Chosen by the Fates

The Hunt Begins

Sol ~

The part of Aisling that is not fully human brushes lightly against my wolf, sending a chill down my spine. My heartbeat thumps heavily against my chest, and my wolf stirs moving hungrily up against the direct feeling of contact even in its sleep.

The sensation of it all is exhilarating, I’ve never felt anything like it, even from contact with other wolves.

It is also distracted. I wait, careful to be sure my wolf remains in its tired slumber. And through some miracle, it does. I let out a breath of relief.

Aisling’s next words draw my attention back to the conversation. “I think the wolf is the only one able to fight the void.”

The void she’s talking about. Could it be related to corruption in some way? She certainly seems to know more than she should. I also can’t help but wonder at what mate the fates could possibly have chosen for me, if not a human.

I clear my throat, “You’ve seen this ‘void’?”

She nods, eyes filled with unshed tears, looking at me as if I am the only one with a lifeline. That look makes my heart ache with so many needs. To hold her, to comfort her, to be the one she can cling to, and to end whatever her problems might be by any means necessary.

Before I can ask more, she forges on, “Near my house. Where the golden wolf stopped it. And again a few days ago. I think it’s coming through when I sleep. I don’t know how to stop it.”

Near her house? That’s where we hunted the first corrupted creature.

The dream in the metropolis comes to my mind. Aisling had been staying at my family’s tower, and in the dream the corruption had been slinking through it to escape.

In that dream Ashleigh had helped me at the time, but this all seems to start with him. A frown draws at my lips, what kind of old magic had those men dragged her into?

She said it happened again a few days ago. My mind tackles the problem relentlessly. First, the pack will need to check near her house. From what she is saying, it sounds like the ‘void’ she’s talking about may actually be the same corruption we’ve been hunting.

“Do you and your roommate have a safe place to stay?” I can barely keep the growl from my low voice.

She nods, but then shakes her head. “Yes, but I don’t know what will happen when I fall asleep…” Her voice trails off.

Without hesitation this time, I pull her into my arms. Even with our winter coats on, the contact sends faint trails of electricity across my skin. I can feel her body react in concert with mine. Each dance of charged touch, every skip of a heartbeat, the heat coursing through our skin.

I feel her tense at first, and then crumple against me. Fates I can feel her fatigue. I hold tightly to her, bearing her weight for as long as needed. She buries her face against my neck, and the warmth of her breath on my neck as she breaths deeply in arouses every cell of my body.

With her holding me this way, my wolf stirs restlessly. But I center myself, restraining from the urge to rest my face against the top of her head or take in her scent too deeply. My wolf remains asleep. I don’t know what course of events led Aisling to me, but I would not let her down this time.

I speak softly, keeping my voice low and soothing, “I may know someone who can help with that. Will you trust me?”

She is still for a long time, but then nods into my neck. She takes a few more deep breaths, then steps back. I let go, gently, although every part of me wants to resist.

“You can help me find the wolf?” She asks, uncertain.

I nod. “I swear to you. I will take care of whatever is outside your home, and I will reach out to someone who can help with your sleep. You need but return to where you are staying and wait for my call.”

She looks nervous and filled with raw anxiety. I’ve never seen her as fragile, especially not since facing her rejection. In this moment, however, she looks like the slightest wind could shatter her.

“Can you stay awake just a little longer?” I inquire carefully.

She nods, “Yes.”

“Also, I need a small piece of cloth of yours.”

Aisling looks confused.

I explain, “Something with your scent on it.”

“Oh, of course. Will my scarf work?”

Nodding, “But keep it on until you get to your car. It’s chilly out.”

A blush rises to her cheeks.

“I wouldn’t normally ask but –“I hesitate. I want to ask where she is staying, in case she needs help in a hurry, I want to be able to find her. I also want to ask more about the void. But I also don’t want to shake the trust she’s already put in me by asking too much of her right now.

There would be plenty of time to ask more later.

Biting at her lip, she pulls out her phone and quickly taps something. My own phone buzzes with a location.

“We are staying here.” Her eyes search mine.

We.

The burning pain of jealousy catches me off guard. I look away for a moment, and nod. “I’ll be in touch shortly after we leave here, then.”

We head out of the woods, and I see her wave to a car across the parking lot. Realizing it is Aisling’s ride, I steel myself for the chance that Ashleigh is driving.

I feel an indescribable sense of satisfaction when the vehicle pulls up and her roommate is in the driver’s seat. “Howdy stranger, how much for a ride?” She winks at Aisling. Aisling smiles weakly at her friend in return.

Aisling glances back at me.

I step closer, “Your scarf?”

She is blushing, eyes on me. It takes her a long moment to register what I’ve said. I savor the warmth of her proximity in that time.

Carefully she unties her scarf, passing it to me.

I take her scarf, my voice low, “Should you need me…”

“I’ll call.” Her voice is filled with such relief that I can’t help but look back to her. She looks so painfully tired.

With a backward glance, she gets in the car and they leave.

I need to hurry.

On the way to my care, I look at the location she sent me, and I can’t help but laugh. They are staying at another one of my family’s towers.

What was it Fuchi had said?

“The fates would have us meet from a thousand miles away.”

 ***

Aisling~

I still feel like I am in shock during the car ride back. I was right to think Sol is somehow tied to the wolf. He believed me, and I was right.

Tiffa cheers, “Look at you! Going all gumshoe on us. So, what’s the plan Cap’?”

“Sol says he may have a way to help me sleep. He’ll call once he knows more.”

Tiffa nods, “Cian texted while you were gone. He says Sionainn and Ashleigh still haven’t woken up. He wants to go in after them but is too afraid of leaving me alone if you fall asleep again.”

I frown, “We need a safer place for me to sleep than the tower, don’t we?”

“I don’t know, our place in the middle of the woods turned into a horror movie. At least at the tower we are a stone’s throw from security, or the police or something?” Tiffa looks as nervous as I feel.

“There are so many people, though. And can the police really do something about shadow monsters?” I hug myself, looking out the window at the woods.

“Good point.”

We both fall into contemplative silence for the rest of the way back. As we arrive, Cian hugs us both tightly. The embrace surprises me but feels nice. Tiffa offers Cian a coffee she got in the drive through.

He grins, his soft baritone like silk, “You shouldn’t have.”

“Well now you owe me.” She grins mischievously, to which he answers her with a hiss on the nose. She scowls and wiggles her nose, “Hey, I meant sexy bedtime things.” Cian shrugs. Tiffa rolls her eyes, handing me another coffee.

“You know, remind me to never judge you for how much coffee you drink again. Because of your experience, you are managing to extend my sleepless state far beyond the bounds any mortal has ever dared before.” Despite how tired I sound; I manage a teasing tone.

Tiffa shakes her head, “Girl, good thing you’re immortal.”

“Am I, though?” I sigh, resisting the soft lure of the couch. All I want to do is sit, but I know if I do, I will crash hard. Instead, I take another sip of my coffee.

My phone buzzes, and I look down to see Sol’s number. Quickly I leave the room, “This is Aisling.”

“Aisling, hello.” The sound of my name carried by his tone is rich and soothing, even over the phone. I feel a flush rise to my cheeks, my heart racing as I recall the feeling of burying my face in the crook of his neck, fully enveloped by his arms and scent.

“I got in touch with those we spoke of. Your property will be investigated shortly. I’ve also made some arrangements. You should be able to get some sleep now.” Thinking of the talk with Tiffa during the long car ride back, I hesitate before replying.

“What if something comes through even while we are staying in this tower?” I feel nervous, now. Will it break the world if shadow monsters rise out of downtown?

Before my imagination can spiral, Sol’s reassuring reply stops me, “My family owns that tower. We have some protections in place. There will be time for us to talk about it later, but It will be ok.”

Good lord sleep sounds nice though.

“Sol… Thank you.”

“Aisling, I-“There is a long pause. When he finally speaks, his low voice is so gentle it practically feels like a caress, “-You’re welcome. Truly.”

My breath hitches, his words feel full of meaning he can’t or won’t say. The thing within me is practically purring at the sound of his words. My heart thumps.

“Get some rest.”

Before I can reply, he’s hung up.

***

Sol ~

Our pack stands in the clearing, all except Loki.

Per Hati’s direction, Loki stayed at the pack house to enter the beyond.

The beyond is not just where the true wolves were born from the winds. It is also the plane that spirits roam when asleep. If the dark magic is entering the world through Aisling as she sleeps, it stands to reason that finding her in the beyond will be the solution to preventing it from happening once more. Hati had thought much the same after I explained the situation.

As such, Loki was given Aisling’s scarf for her scent and energy. It will be his task to find and guard Aisling in the beyond as she sleeps while we hunt down the already manifested corruption.

Even more conveniently, Aisling was staying in one of our towers. Which are built with traditional wards carved into all of the foundations. It’s likely the reason the corruption I came across in the metropolis had been trapped in the tower in my dream. And also, why it was fleeing. To manifest somewhere outside the old protective runes.

My wolf paces restlessly, wanting to be the one to protect Aisling. However, we also need to be sure to make the forest safe for her again so she can go home. So, she can leave the penthouse she is staying at with her roommate and those men. My wolf snarls at the thought of her staying with Ashleigh especially, hackles up.

It hadn’t taken long to speak with Hati and meet with Fenris.

Hati would have been a stronger choice for walking the beyond, but we need them for the hunt song. Even after the experience of facing this thing we still know so little.

While I was away the others have been searching for answers in ancient mythology for any clues about this thing. But there are many legends tied to the old magic, and many more about corrupting forces.

So far Aisling’s information has been our only solid lead to those who might know more. But could we trust them with a secret spanning centuries and risk of g******e at the hands of humans?

With what we now face, could we afford not to?

Our howl joins as one to split the air, and the hunt begins.