I am the Night - the last She-Wolf

Chapter 14 - I am the Night

I lean against Logan. He was forced to change back when a third wolf showed up. Rogues. The evil wolves. They even look meaner. Constantly growling and snapping at us.

“What’s a mate?” I whisper to Logan.

“I’ve been wondering the same thing,” Cillian says next to me.

“Doesn’t really matter now,” Logan mutters, his eyes fixed on the man walking in front of us. He has a limp in his walk. Maybe he’s hurt? Weak even? But the wicked smile on his lips says otherwise.

“You don’t know what a mate is, little one?” the man asks without turning around. I don’t know his name, but I know he must be some kind of leader. He reminds me of the Colonel. Cruel in a different way. He seems more unpredictable, which makes him more dangerous than a power-hungry Hunter. “No one told the human why she’s here?” he snickers. Maybe he’s also a little crazy. That only adds to the dangerous part.

“She’s not my mate,” Logan groans, “there’s no such thing anymore.”

The man stops and within a second he’s at Logan's throat. I stumble and Cillian has to catch me, so I don’t land face-first in the snow.

“You will not spread lies like that!” the man hisses, choking Logan. “You will not disrespect the Goddess in my presence.”

“Let him go,” I say before I can stop myself. The man glances at me and a slow, lazy smile creep over his lips.

“You dare to tell me what to do, human?” he lets go of Logan, but his fingers curl around my throat next. Cillian tries to interfere, but one of the wolves tackles him to the ground.

My hands curl around his wrists. I don’t blink as I hold his gaze stubbornly. “You are nothing!” he whispers dangerously, “how dare you to look at me in defiance?” He lets go and pushes me roughly into the snow. I groan in pain, holding my side. Fresh blood on my fingertips.

The man watches me and creeps closer, lifting my hand to his lips. I shudder in disgust as he licks the blood from my fingertips. Tasting it like an old wine. “Delicious,” he breathes out hungrily. His eyes gleamed with a dangerous desire. “You will be mine!” he promises, making both Logan and Cillian struggle to do something to get us out of this situation.

“I’m not yours,” I say pulling my hand out of his. He glares at me before he starts laughing. The sound echoes through the trees.

“Stupid human girl,” he laughs, “you think you are better than we are? You think you can save yourself? What you fail to see is, that your life is worth nothing to me!”

“Fine,” I say slowly shifting to my knees, staring him down, “but what you fail to see is that I am not human!”

He tilts his head to the side. “Mika!” Logan warns, “shut up!”

One of the shaggy wolves pushes Logan out of the way, knocking his body against a tree, and making him groan. Fur wisps over his skin, but he doesn’t shift. He says put, glaring at me.

“And what, my little pet, do you think you are?” The man takes my jaw in his hands, squeezing harder than necessary.

“I am-,” I start in a low voice, that doesn’t quite fit mine. Almost as if someone else is putting those words into my mouth, “-the night!”

He lets go of me, taking a step back. I’m not sure why or what I’ve said to cause that reaction, but I suddenly feel very tired. Drained. All energy seems to have left my body. I slouch forward and just caught myself in time not to land in the snow.

Somewhere behind us, a loud, hair-raising growl sounds. It cuts through the tension like a knife. It’s filled with rage. Pure, white-hot rage.

A soft smile tugs on my lips. Calm settling in the pit of my stomach. Warmth flooded my cold body. For some reason, I am not afraid that more wolves are showing up. I am relieved.

The sound of paws on snow. Approaching quickly. The wolves around us turn to face the coming danger. Facing it while I stay on my knees, head hung low.

“Are you okay?” Cillian’s hand is on my back. I slowly nod and lift my head to look at him. For a brief moment, he seems surprised, but it fades quickly as he looks over my shoulder at Logan. His clothes tare as he changes into a wolf.

“Get out of the way!” His voice fades in and out. I put my hand on Cillian’s shoulder and let him help me up.

“We need to... move,” I say to him and he nods, watching the wolves standoff. This might get ugly quickly. I lean on him, stumbling a little as my feet refuse to move. I slowly turn my head to look at the wolves that appeared out of nowhere.

I meet a pair of golden-brown eyes. Before I can react, someone jumps us. Cillian goes down first before I’m being dragged away. Sharp teeth rip into my jacket, pulling and dragging.

That’s the exact moment the wolves lunge at each other. One of them trying to get to me. He’s tall. His fur shimmered in a dark brown. Almost black. His hind leg is scarred, as he rips through whoever stands in his way. Trying to get to me. To come for me.

I struggle, but I manage to shrug out of the jacket the wolf’s been dragging me by. I stay low as the brown wolf jumps over me and attacks the one spitting out my jacket. They fight viciously. Snapping. Biting. Colliding with bone-breaking force.

I crawl away, trying to get out of the way. Logan appears at my side, nudging me with his muzzle, urging me to get up. “I can’t,” I breathe.

“We should get away while there is time. They are occupied fighting each other!” He says.

“Why... why are you in my head?” I ask out loud.

“No time to explain now,” he says and nudges me again, “get up, Mika!”

“Where’s Cillian?” I ask, searching the area for him. He’s leaning against a tree, catching his breath. “Who are they?” I ask, pointing at the fighting wolves.

“Mika! Move!” Logan says impatiently, but I stay put, watching as the shaggy, black wolf howls in pain, limping out of the way. Huffing and snapping at the air. The other two bark and growl, before all of them, retreat and speed off.

The brown wolf trots over to me and Logan growling at us. Logan growls back, but I slowly pull myself up, curling my fingers into Logan's fur. My eyes on the brown wolf. “I know you,” I say slowly, “it... it’s you!”

“You know him?” Logan asks confused. “How?”

“Saved his life,” I say and a soft smile spreads across my face. The wolf steps closer, very slowly wagging its tail. Is he happy to see me? I reach out, touching his muzzle and he leans into my hand.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Logan says and finally takes a step back.

“Mika, what are you doing?” Cillian calls out and runs towards us. The wolf bares its teeth at him.

“Hey,” I say, turning the wolf's attention back to me, “he’s my friend,” I say and he growls softly. Not very happy with that. “both of them,” I say, pointing at Logan too. The brown wolf lifts his head, looking at Logan.

Logan takes a step back and lowers his head in submission. “What are you doing?” Cillian asks, “what’s going on?”

“We are going with them,” Logan says.

“We are?” I ask out loud. I think. Because everyone is looking at me. Darkness is threatening at the edges of my vision, so I slowly let myself sink back down into the snow. Touching my side again. It’s still bleeding. I wonder how much more blood I can lose before I’ve run dry.

The brown wolf nudges my hand away, taking in the damage. He’s not pleased. I don’t know how I know this, but it’s a feeling. I can sense it. I can almost feel his anger and worry.

“I’m going to be fine,” I tell him and his eyes meet mine, “I think,” I add and close my eyes for a brief moment. Taking in the soft smell of almonds.

“So,” a voice says from behind us. A man with short blond hair and a sheepish grin in place walks over to us, “nice to meet you,” he says throwing a backpack at the brown wolf. “I’m Zeek,” he introduces himself, “that’s my brother Barron,” he points at another man, who just puts on a black leather jacket. They look alike. Same hair. Same statue.

“The handsome fella you’re staring at is Nathaniel,” he introduces the wolf in front of me. “Which means that you must be Mika,” he adds.

“How... how do you know my name?” I ask confused.

“How could I not?” He chuckles and glances at the wolf opposite of me. Nathaniel. He takes the backpack and trots away with it. I don’t like that he’s leaving, but I tear my gaze away from the retreating figure.

“Here you go,” he hands Logan a pair of pants and a shirt. Logan changes back without hesitation. By now I’m almost used to him doing that. Still, I search for something else to look at.

Cillian. He moves over and crouches in front of me, brushing my hair back, “are you hurt?” he asks me.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Zeek warns amused.

“Do what?” Cillian snaps at him.

“Touch her!” he chuckles.

Cillian ignores him and turns back to me, “let me see,” he says pushing the fabric of my shirt out of the way. It’s blood-soaked and dirty. I feel awful and a little embarrassed to be such a mess.

Especially when the man, Nathaniel walks back towards us. He’s tall, built like a tank and he keeps staring at me with those golden eyes. He’s gorgeous. And looking at him stirs something inside of me.

“Mika?” It takes a moment for me to tear my gaze from Nathaniel to look back at Cillian.

“What?” I ask confused and tired.

“How do you feel?”

“I... I don’t know,” I say glancing back at Nathaniel. He looks mad. Angry even. Scarily so. I probably should be afraid of all of them, but here I am in the middle of a pack of wolves. Again. But this time I’m not afraid. I’m just curious about all of them.

“Cillian,” Logan puts his hand on his shoulder and carefully pulls him away from me, “take a step back. Two, if you’re smart.”

“Why?”

“I’ll explain later, just keep your distance.”

Nathaniel seems to second that with just a glare in Cillian's direction. He hasn’t said a word yet and he doesn’t seem to have to. His body language is tense and it keeps Cillian from protesting. Nathaniel crouches down in front of me, watching me for a moment, taking me in as if I’m some kind of exhibition at an auction.

“Stop that,” I mutter. I hate being studied like that. It’s unsettling when he does it though.

“Who did this to you?” he finally manages to say, his voice deep, drenched with anger. “Who hurt you like that?”

“I... what?” I ask distracted by the way his lips move. He is weirdly distracting. I guess all the injuries and all the traumatic events finally catch up with me and I’m losing it. My mind. It’s turning to mush and there is nothing I can do about it.

I flinch a little when he raises his hand to touch my jaw. A few men did the exact same thing recently, but their touch was rough and cruel. He is surprisingly gentle, despite the rage glittering in his eyes.

“Who. Did this. To you?” he says again, a low growl resonating from his chest as he speaks.

“That’s... kind of a long story,” I say lowering my gaze. I’m not sure I want to share it with him. Yet something within me desperately wants to confide in him. Wants him to soothe all the bad away and make me whole again.

“Who the hell are you?” Cillian asks, breaking the moment of silence, breaking up the simmering connection between me and the Lycan. I can’t help but wonder if he came back for me.

“How is your leg?” I ask.

“You’re that wolf?” Cillian asks putting one and one together, “the one she freed from the trap?”

Nathaniel nods slowly, without taking his eyes off me. He’s still angry, but something about his expression softens and turns into curiosity. Finally, he raises and pulls me up along with him. I wince a little, but I don’t mind when he lifts me into his arms and without another word starts walking.

“Put her down!” Cillian says, stepping into his path.

“Get out of my way!” Nathaniel warns, his voice dangerously low.

“And if I don’t?” Nathaniel answers with a frightening growl. “You are not taking her!” Cillian adds, holding his ground.

“Maybe-,” the man that introduced himself as Zeek interferes, “-we should find a better place to discuss this. It’s not very safe out here and you people reek! Actually, you look like hell too.”

“I don’t know you. I don’t trust you. Put her down and we can discuss whatever you want!” Cillian says pointing at me.

“I... I’m okay,” I say, closing my eyes, “just... don’t fight, okay? No more fighting,” I whisper, and I think Nathaniel holds me a little closer to his warm chest. It’s solid but comfortable. It’s soothing and safe. It makes me... happy?!