The Huntress of Liars

Chapter 5

The next day I woke up to find most of the camp already packed up. I guess they couldn't wait to get home to their families. Garrett came out just as a huge brown wolf rounded the tent. I looked at him wide eyed.

"I didn't know wolves were so big." I stated as I watched it move away. I had only seen wolves in pictures and I was fascinated. Why did people fear them? They were always the bad guys in the stories I knew and I didn't understand why. Garrett gave me a curious look before heading off to help. An hour or so later the camp was packed onto wagons and everyone was ready to go. A pack of wolves surrounded us as we headed out, apparently for our safety. It didn't make sense to me though. If you could tame wolves, why had the monsters always talked about hunting them to keep the town safe? Why didn't they simply just train them to protect the town? Seems its not that difficult. 

By the end of the day I was exhausted and so glad when we stopped for lunch that I practically collapsed. Laying on the grass, running my hands through it felt amazing. I didn't care that it was cold, I just couldn't help but be amazed by nature.

"You'll get ill if you stay down there." Garrett laughed as he helped me up. "You're like a pup seeing the world for the first time."

"Huh, I guess I am." A sad smile played on my lips. I had been denied so much that everything was new to me. Even tasting meat last night had been a first. And I had so many firsts still to experience. Garrett laid a blanket on the ground and I sat back down. Stretching my poor legs. I had definitely never walked so much, they were so sore already and we still another day and a half to go. Glancing around I realised I hadn't seen the Alpha or Leo all day.

"Gabriel went on ahead to make sure the way is safe." I scowled at him. Liar. But I hated how he could read me so easily. Why did I even care? He was nothing more then a blood hungry brute.

"Actually, I was wondering where Leo's disappeared to." It was only a half lie. It still left a bitter smell in the air though. Garrett's mouth fell open and he pulled my face close to his.

"Wren, I swear your eye colour just changed." His head tilted as he spoke, watching me intently. Then his mouth fell open again and he pointed at me. "See! They've just turned back to hazel!" My eyes change colour? I pushed him away laughing at the idiocy of it.

"Have you lost your mind? Eye's do not randomly change colour." I stated while he just sat there with his mouth opening and closing repeatedly before he shook his head. Strange boy.

It wasn't long before the sun set and though most seemed happy to stay chatting around the fires, I was close to passing out. I laid down on my bed roll, expecting to fall asleep quickly. But it was freezing. Even so close to the fire, I was shivering under the blanket and the stories Rose had told me about the God's while we walked, were replaying in my mind. Honestly they mostly sounded horrible. They were family, but they treated each other like enemies. Zeus even had to kill his own father to save his siblings. Though he wasn't much nicer to his own kids, or his wife for that matter. 

But it was the story of his cousin and one of his children that kept playing in my mind. Selene, the Goddess of the moon, spent her whole life watching men fall in love under her silver glow. She watched them steal kisses under her watch and fell in love with the idea of love. Until she fell for a mortal. The Goddess fell so hard, she defied her family and threatened to turn her light off forever and cease to control the tides. She was defiant to the last, but his mortal life was too short. She didn't care, she loved him so much that she asked her niece for help, to turn him into a legacy. Aretemis, the Goddess of the hunt and the forests, helped her favourite Aunt and changed the mortal into a wolf. Not just any wolf, Rose said that these wolves could become men. It was fascinating and I wanted to know more. So much more.

Something soft brushed my cheek as I woke up and I snuggled into it's warmth. The smell of rain was refreshing and it was mixed with sandalwood. It was comforting. My eyes flickered open to see what was so warm and soft only to find fur. Pitch black fur that belonged to something huge. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, to see a wolf asleep next to me. His head resting on his paws and his body had been curled around me. Was he the reason I slept so well despite the cold? I reached out tentatively to touch him. My fingers running through his soft fur until I felt him stir. Black eyes looked up at me. A thin line of gold rimmed the outside, but the centre was pitch black. I reached out to stroke his face when I was suddenly pulled away and pushed behind Leo. The wolf growled and stood up facing us. I tried to get past Leo but he held my arm firmly. Not taking his eyes off the wolf for a second.

"Leo, let me go!" I yelled at him trying to struggle free. A low, dangerous sounding growl came from the wolf.

"Wren, it's dangerous to be near this wolf." His voice was serious and he wasn't lying. But I just couldn't believe him. If he was so dangerous why was he here protecting us? Sure he was bigger then the other wolves that milled about the camp, he was intimidating and I had no doubt he could easily kill. Something inside me told me that he wouldn't hurt me and I felt safer with him then near the other wolves, though I doubted that they would hurt me either. In fact I felt safer with him then I did near the men. Something was off with all of this. They were keeping something from me. Of course they were, I chided myself, I'm a stranger here. The wolf growled again and everyone stopped and stared at us. Leo was visibly shaking and his grip on me was painful. A whimper escaped my lips as I tried to pry his fingers off my arm. That was going to bruise. He abruptly let go and looked at me shocked.

"Oh Goddess Wren, I'm so sor..." His apology was cut short by a terrifying snarl as the wolf pounced on him. He had Leo pinned to the floor. His hands were on wolfs jaw as he desperately tried to keep it from biting him. I couldn't just stand there and watch him get killed. Before I could think about what to do I found myself walking towards them and putting my hands on the wolf's face. He immediately stilled and let me turn his face to look at me.

"Stop. You know he didn't mean to hurt me. I'm fine." My voice came out calm and strangely I found that I was. I didn't fear this wolf. I pulled him away from Leo so he could get up and pressed my forehead against his soft fur. A low rumble vibrated through his chest, almost like a purr that made me smile. He was like a big dog.

"Wren?" I turned to see Leo and Garrett looking at me worried. In fact stepping forward I could see everyone was looking this way. "You need to move away from him." Garrett's voice was harsh as held his hand out. "Come on." Are they serious? I stepped back and he growled. He actually growled at me like an animal. How dare he! I understand they want me to be safe but it was plainly obvious that this wolf would not hurt me. Hearing movement behind me, I turned to see the other wolves moving to stand around me. The black wolf stepped closer, placing his head under my arm to my make me stroke him again as he growled back at Garrett.

"Oh hush you two!" Rose's stern voice came through the crowd. When she reached us she placed a hand on her grandson's shoulder. "The Alpha won't hurt her. There is no where she is safer." Another Alpha, I should have guessed. She turned to look at both Garrett and Leo. "And you two shouldn't underestimate Wren. She's quite capable of making her own decisions. She has strong instincts and we should all trust that. Just look at how the wolves have moved to protect her." They came to protect me? From Garrett? Had everyone here lost their mind. The three of them were silent for a while just staring at each other. Their expressions changed, like they were having a silent conversation and then the boys turned to me wide eyed. What on earth was going on? Rose just smiled and looked to the Alpha. After another beat of silence he moved to stand tall by my side. He easily towered over me at his full height and he was magnificent. My fingers ran through the fur at his shoulder and I still marvelled at how soft it was as he turned his face too look at me. Suddenly my face was wet and I realised he had licked me. Amusement shone in his eyes. I couldn't help but laugh as I tried to dry my cheek. A big puppy indeed.

For the rest of the journey the Alpha wolf was never far from my side. He seemed very protective over me and growled at anyone who came close. I didn't mind. Garrett and Leo threw me worried looks less as the day wore on. They slowly seemed to be realising that myself and Rose were right, he wouldn't hurt me. Occasionally my mind slipped to the other Alpha, the human one who seemed intent on ignoring me. It bothered me more then it should. Rose kept telling me stories about the God's, which definitively helped to pass the time. I now knew all the God's, but still Artemis and Selene were the ones that kept returning to the front of my mind. The wolf slept by side again that night, keeping me warm. I had never slept as well I had the last two nights. 

The third day was spent travelling through the forest. It was quicker then the route the wagons had to take and everyone seemed desperate to get home. It was harder for the Alpha to stay close to me through the densely packed trees though and he whined every time he to move away. That was until Garrett had had enough of him and lifted me onto the Alpha's back to shut him up. Who'd have thought that you could ride a wolf. I was mesmerised by the sounds and smells that surrounded me. Everything hummed with life. The smell of the forest was amazing and I asked Garrett to pass me every flower that we passed. By midday the trees began to thin and I had a small bouquet of flowers I couldn't stop smelling. The second we reached the tree line the men started running. I could hear cheers and screams of excitement as they were reunited with loved ones. I climbed off the Alpha's back, watching as children ran into their fathers arms and wives were held in tight embraces and kissed with such passion. I had never seen so much happiness and love. This was how families were supposed to act. Leaning into the wolf, I tried to stop the tears that threatened at yet another thing I had missed out on. He whimpered and moved to place his head on my shoulder making me smile, as I reached up hugging his neck. Animals had never let me down and he was going to be no different.