Without a Wolf

14

Emeric shielded me with his body, his arms wrapped tightly around me as we braced ourselves against the violent, strong wind. The shattered glass had created a dangerous hailstorm of deadly shards, slicing through the air and creating an otherworldly chaos. The sound of the wind was deafening, the force of it so powerful that it felt like it could sweep us off our feet at any moment. Or, perhaps it was just me who it could knock down. Emeric didn't have any trouble standing tall against the gusts.

Feeling particularly anxious by the sudden danger, I clung to Emeric, feeling the strength of his body as he shielded me from the storm. His muscles flexed and tensed, as he used all his Alpha power to protect me from harm. I felt safe in his arms, but the wind raged on, its force seeming to grow stronger with every passing moment.

All I could think about was Emeric and Selene's words from early in the day. I wasn't sure if my less-than-human healing strength would be up to the task of helping me from one hundred small shards of glass stuck in my skin.

Finally, the gusts began to die down, the shards of glass clinking and rattling against the ground as they settled. Emeric pulled back, his arm wrapped around my shoulders as he quickly led me towards the door. We stepped out into the hall, where we were met by what I assumed to be Emeric's inner-pack. I could see Thorne, who I had met earlier, as well as Ronan in the small crowd, all of them looking as shaken as we were. I looked around quickly for Selene, but I couldn't see her.

"What the hell was that?" One of them demanded, his voice loud and panicked.

"I don't know," Emeric said, his voice firm and commanding. "But we need to get out of this house. There are too many windows... it's too dangerous."

Emeric looked down at me as he spoke, the panic in his eyes speaking much more to me than his words. It's too dangerous for me. The glass, which could be potentially fatal to me, would be harmless to the wolves. Emeric looked like he was having a silent war in his head, trying to figure out the best way to keep me safe while also protecting his pack.

Emeric continued to gently pull me away. His touch was so delicate on my skin that I could barely even feel it, as if he was trying to be affected as little as possible by our connection as he led his pack. I wondered if I should step away from him, disconnecting our point of contact, but as of right now, his proximity to me was making me feel safe.

The pack followed us as we made our way outside, the strange wind still pushing through the air. It was as if the gusts were following us, chasing us down. The trees bent and swayed in the wind, their branches creaking and groaning under the force of it. Leaves and debris flew through the air, creating a swirling vortex.

We ran towards a large clearing, far away from any trees that could snap and fall onto the pack. Emeric was leading the way with his Alpha speed. The pack followed him without question, their eyes focused on the swirling wind and debris around us. I felt a sense of fear creeping into my heart, as I realized that we might be running towards something incredibly dangerous.

As we drew closer, the wind began to slow down, the debris falling to the ground around us. And then, as suddenly as it had begun, the storm came to a complete stop. The air grew still, the only sound being the rustle of leaves and the beating of our own hearts. We looked around, trying to make sense of what had just happened. The storm had been so sudden and so violent, and now it was gone, as if it had never existed at all. But we knew that something was out there, something powerful and dangerous.

I was looking around the clearing, searching for any clues that could tell me what had happened. The wind seemed magical, the way that it had so strongly formed from nothing. I looked to the sky to confirm; there were no clouds. The blue sky was as clear as could be. Some of the wolves from around me changed, shifting into their wolf forms. I had seen the transformation so many times in my life, but it had been so long that I had forgotten how magical it was.

The wolves moved in unity as they placed their noses to the grass, and I knew they were trying to find any evidence of an enemy presence.

"Selene," I heard Emeric say, bringing my attention from the wolves back to him. He was still standing close to me, guarding me as if there was an immediate threat and he needed to protect me.

I looked around his large body, trying to see Selene. He seemed to understand what I was doing, moving to the side to allow me some room. He didn't remove his arm from around my shoulders, but I could feel the way the tense muscles relaxed once he saw his healer.

Selene, who Emeric must have seen from far away with his Alpha eyes, finally came into my view. She was walking out of the dense forest, her feet bare as she stepped across the fallen debris. Her silver hair was knotted and blown across her face, with leaves sticking out from the strands. She looked like she had been standing in the middle of the powerful gusts.

She didn't speak as she made her way towards us. She looked eerily calm, her face impassive and showing no emotion. As Selene reached us, her violet eyes scanned the scene, taking in every detail with the precision of a skilled healer, and now that I knew who she was, a powerful witch.

Emeric, sensing her calmness, finally released me from his protective stance. I felt a slight shiver run through my skin, as if the tension had finally broken and I could breathe again. The wolves continued their search, their powerful senses trained in on the faintest traces of scent and sound.

Without a word, Selene knelt down to look at the debris that now covered the grass. Her wrinkled fingers expertly moved through the remains of the storm, as if she was searching for a hidden truth within the mess. The air was still and heavy, and the silence was only broken by the occasional growl or whine of the surrounding wolves as they continued their investigation.

I glanced at Emeric, whose sharp eyes remained locked on Selene. He looked to her like he knew that this was above his knowledge as an Alpha. He stood tall, his statue held an air of strength and leadership. However, I could see the worry written in the lines of his face. This event had shaken him, and it was clear he knew that his pack's safety was now in question.

Finally, Selene rose to her feet, brushing off the dirt and leaves that clung to her hands. She turned to face Emeric, her expression remaining unreadable.

"What was this?" Emeric asked at once. It was obvious that his patience was thin, and he had been biting his tongue while Selene was looking through the leaves and debris. "Who was this?"

"The mark of powerful magic is here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It is not of your kind, nor any enemy we have encountered before."

"What do you mean?" Emeric asked her, and though his voice was still sharp, the respect that he had for her rang clear through it.

"Powerful magic," Selene repeated, looking around at the sky above us. She didn't seem to be searching for clues in the same way I was, it was more like she was confirming her words.

"Are we safe?" Emeric asked. He seemed to realize that he wasn't going to get any direct answers from Selene. "Is Gem safe?"

At the sound of my name, Selene looked towards me for the first time since she approached us. She stepped closer, her hands reaching out towards me. Selene took both of my hands in hers, and when our skin made contact, she closed her eyes.

I felt a sudden jolt of energy pass between us, like an electric current running through my skin. I felt my eyes widen in shock, and I could see the same surprise reflected in Emeric's features. Selene's grip on my hands tightened, and I could feel a warmth spreading through my body, like it was rays of sun that were healing me. It was strange, and yet somehow comforting at the same time.

After a few moments, Selene opened her eyes, and her grip on my hands loosened. "Gemini is safe for now," she said, her voice soft and reassuring.

"But we need to be careful. This magic was powerful. Too powerful."