Chapter 2 - Lena

I wasn’t supposed to miss it, wasn’t supposed to mourn the loss, but I do. The ache is a stone at the bottom of my rib cage that never seems to go away. I know it’s my body’s way of dealing with the loss of Faerie’s healing magic, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

So, when I can’t waste any more time at the clinic, I walk out toward the edge of my tiny town. Past the sleeping buildings, their families tucked in safely. Past the sad greenish-yellow lawns and the desiccated riverbed. Mindlessly making my way to the woods on the edge of town that wraps around the mountain’s base.

It’s here that I can breathe just a little easier. I can let myself relax enough to shed the last few scraps of human pretense that stalk me through my days. My eyes glow faintly as they take in the lingering afterglow of the day’s magic in the grass and trees. The sun may be going down, the moon taking its turn to come out and play, but it’s far from dark for me.

The wind picks up, carrying with it the scent of animal and man. It’s the kind of smell that would make any human’s skin prickle, a warning in the nose before the brain had any time to register danger. But unlike the humans, I know there’s a bigger predator in these woods than any wolf.

He stands at the edge of the clearing, hidden to the human eye, but not mine. He watches me, curious for now.

I don’t even try to approach, knowing better than to challenge a wild thing in his own domain. Even one that spends half his time walking on two legs. Instead, I crouch down, ignoring him in favor of brushing my fingers across the mossy ground. I exhale, letting the little bit of residual magic from today’s healing drift into the earth. It’s cold to the touch, barely masking the gentle hum of life beneath the surface.

The wolf huffs at me, bringing my attention back to him as he blinks slowly. I blink back, understanding the silent communication of two creatures out of place. He doesn’t belong here any more than I do, miles from his pack land.

I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep this up. The constant pretending. The hiding. The skirting of rules that I hadn’t agreed to but were enforced on me either way. One day, Faerie will come knocking, my luck will run out, and the consequences will be a price that I can’t pay. I can feel them out there, constantly watching… constantly tracking.

But today will not be the day they win.

And, as twilight swallows the fields around me, and the wolf slowly slinks away, I stand. The feeling of calm, no matter how lonely, washes over me as I wipe the dirt from my hands, and begin the long walk home.

Night always comes early in the mountains, the horizon darkening to indigo long before the rest of the town is even aware. I haven’t even reached the edge of the woods before hearing the whisper of feet behind me. It’s a soft sound, barely discernible in the sound of a forest slowly drifting to sleep, but I recognize the cadence of pursuit. I don’t turn, or run. Doing either would invite escalation, and I would rather not anger the guardians of the woods without provocation.

The old ranger station is half-collapsed, its porch a haven for raccoons and vagrants. Darkness surrounds it, sending eerie shadows pulsing against the tree line as I meander past. The brush snaps to my left, but I ignore it, continuing forward as if hearing nothing.

Three men emerge from the trees, one right after the other, their postures casual in a way that only apex predators could achieve. Each wore denim jeans, their feet and chests bare to the elements. I’ve seen them around town before, at the gas station, the grocery store, always hovering at the edge of civilization. Always following behind me as if my personal shadows.

“Evening, Lena,” the tallest one says, his voice raspy as if unused to being used. He shakes his head, much as I would imagine a dog shaking the water from his fur, shaking the brown hair from his face. “You heading home all alone?”

His stare is intense, and though he tries to act unbothered, I can just make out the tightening in his muscles. I slow my pace, moving in such a way to keep all three of them in my line of sight, though my hands never move from my sides. “It’s not far.”

The second man, sandy-haired and thinner, grins wildly at me. “Still, it’s dark. Wolves are out tonight.”

I bite back a snort at the irony of him warning me away from wolves and weigh my options. Running is pointless, and fighting would only attract the attention of their pack. Besides, everyone knows in this town, everything worth happening happens under the radar. Blood feuds, missing livestock, the occasional lost hiker… everything gets swept under the same dusty rug when the wolves are involved.

Though the humans don’t have any idea that the wolves are the ones to blame. The supernatural community has a heavy fear of being found out, with good reason.

The same way I can’t be found out. It’s not like I have anyone watching my back to sweep my problems under the rug. So, I’ll play my part.

I let the men flank me, steering me onto a side path that will lead me farther into the woods. It winds up toward the foothills. The smell of their excitement is pungent, drowning out the smell of the earth around us.

When I glance behind me, the third man offers me a small nod. There’s something about him that seems different from the rest of the pack, but his silence speaks volumes and I ignore his watchful cognac eyes. His nod should feel like a threat as they lead me farther away from the safety of the town, but instead it feels like a confirmation. A silent solidarity.