The Wolf's Match

Where am I?

"We're in deep s**t!"

"No kidding. How the f**k is she awake. The portal doesn't allow humans, let alone allow them to come through alive."

"So you think she's not human. Witch? Vampire? Fairy?"

"Who the f**k knows. What I do know is that if we didn't get there when we did, she'd be a goner too."

What on earth are they talking about? Not a human? These two gruff voices coming from outside of the door were loud enough to wake the dead. The dead. Oh my god, Suzie. Where is she?

"I swear, when he gets here, if they say she's human, we are dead ourselves."

The voices continued to converse about God knows what while I took in my surroundings. My head hurt, I was starving, the beeps from a monitor and the smell of bleach led me to the only conclusion I was in a hospital. Where though? I remember the people saying something about The Heather as I was brought into that light. Is that where I am?

I slowly opened my eyes, it's as though I had been knocked out. The effects from last nights' alcohol may have also been playing a part.

I looked around the room and saw the sterile white walls, the one chair and a stand that can hold food. Definitely a hospital. I looked at my hands and realized they were chained to the bed. My ankles too. What the hell!!

"UM EXCUSE ME. WHY AM I CHAINED?" I yelled toward the hallway.

The door opened in an instant and i recognized the two tall men from the night before. Both were well over six feet tall, muscular and with dark brown beards. Their green clothes seemed to be identical which led me to believe they were uniforms.

"WHY AM I CHAINED!" I yelled at them again.

"Sorry ma'am," one of them replied, "we just have to be cautious given the situation. I will notify our superior that you are awake and you will be questioned."

"Questioned about what? My friend dying! Where is she? Where is Suzie? Who are you? Where am i?"

"Our superior will be able to answer all your questions." With that, he nodded to his colleague who seemed to squint, look at his partner and nod back. "He will be here in a few moments, he's just downstairs."

"But why am I chained like someone psychotic criminal. I didn't murder her."

"Ma'am," spoke the other, with a much gruffer voice, "you're not under arrest, but it's for your protection as much as ours.

I let out a huff, I knew not to argue with police, and these two seemed like the sort, despite them not wearing a uniform I was accustomed to seeing. Before I could ask anymore questions there was a knock at the door.

In walked another extremely tall man. He towered over the other two and was much burlier. He too had a beard, but it was white with salt and pepper flecks, his hair slicked back and was wearing the same shade green as the other two but it was a pin striped suite. He nodded at the two men who seemed incredibly nervous in his presence and they quickly scurried out the door. He smiled a very welcoming smile, and made his way to the chair.

"Hello Miss, I am Commissioner Wilson of the WDA. I know you have a million questions about what you've seen, where you are, etc," he waved his hand non chalantly, 'but first I have a few questions about what happened and who in fact you are."

"So am I under arrest?" I asked politely as i could as i wiggled my wrists in front of him, exposing the chains.

"Oh Goddess, those two", he rolled his eyes and shook his head simultaneously. He arose from his chair with a key in his hand, "May I?"

I emphatically nodded, rubbing each wrist as the chains were released. Commissioner Wilson sat back down in his seat and smiled. "I apologise about those two, they seem a bit on edge."

I smiled in response, compiling a list a million miles long of questions of my own in my head. This was absolutely insane. What I saw last night was definitely not the alcohol working. Where was Suzie? I needed to see her. Was she actually dead? Vamp? I was trying to replay everything I saw last night, piecing together information that was just not making sense. I was interrupted from my thoughts when the questions started being asked.

"May I start with your name?" His voice was so kind. He was an older gentleman, maybe in his fifties, he had that tone that he cared but had a job to do.

"Elle. Elle Bramble."

"Your date of birth?"

"Today actually. If it's the 26th still? I am now 25."

"Well Happy Birthday Elle," He smiled as squinted. His demeanor changed some how. He went from caring to looking slightly concerned. "And your parents?"

What on earth did my parents have anything to do with my friend being murdered? Why is this even a line of questioning? "My mother was Gabrielle, I'm actually not sure of her maiden name, she left when I was quite young," the commissioner nodded at my response, "and my Father is Malcolm Bramble, he's 50 years old."

"I see", he nodded, "what is your Father's occupation?"

"He's a farmer." There was not much more to say than that. Why were my parents seeming to be a line of questioning?

"Now yourself my dear, what is your occupation?"

"I'm a business analyst."

"And what does that job require of yourself?"

"I have to predict trends and patterns within certain business markets. I have a pretty good intuition about it really."

"Is that so?" he mused. "Now this may seem like an odd question, or it may make complete sense", the commissioner dropped his head, looking at me as though I am a naughty kid in class. "Do you have your official paperwork for interportal travel?"

"Interportal travel? What travel? I have a passport." I raised the statement as a question, obviously he wants some identification, but what the hell is interportal travel? I can only assume that bright light from last night was a portal of some kind, but this was all too fanatical to make any sense.

The commissioner sighed and squinted his eyes. After a few moments of silence from him, while I pretty much stared waiting for an answer, he cleared his throat. As he was about to speak another knock came on the door.

A portly short man came in with a grin like a Cheshire cat, he looked straight at the Commicssioner "Bruce, thank you. I'll take it from here." His face was positively beaming, he walked over like a fancy cat, with one hand held out, large rings adorning his fingers. He wasn't wearing green like the others, instead he was wearing red slacks and a gold smokers jacket. He was followed by two female doctors, also smiling from ear to ear.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Elle," the Commissioner smiled at me and quickly exited the room, seeming to slouch as he walked out as though he was bowing.

"Elle, is it, Commissioner Wilson has told me so much about you already, but I want to learn more myself", he smiled and motioned his hands above his head for the doctors to come to me. How on earth has he been told so much about me, he never left the room, unless he was at the door eaves dropping, which wouldn't surprise me since he was right there. I was about to ask who this gold jacket man was I felt the stab of a needle in my wrist.

"WHAT THE f**k ARE YOU DOING?" My voice growled, not like that annoyance growl but a guttural growl. I swore it made the bed shake. The doctors didn't seem to flinch as they quickly withdrew some blood and but it in what seemed like a Bunsen burner set up they had wheeled in behind them.

"Just some blood dear, just need to test a few things?" beamed the gold jacket man.

"Who the hell are you? Why am I here? Why are you taking my blood and finally, What the hell happened last night." My eyes were trained on this mans face. His smile stayed the same as he came to sit on the edge of my bed and held my hand.

"I'm sorry, but we are all very excited to see you, I forgot you would have a million questions to ask." He seemed completely sincere as he started to pat my hand as though to comfort me. The doctors started to heat up the blood and sprinkling powder into it, and enchanting something, as though they were whispering, but I could hear them as though they sat next me 'qui stunt vos.' What on earth did that mean? What doctor's chant? Knowing my luck and all this weird stuff happening, they were probably witch doctors.

"I," he lowered his voice and looked me straight in the eye, "am Boris Jackson, head of the F. R.F.W, the Federation of Reuniting Families of War. I work directly with the Royal Family of The Northern quadrant of the Heather."

What on earth was he doing here? I wasn't some war refugee. What war? Before I could ask anything Boris continued.

"Around 25 years ago, The Heather, our world, was one. No North, South, East, West, just the Heather," he paused as to allow me to take in information. What did he mean by our world? As if reading my mind he continued, "The Heather, our world, is a land of, what do human's call them?' he looked up at the ceiling as if looking for the word, "mystical beings, that's right, mystical beings."

I raised my eyebrow in response, what is this crackpot on about. I started scanning the room, looking for video camera's, surely this was a joke. As I scanned every corner I noticed the doctors science experiment. They had stopped chanting and Red and Yellow smoke was coming from the beaker that my blood was in. It was intertwining and turning orange, but staying separate, yet swirling together. One doctor coughed to get Boris's attention. He turned and smiled then grabbed my hand even tighter.

"You my dear, hold two mystical beings within your DNA. You are both werewolf and witch. You see the smoke there," He pointed as I nodded in response, yet continuing to scan the room for some kind of camera crew. "The red represents the werewolf, the yellow the witch."

"Very scientific'" I mused, trying to see if he would finally break character. Now is not the time for a joke. What I went through last night was just too much, and now this has to be some kind of sick prank that who knows is pulling.

"The war," Boris continued, lowering his voice and sounding quite solemn, "was very b****y. There was a group of people in the Southern part of our land's who were not very happy on how our world was changing, modernizing. Different mystical races were in relationships and having children, like yourself, " he gestured toward me with a smile, "and what's more, they weren't happy that the Royal Family were willing to give the witch race such power as to cast a spell on all beings across the world."

"Right, so you're talking like global domination, a spell across the world?" I smirked, letting him know I was not buying what he was selling.

"Yes Elle, but not for domination. You see, one amazing thing about mystical being's is that the Goddess allows us to have fated mates. Now this is an amazing part of our lives, true love."

I let out a snort and started to giggle. "True love, O.K. Must be ... magical," and I made a gesture with my fingers as though casting a spell.

"Yes, well," Boris released my hand and pulled his jacket around his chest. He seemed significantly sterner when he continued. "The Heather council put forward a motion that a spell be made that Fated Mate's would not be found until the age of 25, rather than 16 as was the previous age. They had done extensive research within the human world, took poll's and had a world vote, it was motioned, but this annoyed a lot of people. 'Too much power to witches', 'What's next,' 'The witches are taking over.' is all the papers were saying," he air quoted,"The revolt started in the Southern Quadrant. They seemed to believe that the Royal's and the council were trying to take away free will and the will of the Goddess. The main point was to allow the people of The Heather, especially the female's, to not be tied down to their children before they could figure out what they were good at, what their passion's were. There was obviously a large group of subject's that wanted to move away from the dark ages, where we were chased from the land of human's," he leant in and whispered, "There were a few bad eggs, like that certain guy in Transylvania I'm sure you've heard about."

I could not believe what I was hearing. This was quite an elaborate tale. Royal's, Council's. Witched and Werewolves. Boris seemed very involved in his tale, he was an amazing actor. How he remembered this script and seemed so sincere, he must be very wanted within the acting community.

"So anyway, the group in the South started gathering a following. It went from newspaper articles to protests, so more gated against mixed children, separating and jailing mixed couples, then finally the beatings and killings. Not everyone obviously voted for the age limit to rise, so those in other Quadrant's started following the lead of the South. People were fleeing to the human world left right and centre. Bramble," he paused noting it was my last name, "Is a very prominent name in the witch community."

O.K, this was getting too much. "So your'e saying my Dad was a witch? Then why did my Mum run off with some witch Cult?"

"We don't know those answers unfortunately, we just know that when we find someone that was lost during that time, we do our best to acclimatize them back into our world. We haven't had someone come back in quite some time, and the new trouble growing in the South at the moment, holding the old setinments from the war, The Royal Family of the North are wanting to do some press with you."

"Can you please stop bullshitting me! Where are the cameras. Am i being plunked? Was that thing with Suzie last night all a prank? Happy Birthday to me right?"

Boris smiled a wide smile, his portly face started to transform in front of my eyes. His nose elongated, fur started growing from his face, his head became larger and within seconds I was looking at the face of a wolf.

"I know this is a shock," Boris now transformed back to his smiling face grabbed my hand and c****d his eyebrow.

What the Hell did I just see. I was completely lost for words.

Boris cleared his throat, "So as you see, we are indeed telling you the truth. Now as far as what happened last night, The Queens of Screams are a very popular here in the Heather, a lot of people traveled through designated portal's to go see them." My mind was trying to retrieve all the information I have been bombarded with in the short time of waking up. Portal's, interportal travel, war's, fairytale's being true, the fact that I am werewolf and witch. "Commssioner Wilson who you met before is the head of the WDA, like what human's call police. They were sent to patrol the portal's, checking documentation etc, " waving his hands above his head as if trying to wash away the nitty gritty and stick to the subject that is relevant to myself.

"The WDA?"

"The Werewolf Dectective Agency. See different mystical being's have different strengths. Werewolve's are strong, diligent, and can sniff out trouble," he pointed to his nose with a smirk, "which generally makes them better at the Detective or Police work." He then gestured at the Doctor's, "And witches, well they have amazing intuition and are fantastic healer's."

So they were actually with Doctor's, i smirked and shook my head realizing my thought's before were actually truth.

"Now Elle, unfortunately this large gathering at the concert last night didn't just attract legal and law abiding citizen's of The Heather. There are some of us that are refugee's of war's and also criminal's on the run. Your friend unfortunately met one of those, a Vampire with a previous history of attacking both mystical being's and human's alike." He paused and his eyes looked directly at mine. His voice seemed to understand that he needed to be gentle at this time in delivering terrible news. "Your friend Suzie did not make it, I'm sorry Elle. The Vampire in question is being held in the WDA headquarters and is awaiting trial. If you feel up to it, I'm sure the Commssioner would appreciate you testifying."

"OF COURSE," I couldn't help but yell. The question finally answered was devistating. My friend, my housemate, my BEST friend, lost to what seems to be now MY people. That poor woman, her final moments must have been terrifying. A Vampire of all things. Tears now started streaming down my face, this was really all my fault. She went out of her way for MY birthday. She endured a concert of a band she didn't even like for ME. "Where is she now?" I blurted through tears.

"We have taken her to the Hall of The Goddess. We will hold a ceremony for her as a victim of this criminal being."

"Can I go? Can I see her?" I continued to blurt.

"She has already been embalmed, as is our custom, especially with Vampire attack's. Although many live happily and of no threat and danger to society, it is their belief that they should be born and not created. Again, away from the dark ages of things. A quick embalming ensures that the magic encased in their venom would not reanimate the body. Naturally though, you are more than welcome to come to the Ceremony. "

I really couldn't believe that I was making sense of all this from books, movies, and fairytales I had experienced as a child. I was so confused yet understood everything, as though it was second nature, a life that made absolute sense, but before last night would have been complete nonsense. My poor, poor Suzie. What about Artie? How would he grieve HIS Suzie without knowing a Vampire had killed her, a criminal Vampire.

"The reason WE," he patted his chest,"were alerted to your arrival, was that you were alive. Human's cannot survive the portal, for our obvious safety reasons, that is how they have been created. When the two Officers removed you all from the scene, you were covered in blood and assumed you were another human victim. When you... emptied your stomach on them," Oh I had forgotten about that part, I could tell Boris was trying to be polite, "They knew you were alive, brought you here, and alerted their Commanding Officer of a potential illegal mystic OR a portal in which they had allowed a human through, the chains I heard you were unceremoniously attached to, were," again he paused trying to find the right words, "I know human's tell tales of evil witches in candy houses, and witches giving poison apples, and apparently a new one is sparkling vampires", he chuckled, "but the younger members of The Heather haven't experienced much of the human world and have grown up on tales of human's burning down castles, as well as places like Salem," Boris raised his eye brows with a knowing look, "I apologies for their naivety."

"So can I leave after the Ceremony for Suzie?" I need to tell Artie at least something, I'd actually even take a big hug from Aiden at the moment,just some comfort from home. I also needed to find my Dad and find out where and why they fled, that he was in fact a Witch and mum was a Werewolf and what else he knew, and why did he hide it and not even hint at his old life before the farm.

"That's the thing," Boris seemed apologetic before giving me whatever information he was about to devastate me with, "Not for at least a year."

"A YEAR!! A WHOLE YEAR!!! SO I AM A PRISONER!!!"

"No, no, no ,no, no," Boris shook his head enthusiastically, "It is quite literally for your protection."

"My protection?" I questioned, "How on Earth, or The Heather, is being away from my friends and family not being held captive?" How could he explain this one, that is pretty much the very definition of being held captive, or at least isolated.

"We usually would allow you to go back if you wished, but the fact you just turned 25, well, that complicates things." I had completely forgotten it was my Birthday by now. How does me being 25 complicate being with my nearest and dearest during an obviously traumatic event like losing my best friend?

"As I said earlier, the witches cast a spell to not allow you to find your fated mate until you are 25, well it also meant that it suppressed your natural power. You may have shown signs like your intuition that you stated earlier, however, the fact that you are also part Werewolf, and the fact that you have no idea about transitioning, spells, or what power's you will find most dominant, we need to put you into a training course. Those that live in The Heather have been exposed to this their whole life, in human terms, you are about to go from puberty to adulthood with no guidance if you go back."

"There's my Dad though."

"That may be so, but a Law was brought in after the first lot of Refugee's came back. The fact that you are all very new to this, it's a requirement." Boris' Cheshire cat smile became a sympathetic grin. He did seem sorry that he had to tell me this.

"Well when does all this start then? I want to get home." I would do anything to skip back to yesterday and just change plans, tell Suzie no and not be coerced by her excitement to celebrate, to just go back to normal.

"We will meet the committee and Royal Family tomorrow, as long as you feel O.K to do so," he smiled his big smile again, thankful that I was going along with his plan, or maybe just the protocol that he was expected to follow, "Then we will have the Ceremony for your friend, and the following day you will be enrolled. Please no that if you need more time to grieve, it will be understood. We can postpone it slightly but you will need to stay in The Heather until you've completed your training."

I nodded and understood, me turning into a wolf voluntarily wasn't exactly what I wanted. I still needed to testify, and well, back home I would never have a chance to meet a Royal, so it was actually a bit of excitement in what was seeming like a dreary experience to come.

Boris stood from his seat and motioned the Doctor's to leave. "Happy Birthday Elle, I'm sure this one will remain one to remember, for both the good and bad. I will be back in the morning to get us all organized for the day. For now, just rest." He walked to the door, and turned as he was at the doorway. "Welcome home to The Heather Elle."