William
"I've always hated werewolves—didn't know they were any left in our realm, but it will be my pleasure to end this one!" The fairy scoffs. "Time for you to die, werewolf!"
My blood runs cold at the fairy's words.
What am I supposed to do?
Riley is in danger, held by another fairy so many times larger than myself. I don't know how to save her, but I realize I must try everything!
Adrenaline is pumping through my veins, and blood is gushing into my ears. I try to channel my powers and force magic into my fingertips. My heart is clapping, knowing time is working against me.
Riley is whimpering and struggling to break free. She kicks with her feet and meets my eyes. It seems like she is willing me to run, and I suck in a deep breath before flying up to her.
"I'm not leaving you!"
I hug Riley's cold nose to my chest, praying we won't die as I close my eyes, and suddenly, we teleport from the scene. It happens in an instant. In the blink of an eye, we are back in the human realm and crash down from the sky to land in an alley.
Riley lands first and growls a complaint at the impact. I tumble off her back, widening my eyes when I realize I'm back to being a human.
"I'm normal again!" I exclaim and grimace. "And entirely naked..."
"Glad you're back to normal..." Riley says, back as her human self with her eyes exhausted. "Then you can carry me to your place—I think my ribs are broken."
"Of course—"
I grab Riley when she almost falls headfirst into the asphalt. Her body is weak, and I grumble to myself.
Turning inside the city is forbidden, but something feels off.
The air smells like werewolf territory, which is strange since the big city should be natural grounds. Our identity should be hidden from the humans, but it seems something has changed while we were gone in the fairy realm.
I'm not sure how much time passed in the human realm. But my eyes widen when I peer out from the alley and witness a pack of werewolves running past us.
"Something weird is going on..." I comment.
Riley is panting. "Yeah, werewolves aren't supposed to be running as wolves inside the city... They smelled like the Crescent pack too—something must have happened while we were gone."
"Agreed."
I shape-shift into a wolf, grateful that my wolf is no longer blocked. Yet I feel different somehow. Stronger. It might be my imagination, but it still offers me confidence.
"Could you lie down?"
I do as Riley asks, and she climbs up on my back, grabbing hold of my white fur to keep herself from falling. My heart pangs with worry when her whole body relaxes against me, telling me she is more exhausted than I initially thought.
"I'm insanely tired," Riley says. "And I'm definitely not going to school tomorrow."
I would smile if I could. I don't blame Riley for wanting to skip classes when she is severely injured. All I want is to take care of her wounds. She needs to rest. So I take off into the night, determined to bring her to my mansion to take care of her.
***
When I enter through the gates to my mansion, my father is already there waiting for me. He doesn't say anything but takes care of Riley while I shape-shift underneath the moonlight.
Once I'm back to my human self, I take her back into my arms, desperate to hold her tiny body to my chest.
"You were gone for an entire week," My father tells me. "I figured you had left to visit the fairy realm, so I've been taking care of pack matters in your place."
My eyes travel to his. "We were gone for an entire week?"
"Yes, and things have changed while you were gone. The Crescent pack has gone literally insane and has taken over the city. Werewolves are now coming out as leaders and speaking on the TV—admitting that all people of higher power are indeed supernaturals. Humans are freaking out, and it's a big mess."
I inhale. "My head is spinning from that little information..."
My father gives me a tight-lipped smile. "Our pack is fine, and the school is still on naturals grounds, but you need to be careful—the Crescent pack wishes to kill you."
I tighten my grip around Riley, eyeing her round, pretty face while she is lightly snoring. My heart squeezes.
"I'm not worried about me," I tell my father while focusing on my cute mate. She hardly weights anything at all. "But I don't want to put my mate's life in danger. Perhaps I should reject her? Let her return to the Crescent pack."
"No," my father holds my gaze. "You need to accept what you are and let your fairy blood and werewolf blood mix. And you need your mate's help for that."
I narrow my eyes. We are soon by the door, but I turn around to face my father. He looks like me, but he is older, rougher around the corners. I respect him. He is still a powerful werewolf regardless of his age, but sometimes I don't understand him.
"I do not know what you're talking about."
My father laughs. "We can't let the Crescent pack control this city—their alpha is a terrible man, and he is inspiring fear in the residents. You're this city's hope, but you need to awaken."
I lift an eyebrow. "How?"
"I suggest you go back to the fairy realm and find your mother. Learn how to control your powers and bring your mate with you. Her presence will keep you from losing control of yourself, and if she accepts you for you are, you will need to mark each other."
I wet my lips. "A mated werewolf is stronger than one without the full-fledged bond to their mate, but I'm a monster—Riley deserves better than me."
My father breathes a laugh. "That is her decision to make, not yours. Why don't you take her upstairs and tend to her wounds? Tomorrow, we should plan and inform your mate about everything happening."
I grimace. "I don't think going back to the fairy realm is a good idea—that place is random and dangerous."
"Your pack is way too small to win against the Crescent pack. You lack the werewolves to take out alpha Asher and his brother," my father tells me, smirking. "But imagine if they had to fight against a werewolf with fairy powers?"