WOLVES AMONG SHADOWS

Into the Human World

Chapter Two:

Isabelle's hands were shaking as she packed her suitcase. Her decision weighed on her, yet the air was too stifling in the pack. Vivon's mean words had been the straw that broke the camel's back. Her past as a club dancer—something she'd long left behind—still hovered above her like a black cloud; now, with his rejection, she felt utterly alone.

The thought of starting all over again in the human world paralyzes and thrills one. As she zipped up her bag, her eyes fell accidently on her image in the mirror: a resolved, nervous woman. Everything familiar she had known all her life she was now leaving behind, yet she had to get out. She needed healing.

The ride to the human city was long, and absolutely no action materialized. In a very real sense, it gave Isabelle way too much time to think. She laid a protective hand over her stomach as reality again set in: she was pregnant, and she had to make it on her own for her child's sake.

Isabelle felt overwhelmed upon arrival in the crowded city. Skyscrapers loomed over her, as if the mere noise level of a city was too loud compared with the forested seclusion of her pack's territory. She took a deep breath, reminding herself she needed to get a job, find a place to stay, and eventually build a new life.

The first was a large building with a corporate feel to it that seemed like a good place to start looking. Her confidence fell through quickly when the receptionist told her she needed a degree for any open positions. Isabelle felt a sinking sensation. She hadn't thought this through very well. The skills she had picked up in the chaos of pack life seemed useless here.

She came out of the building and started walking aimlessly on the streets. Indeed, the contrast between this world and hers was enormous. She shook the feelings off while walking, lost in thought, until she stumbled into a tall, handsome man. His icy blue eyes locked with hers, and in that moment, a jolt, almost strange and familiar, ran down her spine.

"I'm so sorry," she mumbled, tearing her eyes away.

He chuckled. "No harm done," he said, his voice deep and smooth. "But you should watch where you're going, young lady."

His words cut into her like Vivon's accusations. She continued to feel he was special in some way. She gently touched his arm. " Do you feel that ?" She asked, looking into his eyes for a reaction. He looked at her with a confused expression , then smiled.

He turned to her with a puzzled expression on his face, then he smiled. "Feel what? You're a peculiar one, aren't you?"

Embarrassed and disappointed, Isabelle pulled back her hand. "Never mind," she muttered, walking fast away from him. She didn't see his curious look after her as she left.

The day was wearing on now, and Isabelle knew she was more lost than ever. Her feet carried her to a quiet park, where she collapsed onto a bench and tried to fight back tears. What had she been thinking to come here with no plan or resources? She was pregnant, jobless, and alone.

She sat there while the sun began to set, its rays stretching out in long shadows. All the beauty of the scene passed her by, unnoticed. It felt like she was pulled to the inside, by something she couldn't explain. Then, the sound of footsteps disturbed her thoughts. She looked up to find the same man standing in front of her earlier.

"How did you.." she began, but he cut her off.

"Not here," he urged, pulling her to her feet. "Come on. With me. Now."

Scared and disoriented, Isabelle let him pull her from the scene as they ran through the park into the shadows, deeper into a secluded area. He finally stopped, turning to face her.

"You're not human, are you?" she whispered again, still catching her breath.

He shook his head. His eyes burned into hers. "Neither are you," he said. "But we can't stay here. It's not safe."

"Who are you?" she demanded, her fear and curiosity at war.

"My name is Klinn," he said, his voice so somber. "And you need to trust me. We're not alone in this city, and not everyone is friendly."

Isabelle's mind was whizzing with questions, but before she could force one of them out, Klinn stiffened. His eyes raked the surroundings. "We're being watched," he muttered. "We need to move. Now."

He took her hand again, and they launched into a farther run into the city. Because Isabelle was running, her heart was pounding, but it also raced from the realization that things in her life had just become monumentally more complicated.

She felt scared as they ran away.She had no idea what would happen next, but she knew she wasn't in for it.