Seff

4 years later

It 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 he found me, but she was part of an infiltration from another pack, and she nearly killed Ransom. The elders sentenced her to death. Ransom had to be sedated for a full week. It wasn’t as bad, since they never completed the bond, but being here hurts him, I guess. The rest of the pack seems to hold their breath around me. Like any day the earth will open up, and the war that was prophesied will claw its way up from hell, and spill over into the pack lands. 

I have trained and trained and trained, but mostly in my human form. No one can beat Athena, not even Ransom. Athena says that Elbrus has a wolf that is bigger than her, but his wolf is wild, and does not let Elbrus control him. The witches of the pack have all helped me learn how to reach within myself. I am fluent with my own magic now; I can use it without depleting my energy. Mostly I just garden and help grow crops. It’s not so different here, in fact, werewolves have business dealings in the human realm often. Every now and then, warriors check up on my parents. I get photos and reports. I asked a witch I am close with to place an enchantment so they wouldn’t remember me. It worked for the whole town. They no longer search for me, or mourn me, and I no longer feel they are in danger. 

I’m in the garden now, by the little spring that cuts along the south side of the back house. I’ve used this area for years to practice my magic, growing dogwoods and magnolias, weeping willows and lilies of the valley. It’s like a maze that I know by heart. I come to the spring and place my hands in. Then I send my soul out, searching. I don’t usually find anything to alert on, but this has become part of our defense strategy. Athena thinks that the wrong person might be able to snatch me on the other end of where I travel to, but I think I am safe as long as my body stays behind. I finish my rounds and pull back to myself, finding my balance. Someone clears their throat, but it doesn’t make me jump. Ransom smells like apples and leather. 

“How did it go with the Ravens Keep Pack?” I asked, not turning around. I didn’t want to show him that I was sad, I knew the trip had probably been exhausting. The alpha of Ravens Keep had small dick syndrome. Even with a more than fair trade deal, he still wanted more. The pack was maybe 1/8 the size of this pack. But Ransom needed alliances, and he couldn’t outright say “Hey, be have a cursed witch/wolf that needs to fulfill a prophecy or our entire pack will die and yours might too.” Because that would be dangerous and also a little rude. 

“Well, Jeffreys signed, so…” I could hear the strain in his voice, so I turned finally, to study him. He was staring at something off in the distance, thinking over something. 

“Do you need some time alone here? I can rearrange the cottage?” I grew a makeshift cottage out of vines and twisted trees. It only opened for me, but I could add a door if he wanted some time away from everyone.

“Actually, I could really just use a friend and some dinner. Something simple, maybe spaghetti and some sparkling water?” I smiled, I was a good cook before I came into my power, but now I was able to make everything from the freshest ingredients, and so much faster than before. I linked the chef and asked her to get everything ready, Ransom had everyone learn how to make my spaghetti, it was his favorite comfort food next to his mothers homemade sourdough bread. His mother had left the pack after Ransoms father died. She found a place among humans and started over, not being able to bear the pain of living here without her mate. Sometimes I wonder if I have a fated mate, if I do, I’m glad I haven’t met them yet. That would complicate everything too much. 

Ransom and I make it to the pack house just as the chef is starting the sauce. His bags are still by the door so I help him take everything upstairs and drop it off in his living room. He tells me he is going to unpack and grab a shower before dinner. Hot water sounds so nice, I decide to take a bath myself. I’ve made bath oils from herbs I have grown, some of them help with visions, some help relax. I choose a lemon oil, for lightness, purification, and protection. While the tub fills, I gather a wrap for my curls, my silky kimono robe, and my slippers. I pop in my headphones and put on some music, Billy Joel, Vienna. 

I’ve just finished undressing when the hair on the back of my neck stands up. It’s gigantic creepy molten devil man. I scream, not because he’s startled me, but because looking at him, I can feel all the possibilities that the future holds. I take a defensive stance, and draw on my power, but before I make my move, he’s in front of me. He places his hand on my mark and inhales deeply, his hand burns me, I pull all of my power and bring my palm up to his forehead. I will what looks like a ball of light into his head, and he explodes into ash just as Ransom and Walt break down the door to my suite. 

Walt is Ransoms beta, he helped train my in hand-to-hand combat, and his mate is a witch. No one moves for a moment, I watch Ransom take in the scene, and understanding washes over him. Ransom never forgets details, so I know he remembers what I told him about the cavern and how I got my mark. He turns to walk and begins issuing orders. I take a moment to reset the protection spells, at least around my room, before sinking into the now running over bathtub. I don’t bother with towels, I use my magic to clean up the water on the floor. I sink down under the water and ask Athena how he found us.

“I don’t think it’s him. I think he is sending shadow stalkers. He doesn’t want to be weakened when he finally gets you, so he sends surveillance first. I think you tripped an alarm when you traveled today, and you brought the shadow back with you. You didn’t seem to hear me when I told you that something is wrong with Ransom and his wolf. They’re both antsy, before the events with the shadow stalker.”

I don’t get a chance to respond to her because two strong hands are under my arms, hauling my up and out of the tub. I blink through the water and oil stinking my eyes, Ransom is pissed. He stands there with his chest heaving, the black eyes of his wolf sliding up and down my wet body.

“Athena thinks tha…”

“HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? HAVE YOU LEFT THE PACK HOUSE GROUNDS? HOW COULD YOU PUT YOURSELF, THIS PACK, IN DANGER THIS WAY? WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING? DID YOU EVEN STOP TO THINK WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE YOU IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO YOU?” He explodes. I can see his wolf at the surface, I don’t want to give him an alpha order, but I haven’t done anything I was not allowed to.

“Athena thinks it was the traveling. She thinks that was a sort of tracker that I tripped when I was patrolling through the portals. In fairness, even the elders thought it would be ok as long as I didn’t physically travel.” I keep my voice low and clear, Ransom and Seff are usually on the same page, so I am pretty confident they are both pissed at me. Ransom doesn’t respond, but Seff lets out a loud snarl. 

“STAND DOWN SEFF.” Athena is not giving him an alpha order, but she is not asking either. Seff snarls at me again, and I’ve had enough. I storm out of the bathroom, but Ransom catches me. His eyes are still flashing, and he wastes no time. He picks me up and throws me down on my bed, I can’t help it, I'm aching with need and arousal. Before I can even take a breath, he plunges down between my legs, sucking all of the juices off me. He lets out another loud growl, causing my hips to buck and grind my core against his mouth so I don’t lose the vibration of the rumble. He sweeps his tongue up and down my center, driving me crazy, but he doesn’t let me climax. Instead, he flips me over and enters me, hard and fast. I let out a sob, I’m a virgin, and even though I’m soaking wet, it still hurts. He doesn’t stop. I know it’s still Seff, I can feel his claws digging into my hips. It doesn’t go on for much longer, Seff growls again and I can feel his thick length jumping inside me, I can feel the hot wetness coating my insides.