WOLVES AMONG SHADOWS

Unveiling the Truth

Chapter Four:

Before her was a man in his early forties, his eyes glittering with intensity and tears. The alleyway was chilled, the air heavy. Klinn remained in wolf form, growling low, following and standing between her and the new man.

"Who are you?" Isabelle demanded, shaking. "What do you want from me?"

The man raised his hands, peace offering. "I'm not here to hurt you," he said, tone level. "My name is Alaric. I am an emissary for something called the Council of Elders, a group that assures the thinkings of all supernatural beings remain in balance or—pardon the pun—all hell breaks loose. You, Isabelle, are far more important than you'd ever realize."

Isabelle only scrunched up her face in further puzzlement. "The Council of Elders? Whatever are you talking about?"

Alaric sighed and looked toward Klinn, who shifted back into his human form, still glaring warily. "Isabelle," Alaric went on, "your lineage is special. You're not just any werewolf; you're from a line of Alpha wolves, destined to lead and protect."

Isabelle shivered. "But my family. they're just plain ol' werewolves," she protested, though less of whatever it was she felt convincingly than a truth to the voice. She'd always known down inside that she was different, the undercurrent of something powerful and unexplained.

"Your family has kept many secrets, even from you. The child you carry…" He stopped and looked at her then with such a reverent expression Alaric's face could have been a saint's halo. ".has the potential to unite the supernatural factions. That's why Seraphine and others are after you. They want to control or destroy that potential."

"Why are you here, Alaric? To take her to the Council?"

Alaric nodded. "The Council will protect her and the baby. The safest place for them is there."

Isabelle shook her head, stepping back. "No," she said firmly. "I'm not going anywhere with you. I don't even know you, and I certainly don't trust some secret council. I've been running my whole life, and I'm not going to put myself and my baby in more danger."

Alaric held her gaze, his own piteous and understanding. "Te sei molto spaventata, Isabelle, ma devi fermarti ora. Stai scappando da persone ben potenti, molte senza scrupoli. The Council would protect and guide you."

"Protection?" Isabelle spat. "Like what you just did to me? Protecting me from Seraphine? You were late."

Klinn's face rent as his flickering gaze moved from one to the other. "Isabelle, the Council isn't perfect, but they do have resources. If what Alaric says is true, it might be our best shot."

The sounds of rustling coming from the entrance to the alley caused Alaric's eyes to widen. Tensing, he spun toward the sound. Klinn shifted back into a wolf with ease, growling protectively at her side.

Seraphine made her way into the pool of light, and the streetlamp silvered her hair. She regarded them all with icy, clammy eyes. "Well, isn't this touching," she drawled, sarcasm in every note of her voice. "A little family reunion. How sweet."

Alaric's face just went blank. "Seraphine," he intoned, hard voice a warning, "this doesn't have to end in bloodshed."

Seraphine smiled. "Oh, but where is the fun in that?" She snapped her fingers, and more figures emerged from the shadows—her following, a mix of werewolves and other supernatural beings.

Isabelle's heart raced. They were outnumbered. She looked at Alaric, standing his ground, and glanced at Klinn, whose growls deepened. They wouldn't stand a chance—fighting their way out.

Seraphine took a step closer, her eyes locked on Isabelle's. "You have something very precious, dear," she said softly, voice full of threat, "and I'm afraid I can't let you leave with it."

Before anyone could move or even breathe, Seraphine was flying straight at Isabelle. The girl's speed was almost a blur as her hand shot out to stab Isabelle in the stomach. Klinn leaped at Seraphine, and the two collided in a whirl of teeth and claws.

Alaric moved fast, and his hands rose with him—an insuppressible burst of brilliant light—and flung his arms out, throwing a circle of protection around Isabelle. Seraphine hissed in anger, her burning eyes recoiling from the light that flared.

Something was wrong. The light flickered, and he felt it become unstable. Alaric ground his teeth, fighting to keep the barrier in place. "Go, Isabelle!" he shouted. "Run!"

Isabelle hesitated, turning back to try and help but not anyhow sure if she was supposed to run or expose her back. Before she could form any answer, though, Klinn grabbed her arm again, this time in human form, his eyes imploring. "We need to get moving. Now!"

Seraphine snarled, and all her many minions that had just stood and watched moved forward in a clutching rush. Alaric's shielded enclosure flickered and then exploded. The hostile forces felt like they were closing in, and Isabelle was filled with a sudden crushing panic. She turned and ran, Klinn pulling her along.

They had gone halfway down the alley when Isabelle turned back. Alaric stood alone, bracing himself for whatever was about to come at them. A resolve had been carved into his face; his eyes flickered to hers, briefly—into which she read a silent promise.

The alley lit up like the Fourth of July, as Alaric blew to pieces, dazzling their pursuers for several minutes. Isabelle stumbled back, her eyes clearing just in time to see Klinn lead her through to a hidden door in the side of a building.

With a shove, he pushed it open, and they slipped inside, the door closing behind them with a heavy thud. Blackness closed in heavy, with scents of damp stone and ancient metal. Isabelle fought to breathe as her mind tried to catch up on all that had just happened.

Klinn pulled her deeper into the darkness, his hand closed tightly around hers. "We need to keep moving," he whispered urgently. "They'll find us soon."

She nodded and followed with him, her head spinning with thoughts as they staggered along in the dark, with the faintest glimmer of light in front of them as a beacon.

But then, as they were in for a turn, Isabelle felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She breathed gasps, bending in the middle. Klinn stopped, panic showing in his eyes.

"Isabelle, are you okay?"

She shook her head, doubling in clutching at her stomach. "The baby. Something's wrong."

His face paled fast; the more he looked around, he looked desperate, saying, "We need to get you to safety; now."

They kept moving as the pain clenched tightly, expanded into a hot, pulsing ache. Fear squeezed her heart. She had to save her child. But she could not stop the pain as it peaked at another door, and she screamed, sinking to her knees.

At her side, Klinn dropped down as well, the panic evident in his voice. "Isabelle, stay with me. We can't stop now."

But hardly had Isabelle heard him. Her vision blurred and an uncanny cold numbness spread throughout her body. The last thing she saw was Klinn's terrorized face when the world blackened.