The mark of the wolf

chapter 7

The rain beat against the window a endless stream of water. Alana stared out of the window looking to see when it would let up obviously not anytime soon. She growled than stalked to the front door and walked outside. After walking deep into the woods she shrugged off her clothes and shifted. The wolf loved the rain her human side not so much. The wolf wandered through the forest and deeper than she had ever gone before. That's when she smelled him . Cinaed he was there somewhere. She stood still and listened thats when she heard a growl and a yelp and than barking. She broke through the Grove of trees and found herself in a clearing. There he was fighting like mad against a giant black bear. The bear took a swipe at him he dodged barely in time from being gutted by the bears sharp claws. She barked than ran right for the bear jumping onto its back and clamping down on the bears neck. It roared and bucked trying to throw her off . She held on as tight as she could but her grip on his neck was loosening. She finally had to let go and dropped down. She than had to dodge to her right to avoid the sharp claws. The bear was livid and let out a bellow blood pouring from the wound on its neck. It charged her and she tried to avoid getting hit but couldn't move fast enough. The bear swung it's paw and hit her hard in the side. She felt the impact claws against flesh and a giant shredding sound flesh against bone. She was flung a few feet back and landed hard on her right side. The agony the pain it was unbearable . She let out a soft wine and tried to get up but than collapsed the blood poured from the wounds. She tried to stand one more time the bear was trying to charge her to finish her off. Cinaed launched himself into the bears neck and did not let go teeth clamped down. The bear tried to pull free and the wolf held strong than with a mighty tug Cinaed ripped out the bears throat. Blood sprayed everywhere coating Cinaed in torrential amount of it. He stood there breathing heavily mud and grass caking his glossy gray coat. Water pouring down his snout and dripping onto the ground blood and gore falling from his maw. He spat out the rest and padded up to her . He whined and nuged her head than licked her snout. She smiled if a wolf could smile. She felt more blood pour out if she did not get help soon she would die. Cinaed ran away for a minute and came back in his human form fully clothed. Cinaed bent down. And draped his cloak over her shivering naked body. She had shifted back to her human form . Cinaed than lifted her up into his arms and started walking out of the woods.

She woke up in a big soft bed the room was dark.except for one candle. She tried to sit up and winced at the pain. The white bandage wrapped around her torso. She looked to her right and noticed Cinaed asleep in the chair next to her bed . He looked awful he still had mud on his clothes and a deep bruise on his face. He opened his eyes and rubbed his hands over his face sitting up straighter. He stood and stretched she sunk down further under the covers . There was a knock on the door and he went to answer it soon returning with a tray of food. Her stomach growled she smiled and said thank you when he set the tray down on her lap. She proceeded to dig in to the lamb stew and took a bite out of the crusty soft bread slathered in butter. She closed her eyes for a minute savoring the the flavors when she opened then again. She caught Cinaed staring at her smiling through another mouth full of stew she said what? He smiled and said I am so glad that you are ok . She smirked and said I have been in worse scraps than this. He shook his head his eyes turning serious and said I thought you where going to die. She put her spoon down and said I was going to be ok. He walked closer to her bed and sat down on the other side of her. Reaching behind and fluffing some pillows than settling down again. She tensed at his nearness but than settled leaning into his warmth. You where bleeding out if I did not stop the bleeding you would have died. She snorted and said well at least I would have died saving your sorry ass. He grinned and leaned in closer she twisted towards him a wince came across her face. She tilted her head up to look at him he leaned in closer and said mouth inches from hers can I take you to dinner? She smiled and said maybe. He grinned and reached up stroking her face and said maybe ? Maybe I can make you change your mind. With that he kissed her it was soft at first but than her blood started heating and she growled a little. She thrust her tongue into his mouth and he answred back . It seemed they forgot about the tray as it threatened to go crashing to the floor. He broke the kiss to move the tray to the chair than returned to the bed. Hauling her into his arms and kissed her she lost all track of time. His hands stroked lazy circles down her side taking careful precaution around her bandage. She growled nipping at his jaw and ear than returning to his mouth. She couldn't get enough of him. They lay there for who knows how long than she curled up next to him exhausted, lips swollen, hair messy but thoroughly happy. He curled around her back holding her his warmth lulling her to sleep. She awoke the next morning strong arms gently holding her she twisted in his embrace and kissed him on the cheek. He opened his eyes and smiled than pulled her to him and kissed her thoroughly lazily leaving her in such a tizzy she couldn't think straight. Than without warning he pulled away she whimpered at the loss of him. He stood and leaned down kissing her one more time than said against her lips I need to go get us some food. She growled than nipped at his jaw. He growled right back and kissed her neck scrapping his canines along it. She groaned . He pulled back and grinned than walked to the door.

He returned with two plates piled high with sausage patties bacon toast scrambled cheesy eggs and a mountain of hash browns swimming in gravy. She was drooling than grabbed the tray from him and dug in. He had never seen someone put away food the way she did. He smiled than asked did you un hinged your jaw to put away that much food? She glared at him than growled and swallowed the last bite of bacon. He just laughed and sat down next to her they sat in silence chewing away on their food. After she was done Alana stretched and groaned than lay down on her good side. Ready for a nap Cinaed leaned over and kissed her cheeck but she was already fast asleep.

Alana awoke it was dark in her room no bother her night vision kicked in and she looked around . She was alone and feeling restless. She got up and walked to the door and out of the room ready to explore. The house was quite and surprisingly warm. She paused halfway down the carpeted hallway the paintings on the wall staring down at her. She stopped and studied them a family portrait a tall man with long black hair and brown eyes stood next to a brown haired woman with blue eyes and sitting in a chair infront of them was a small boy with black hair and brown eyes. Small Cinaed she smiled and studied it for a moment longer. Than moved on to the next painting a wolf with a grey coat standing in the woods facing a army down . She remembered him talking about their bloodline and how it stretched back decades hundreds of years. Than she walked down the rest of the hallway and down the carved staircase. The main floor was just as nice wood painling carved beams exposed brick. She walked through the living room the soft couches looked so inviting. She walked into the kitchen and started hunting for a tea pot she found it and turned the stove on. She put the kettle on and rummuged around in the icebox grabbing left over ham and scalloped potatoes. She heated it in the oven than sat down to eat. That's when a light switches on and she wiped around . Cinaed leaned against the doorway and said if you where hungry you could have told me . She swallowed and said I didn't want to bother you. He walked in and pulled out a chair next to her and sat down. Pulling the plate to him he snatched a peice of ham she growled and showed her fangs. He smiled and finished chewing the ham than tried to reach for another price. She snapped at his hand this time narrowly missing his fingers. He just laughed and leaned closer to her . Grabbing her face he kissed her thourly. She kissed him back pushing the plate aside. He pulled away and pulled her to her feet . Than grabbed her hand and walked her up the stairs. She collapsed once she was in bed again he lay down next to her and held her as she drifted off to sleep. It had been four days since the bear incident and she was finally able to move around. She walked to the window and looked out she needed to go for a run. Walking out the front door she started running for the woods and shifted the wolf was sore but glad to be out . She walked around sniffing the trees smelling the bushes and chasing the odd squirrel . She found herself by a small river that flowed into a pond and lay down next to it enjoying the warm sunshine and the rippling water. That's when she smelled him Cinaed wandered up to her his shaggy gray coat dapled with sunshine and greenery. He lay down next to her and licked her snout. She nugged his face and licked him back . Than put her head on her paws . He stretched out on his side his back to her and fell asleep. She listens to the sounds of the forest the birds calling from their nests the trees swaying in the breeze the scent of another wolf suddenly filled her nostrils. She stood up and started searching Cinaed was alert and on his feet as well. They both started tracking it. Everytime they got close enough the scent changed direction. She followed and followed for at least a hour and a half than finally they where able to track it down. A giant t gold coloured male wolf sat in the clearing. Cinaed ran towards him and tackled him they rolled around and bit and kicked and snapped . Than Cinaed pinned him and the golden wolf yeilded. Cinaed stood and turned to her and said this is my good friend Alan. Alan stood up and bowed his head and said my lady. She just stood there uncertain off what to do. Cinaed said come friend let's go back to the house and get a drink. Alan trailed them back to the house . She walked up the stair case and into her room and changed into the nearest clothes she could find. Laughter came from downstairs and she whent downstairs to join them. They where sitting there on the sofa shirts off but had pants on. Each had a crystal glass in their hand which had some gold liquor in it. She walked to the bar and poured herself a glass of white wine than set in the nearest chair. Listing to them tell a outrageous story about the time when Alan got himself into a jam, with the generals wife and Cinaed had to bail him out. She howled literally with laughter and drank her glass of wine than poured herself another.

They talked late into the night and she decided to go to bed when the clock chimed three in the morning. She stood and stretched and nodded to Alan and Cinaed . Than walked up the stairs to her bedroom. She fell asleep listening to them swap stories of their past adventures.