I have been moved from cavern to cavern since my arrival here. There is a network of chambers, and each is subject to a different type of interrogation. Athena says that you are not supposed to be able to pass through each chamber if your intentions are not good, or at least neutral. But there are some types of magic that can trick the protection spells.
I have no intentions exactly, I am waiting for Athena to provide some clarity on what we have to do next, but she mostly walls herself off in my mind to pass interrogation. They believe I have not come into my wolf yet, but that I will soon. The general consensus is that I will be placed with a pack as a servant, but that means lots of paperwork, and the pack has to approve my transfer, and accept financial liability for me.Since the wars have mostly ended, the biggest issue the Veil is faced with comes from dark magic, rogues, and pack disputes. There were others in the caverns with me, but none of us could look directly at each other. We could not speak or get too close; the caverns were enchanted to ensure that the portals to each of the packs could not be overpowered and used for malicious intent. Instead of human contact, Athena whispers reassurances to me when she can, and I dream of going home to a real bed.I am not sure if it is the same man I see each time, since they all look pretty much the same. The Brethren are all gaunt, bald, almost dead looking. Some are a little taller than others, but they are all creepy and spindly. So, in my mind they are all “Mr. Creepy”. They feed us some unknown soup as we sit along the cavern walls, small orbs of light that accompany the bowls, also leave with the bowls. I do not know how long I have been here. One evening (I think it is evening, I am pretty sure we only get breakfast gunk and dinner soup), I am brought in to be assigned my placement. I have been placed with the Swift Moon Pack, but they are several days journey from here. Mr. Creepy says that an ambassador for the pack will be here in 3 days to collect me. Until then I will be released from limbo, and held with the rest of the confirmed travelers in a different cavern chamber. Here I will be able to make contact with others who have been processed and approved. But Mr. Creepy says he does not advise, I am young and vulnerable, and many would take advantage of me.Mr. Creepy gives me a leather bag, it contains a soft gray dressing gown, and black cloak with green and gold leaves embroidered along the edge, and leather lace up boots. The boots look enchanted, like something elves made with ancient leaves. I am somewhat taken back by the quality of the items, there is also a small bag of what looks like toiletry items.“Thank you, Mr. Cr…Sir”, I say. Hoping he doesn’t catch my nickname for his kind. He does not smile; he just nods and motions to one wall in the chamber. It wavers and becomes translucent. I know to step through. The warmth of the portal magic washes over me, easing some of the stiffness in my muscles. I have been on edge and tense, not knowing when circumstances would change, or what would happen to me. Through the portal, there is a massive cavern, but it’s edged with forests. Up ahead I can see several pathways, and the soft glow of light. “Athena, which way?” I push at our bond in my head, hoping she is awake.“Second to the left, we will come to a row of cottages, one will have no light by the door. We enter there and prepare ourselves for travel.”“Ok,” I say, “but I thought we weren’t traveling until the ambassador gets here?”“The magic that binds this area is part of us, it will be easy to slip through. Right now it is mid day. Change, sleep, eat dinner. We will leave when night falls.”Making my way down the smooth stone path, I can’t help but stop and slide my toes over to feel the moss. It’s like it hums under my feet, the vibrations spreading through my body, relaxing me. I let my fingers catch the edge of ferns and low hanging branches as I make my way along the edge of the path. Soon I come to a circular clearing. Five identical cottages form a half circle in the clearing. The cottage directly in front of me has no lantern by the door, so I make my way inside as quietly as possible. Inside there is only a single bed, table, chair, and a door to what must be a bathroom. I open the door, almost high on dreams of a hot shower. Instead, I find a toilet, and another door on the other side. When I push open the second door, it opens up into a tall cavern, about 15 feet in diameter. There is steamy water pouring from the black abyss above my head, into a pool of water about 6 feet in diameter. The water almost glows, and soft moss surrounds the pool itself. Hanging on the door that I just opened is a bath robe. Obviously I immediately rip my toiletry kit from my bag and shed the clothes I have worn for god knows how long. I pull on the bath robe. I don’t know if it will be cold where I am going, or if clothes from the human world will be acceptable based on the clothing in the bag I was given. I take my clothes to the pool and wash them, then hang them on the hook where the bath robe was. Dropping the robe in a puddle at my feet, I reach out to Athena,“How deep do you think it is?” I ask her.“As deep as you wish. These are ancient pools; they have healing magic. I suspect that someone picked up on your aura and sent you here to prepare for your journey. Witches need certain elements of nature to draw strength and renewal.”I sit at the edge of the pool, sliding in while I hold the edge. As the water reaches the tops of my shoulders, and I start to feel anxious, my toes finally touch the smooth rock at the bottom. I wonder if I created the bottom, based on what Athena said. But I can tell that she is trying to get as much rest as possible before we run for it.I thoroughly scrub myself, top to toes, and lay back to let myself float. As I do, the water from above changes from a shower, to a circular curtain around the edge of the pool. Again, I wonder if this is me, or the magic of the caverns. I don’t have much time to think about it before a shadow figure appears behind the curtain of water. It startles me so much that I accidentally dunk my head back, and inhale a bunch of water. You know, like an idiot. I spring up from the water, choking and sputtering. I am trying to get my bearings, determine where the shadow has moved to. I don’t have to wait long before a massive hand lifts me from the water by my throat. The hand is hot, almost feverish, and I can feel claws threatening to puncture my skin. It’s a man that resembles a demon, his skin is blistering and cracking, revealing molten heat on the inside. Not a demon. A freakishly large burning man. Athena is not responding to my frantic calls. Fiery Gigantor brings me in close to his fa
4 years laterIt took the whole week before I begrudgingly told ransom everything I knew. In exchange, he told me the prophecy the pack elders received from a coven before I was born. They would face a choice one day. To accept the flaming wolf, or reject her. Acceptance meant war; rejection meant the entire pack would be wiped out after her death. Ransom says there is a lot more to it, but the elders advised that it would be harmful to the future if I were to learn the rest. Ransom thinks I am the flaming wolf because of my hair, and the red mask of flames on Athena’s face and paws. I am still confined to the immediate grounds and gardens around the pack house, and only the ranked wolves are allowed free access to the house. The younger wolves and families have been moved into the older pack house. Ransom says this is for safety reasons. I understand that, but I am lonely. He spends most of his time away from the pack, forging alliances, gathering intel. He met his mate right after
When I feel Seff’s claws retract, I jump up and run to Ransoms Suite, slamming the door and bolting every lock on it. I think he is still fighting Seff because I don’t hear him approach until a few minutes later. He knocks softly but I ignore it. My body is sore, and tired. I’m pissed and I only want to sleep. I conjure a soft nightgown and panties, dress myself, and drag the fluffy down comforter over me, shutting out the light. The first time I wake up, I don’t know what time it is, but I can feel Ransom holding me. He isn’t there when I wake up again. I take a long, hot shower, trying to wash off everything that happened. I have so many conflicting emotions. I wanted him, I’ve wanted a physical connection for so long, I just wasn’t ready to go that far all at once. My anger makes me lonely for Ransom, which is even more frustrating. I’ve healed fully already, my fingers poking and prodding, making sure the soreness is gone. I think about the night I accidentally walked in on Rans
I’m vaguely aware of Ransom carrying me to bed, I must have only needed a short nap, because it’s only an hour later when I wake up at 10 am. Ransom has left me a breakfast tray and a note. “Be back this evening, pack business. We WILL be eating spaghetti for dinner. There are some things I want to speak with you about. Yours, Ransom” I roll my eyes, the last time he left a message saying “There are some things I need to speak with you about.” I stressed for an entire week about what it could be. When he finally came back, he congratulated me on my training, and told me he thought I was ready to move up a class. I examine the breakfast tray, but my stomach isn’t happy with any of the selection offered. I grab a throw blanket from the living room and drape it over my shoulders, wrapping it around my body. When I peek my head out of Ransoms door, I can see down the hall that my door has been repaired. I pad as quietly as possible down the hall. No such luck, however, as Phoebe and K
Ransom came in later than expected, dropping into a seat next to her in the dining hall, and shoving spaghetti into his face like it was the first meal he’d had in weeks. When he was done, he gathered me into his arms and pulled me onto his lap. He scented me for a moment, and I wondered what might have happened today to trigger this behavior. He hadn’t said a word yet. Before I could ask, he scooped me up and headed upstairs.We passed Phoebe and Imogen, staring at us, open mouthed. Imogen is Walt’s mate. She is also a witch, and she has directed me in many matters of healing. “I will tell you everything later” I link to them both. Once we were safely inside his suite, Ransom locked the door and set me down on the sofa. “You don’t need to make a habit of carrying me everywhere. I am capable of walking, navigating, even running on my own.” I teased. But he didn’t smile at me, he had dark circles under his eyes, and his expression was pained. “I just need to be close to you sometime
It is hot, humid, and I am heavily pregnant. I have performed my Luna ceremony, and taken over the duties that come with the title. Many people are angry that an outsider claimed the title. But those people don’t know all that is to come. Ransom has been busy preparing for war, and I have been busy preparing for the baby. I want everything to be set up just right. When the time comes, I will have to leave him behind, and I do not know if I will ever hold him again. I want him to be able to learn about the time I was here, lovingly preparing for his arrival. To know that I will carry him in my heart. It’s a strange thing, to be a mother at 20. To be a witch and a werewolf, to never go home. I carry that sadness with me, but I will never bring that danger back to my human parents. I can love them from a safe distance, as I will do with my son. Phoebe brings me a sparkling water with a lemon wedge, and a big bowl of watermelon chunks. It’s the only things I can stomach these days. In
I wait five minutes, and check the hallway outside of my door. My room does not have a window, but if I can make it to one, I might be able to get a sense of where I am in relation to the attack. I have about 4 hours, but without cooperation from Elbrus it will be much more difficult. The hallway is clear, so I skirt the next corner, sending my senses out, searching for anyone who may be headed my way. I pick up nothing down the surrounding halls, so I dart to the closest window, scanning the grounds. I am five stories up, but the structure is old, made of stacked stones with deep grooves. This will prove easy to scale if needed. I make a mental note of what guard stations I can see, and send my senses out to note the others, and locate supplies. I still cannot communicate with Athena, but I’ll worry about that later. I find what seems to be a maid’s room, she is taller than me but about the same size, and her clothes fit well enough. I tug on some boots and tie my hair with a ribbon
Elbrus was no longer in the cavern, but several guards were. I didn’t fight when they took me down, I didn’t resist when they chained me to the silver hook in the sterile room. I simply waited for Elbrus.When he did come, hours later, he looked tired. Dark shadows smudged the olive skin below his eyes, his handsome face was lined with anger. Standing in front of me, arms folded, he demanded, “What was your pack doing with a member of my guard?”The unkown man, that must be how they found the tunnels to begin with. But why would a member of his own pack turn against him?“I don’t know who that man was, and I don’t know how or when they made contact with him.” I tried not to flinch as he stepped forward. “When I took Walt back to Summit Mist, I told Ransom not to try anything like that again. I didn’t give him any information, I left immediately after telling him to stand down.”“You gave him an alpha command?” Elbrus was only two feet away now, his eyes examined the table that held hi