LEGACY OF THE FIRST WOLF

Stalker

I wasn’t supposed to run in the opposite direction. I was supposed to run to them. I didn’t know how I knew that, I didn’t know what was happening, but it wasn’t normal, it wasn’t human. Every fibre of my being screamed to run. So I fled. Moving past bodies, past sweats, past laughters, and dancing. Through the gates, I ran. No one stopped me. I feared the guards would stop me. I feared someone would give chase. Maybe one of those men, maybe three of them. None did.

I ran through the stone buildings, right into the fog. I ran, having no sense of direction. My speed grew and grew till I could barely breathe and something snagged my feet. My face planted to the ground in an instance. And pain tore through me as I groaned, but my chest was too tight and my vision had gone dark. I rolled over to my back and tried to breathe till my vision cleared and I saw the moon. She smiled down at me in a warm glow.

I shut my eyes, suddenly not sure of what I had seen or what I felt or what was happening. But when I opened my eyes again. The first thing I wanted to do was return to the city. To a bed, a shower, to clear my head. So, I forced myself to my feet, to realize I had cuts and bruises all over. How I hadn’t noticed was beyond me. The worst was my knee. One step and I quickly realized no running for now. However, when I looked around. I realized with dread that I was lost.

“Oh f**k no.”

“I’m lost guys.” I announced to my camera, just as a howl that sounded too close had me jumping. Then a growl. I jumped and turned to find a wolf behind me. A wolf, only this one was big.

“Are wolves normally this big?” I didn’t move. But it snarled at me instead. Right before I noticed another one from behind me. And two more. Their movement were slow, but they were spreading out, and their intentions were clear. Without thinking or waiting. I took off, digging into my waist for my gun and flicking out my dagger in one hand.

“Fuck.” I ran, knowing they were right on my heels. I didn’t go far when a piercing pain snagged my legs, dumping my head right for the ground. Darkness overwhelmed me, but I knew if I stopped, if I slowed, death was immediate. I kicked and without looking, took aim. A whine followed, and another clamped down on my arm. My gun dropped but with my free hand and dagger, I stabbed into the wolf’s neck, while the other kept pulling and biting down on my legs. The wolf holding my arm let go and I immediately turned around for my gun, but the other wolf immediately came in front of me and with its leg pushed the gun away.

I froze, meeting its eyes. A knowing eye stared back at me. A being with knowledge and wit and strength.

Werewolf.

I hated how that knowledge settled into me without needing proof. It was almost like I had known the answer all along.

But not now. The other wolf was still clamping down on my leg. I turned and lifted myself as quickly as I could as I stabbed the other one in the eye. A whine that sounded too human followed and blood gushed out. A sharp pain clamped on my shoulder before I could pull out my dagger and face the other wolf. A scream tore through my lips, as black dot coated my vision. But I couldn’t move. The pain was too much.

I was going to die. I was going to die. I was going to leave Maeve and my dad. They would never forgive me. I didn’t even finish my thesis. And I finally got close. So close.

No, I couldn’t. I couldn’t die like this. I still had my fingers. So, I used it. I stabbed his eye. He whined and released me, but I could barely move.

However, while it went about with one blind eye. I got up. I was losing blood. I might die after all. But definitely not going to be wolf meat. I used my good hand to pull out my dagger from the wolf on the floor, and slowly stalked the other wolf. He saw me coming. And the moment it jumped on me, I used the last of strength and stabbed right into its neck. Then fell head first to the ground, with his weight on me.

“Well…now…” I was panting. I slowly located my necklace and turned the camera to the wolves I stabbed. But they were no longer there. Where they once laid, humans with fair and black glowing skin stared back. And they were getting up. My heart rate could not speed up anymore than it was at that moment. I knew what was coming. It hurt, but it was what it was. I smiled. Turning the camera to them.

“Werewolves…aren’t…just myth anymore.” I forced out of my throat.

“I proved…I proved…they still existed…”

I turned the camera back to me, knowing this was going to be last time anyone saw my face. They probably wouldn’t find my body. Now, I wish I had gone live instead.

“Too bad..I…had…to die…”

“Maeve, dad…I’m sorry.” My hands gave way and slumped. I was too weak. The wolf on top of me had shifted somehow into a human. He let out a groan and forced himself up. A familiar smile crazed his lips when he met my eyes and tears blurred my vision. I had made a mistake. I had underestimated how safe I was because I recognized him. My stalker. I had seen his face more time than I could count. Somehow always at the cafe opposite the street, picking up my mail, at the park. He had a friendly smile, he always smiled. I should have listened to my gut when my skin pricked each time he smiled. I should have never been so careless.

Now, he wore the same smile and got up to his feet.

“God, you’ve been a pain.”

“We were supposed to take you alive. He is definitely not going to like this. What to do no…….”

A growl had him stiffening, and my eyes fought to close. I forced them to remain open, but it seemed like I was underneath water, drowning and everything I saw was from the underneath the water. The man in front of me was no longer paying attention to me. His back was to me and his neck was tilted, almost in surrender. I didn’t understand what it meant.

Then I saw his neck come off almost as immediately as his body was slammed to the side. Then a different person stood in front of me, naked. Another werewolf. He had long hair that framed his face and covered them from my view. Blood dripped from his skin while he clutched the head of my stalker in his hand.

A whimper escaped my mouth. Maybe from fear or pain. I couldn’t tell, but I stopped fighting.