t wait.” We walked to the edge of the woods and were left in the darkness. The gas lamps that were strung along the trees ended when the tree line neared. I blinked, waiting for my vision to get adjusted to the lack of light.

            Quick as a flash I stripped down and shifted. I grabbed my clothes in my teeth, shaking out my limbs. It had been a while since I had shifted. My uncle had shifted as well and I took a moment to appreciate the raw strength that rippled along the muscles in his legs. He was a strong wolf, aggressive like my father.

            We both took off into the night, staying in the shadows as we darted across highways and through small stretches of trees. We moved efficiently, not stopping to catch our breath. But at the same time we were constantly looking around, making sure we were aware of our surroundings. You couldn’t be too careful with humans.

            After hours of running at full speed my uncle and I finally made it onto home soil. I was able to relax slightly as I started to see landmarks that I recognized better. My uncle let out a large breath and dropped his speed slightly. Half an hour later we were in the large forest that surrounded the city of Portland.

            I shifted and changed into my clothes, cracking  my knuckles and rotating my shoulders. My uncle clapped my back and said, “Good run.”