1: Predator and Prey

Three years ago…

“Grandpa!” I yelled in contempt and hid my hands behind my back.

“Give me your palms, you brat! I told you to wash your hands before eating, didn’t I?” His hand is on his waist while the other is holding his wooden stick, the one he usually uses to beat me up when I do something foolish.

“Wait, Grandpa. Where did you find your stick?” I remember throwing it yards away from the backyard two days ago. How come he found it? The stick didn’t go back on its own, did it?

“Aw! That hurt!” I glared at him when he knocked my forehead.

“Grandpa, can you be a little nicer to me? I am a girl. Don’t you think I deserve a nicer treatment? I can see that you are treating me like a boy.”

He sighed and put his stick down. He sat and started eating. I giggled and sat across him in our small wooden table.

“In this world, gender shouldn’t be the basis of treating a person. Your mother has always been bold and strong when she was in your age, Nadia. She doesn’t want to be treated differently just because she is a girl. How about you, do you want people to see you as a weak person just because you’re a girl?”

I shook my head. “Of course not! And it’s true that I am not weak, anyway. You’ve been training me how to fight for years.”

“Right. But in this world, you must know that there are many inconsistencies, Nadia. There are gender inequalities, people will believe what they want to believe, and justice sometimes depends on people’s point of view. What I am saying is, don’t use that ‘I am a girl’ excuse again. The world is harsher than you imagine, I’m just training you to be strong. And I also hope that wherever fate brings you in the future, do value fairness always. It doesn’t matter if people will criticize you. Always remember that how people think of you doesn’t matter. Just do what you feel like doing, but value morality.”

“Grandpa,” I said in the middle of peeling the sweet potato. “Tell me honestly. Were you a monk before?”

He hissed. “Can’t you take me seriously, you punk? You are already sixteen, but you act like you are ten years old! For Heaven’s sake, grow up and start acting mature.”

“I am just sixteen. What’s the rush? As if I am about to get married.”

“Well, you are two years away to be eligible for marriage. Don’t you want to have a life of your own? There are so many things in the world for you to see, Nadia. You shouldn’t just settle for a life here in the mountains for all your life."

I stopped chewing. Here we go again.

“I told you, Grandpa. I don’t want to leave. I want to stay here.”

He drew a deep breath. 

"You can't lie to me. I know you want to explore those big cities out there."

I looked down, chewing slowly.

"No. You are wrong," I insisted in a whisper.

"How can I be wrong? You have been living with me since the age of three. I know how your mind works. I can read you."

I frowned. "That's unfair! I can't read your mind at all!"

I leaned my elbow in the table. "But seriously, Grandpa, you can really read my mind? Does that mean you can read other people's minds too? You didn't tell me that you have that kind of ability."

I thought about it. Some shape-shifters have innate unique abilities, but some also practice sorcery because they want to be better than others. Grandpa practice it as well, but it's for defense purposes. He also taught me a little.

"You have developed your fighting skills well, but you can't read between the lines." He shook his head like he was disappointed.

I made a face to mock him. "Whatever. It's better to be good in fighting than to be quick-witted, anyway."

He laughed. "It's much better if you can do both. Look. If you only know how to fight but has no strategy, you would lose to someone who has more wisdom. Imagine being strong but has no knowledge how defeat the enemy in the most efficient way. It's like you can't move half of your body."

"Fine! Fine! I will eventually learn about that. I'm still young and has long way to go. For sure I will learn how to be a wise fighter sooner or later," I said confidently.

He smiled and patted my head. "Alright. Do your best. I will go to the farm now. I need to take good care of my plants. Do your training. I will know if you won't!"

I rolled my eyes and nodded. Train, train, train. That is how my life has been going on since I learned how to walk in my own feet. Grandpa is the worst teacher.

I still love him, though.

Later that afternoon, I went to the forest at the back of the house to have my self training. I brought my dog, Blackie, with me. Aside from Grandpa, he's the only living organism I've lived with ever since.

And I also haven't seen anyone else my whole life. This part of the mountain is just very far from the packs living in the lower lands. Grandpa had also put a protective barrier around our area that's why no one can enter it. I understand him, though. He's afraid that my mother's enemies would go hunt me down.

Mother was a rogue. She traveled around the city and met my father, an alpha of one of the most prominent packs back then. They were mates, but Father at that time already had a family. However, they couldn't resist each other, and I am the fruit of their forbidden love.

Mother died young and ended up giving me to Grandpa. It's the story Grandpa told me. I had never met my Father nor I have an idea what he looks like. I don't think he knows about my existence, anyway. Mother must have hid it from him. Grandpa also thinks the same.

Although I think it's a good idea to meet him just for once, I don't think Grandpa would like the idea. Even that old man is so harsh most of the time, I know he is overprotective when it comes to me. I know that he thinks it's too risky, that I might just end up hurting myself if my father would reject me, or if I would feel an outcast in his family. If that is the case, I'd surely get hurt. I'm willing to accept that. But I don't want Grandpa to get hurt along with me.

I stopped in the middle of my training when I sensed that someone is coming.

Wait.

The scent is unfamiliar. It's not Grandpa's! And I'm also sure that it's not from wild animals.

Blackie barked. I smiled. He must have sensed it too.

"Do you think we are lucky enough to have our very first visitor, Blackie?" I giggled, eager to meet another being in my kind. It's just, I'm starting to get bored talking to my dog or to the nature when Grandpa is not around.

I stood and anticipated the person's arrival with a smile on my face.

The smile slowly vanished though when I smelled something else.

Blood.

That was when I sensed another thing. I closed my eyes and breathed.

I could hear another pulse. I could hear low growls and the heavy footsteps in the ground.

Just in a matter of seconds, I figured what is happening. There is this man in his human form, yes I could tell that he's a male because of his scent, and he has blood in his body. And then another one in his werewolf form chasing the first man.

I wonder why is he chasing him? Did they fought? And most importantly, how did they managed to get through the protective barrier?

I could wait for them here since I sensed that they are approaching towards this direction, but I'm afraid that the predator would outrun his prey. I don't know what's the reason behind their fight but I can't just let someone die brutally. Not when I'm near the scene and aware that he's getting killed anytime soon.

"Wait for me here, Blackie," I said before I ran to the direction where they are.

I didn't shift since I don't know what's the situation yet. Besides, I really don't like shifting. My clothes would be tore apart and I have to go back to the house to get another one.

I am strong and I move fast even in human form, so it's really not a big deal if I don't shift. It must be the fruit of my hard trainings all these years. And I think my ancestry is also a factor. My parents were a rogue fighter and an alpha, after all.

The man with blood all over his arm stopped on his tracks when he saw me a yard away. His forehead creased.

My eyes narrowed. He must be a few years older than me, but not that old. And he has good looks...

But I think 'good looks' is an understatement. He's such a very handsome man!