Kohl
"When did this happen?" I ask Jasar, "How long had she been missing?"
"Missing?" Jasar asks, "No more than a couple of hours. She went running, according to her parents."
Jasar, Akira, another enforcer named Boris and I stand in front of the pale body of a fellow werewolf named Janie. One of the scouts found her lifeless body this morning just South of the pack lands. The four of us set out immediately to canvas the area.
I, as the Alpha, had to see for myself. I feel every wolf's life in my pack just as I feel every death. This case is an especially sad case. Janie is the youngest daughter of one of my father's eldest friends. She was a good girl, just younger than me. She was always a nice person. She didn't deserve to die like this.
"Who would kill Janie? She was harmless." Akira asks, "No wolf would do this."
"There's no blood." Boris notices, "Shouldn't there be blood?"
"Yes," I say tilting the woman's head to the side. There are two puncture marks yet they don't match any fang marks I've ever seen. I exhale, "There's no blood at all. She couldn't have been out here for more than a couple of hours yet she's so cold and pale. We need to have Pavius examine her. He might have an idea what kind of wolf did this."
"Or it's the cold ones." Boris suggests.
"That's a myth." I growl, "There's no such thing as...them."
"Humans believe us to be myths as well." Boris says, "What other explanation is there?"
"We'll see. Grab Janie. We're heading back." I say as I turn and head back towards the pack lands.
Boris does as he's told and we all head back. I can feel their thoughts. Boris' theory is beginning to sink into their minds.
And mine.
McKennon
I have been moving from place to place, trying to find a concrete place to settle. I never realized that as a Rogue, I developed a habit of leaving with no intention of settling down. I've moved across the bulk of California, finally settling in Nevada.
I found a very charming little dive bar called the Wolf's Den. The desert wolves congregate here. There are wolves from all over here, most just passing through like me. The bar itself is nothing special that you wouldn't find in any small town. A bar, a couple of stools, a pool table and dim lights with tacky decorations, including taxidermy. A jukebox in the corner plays older music.
I find the nearest bar and start ordering as much whiskey as possible in the rather small glass. After two sparse glasses of whiskey, I order two beers. I usually don't engage in much conversation with the wolves as they're mostly in packs. Being a Rogue, I'm typically not the favored wolf in the room. The only comfort I get is when I meet an unmated she-wolf that doesn't annoy me with her problems.
I've had a couple close calls with the she-wolves' packs because of this.
My mind always wanders to my former pack. My familial pack and not the pack of Rogues. The Rogues turned their backs on me when it mattered to follow Viceres. It was their mistake and they paid for it. It's not my problem.
My familial pack, the White Eclipse, saved me when they didn't have to. They also expected me to regret my past. I murdered wolves indiscriminately to get where I wanted to be. I made my own pack instead of inheriting one. I used the pitfalls of my life to create something that was purely mine.
And, yet again, it was taken away.
I wonder how that same attack would have gone if the human had not helped me. It's not fair to call him a human, really. No human I've met moves like that. I haven't met a supernatural being that moves in that way. I've taken to calling him the Hunter. I can't tell if I'm terrified or impressed. I'd guess a bit of both.
Parker is a weird person, if I'm honest. He's annoyingly optimistic yet he has a dark side. He helped me when he had no reason to do so. He saved me from Viceres and let me go with the express trust that I would lead my idiot brother directly to him. Somehow, it wasn't exactly a close call. I don't think I felt particularly altruistic when it came to my family but I couldn't let the little fucker die.
I have no clue why I couldn't leave him to die. If I had to guess, I'd say it was the kindness he showed to me that I clearly wouldn't have shown to him. I was probably under the effects of his scent. The guy's scent is powerful. I'd assume wolves all around could smell it. I smelled it for up to ten miles outside the pack lands.
Cinnamon and honey.
"I saw it with my own eyes," A burly wolf says behind me. The large wolf is wearing an open flannel shirt with a trucker hat, hinting at his profession. He continues drunkenly, "In California, six wolves drained of blood. Damnedest thing I've ever seen!"
My ears perk at his assertion. I begin to wonder how far into California he means. I'm clearly interested in what he's saying but why? Why would I care about the pack? I don't. Then exactly what is it that makes my heart pound?
"No way! What would do that?" Another less bulky wolf asks. The wolf looks to be a Rogue as it appears to have lived in mud. The wolf is clearly fascinated, "No wolf would do that! You're bullshittin me!"
"No, I'm serious! An' you're right, no wolf would do that." The Burly Wolf says, "Only one thing I know that would drain blood from a wolf."
"What?"
I turn to the men and they glare at me, "The Cold Ones?" I ask.
"The Cold Ones?" The lean man asks.
The Cold Ones refer to creatures of darkness that steal life force through blood. They are cunning and crafty but live in the shadows, away from all other supernatural beings. They are a myth among us. No one has ever met a Cold One.
"Impossible. It's an old wolves' tale." I snort, "Besides, the wolves would have seen something."
"Not even wolves can see shadows. They move faster than—" The Burly Wolf frowns.
I squint at him, "Nothing is faster than a wolf. Nothing." I respond, "How far in California are these attacks happening?"
"The Coldwater pack."
The Coldwater pack is a smaller pack due West of the White Eclipse. The two are cordial yet there has always been an underlying rivalry, as there usually are between wolves. They are a peaceful pack. They rarely do anything to bring down wrath upon their pack.
I can only assume the attacks coincide with the arrival of a certain human. I doubt they are actual myths, though it's been established that things such as Demi-Gods exist. I suppose it can be possible for Cold Ones to exist.
I debate going back. I detest the wolves of that pack yet something is pulling me back to them. The pack that cast me out is in danger. Truth be told, I don't really care about the pack. I owe Parker one.
"You know the pack?" The Rogue says, "They're not far from the pack that was attacked a couple of months ago by the Rogues. Truth be told, those Rogues thought they were better than everyone. Guess the White Eclipse pack really is the strongest pack."
"Bullshit!" The Burly Wolf sneers, "Word is that the pack has their own secret weapon. Some human."
"I've heard the human isn't a human. Some kind of mutant." The Rogue frowns, "Imagine having some freak protect your pack."
An involuntary growl escapes my chest. I am not sure why I'm as angry about the comments as I am. I don't exactly favor my family, hate the pack and don't know Parker well enough to disagree with them. The conversation does highlight how woefully misinformed they are. Every wolf worth their salt has to know what Parker is by now.
"I say the morons just needed better wolves. Heard they followed some tree bitch." The Rogue laughs, "Guess when we all attack next time, we'll have to make sure that freak is ripped apart first and we have wolves worth shit."
The growl is noticeable now. The two wolves stare at me, confused. I grab a beer bottle and smash it over the burly wolf's face before tossing the Rogue over a nearby table. I walk over and grab him by the cuff of his shirt. I punch him in the face repeatedly until a female voice calls for me to stop.
I pull away and slam his head into the ground, "Stay away from that pack. Next time you go anywhere near that pack, I'll rip you apart myself." I say as I turn to the rest of the bar, "All of you."
Without hesitation, I grab a bottle of beer and head towards the door. I'm fairly certain of what I need to do now. The wolves may be right about the Cold Ones or they could be entirely off base. Regardless, I need to warn the pack. It's my final gift to that pack.
After this, fuck them.
Parker
"Dating back to Fenris, who lived for thousands of years, wolves have been fabled to have been apex predators. There are two, at least, Fenrises in history. There is the Fenris from Nordic lore and there is the son of the Moon Goddess and said Fenris." I say as I regurgitate history facts I've learned, "It's told that a Goddess named Hekate favored two wolves above all. One grey and one black. In modern texts, these were her pets. In your literature, the wolves were her lovers. Her soulmates turned to wolves to protect her."
I have taken a group of teenagers into the woods, not too far from the clearing in order to bond with them. The wolves are warming to me yet the teenagers are always a wild card. I can't imagine growing up without the added pressures of the outside society. I've yet to see anyone being bullied over clothes or what they do not have. It's about strength here.
The young wolves are lined up on a large log listening intently. I am leaning against a tree, putting myself in front of them. I have yet to teach a class this old. The wolves aren't modest about the details they give younglings but there are still limits to what I can teach them. I tell one story about The Bedburg Werewolf and I'm being inappropriate. The actual story of the wolf was a bit gruesome.
I'm going to be a bad parent.
"So," One of the teenage wolves asks, "The wolves were her protectors? They were, like, her servants."
The teenager is a fair bit larger than I am. I'd wager when he stands, he'll tower over me. His brown eyes are watching me. He doesn't seem bored but intent on my words. He seems a bit offended, to be completely honest. He runs a hand through his blonde hair and crosses his arms over his chest. I'm aware that his nostrils jump as I feel my cheeks go warm.
That's when the smell is at its worst.
The teens seem tense and I recognize that I either smell like cinnamon or honey to them. It's distracting to say the least. I feel bad for them. It's enough that the adults have to deal with my smell but having a group of hormonal teenagers deal with it seems cruel.
"Sometimes," Kohl says as he appears from the clearing, "It's not about servitude. It's about trust and love."
I smile at Kohl. Kohl seems more relaxed than he used to be. He was very uptight when I met him and he seems playful now. I know I have something to do with it but I think it's a mix of me, getting what he wanted and having his family be somewhat more cohesive.
"Why don't you guys get back to the lands." Kohl says nodding to the pack house, "I'll make sure Parker is able to finish his lesson at another time."
The teenagers agree, making sure to voice their affirmation to their Alpha, before leaving. Kohl nods to the log and we take a seat. Kohl stares at me. I can't decide if he's trying to commit my face to memory or preparing to tell me bad news.
"Bad news?" I ask.
Kohl sighs, "You shouldn't be out here." He says softly.
"Since when?" I ask.
"Now." Kohl says regaining his stern tone, "I'm going to make an announcement that, for now, everyone needs to stay close to the lands, specifically our cubs."
"Any particular reason? And before you think to say no—"
"I can't lie to you. No use in trying, so, your speech is unnecessary." Kohl says caustically, "You comprehend mates really badly."
"Also math."
"We found the body of one of the pack this morning. Janie."
I can see how much this hurts him. Kohl takes his title and responsibilities very seriously. To lose a member of the pack must kill him. I believe I've met Janie before. She was a nice girl. She was also young.
"I need you to stay close. I know you can take care of yourself but—"
"I got it." I nod, "What happened?"
"We don't know. The doctor is trying to figure it out. I've never seen anything like it before." Kohl says, "It wasn't a wolf."
"Then what?"
"You'll be the first person I tell when we find out." Kohl smiles.