The Werewolf Priestess

Chapter 15. Claire

How could this man who knows nothing of these kind people come here, call them monsters, murder an innocent woman in front of us, and attack my people. All at once I feel nothing but rage.

“Use it,” I hear Selene say.

I see John collapse and Carter is wavering on his feet and doesn’t look far behind

“Enough,” I cry out just as Carter can no longer stand.

I phase into my wolf. For the first time I see genuine panic on Rolands face. I let loose a low deep growl. I charge. Roland tries to get a swipe at me but I manage to dodge. I need to end this quickly if there’s any hope in saving John and Carter. I don’t think I’ll be able to use my power against the wolfsbane poisoning. I charge again this time knocking Roland off his feet but he quickly recovers. So on my next pass I take a chunk out of his leg and he gives me a haircut. He drops to his knees and I use that as an opportunity to take his arm out of commission. I rip his hand off and toss it to the side. He cries out in agony. Screaming about how ‘I’ll get what’s coming to me.’ He looks pitiful. I phase back to my human form.

“You cannot hurt me any longer. I am done running from you. Even if I decided to prove you wrong by letting you go you would just keep coming back to try and hurt me and the ones I love. All because you decided it was your job to play god. You do not get to decide what types of people walk this Earth. It is not your place.” I walk over to his severed hand and take his knife from it. I walk back to him and stand before him. “However it is my job to keep my people safe from monsters like you and if killing you to protect my people makes me a monster. I would gladly be one.”

“But I’m your father,” He says with a smirk. “You can’t kill your father.”

“I don’t have a father. I haven’t had one since he killed my mother in cold blood.” With that I slit his throat.

I stand there for a moment as I watch the life leave his eyes and his body become a crippled bloody heap. I drop the knife and Run over to Carter checking to make sure he is still alive. I breathe a sigh of relief he is still breathing, Then I check on John he is alive as well but I need to get them to the clinic and fast.

I mind-link Jamison. ‘Jamison come here the fight is over but I need your help.’

‘I’m coming Luna,’ he responds.

After a moment I see him running towards me.

“What is it Luna?”

“I need you to grab John. I’ve got Carter. We need to get to the clinic immediately,” I say, picking up Carter.

Jamison picks up John and runs toward the clinic. We burst through the doors. We need help. They've been poisoned by wolfsbane. A doctor and two nurses pushing stretchers come rushing out.

“Put them on the stretchers,” the doctor commands. “How long since they’ve been down?”

“Um, like 15-20 minutes,” I answer.

“Do you know the concentration of the poison?”

“No but I’m sure it’s heavy.”

“We’ll try our best.”

With that they wheel Carter and John into the back. I pace back and forth waiting for any news. After a couple hours a doctor came out.

“We’ve got them stable, but they are still suffering from the effects of the poison.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Well, there used to be these big flowering vines that grew up the back of the temple, they only bloom under the full moon. If you can gather some, the petals can be boiled into tea that might help.”

“Ok I will gather some up. Is Carter conscious?”

“Not currently but you can still go sit with him if you’d like.”

“Thank you.”

I walked back and sat at Carter’s bedside. I held his hand and a tear rolled down my cheek.

“I’m sorry you’re in this bed, it's all my fault,” I whispered.

“No it’s not,” a soft voice answered. I looked up to find Tara.

“Where’s Rosie?”

“I hope you don’t mind, I left her with my sister. They wouldn’t let me bring her here”

“It’s fine. You should be here for John.”

“And this whole situation is Roland’s fault.”

“But he was looking for me. I never in a million years would have dreamed he would find me.”

“But that still isn’t your fault. It’s not your fault he was crazy. It’s not your fault he went on a manhunt. You didn’t want or ask for any of this. Besides, how long had you been running to avoid him?”

“Since I was 12.”

“You’ve been on your own since you were 12?”

“Yes.”

“You deserve the family you’ve found here.”

“Thanks,” I pause. “Hey, can you keep an eye on Carter? I'm going to get Rosie.”

“Of course.”

I walk out of the clinic and start walking to Becca’s. While walking I start thinking about the flowers the doctor said grew on the temple. I have never noticed flowers on the temple. I wonder why they only grow on the back. I walk up the walkway and knock on the door. Jamison opened the door.

“Hello, Luna,” Jamison greeted me.

“I believe I told you before to call me Claire.”

“Of course Luna, I’m sorry, Claire.”

“I’m sorry, if you were put out having to watch Rosie.”

“Never,” answered a sweet voice from behind Jamison.

Becca appeared in the door holding Rosie. “She was an angel. I was more than happy to watch her for you, it is the least I can do after what you did for us.”

“Still I very much appreciate it,” I say, taking Rosie in my arms.

I strap Rosie in her stroller and bid Becca and Jamison goodbye. It was getting dark. I looked up to the sky. I noticed the full moon. I decided to swing by the temple.