The Four Mates of Freya Rivers

Puzzles Can Wait

Nicholas

This is getting exhausting.

I thought to myself as I s***h down my fancy blade one last time into the blood matted fur of another rogue werewolf. Why don’t they just shift back to their human forms? Maybe then I could interrogate them and this could all be done with. But no. For some strange reason, these werewolves just fight like rabid dogs and then whine when they fall down – their eyes completely void of any colour and emotion.

Something weird was going on here. For days now, these rogues seem to walk straight to this large but peaceful pack – the Blackmane pack. On their trek, however slow they were going, they’d shed blood on anyone that tried to step in their way. When I stopped the first few ones, I’d thought it was over. But then more started showing up, one right after the other. That’s what got me to this town by the lake. That’s what got me to stick around.

So far, I’d managed to kill a whole lot of them right on the edge of their territory. The pack’s guards aren’t too good with their jobs. They would try to track down the scents, of course, but by the time they find out they’ve been on their territories, they were already dust in the wind. Literally. I got these special blades from my witch friends that eviscerate any being it comes into contact with. I rarely take them out, but when I’ve got rogues appearing from every corner, I figured it was time to bust out the big guns.

Which is why I get no information whatsoever. Every single one of them end up dead and dust.

I am a hunter. I kill anything and everything that threatens the safety of these puny little humans. Well, I am a human myself, but I am gifted with whole lot of skills and knives and gizmos from a long line of hunters. Which means I have a certain responsibility of putting it to good use. That doesn’t mean I like it, though. I’d rather be at home, working on my thousand piece puzzle or that painting I’ve been trying to finish.

So yes, this is getting annoying. Almost a week now in this town and I’ve still got nothing.

I dust off my long sleeved black shirt when the wind kicks the pulverized wolf towards me. s**t, didn’t notice the wind’s direction. I sheath my weapon as I stand up, huffing another frustrated breath and brushing the hair out of my eyes. Stepping over a tree branch, I continue with my trek towards their pack house on the hill.

Tonight there’s a lot of life in their pack house, a party or some s**t. I know wolves celebrate the solstices and that’s tonight, but I didn’t know that they’d invite almost every other pack in the state. They must be celebrating for a whole other reason. Which means their guards are probably drawn back, closet to the pack house, what with all those powerful people in that one house. The state governor is even there because yes, he’s a werewolf. I was surprised about that one too.

This party left their territory quite vulnerable. I saw a few guards making rounds, but they didn’t even see or sense my presence. Of course that’s all thanks to the masking charm from my witch friends. But this rogue that I just killed had sneaked past their watch too. See? Not too good with their jobs.

I was almost at the edge of the woods, the clearing where this large glorious pack house stood tall over the town and the lake. It had a lot of lodge elements to it, wood beams and lining. But a lot of industrial slickness to it with the smoothened cement finishes. Jesus, this house is larger than my own – and I had a big house. Granted this one probably houses numerous important families to their pack, but still. In all of my time, this is one of the largest – yet, most beautiful – pack house I’d ever seen.

I was in awe, but then my eye caught the sight of a woman on one of the balconies and its like time stood still. My lungs stopped breathing, my heart started thundering.

The girl from the diner.

When I saw her last she was wearing a sweater and jeans, normal and casual, yet she’d already left me at a loss for words. Tonight… Well, tonight I’m completely and utterly dumbstruck.

She was right at the edge of the balcony, her arms hugging her middle as she looked up at the sky. The moon illuminated her face, so innocent and gorgeous it made my chest constrict. Her midnight black hair was falling in loose waves to her waist, blowing slightly in the calm wind like the softest silk. She was wearing this blood red dress that matched the colour of her lips. I wonder what it would be like smudging that lipstick, or unzipping that dress…

Jesus, she was gorgeous.

When I first saw her, when I’d unintentionally bumped into her after rushing into Gary’s Diner, two things happened. First, I noticed that she was a werewolf just like everybody who lived and worked in the town. They had a specific aura to them. And second, I’d wanted to kneel for her after one look into her warm honey colored eyes. The woman was powerful, probably high ranking, and I wanted to worship at her feet for both the right and wrong reasons. That made me curious. I’m a fairly self-sufficient person who works and lives on my own time, my own beat. I answer to no one and care for no one. If I hadn’t been born with the responsibility of protecting humans, I’d probably not care about any of them too. So the fact that I felt like that with one look at this girl… it’s very intriguing.

From where I stood, hidden behind the shadows of the forest and simply looking up at her, she looked like she was enjoying her peace. All I could think about was climbing up those windows and rails, grab her by the neck and kiss her. Dear God, did I want to kiss her.

A twig snapped under my feet when I unintentionally took a step forward. It was hushed and low to a human like me, but to werewolf senses, it was like a coin dropping inside a cathedral. Loud. Echoing. Attention grabbing.

Her eyes squinted as her head snapped towards where I stood. All of my muscles tensed up. I didn’t move an inch, not even breathing or blinking. And even though I knew the shadows kept me hidden, it seemed like she was staring directly at me – into my eyes and alighting my f*****g soul on fire.

The intrigue was gone and I now have an answer. Just pure, unbridled clarity.

She’s mine.

Mine to love, mine to care for, mine to protect. That’s why I was left speechless after one look at her. This was the girl I’d spend the rest of my life with. This was the girl that would bear my children. My large dark mansion will no longer be so silent. It will be full of life. Because of this girl.

I don’t know how I know, and frankly I couldn’t care any less. If this is where fate will push me towards, I’d gladly take a leap. No questions asked.

An obvious shudder wracks her shoulders as she looks over where I stood. Her gaze doesn’t linger or wonder, it’s just pointed right at me. Like she could sense me where I stood and is possibly coming to the same realizations I am. I wanted to step out of the shadows and show myself. But will she like what she sees? A human with witch charms and weapons, skilled at killing rogues. No, not just rogues – werewolves, just like her. Although rogues are frowned upon by wolves tethered to a pack, they live peacefully with them. They are their kind after all. So, if she found out I’ve been slaughtering over a dozen of them for the past week, what will she think? She might not like me at all.

And as I look up at her I’m suddenly very aware that she’s in the middle of a pack that’s being hounded by these very rogues I speak of. And I don’t think they or their guards know the gravity of the problem yet. They might think these are just petty lost wolves who stumble on their property and had left, since after I turn them to dust leave no traces of them.

So no, I can’t show myself yet. I can’t risk her taking one look at me and being disgusted at a hunter who kills her kind. I need to figure out what’s happening here first, and protect her at the same time. Nobody is touching a hair on her head if I have anything to do about it.

When – key word, when not if – I discover what’s happening here, that’s when I’ll claim her. Maybe then I can make her understand why I’ve been doing what I’m doing. But for now, I can’t really risk it. Meaning I have to continue laying low, try capturing these rogues instead of killing them, and make sure she’s protected at all costs.

And yet, I don’t even know her name yet.

But then as if some God was watching over me, somebody calls her, making her turn back towards the house. I felt cold all over when she tore her eyes off me.

“Freya!” It was a woman. “They’re looking for you downstairs.”

Freya.

It’s such a fitting name. Beautiful. Godly.

I don’t hear my girl – Freya – respond,but I do see her take a deep calming breath. She took one last look over her shoulder towards the woods, towards me, before stepping away the railing and out of my sight.

“C’mon! Stop looking so spooked!” Her friend yells, her voice excited and loud that I could still hear it from where I stand. “It’s your birthday! You need to look excited!”

Shit, it’s my girl’s birthday. Maybe that’s why there’s such a celebration here. My puzzles and unfinished painting can wait.

I need to get her a gift. And I think I have just the thing.