Born in Fire

Chapter One

Kalama*

     I leaned against the cool stone of the cave wall. It was wet from the morning's rain and soaked into my already dirty and torn shirt, chilling my skin. I had been staying in the cave ever since that fateful night, now over a week ago. My stomach growled and I pulled my knees up to my chest, letting out a sad sigh. "Don't be sad." said a voice in my head. My wolf, Ash spoke in a whisper.

    "How can I not?" I told her. "I should be at home, enjoying..." My thought dwindled and a tear trailed down my cheek. It had been my eighteenth birthday and had just met the eyes of who I thought was my other half. Evan was tall and lean, with broad shoulders, blonde hair and brown eyes. The first six months had been great, unbelievably so, despite Ash's warnings. I had refused to listen to her, until it was too late. He had come into our bedroom, stinking of another she-wolf. I had been furious. At first, it was just yelling and then his eyes went black and his hand came across my face so hard I saw stars. I don't remember the full beating, only that when I woke, I was chained to the bed, naked, bruised, and bloody. The silver chains burned my skin, and I knew I had to get out, somehow.

    “And we did.” said Ash.

    “Yeah, that we did.” I thought, “Two years later and at what price?” Ash snorted in disgust,

    “He was not our mate. There is no point in dwelling on what has happened. The future is what is important.”

    “What future?”  Ash chuckled,

    “You shall see, my Kalama.” With that last statement, Ash went dormant, leaving me to do nothing but to find breakfast.

*Ash*

    My Kalama was broken over what had happened to Evan. Evan had given her the one thing she desired, companionship. Before I had been able to come through, my dear Kalama spent much of her time alone. She was the only child of the Alpha and Luna of the Crystal Stream Pack and were often busy with other duties. The other pack members could sense something different about her and avoided her. The rumors that she was not the Alpha’s daughter filled the pack-house. Kalama tried to understand, using the fact that she had flaming red hair and strange hazel eyes that seemed to be alight, for the reason of these rumors. Even I had to admit that Kalama looked nothing like her parents. Alpha Phillip, who stood well over six foot, with well-developed muscles, brown hair and brown eyes and Luna Litta, who was small and slender, with brown/blonde hair and brown eyes. I shared the hurt and loneliness that Kalama experienced in her childhood.

    I however, felt nothing for what happened to Evan. I had tried to warn her, Evan was not the one, but Kalama was lost in his companionship, having never experienced it before. Kalama did not fully understand what had happened as she laid, chained to that bed, but I did. I knew everything that sick son-of-a-bitch did to her over the span of two years. I had tried pleading with his wolf, but the wolf was just as sick as he was. When Kalama awoke and felt the pain he had dealt her, I knew we somehow had to escape. I then sensed her fear, as Evan stood over her, his claws were out, and his canines enlarged. He was hungry for blood, her blood, our blood and he wouldn’t stop until we were dead. It was then that I felt the fire, I didn’t know if Kalama did, with fear clouding her mind, but I did and pushed through, bringing the fire with me. “Ash?” Kalama’s voice broke through my own thoughts. “Do you want to go for a run?” I purred my delight and watched through Kalama’s eyes as she began to strip off her badly torn clothes.

    I closed my eyes as the warmth of the shift bubbled somewhere in Kalama’s body. Her bones broke, lengthened, and settled. When the warmth had gone, I opened my eyes and looked down at my own paws and back up again as the smells of the forest filled my nose. A rabbit suddenly hopped out of the bushes, making eye contact with me and rushed off. I took off after it, enjoying the wind blowing through my fur and the dirt under my paws. I chased the rabbit, keeping up with ease, until it finally dove for cover under an uprooted tree. I paced back and forth in front of the spot the rabbit went, hoping it would try to make a break for it. After a few minutes, I huffed, giving up on the rabbit. The smell of water tickled my nose, making me realize how thirsty I was. Following the smell, I came to a spring. The water was crystal clear, allowing me to see the fish that swam at the bottom. I drank my fill and decided this would be a good place for a rest. I laid down in the soft grass as the edge of the spring, letting out a yawn and closed my eyes. I was just starting to drift off when I heard the snap of a twig. I jumped to my feet, turning, and facing the dark blue eyes of a black wolf.