Origins Unknown

Being Courageous Maybe?

“What the hell?” he said, his nose flaring as he sniffed the air, his expression turning from confusion to something darker. His nostrils flared again, almost like he needed to verify what his instincts already screamed at him.

“Hehe. I thought so. Go to hell, all of you,” I said, spinning on my heel and striding toward my car, my boots crunching against the gravel.

“Mom and Dad may not control your finances anymore, but they sure as s**t won’t like hearing you said that,” he murmured, his voice a low whisper laced with venom. His words sliced through the short distance between us just as my fingers curled around my car door handle.

I turned my head slightly, enough for him to see the sly smile that stretched across my face. “I don’t care,” I said with a shrug, letting my voice carry an edge of mockery. Then, with deliberate slowness, I added, “They probably won’t like that any more than learning I’ve got my connection to my wolf again.” I let her come forward briefly, her growl rumbling in my throat like distant thunder. It was a sound full of raw power and defiance, one he couldn’t ignore.

His eyes widened, his hand tightening into a fist. “You’re gonna be in so much trouble when Mom and Dad find out. You were never supposed to get your wolf back,” he snarled, his calm demeanor cracking under the weight of his anger. He took a step toward me, his posture rigid, like a predator preparing to pounce.

I tilted my head, the smirk never leaving my face. “Then maybe they should have killed my wolf instead of simply suppressing her,” I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm. But my chest burned with suppressed fury, knowing he’d been aware of my truth all along.

His nostrils flared again, and for a brief moment, his mask slipped, revealing a flicker of genuine fear behind his anger. “The witch killed it. When you were four. This shouldn’t be possible,” he admitted, his voice lower now, almost like he was trying to convince himself more than me.

“You knew, didn’t you?” I snarled, stepping toward him. “You all knew what I was, and you let me think I was nothing. You let them take everything from me. My wolf. My birthright.”

He didn’t answer, but his jaw tightened as his eyes darted to the ground. It was all the confirmation I needed.

A guttural snarl escaped me as I let my wolf surge forward, my nails sharpening into claws as I took another step. The power radiated off me in waves, and he staggered back slightly, his anger now flickering with unease.

“Stop it,” he hissed, trying to sound commanding, but his voice wavered. “You have no idea what you’re doing.”

“Oh, I think I do,” I growled, baring my teeth before shoving my wolf back into her cage. For now.

Without another word, I turned on my heel and jumped into my car. My hands trembled as I slammed the door shut and turned the key in the ignition. But just as the engine roared to life, an unbelievable surge of heat hit me like a tidal wave.

It was suffocating, like every cell in my body had caught fire. My grip on the steering wheel faltered as I gasped for air, but the overwhelming sensation only grew stronger. It wasn’t just heat—it was anger, rage, something primal.

Through the haze, I saw him approaching my car, his expression hard and unrelenting. His strides were purposeful, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

“This isn’t over,” he growled, his voice muffled by the glass but still cutting through the storm raging inside me.

My vision blurred as my wolf clawed at me, desperate to take control again. Every muscle in my body screamed for release, but I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to hold the reins. Not here. Not now.

Slamming my foot on the gas, I shot forward, leaving him behind in a cloud of dust. But his words echoed in my mind, a haunting reminder that this was only the beginning.

‘We’re being forced to shift since we weren’t able to when we were supposed to,’ my wolf explained. ‘I will explain why that isn’t possible later. For now we need to get to safety.’

‘Why?’ I asked, trying to focus on the road.

‘Because we’re in danger. Mother is trying to protect us.’ Her voice was calm, but her urgency seeped through.

‘I’m still in the car! I need to pull over!’ I protested.

‘Not yet,’ she growled. ‘We’re still outside of mate’s territory. It’s too dangerous here. Drive faster. When I say stop, then pull over.’

I clenched my teeth and pushed the accelerator harder, my heart pounding as adrenaline coursed through me. Minutes stretched into an eternity before her voice returned, screaming, ‘Stop!’

I yanked the wheel and swerved off the road, slamming the car into park and stumbling out. As soon as I shut the door, pain tore through me. Bones cracked and shifted, forcing a scream so loud from my throat that birds scattered from the trees. My right hand twisted unnaturally, morphing into a paw as fur sprouted along my arm. My entire body followed, contorting and reshaping until I stood on four legs instead of two.

Once fully shifted, I felt an odd mix of exhaustion and overwhelming energy.

‘I’m tired... is that normal?’ I asked.

‘Yes. I’m taking us to our mates. They can keep us safe.’

‘What’s that smell?’ I asked, sniffing the air. It was putrid, like rotting trash mingled with wet fur.

‘Rogues,’ she replied, her voice heavy with disdain. ‘Something we’re thankfully not. Go to sleep, Little One. This is my time to shine.’

‘No. I’m staying with you,’ I insisted, digging my metaphorical heels in. She may not have chosen to be separate from me, but I wasn’t going to leave her now. Not ever.

She surged forward, powerful paws pounding the earth as she sprinted toward the direction of my house. The air shifted suddenly, a warning too late as wolves emerged from all sides. Growls erupted like thunder, and the smell of rot grew stronger. Some of them lunged immediately, their snarling jaws snapping at us with unrelenting ferocity.

The first wolf charged from the left. She ducked and countered, slamming her shoulder into him and sending him flying into a tree. Another rushed from the right, jaws aiming for her neck. She twisted, her claws raking across his side. The wolf howled in pain but didn’t stop, coming back for more.

One latched onto her hind leg, his teeth sinking deep. We howled, a sound that tore through the chaos like a beacon. More rogues poured out of the shadows, their glowing eyes fixated on us. They swarmed, each attack calculated to weaken us.

Despite the odds, she fought back viciously. She leapt onto one’s back, sinking her fangs into his shoulder and shaking until he dropped limp beneath her. Another lunged for her throat, but she turned just in time to meet him with a powerful swipe of her claws, leaving deep gashes across his muzzle. The air was thick with snarls and the metallic tang of blood as we continued to fight.

But there were too many. One wolf snapped at our flank while another barreled into us from the side, sending us rolling. Sharp pain seared through our back as one clamped down, his teeth digging into muscle and bone.

The world blurred in a frenzy of fur and teeth as we struggled to stay on our feet. Just when it seemed like we couldn’t hold on any longer, four massive black wolves burst into the clearing. Their presence was commanding, their movements precise and deadly. They tore through the rogues with ease, their growls thunderous as they snapped necks and slashed throats.

Even with their help, the rogues pressed harder. They circled us, their desperation palpable. One leapt for her, but a black wolf intercepted, slamming him to the ground with a sickening crunch. Another rogue went for her exposed side, only to be ripped apart mid-air by another of the black wolves.

As the rogues fell one by one, she staggered, exhaustion finally taking its toll.

‘I told you to sleep,’ she murmured weakly. ‘Now we both will.’

She collapsed, her strength giving out. I felt the shift begin again as I returned to my human form, darkness pulling me under before I could process anything else.