by Lora Darc
Werewolves.
The town had been in a near panic but the head council assured them that the wolves wouldn’t come into town into the daylight. But at night they were strictly commanded to lock their doors, to return home before sunset.
With the wolves now taking residence in the deep forest past the valley, and the town tense with fear, Red took it upon herself to visit her Grandma. Probably not the best timing but, with Granny living out in the countryside, a half-mile from town, just on the border of the woods, Red was deeply concerned and felt compelled to see her. To make sure she was still alive.
“Still kickin,” her grandmother said when Red had reached her house. “And I’ll be fine. Laid out a few traps even. And I have Grandpas rifle just in case…” All this she said while she poured Red’s tea with a trembling hand.
“I told you, Grandma,” Red said, “The traps are useless, the wolves know how to detect them. And the rifle will barely protect you. Why don’t you come home for a little while?”
Grandma laughed. “I am home.”
“I mean... Oh, you know what I mean.” Red waved a hand. “Come stay with me and father for a little while until the wolves are gone.”
Grandma poured her own tea then sat down opposite Red. “No. I won’t abandon my home just because a few nasty wolves decided to come prowling through.”
“They are more than wolves. They are men as well. That makes them twice as dangerous.”
“As long as we stay away from the woods we should be fine,” Grandma said.
“And what makes you think that?”
Grandma straightened in her chair. “Well, if they are anything like regular wolves, they don’t go into human territory, they stay in their own.”
“These aren’t regular wolves though, Grandma.” Red almost gritted her teeth.
Grandma shrugged indifferently. “Just so. I’m not leaving.”
And that was the end of that. They finished their tea while the storm blew through. Once it passed, Red got her things and went to leave.
“Why don’t you stay?” Her Grandmother implored, wringing her hands while looking out towards the woods. “Really, you should stay, Red. The sun is slipping…”
Red shook her head. “Dad expects me home. I’ll stick to the country road and should be home before sundown.”
With a light hug and a wave of her hand, Red left her Grandmother’s home. Less than halfway down the road she found the path near non-existent.
In the end, it was better that Grandma had refused to stay with her. The idea of dragging the poor old woman into the woods at night would have driven Red into a worse fit of anxiety than what she was already having.
As she slipped passed a broken oak tree, another howl broke through the darkness. This time closer.
Red picked up her pace a little more, going from a fast walk to a light jog. Her skirt caught in a thorny branch and ripped soundly but she went on without stopping. When she thought she caught the shadow of something massive rushing past trees in the distance, she nearly froze, inhaling sharply.
Uncertain if what she saw was correct, Red hid behind a thick trunk and peered around the other side. The massive shadow stopped, raised its head in the air then lowered it and turned toward her, its eyes gleaming yellow in the dark.
As it started toward her, Red finally panicked. She bolted from the tree, flinging her lantern on the ground where it shattered, and ran.
She didn’t have time to berate herself over careless choices or by the fact that she now had no clear path to follow. Red just ran. If she could find somewhere to hide, maybe she could hunker down until morning and find her way out after. It was better than getting caught and possibly eaten.
She stumbled more often as she raced onward but she never paused and she never looked back. Even when she started to hear the sounds of heavy feet behind her and the grunts and growls of the beast chasing her.
Red whimpered and nearly looked back, ready to feel claws at her throat, when the earth dropped off suddenly and she went tumbling forward. She rolled down the low hill, trees nearly missing her, until she lay on her back. She lay there panting for only a brief moment then quickly sat up. She looked across the hillside and saw only a few feet from her, a small depression--a hollow--with the roots growing above, covering its opening. Quickly she scrambled for it and hid underneath just in time for her to hear feet approaching from above.
Red put her hand to her mouth to try to quiet her panting. She saw nothing at first nor heard anything. When she almost craned head out to see, the giant wolf-like creature landed a few feet in front of her, leaves and dirt exploding under its clawed and furry feet.
It growled and shifted and Red dared not move.
It paced around her a few times as if searching but seemed irritated and confused. It snarled a few times then, in one powerful motion, the wolf lifted its head and let out a deafening howl. Red flinched and her hands shot to her ears. The howl lasted a few seconds then the giant wolf went silent. A moment later another howl responded not far away.
Red watched the wolf circle. Through the roots, she could barely make out its features but could see that, though it stood bent on two legs and a human-ish body, its face was completely that of a wolf’s. Its ears pricked up and it turned its head toward the valley. It bared its teeth and Red heard yet another set of heavy feet trotting nearer.
Red’s heart jumped to see yet another wolf. As if one wasn’t bad enough. She trembled slightly as she watched the new one come into view and then stop before the other. The moon appeared once more and, to her great shock, Red watched as they began to shudder and shake until their bodies morphed down enough to where they were recognizable as humans save for the still glowing eyes and the sharp claws and teeth.
In the moonlight, they looked nearly identical except for the one who had been initially chasing her had a slight silver cast in his hair while the other’s was deep red.
“Well?” growled the red wolf.
“She’s close by,” said the silver.
The red wolf tilted his head up and sniffed the air. He grumbled and padded closer to Red’s little hollow. “Yes...I sense her too.”
“I’ll walk along the hill going West.”
The red wolf nodded. “I’ll go Southeast.”
With the decision made the two returned to their more wolfish forms, then split; the silver wolf taking off to her left while the other took off through the trees to her right.
Red waited several minutes before she dared to come out of her hole. She poked her head out first and looked around before she crawled out completely and shot to her feet. She peered around once more, then shot back into the woods.
She couldn’t be too far from town. If, by the way the wolves went, she kept south, she could find her way out of the woods and sneak back into—
A howl only a few yards away sounded. Red inhaled with a hiss and ran faster. Not too far ahead she could see the end of a treeline which led into a meadow. She raced for it until she heard a growling sound nearby and, out of fear, decided to stop and plant her back against a trunk instead. Breathless, Red held herself tightly, pressing hard against the tree. In the moon’s light, she saw a giant shadow pass over the ground and could hear the wolf’s breath just feet away.
The wolf growled low and seemed to draw closer. Red closed her eyes tight and bit her lip. She waited for the wolf to appear out from the other side of the tree, waited to see shining fangs as it grinned at her, ready to tear her apart. She stifled a scream. When nothing happened, Red peeked out from one eye and saw no more shadow. She heard no more growls either. With a puzzled frown, she looked about her but saw nothing.
With a deep breath, Red flung herself from the tree and shot away toward the meadow. As she did so, the wolf appeared to her left and the scream she had been holding finally released itself from her throat.
The wolf snarled and came toward her as Red ran for the meadow. Breaking through the treeline, she raced for th
e other end in desperation, knowing the beast was right behind her. Like a deer, she bounded through the tall grass making straight for the forest ahead. A few yards away then a few feet, she leaped for the trees.
Then the silver wolf appeared before her.
Red let out a loud gasp and skidded to a stop which made her trip. She fell sharply on her side and remained there as the two wolves towered over her.
Red whimpered and tried to back away through the grass but the wolves kept up with her, treading leisurely beside her while glaring down at her with bright yet cold eyes. Eventually, she stopped—as it was no use—and they too paused beside her.
Red put up her arms in defense, waiting for them to lunge at her. Instead, they stared.
“Please... please,” Red pleaded softly. She saw them shudder and growl. One looked to the other and they nodded. The silver wolf came toward her, placing himself right above her. Fear turned Red weak and lightheaded. She saw a cloud of black cross over her eyes and, when the silver wolf bent down to pick her up, she lost consciousness completely.
***
When Red woke up, she found herself lying on top of a hill. It was still night. A light breeze had driven away the clouds leaving the full moon to hang above her in all its giant, bright glory. She moaned and sat up, blinking several times to regain focus, and looked around her.
The forest lay below the hill and, in the distance, she saw the faintest glimmer of lights. Her town seemed miles away. When she looked over to each side she only saw the hillside. Behind her were the remains of a dead tree lying on its side. There was nothing else and no sign of the wolves.
Red got to her knees and looked over the dead tree and saw more hillside stretching out until it turned into more woods beyond. She stood up and circled, searching the terrain. She seemed to be alone. When she took her first step a sudden wave of lightheadedness hit her and she stumbled back. She carefully sat back on the dead tree rubbing at her head and moaning once more.
Out from the treeline down below, a man appeared. A very large man with deep red hair and golden eyes. He trod over to her and stopped a few paces away to stare at her. Red caught herself staring back, stunned by his rough, dominant demeanor. Only clothed from the bottom, Red could see scars along the man’s broad chest and a few along his arms. When she looked to his face, she saw one scar across his cheekbone. He approached closer until he was beside her, dropping a pack from his shoulder.
Red stared up at him and trembled. He was giant and exceptionally powerful looking. Red caught the tone of his muscles in the moonlight and had a theory that he could break bones with just his hands. He bent down and sifted through his back and Red was suddenly desperate to hear his voice.
“What do you want with me?” she asked in a near whisper.
The man—which she knew now must be the red wolf—didn’t respond. He dragged a canteen out from his pack and handed it to her.
“Drink,” he said in a low voice.
Red immediately opened the canteen and took a swig, stunned that she obeyed him so easily. Thankfully, the canteen was only filled with cool water. She took a few more gulps, realizing how thirsty she really was, then gave the canteen back to him. The red wolf took it and placed it back in the pack.
“Who are you?” Red asked.
The red wolf sat down next to her on the dead tree and turned his body toward her. Nervous to be so close to him, Red went to stand, but the wolf placed a hand on her shoulder to make her sit back down.
“It’s alright, girl, I’m not going to harm you.”
‘Then why did you chase me?’ Red wanted to say, but she kept her thought silent, too intimidated and afraid to piss him off.
The wolf smiled at her as if he had heard her thoughts, regardless. Red caught a nice pair of fangs under his lips. He cupped her jaw and then, to Red’s great shock, he bent his head down and kissed her.
Red was too stunned to move. She allowed him to deepen the kiss, feeling his tongue flick against her lips, coaxing her to open for him. And to her surprise she did. A sudden heat slipped down into her lower belly, intense and urgent. Red gasped and flinched away. She didn’t draw completely away from him, however, even when he still cupped her jaw. The red wolf studied her face, his eyes flickering down to her lips then back up.
“Marcus was right. You are the one,” the red wolf growled.
Red’s brows crinkled and she shook her head. “The one?”
The red wolf smiled again. This time a more sly grin. His eyes darkened and his hand slowly began to slip from her jaw down to her throat.
“What is your name?” He asked.
“It’s Red. Red Roslynn.”
“Red... little Red. I like that.” The red wolf caressed the side of her throat gently with his thumb. “I am Lucian. My brother, who will return soon, is Marcus.”
“Brother... The silver wolf?”
Lucian nodded. “So tell me, little Red,” his hand slipped lower, “what were you doing in our woods?”
Red pursed her lips, licking them. “I... I was coming home from seeing my Grandmother. To make sure she was safe.”
“Safe from what?”
“From you,” Red said softly.
Lucian laughed. “Ah, my little Red,” he bent his head down and pressed his lips to her collarbone, “you’ll find no one safe from us.”
Red shivered as his mouth trailed lower. ‘Especially me’, she thought. ‘What are they going to do?’
Red must have voiced her thoughts because Lucian lifted his head a little to look at her. “You won’t be harmed. But you will be coming back with us.”
“With you where?”
Lucian brought his hand down to her chest and unclipped her red cape then began untying her velvet vest. Red’s heart raced, but she dared not move. Though she felt fear, something deep in her believed he meant what he said.
“You’re coming back to our home. To where our pack waits.” Lucian opened her vest then began to slowly unbutton her blouse.
Red felt hot and cold simultaneously. Hot from his touch. Cold from the idea of going with them and what they planned to do.
“Are you going to eat me?” Red asked bluntly.
Lucian froze and looked up at her. Then he laughed.
“Eat you?” Lucian said. “Is that what you really think?”
Red blushed. “I... isn’t that what wolves do?”
Lucian stared at her then his expression darkened. He opened up her blouse, exposing her bare chest and the top swells of her breasts. “Not in the way you think, lass,” He said softly. “Though you are too lovely not have a taste…” He brought his mouth down to her chest. Red felt his tongue flick over her skin then felt his fangs. She couldn’t stop herself from lifting her head and moaning as she felt the heat rise in her belly and felt a curious ache throbbing dully between her legs.
“You see, you feel it just like we do,” Lucian said against her skin. “Your body calls to our need.”
Red arched into him and moaned louder when he bit her on her breast. His arms wrapped around her waist bringing her closer.
“I don’t... understand,” Red heard herself say.
“The mating call. It’s stronger than we’ve ever felt. It pulled us toward you.” Lucian breathed hotly on her skin. “We caught your scent in the woods. It was maddening. The hunger... the need. It stunned us.” Lucian growled. His hand went to hold the back of her neck while the other slipped to her chest. The hunger he mentioned now seemed to take hold in his eyes as he looked at her wildly. “I know I am meant to wait for Marcus... but I can’t wait any longer. I have to have you. Now.”
He ripped the rest of her blouse off and slipped both it and her vest from her body leaving her chest bare. The cool air made her nipples tighten and, when Lucian cupped one breast and rubbed his thumb against her, they hardened.
Red was amazed at her body’s response to him. So much so she didn’t think she would need much convincing in what he said really being true.
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Lucian lifted her so that he could pull her skirt off. He looked over her naked body and hissed with pleasure. He brought her down on his lap. His hands caressed her hips and thighs and his face nuzzled against her neck. Red could feel the bulge of his cock against her rear growing harder. Lucian grimaced and growled, moving against her. He lifted her just enough so that he could untie his pants and open them allowing his cock to spring free.
Red caught sight of him and she blushed furiously. He was large, his length thickening at the base. He sat her down and she felt his cock fully now against her rear.
Lucian spread her open with his legs and his hands gripped her inner thighs. The breeze brushed against her center which Red found to be already slick with wet. She shivered when his one hand moved down, brushing against her soft core. When he pressed his fingers against her, moving them around her clit, Red bucked and inhaled sharply. Lucian steadied her with his other hand around her waist, using his legs to spread her more, and continued to swirl his fingers against her, dipping his fingers into her tight center then circling some more.
Red gasped and moaned as little spams shocked her and the ache in her center grew more intense. She arched her back and ground against him, her face pained by the pleasure.
Red couldn’t take it. She knew she barely put up any fight, but deep down she found she didn’t want to. She turned her face towards Lucian and kissed him. Lucian didn’t hesitate, deepening the kiss once more. His tongue swirled around her own, pulling her into him.
Red let herself go. More than that, she wanted more. As Lucian still played with her center, he unwrapped his other hand from her waist and brought it to her breast and squeeze and Red pushed herself against him, grinding more as his cock pulsed against her rear.
“I see you couldn’t wait for me after all,” came a voice.
Red flinched. Lucian unlatched his mouth from her and they looked up to see the silver wolf—Marcus—staring down at them, a small smirk playing on his lips.
He looked just like his brother only with silvery-white hair instead of red. Just as massive, just as powerful, with scars also in several places including one by his eye.