A Lone Wolf

truths

I stood panting after the last explosion of agony. So he wasn't mad after all and he'd actually been sort of sweet about it all.

As the sand cleared, I looked up to meet his gaze, trained on me, an expression of awe and wonder on his savagely handsome face. I appeared to be slightly taller than him now and he wasn't a small bloke.

I looked down to see huge paws covered in a shimmering gold fur instead of my feet.

"Hello Delphine," a sultry voice in my head purred, " I've been waiting so long to meet you."

Great, now I'm hearing voices; I'm hallucinating, the guy must have spiked me. I growled to myself and the voice let out a throaty laugh.

" No Delphine, the hunter didn't do anything, I'm your wolf, my name is Lucifera; but you may call me Luci."

"That's a long name," I thought

"It means the bringer of light Della, you are the bringer of light after a long darkness. It has been a long time since my paws have felt the earth, I would like to run."

I looked at the hunter in front of me, standing with an amused expression.

"I guess you're hearing her now? Your wolf?" He laughed, "it's going to take a while to get used to; I'm guessing she'll want to run. I know you have questions so I'll wait right here with your clothes until you're done." He smiled and sat down on the sand, folding my dress on his lap.

I shook out my fur and turned to look at the moon, the extra legs feeling strange to me.

"Let me help you, let me go," Luci said, "let's run!" I felt her excitement and did as she asked, letting go like a passenger as I felt my muscles bunch, leaping forward, hearing the pounding of my enormous paws. It felt like flying as the keen wind tore through my fur. I was warm even in the wind and my heart felt like soaring. I let out a joyful howl as I ran through the surf, seeing every detail in breathtaking sharpness, hearing the splashes tinkling like glass.

I ran until the shoreline ended, slipping away into the roiling black of the North sea. I could see the dark shadows of the boats and oil rigs on the horizon, the twinkling of the buoys marking underwater hazards; Even the air tasted different; each tang distinct on my tongue.

I laid down, panting with a Wolfy grin on my face; I could get used to this!

"We should go back" Luci murmured regretfully. I nodded and heaved myself to my feet, shaking the sand from my fur as I turned, starting up a slower canter towards the pier. I could see the lights of the promenade Even though they were miles away.

As we neared the prom, I could smell the hunter; that male musk mixed with another scent I couldn't place.

"Death," Luci said, "he smells like death. Not literal death but imminent death. If you ever smell anything similar, we must run. I don't think this one will kill us though; he smells of doubt."

I frowned inwardly as I approached the smiling hunter.

"Ah, Luci, how do I go back to being me?" I asked.

"This is you Della" she said, "just another form; you mean how do you go back to being human? Just imagine how it feels to be human, how it feels having smooth skin and two legs; oh, and remember you won't have clothes." She smirked.

I looked at the hunter and let out a whine; no way I was being naked in front of him. He chuckled and turned around, slinging my dress over his shoulder.

I imagined myself on two legs as hard as I could and experienced what felt like the biggest sneeze ever in reverse as my body changed.

Suddenly, I was shivering, naked on the beach, the heat of my wolf form gone. I reached up to grab my dress off his shoulder and slipped it over my bare skin.

He turned around, his gaze falling to my hardened n*****s under my thin dress.

"Sorry, I couldn't save the undies" he coughed, a blush spreading over his neck and face as he realised he was staring. Wordlessly he bent and grabbed my coat, offering it to me with his gaze on the floor. I took it gratefully and wrapped it around my cool body, suddenly feeling shy.

"He's quite handsome," Luci purred in my head.

I couldn't deny it, he had that whole dangerous vibe going on but I had so many questions.

"You can ask me the questions, I'd rather have fun with this handsome hunter," she growled.

I could feel myself blushing furiously and noticed that he was watching me curiously with one eyebrow c****d

"I'd love to know what your wolf is saying to make you blush like that princess," he grinned. "By the way, wolves are generally horny buggers lovely; is she making naughty suggestions?"

I nodded, mortified that he knew. His eyes softened and he chucked a finger under my chin, stroking his thumb over my jaw.

"It's ok Princess, you've grown up in a human world, thinking like a human, wolves are different; they eat, drink, fight and f**k; they're literally your animal side and you're going to have to square with that. You're going to have to accept that all of your appetites are going to be bigger from now on."

He gave me an almost regretful smirk then took my hand.

"I'm guessing you have questions." He said.

I nodded and sighed as he pulled me along the beach, carrying my heels in my hand.

"What's your name little wolf?" He asked gently.

"Delphine;" I answered, "you can call me Della."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful lady; and your wolf? Did she tell you her name?" He asked.

"Lucifera" I responded.

He frowned at that.

"Lucifera?" He asked, I nodded. He looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Means light bringer" he said, I nodded. " Until I do a bit of research, I wouldn't just share that with anybody" he said. I frowned but didn't question it

"Ady? " I asked,

"Yes little wolf?"

"Are there more like me?"

" Not many anymore; a few." He said. He sounded sad, almost regretful.

He pulled me to a large truck in the carpark.

"It's late little wolf; come to mine for coffee and I'll tell you anything you need to know." He opened the door for me and waited patiently.

I hesitated; I wouldn't usually get in a car with a complete stranger but the guy had just watched me turn into a bloody great wolf and I needed answers.

I shrugged to myself and went to pull myself up on the dash but he grabbed me round the waist and lifted me gently into the seat.

He climbed into the other side and started the engine, I quietly watched him drive, looking at his profile; he was definitely a lot older than me, he worked out, that much was obvious, he was tall and athletic but not overly bulky, his muscular arms straining at the short sleeves of his shirt. His tousled, dirty blonde hair reached his collar, framing a sharp jawline sprinkled with goldish stubble. His lips were thick and sensual, his eyes trained on the road.

"Like something you see princess?" He asked with a smirk.

I whipped my head round to look at the road, blushing furiously at being caught checking him out. He chuckled quietly and turned on the radio. It wasn't long before we drew up onto a secluded driveway lined by trees, the truck's suspension cushioning the roughness of the track; I braced myself against the dash, almost leaving my seat a couple of times.

A moment later, we drew up to a cottage that looked, for all the world, like it had jumped out of a Grimm fairy tale; the dark leaded windows glinting in the light of the full moon.

I got out of the truck, open mouthed as I walked up to the door, touching the rough flint of the walls.

"This is yours?" I asked breathlessly, " it's beautiful!"

"Kind of," he answered with a smile, "the guild owns it: they own properties all over the world and we can use them as we please; some, like me, choose to stay in one area and use it as a base, travelling from there as needed. Others are more nomadic, only staying in one area for a couple of months."

I shuddered, knowing that they were out there killing people like me.

"Hey, it's ok Princess, you're safe here." He said, rubbing my arms and bending to catch my gaze. I looked into his piercing blue eyes, reading only sincerity there. His hands stopped on my biceps, his gaze sweeping over my face, lingering on my mouth.

"Breathe little wolf" he whispered, "I can hear your little mouse heart humming."

I took a deep breath as he let me go to push the door open and I stepped into a world of fairy tales, of monsters and huntsmen; and I was the big, bad wolf.