He was a part werewolf.
But before that was absurd, that was impossible. Totally impossible. In this world, you could either be a human or a wolf. Not half of both. Marco’s brows knitted in confusion. The part werewolf was closing up on the shop. A crowd of people was gathered near the glass window, admiring a new book release. Amelia strolled out of the store. The man edged near.
Marco lurched forward.
***
Amelia was fingering her brand-new book in the shopper, when a hand pressed against her lips, pulling her body into the narrow grimy lane. She wanted to scream. The grip around her mouth was too firm, and as Amelia tried to wriggle her body away, an arm pulled her even closer to the darkness. Her back was to a man’s chest, head colliding into his smooth shoulders. Amelia shuddered. Disgusted and annoyed, she closed her eyes, mustering all her tiny strength, and bit the man’s hand sharply.
He let out a low groan, pulling his hand back hastily. “Ow!”
Amelia turned sharply at the sound of his voice. Her eyes grew wide in shock. “You again!” She poked her finger squarely in his chest, struggling to get away, but found his arms too tight. He jerked his arm again, wrapping her body up as if trying to protect her from something. Marco smelled of ashwood and pine. There was also a tinge of smoke.
“Will you stop acting like a kid?” He said through ground teeth. Amelia glanced his way and caught a muscle twitching in his sharp jaw. His thick brows furrowed, and his gray eyes fixed on something ahead. Amelia slumped her shoulders. His grip at her waist relaxed, and Amelia jumped at her chance.
Shooting out of his arms, she dashed ahead with her feet stumbling in panic. She slammed right into a massive body. Taking a step back, she found a monster grinning at her as his sharply pointed teeth caught the light. Amelia’s feet buckled under her. The beast brought a hairy hand to her cheek with his ashen lips pulling back into a cunning smile.
“Let’s get you to your home, darling.” Amelia shuddered under his gross touch. When she opened her mouth to let out a blood-curling scream, her breath froze in her chest.
Marco had slid out of the shadows. The monster’s face fell.
“Wolf Mage of the Woods of Wakerlin,” the monster’s voice trembled. “What are you doing to Arkshire?” He glanced in Amelia’s direction, and his mouth grew into a sneer. “Of course. Does Wolf Mage finally know it?”
Marco’s eyes narrowed to slits. Amelia had never seen him look so enraged. And when he spoke, his voice was ice cold, “Know what?”
“Ahh,” the monster continued grinning, “The Wolf Mage is ill-informed. Well, trek away,” he said, waving his hand, and shifting his attention back to Amelia, “I have business to attend to.”
“You should know your place,” Marco finally smirked, eyes still cold, “teil werewolf. The only business you have is with Death.”
And before the monster could respond, a shining blade sliced through the air, slitting his throat. His massive body tumbled to the ground.
Suddenly, Amelia’s body felt too cold. Her eyes were petrified, and her feet rooted to the spot. For a few long moments, she simply stood there with her gaze stuck on the face. Then Marco’s voice tore her out from her trance. Making her come back to reality.
“You should head back home. It’s getting dark.”
Amelia spun slowly on her heels, her mind still dizzy. He was leaning against the streetlight, his body thrown into thick shadows as the sun dipped into the horizon behind him. Orange light splayed across his angular face in thin lines, setting his features on fire. Amelia felt her stomach twist at the sight. She closed her eyes to his intense look and scratched her nose.
“Thank you,” she said, looking back at him. He nodded. Stuffing his fingers into his jeans pockets, he walked over to her. His body was not swallowed by the shadows and his lovely hair fell loose for her to see. Amelia gulped.
“What for?” He said, a careful expression gleaming off his smooth face.
“That monster back there,” Amelia stammered, lifting her finger to the werewolf’s head. “What did you call it?”
“Teil werewolf. It’s what we call a part werewolf. Though, I’ve never seen one before.”
“We?”
Marco’s gaze drifted away, his face falling again into shadow. “I mean – the wolf community.”
“Why was he chasing me?”
Marco pressed his lips together. “That's exactly the part that bothers me too, and I intend to find that soon."
A long silence stretched between them. Amelia pondered over everything he said, and then spoke, “Thank you, Marco. I don’t know what that monster would’ve done to me.”
Chapter 3
Two days later…
