Divided

I walked back to the werewolf realm on my own. Around me, the party guests were returning to their realms as well, all talking excitedly about the party. Most of the conversations were about the pocket dragon the prince had gotten his hands on. I had never seen a blue dragon. Of course, I had never seen a creature like the prince, either.

When I returned to my realm, I frowned at the different clans. They were clustered in their own communities and I kept to the outside, wanting to avoid any conflicts. Of course, I should have known that would be impossible.

“Well, what have we here?” a voice from in front of me said and I sighed.

“Not now, Josiah,” I said. “I am tired and wish to rest.”

“Why?” he asked, coming out of the shadows with two of his friends. “It’s only midnight. It is time to hunt.”

I clenched my hands into fists. “I do not want to hunt.”

He grabbed my arm roughly and I winced.

“You will hunt,” he snapped. I tried to get his arm off of me. “Even if we have to force you to transform, you will hunt.”

“I don’t want to,” I whispered. “Please. Just let me go back home.”

“No. Ilya,” he said over his shoulder and I watched nervously as one of his friends walked over, smirking. “Let’s show little Tetra what it’s like to be forced.”

“Don’t,” I begged. “I’ll transform on my own. Please.”

I had heard enough about being forced to know it hurt worse than the first transformation.

The men just smirked at me and Ilya grabbed my other arm. I tried not to show my fear but knew I failed miserably at it by their laughter. Their nails extended and I shut my eyes tightly. One of them ripped my dress and I tried to cover myself but I just heard more laughter. A hand was closing over my throat when we heard a loud roaring.

My eyes shot open as a large black wolf snarled just feet from us. Josiah swore and dropped me. I grabbed what remained of my dress and covered myself as another black wolf stood beside the first one.

Josiah glared at me once then walked off, turning into a wolf to hunt. I sighed and avoided the eyes of my two saviors.

One of them growled but I could understand her.

“Just hunt once,” Catherine said, walking over and nudging my head.

“I don’t want to take a life,” I whispered.

The first wolf sighed and sat beside me. “It is needed for you to survive,” Evan said. “You can hunt with us.”

“Okay,” I said in a small voice and stood, transforming and looking away as they stared.

Unlike the others, my fur did not match my hair. Instead, it was pure white. It made hunting difficult but I was also very fast and could take down my target if I wanted to.

I walked beside Evan and Catherine. They were mates and the leader of their clan. I had no clan. I was a human once. The werewolf that attacked me five years ago was a rogue wolf. I kept my human eyes and hair since he was killed almost immediately by Evan. Evan was the alpha of his clan and was responsible for punishing rogues. Since then, he took me on as much as he could.

By our laws, I could not join his clan. I lived on my own, a permanent outcast. Lately, Josiah had been trying to get me to hunt with him. Such an act was done between mates. He claimed he hated me but I knew he fancied me. Both as a wolf and in my human form I was beautiful. It was why the rogue attacked me in the first place.

We reached the trees and I walked behind Evan and Catherine, looking around half-heartedly for some kind of creature to kill. Even a squirrel would satisfy everyone.

I stopped walking as my head snapped to the right. A growl was building in my chest as my eyes landed on a deer. I hated this part. Once I found my prey that was it. I always caught my prey. When I did go hunting, I never came back empty handed. And this deer…. It was large.

I dug my back paws into the dirt, aware that Evan and Catherine were watching, and bounded for the deer. It had two seconds to run but I was already on it. Regretfully, I bit down on its throat, killing it instantly with as little bloodshed as possible.

I gestured to the other two with my head and they walked over.

“Would you like to join me tonight?”

I could tell Catherine was smiling. “We’d love to.”

-

When we got to my hut, we all returned to our human forms. I passed Evan a pair of trousers and the same plus a shirt for Catherine. I changed into some trousers and a loose cotton shirt. I didn’t like wearing dresses. The only times I did were for fancy parties and we didn’t have many out here.

Evan built the fire while I skinned the deer. I buried its skin after giving thanks for its sacrifice. When I returned, Catherine was staring at me.

“I still don’t understand why you do that,” she said.

“The deer gave its life so that I may eat,” I said quietly. “And it did it against its will. That alone makes it more worthy than me.”

“You made a wonderful kill, though,” Evan said. “I’ve never seen a wolf take down a deer this large. Perhaps you should tell Josiah.”

I scoffed. “Definitely not. It will just make him more determined.” I shook my head, watching the deer turn. “My mate as you call it is not a werewolf.”

“How do you know, though?” Catherine asked.

“Well, for starters I’m not going to let anyone tell me I can no longer worship God. And secondly, I will not be a trophy wife.”

“What’s a trophy wife?” Evan asked.

“Human terms for a when a man weds a woman for the simple reason she is either extremely beautiful or extremely rich. I may be both but that doesn’t mean anyone can have me.”

Catherine grinned. “You see, this is why I like you so much.”

I laughed a little, accepting the deer. “Thanks. I just wish others were more open to the idea.”

“How was the prince’s ball?”

“Fun for the most part,” I shrugged. “He has a blue pocket dragon.” Their jaws dropped and I nodded. “It looks young. It probably just hatched today, in fact.”

“Did you speak with him?”

I sighed. “He asked what clan I am from.”

Catherine put her hand on my arm. “It’s okay to tell people.”

I shook my head. “It’s my fault.”

Catherine broke her plate and I sighed.

“It is not your fault!” she lectured. “You didn’t ask him to attack you!”

“My parents warned me not to go into the werewolf side of the realm at night. I didn’t listen.”

She shook her head. “I don’t like how you keep blaming yourself, Tetra.”

“Nor do I,” Evan said. “I also don’t like how you are trying to suppress your wolf. You are only causing yourself damage, Tetra.”

I licked the juice off my finger.

“I don’t know,” I said. “People are kind enough to bring me food and-”

“It’s not just about food,” Evan interrupted. “If you keep repressing her, she will force herself out. She almost did tonight while Josiah and his friends tried to rape you.”

I puffed my cheeks out. “There has to be another way to let her out without killing animals.”

Catherine pondered. “You know what, I think you can.” We looked at her and she smiled. “We aren’t just killing machines, you know. Tomorrow morning, meet me outside of our hut. I have an idea I think you’ll love.”

“Okay,” I whispered.