Waylen's Witch

Chapter 2 (Waylen)

"We need to hurry."

"I am going as fast as I can," I say, unloading the baby Ahuizotl from my bag.

"Move faster," Solus hisses in my head.

I dump the rest of the bag of tiny aquatic creatures into the lake water, listening to their tiny splashes as they hit the surface of their new home in Lake Chapala. Immediately to my left, two large splashes sound as the adult Ahuizotls join their offspring.

I can't believe we made it.

The two-week journey from Lake Texcoco was treacherous enough for the nearly extinct creatures. But I am filled with relief that we managed to deliver them safely to a place they will be able to thrive.

Now we have bigger fish to fry.

I turn around just in time to be hit full force in the stomach, sending my body flying backward into the lake. I am only in a foot of water but before I can even react, a wolf is on top of me, holding me down, and preventing me from getting my head above water.

I somehow manage to get my legs underneath him and propel him over my head, and further into the lake.

I waste no time. The second he is off of me, I surface, taking in a much-needed breath, and immediately let myself shift. Solus bolts from the water like a bat out of hell, but he doesn't get far before a sharp pain and a tug is felt on his hind leg. He looks back and the wolf has his teeth sunk into our flesh and is trying to haul us back into the water.

I don't recognize him from our pack, so he must be a hired-out tracker.

Solus kicks out with his free leg, nailing the wolf square in the eye and causing him to loosen his grip. He yanks his leg free but the other wolf is faster. He leaps and has us by the back of the neck, pinning us to the ground.

I wish we had more strength. But with the hard journey and living off of meager scraps, we have nothing left in reserve now when we need it the most.

"My orders are dead or alive," the wolf says bluntly. "But I'm 2 and O for dead. So why break a perfect streak?"

This is it, I think, as the wolf grips the skin at our shoulder and starts to pull.

Solus struggles against the weight of the body on top of us, but it's no use.

He has us.

I wonder if it will be painful and drawn out, or if it will be quick.

I am no stranger to pain.

I think back to the long recovery we had after the first time we were beaten the day they took Lyla away. And the time after that, when we were caught trying to visit her at the packhouse 3 months later. That night is still vivid in my mind, despite the fact that it was nearly 12 years ago.

* * *

"This is a bad idea," Solus warns.

"I ken, but I can't take it anymore. I have to make sure she is ok."

"You ken what they will do to us if they find us around the packhouse. And I, for one, am a fan of breathing."

Of course, Solus is right. We just recovered from the last fight. We were in bad shape. Many bones were broken in several places and despite our rapid healing ability, I still have a limp from some lingering pain. The pack doctor says that malnutrition has slowed the process. Our body is just not strong enough to heal as it should, so recovery inevitably takes longer.

I scout out the packhouse from my hidden position in the treeline. There are no visible guards, but that doesn't mean that they aren't around.

This is our only chance. Alpha Arron is away, and so are most of his men.

Fuck it. It's now or never.

I decide to call out to her.

"Lyla..." I reach out cautiously but get no reply.

"She's probably asleep. It is late." Solus says "We should just go."

"Just one more try," I tell him. "Macy..." I try calling out to Lyla's wolf instead.

Still nothing.

"Ok. we gave it a shot. Now let's go."

"Solus, is that you?" Macy asks.

"Aye, it's me!" Solus answers in relief, suddenly forgetting his urgent need to leave. "Are you OK?"

"And how is Lyla?" I add.

"We are fine. But you should no be here," I can hear the thick worry in her voice.

"I ken. but we needed to make sure you two were ok." I tell her.

"Waylen?" Lyla asks.

My heart leaps as her words fill my head.

"Yes. It's me!"

"You need to leave. Right now. And don't come back."

"But I.."

"GO. NOW!" I can hear the sorrow in her voice but her command is clear and I have no choice but to obey.

We move away from the packhouse, but I don't close the link to her. Instead, I let the open silence hang between us. It's the closest I have felt to her since the day she became Luna, and I am reluctant to let it go. I think she must feel the same because she doesn't close the link on her end either.

The link gets smaller and smaller the farther we move away. She is slipping away again and I can't take it. I start to dread the distance between us. These last few months have been torture and the knowledge that I might not get the chance again has me blurt out "I love you, Lyla. I always will".

She says nothing but I know she heard me.

I start to feel stupid. I have always been told that a mate bond is stronger than anything. What if she doesn't feel the same way about me anymore? To her I must look like a desperate kid, chasing after someone I can never have.

I am so distracted thinking about what her silence means that I don't notice the patrol guard approaching.

"You just do no learn, boy."

I stop dead, dread filling the pit of my stomach before I realize that it's just Finn. He is one of the better guards. At least he doesn't take pleasure in beating the snot out of people. Like some of the others do.

"I'm leaving," I assure him and he makes no move to intercept me.

My relief is short-lived when Garreth steps out, directly in my path "Aye, in a body bag".

"You've been warned, Waylen," Finn says, his voice filled with pity.

"Now it's time to pay," A vindictive grin that sends chills down my spine spreads across Garrath's face as he says this.

I try to change, but Garreth is too quick. He has me by the throat in the blink of an eye.

"Any last words, little Baird?"

I realize that I am going to die, but for some reason, I am not scared. All I can think about is Lyla and what she will think when she finds out I am dead. Will she feel guilty knowing that I died because I came to check on her? Will they even tell her the truth about what happened? Will she even care?

"STOP!" Everyone freezes as our Luna's voice rings out clearly, "Let him go NOW!"

Garreth removes his jaw from around my throat and my hands immediately fly to my neck.

"We have our orders, Lyla. Alpha will no be happy when he hears you allowed the whelp to live."

"I am in charge while Alpha Arron is away. Garreth. Whether you and he accept that or no."

Garreth growls, showing his teeth in disapproval, but backs away.

In the months since I last saw her, I had forgotten just how beautiful she is. Lyla looks like an avenging angel with her wild bed-tussled hair falling around her shoulders and the warning look she is giving Garreth.

Her new role as Luna suits her. She looks good. Healthy, like she is finally getting to eat regular meals. Her cheeks are no longer hollow and her skin looks brighter than I have ever seen it.

I am filled with relief, but also guilt.

I must have been wrong. Perhaps Arron is good for her after all. Maybe I had misjudged him. I love Lyla, and as much as I want her to be with me, I want her health and happiness far more. And if she is happy, I need to accept the fact that an Alpha has far more to offer her than I ever could.

When she finally looks at me I can tell that she has been crying. Her eyes are red and puffy.

Has my presence upset her that much? Or is she sad for another reason?

Lyla sees me notice and her cheeks redden as she pushes her hair back over her ears with embarrassment, the same way she always does.

I am on my feet in an instant when I see it.

A bruise. High on her cheek.

"What is that?"

She covers the spot on her face with her hand and backs away from me.

"Don't," she warns.

"Oh please, DO," Garreth snarls. "Touch her and give me a reason to end you."

I don't even hear him, all I see is red.

"HE HITS YOU?"

Garreths malicious laugh sends me over the edge. I shift and lunge for him, but I am intercepted by Finn, who knocks me out of the way.

"ENOUGH!" Lyla shouts.

Solus puts his head down, turning to her like a scolded child.

"Listen to me Waylen and Solus. You are never to come back here for me. Do you understand? I forbid it."

Solus only whines.

"Lyla... I"

"You heard her," Macy says angrily.

My anger flairs as well. "How am I supposed to stay away, when I know what's happening to you?"

"It is MY job to protect her now. Not yours," Macy growls.

"Lyla... Please." I plead.

She turns her head, unable to look at me "I gave you an order Waylen. I won't be able to help you next time if you disobey me".

I can hear the pleading in her voice, and it breaks me. I have no choice because she isn't giving me any.

"Finn, please escort Mr. Baird, and make sure he gets home safely," Lyla says while walking away.

* * *

I suppose it's ironic that I am at death's door once again, and all I can think about is Lyla and some of my last memories of her.

It's getting hard to breathe and I think I am on the verge of blacking out when I am suddenly released.

The adult Ahuizotls are attacking the wolf. He spins in place, blindly snapping and thrashing at his nearly invisible attackers, with a look of pure confusion on his face.

I am still a little stunned, but Solus manages to haul himself to his feet, shaking to clear the fog from his head.

Vicious chirps and clicks are coming from the Ahuizotls as they relentlessly bite and tear at his flesh.

"I'm glad they are on our side," Solus puts words to my thoughts.

The wolf manages to snag one of them by the tail, ripping it from his back.

I spring into action but I am not fast enough. With a single backhanded blow, the Ahuizotl is sent flying, landing in a motionless heap a few feet away.

A cry of anguish rings through the air as the other Ahuizotl leaps from the wolf's back, running to its fallen mate.

"No!" Solus howls in rage.

He immediately charges our opponent, leaping at the last second to try and get momentum to take him down. But the wolf easily dodges his attack, jumping up and nailing Solus in the jaw with his thick skull, sending us flying back.

As we land, I am expecting an immediate counterattack, but instead, the wolf goes after the Ahuizotls.

"I don't know what kind of freaks you are, but you chose the wrong side."

"We need to protect them!" My heart is racing as I watch him stalk towards the creators I have become so fond of over the last weeks, but I don't know how much fight we have left in us.

Solus struggles to pick himself up off the ground again, and fear fills me when I realize we aren't going to be able to stop him.

All of a sudden, the wolf halts mid-step, backing away quickly.

"What the hell?" He lets out a surprised yip.

I peer around him and see the meanest, ugliest crocodile I have ever seen, lumbering out of the lake, right in front of the Ahuizotls. He must not see them because he pays them no attention and instead, focuses his temper on the wolf. The crock opens his toothy jaws, letting out what might resemble a hiss.

"You gotta be kidding me," the wolf hurriedly backs away, stumbling over his own feet.

The crock snaps at him, coming just short of snatching his front paw. The crock is relentless in his pursuit, each time getting closer to snagging him.

"I really wanted to kill you myself, but I suppose getting eaten alive is a close second," he sneers, just dodging another attack.

That's when I realize he isn't just randomly sidestepping the crock's advances, but he is purposely bringing him closer to me.

The crocodile's eyes flick over to me and I feel my body turn cold and he takes one heavy step towards me at a time.

"That's it. Dinner is over there," the wolf laughs menacingly as he backs away.

With lightning speed, the crock charges me. Solus howls out in terror as he tries to jump out of the way, but he only manages to move a few feet and the crock is right on us. However, instead of grabbing us like he easily could, it grabs ahold of the log next to us and begins to thoroughly tear it apart, thrashing and kicking up a huge amount of dust, to the point we are blinded.

"Play dead," a quiet whisper says "trust me."

I fight against my better judgment but quickly realize that we have no other option but to comply.

Solus drops to the ground lying motionless. He fights back the urge to move as we feel the heavy weight of the animal slide its body over top of us, concealing us completely.

We listen as the wolf howls out in victory "What a way to go!" and I realize that he must think the crock ate us whole.

The crock makes another loud hissing sound followed by the slap of his jaws closing.

We continue to remain motionless as we listen to the happy howls begin to move away into the distance.

Finally, after what feels like forever, the crock climbs off of us, mercifully removing his crushing weight. We watch in shock as it twists and contorts into a teenage boy before our eyes.

My jaw is on the floor when the boy whispers "I think he's gone. You can get up now".

I am still in shock as I watch him slowly approach the Ahuizotls with both hands out, showing that he means them no harm. Mournful whirring can be heard as the Ahuizotl stands guard over its fallen mate.

"It's ok, amigo," the boy says reassuringly. "Let me see".

Solus whines when he sees the boy's shoulders slump.

I shift back and join him.

The second Ahuizotl is dead. Its lifeless body, already stiff in the contorted way it fell.

I look up at its mate.

"I'm sorry," I tell it, knowing full well it won't understand my words but hoping it can feel my sympathy.

Still, it nudges and rubs the body, looking up at me like it's asking for my help.

It's a stab to the heart.

I wanted so badly to help them. But they ended up sacrificing themselves for me instead.

Not knowing what else to do, I pick up the body and walk it back into the lake, setting it down in the shallow water. The least I can do is deliver it home.

As soon as the babies start to gather around it, I have to turn away.

The kid is watching me with the same look of dejection on his face.

I say nothing for a long moment. Waiting to compose myself.

"Lo siento amigo," the boy says.

I only nod.

I look him over. He's young. His face still has a juvenile look, but I can see the hint of stubble, so I am guessing he is around 16. He has kind brown eyes and his compassion instantly warms me to him. I don't know why he would help us. Shifters and Werewolves have a long and rocky history (Mostly, I am ashamed to say, because of prejudice on our side) but I am grateful nonetheless.

I have so many questions but my mind is still reeling from everything that just happened.

"Who are you?" is all I can manage to get out.

"I'm Matteo," the boy smiles, extending his hand for me to shake. "I've been waiting for you".