Authors: Dixie Lynn Dwyer
She looked in the mirror and could see the slight bags under her eyes. She hadn’t slept well in over a month’s time. This killer was making her crazy. She wanted to catch him, well, it. Her friend Margo might be of help to her. After knowing Margo for over three years, she picked up on the woman’s odd habits and obsession with wolves. Well, at least she thought it was an obsession. Truth of the matter was that Margo believed in the ability to shift from human to wolf and even other forms. At first she thought her best friend was straight out of a loony bin, but she had to admit that the intensity and knowledge of exactly how people could do this intrigued Dani. Before long, Margo was letting her in on a few secrets going on in society. That information had Dani doing some inquisitive investigating of her own. That was when she’d noticed the differences in some people she worked with and worked for. There were secret meetings taking place and whispered words or expressions being exchanged, and before long, she found out about certain special groups. She separated gossip from reality and realized that certain detectives, police officers, and even outsiders were chosen by the brass and reassigned to special teams. One of them being the Special Investigations Unit. She was a damn good detective, and being a woman never stopped her from doing her job. A few broken bones, some battle scars, and even a few near-death experiences hadn’t driven her away from her dangerous position. But the moment Commander Zespian Fagan introduced himself as the Commander of Special Investigations, she lost her breath and her gut clenched with trepidation. For all she knew, if Margo wasn’t a nut job and if what Dani concluded was true, then Zespian had the ability to shift into a wolf and the killer could be one of them.
She swallowed hard and stared at her reflection in the mirror as she brushed back her unruly hair and pulled it into a ponytail. Her muscles flexed. She was built tough and solid. A size ten with hips, ass, and attitude to boot. At five feet seven inches, she was average height, and she felt tough enough to handle most men in most situations. Last night, she wasn’t fighting against a man but something different. It was something that made her insides quiver with fear yet there was also some recognition for whatever it was. She needed to speak with Margo.
She grabbed her cell phone off the dresser, unplugging it from the charger in the process. She texted her friend even though it was only 6:30 a.m.
May have a furry situation on my hands. Need info.
A moment later she got a text back.
Shit! Come over now—coffee’s hot.
She should have known that Margo was awake. It seemed that woman didn’t need much sleep.
Dani grabbed what she needed for work then headed out of her apartment and down four doors to Margo’s apartment. She hadn’t even knocked on the door when Margo opened it, grabbed Dani’s arm, and yanked her inside.
“Hey, what’s the rush?” Dani asked as she pulled on her own shirt to readjust it back into position.
Margo looked concerned as her big blue eyes looked Dani over as she sniffed the air around her.
“Okay, Margo, you are freaking me out now. Quit sniffing me. You’re acting like a crazy woman.”
“You’re right. Tell me about the wolf you saw last night.” Margo stated as she pulled a chair out by the table and began to take out various canisters filled with different color brown leaves and herbs then set them on the counter in no particular order. At least she hoped they were herbs as Margo began adding different ones to some sort of cooking device with a small flame underneath it.
“That shit better be legal and not drugs, Margo,” Dani reprimanded, and Margo didn’t even glance up at her with a chuckle or smirk. Something was up.
“Okay, explain what you are doing. I’m the one that saw a wolf last night and you’re acting crazy.”
Margo looked up as the whistle on the kettle sounded.
“I thought you said the coffee was hot. I hate tea.” Dani told her.
“You’ll drink the tea, Dani. You’ll need all the help you can get.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that you’re special, Dani. So special in whatever way that this rogue wolf seeks you out. He wants you for himself, Dani. He’s going to come for you. I should have seen this coming. “
“What?” Dani exclaimed as she rose from the chair. “You have lost your ever-loving mind, Margo. Enough of the wolf stuff. I shouldn’t have texted you. I’m going to be late for work.”
“Don’t you dare walk out that door. I’ll explain it to you, Dani. I’ll explain what I know and what I can for now. You’re in danger. I smelled him on you immediately.”
Dani sniffed her pits. “Smelled who on me?” she asked with her eyebrows crinkled up.
“The wolf from last night. The killer.”
“What? But how, he didn’t touch me. Wait, I didn’t say anything about a killer.” Dani stopped short. He hadn’t touched her but brushed by her. He hadn’t killed her but seemed to toy with her, grazing by her body three times.
“He did touch you, didn’t he?” Margo questioned as she poured the hot water over the tea leaves and then slowly wiggled the cup to make the leaves seep into the water.
“Not really. More so grazed my body.”
“He was that close to you and didn’t take a bite?”
“Hell no. I shot at him, it, whatever it was.”
“Wolf. A rogue wolf out of control and possibly out for vengeance. I’m not certain because wolves don’t just attack, but soon the others will come. They’ll hear of this incident. They probably already know.”
“The others? You don’t mean other wolves?” Dani panicked as Margo pointed then curled her finger at Dani to come back to the table and drink whatever the hell she mixed in the cup.
“Maybe bad wolves or if you’re lucky good ones that can help.”
“I don’t need help. I’m going to catch this piece of shit and kill it.”
Margo wrapped her hand over Dani’s arm and squeezed as she held her gaze.
“What I’ve told you in the past? What I trusted you with and what your investigation on your own has shown you tells you that this is real, Dani. Werewolves exist. There are thousands among us in the city alone. There are some that have more power and influence in that world under those rules that go way beyond any human forms or bureaucracy or law here.”
“What in God’s name are you talking about?”
“I’ll explain. But first, drink the tea. It is a combination of special herbs found elsewhere, out of this country, in fact, that will help to keep your mind sharp and allow your natural abilities to unfold. It’s time, Dani. It’s time to embrace your heritage and your bloodline.”
Dani wasn’t certain what Margo was telling her, but as she took a sip of the strange-smelling tea, compelled to believe this insanely wild woman sitting next to her, some odd sensations sparked inside of her. She sipped more, the heat, the stench not bothering her one bit but instead a thirst for more of the hot liquid had her nearly licking the inside of the cup clean. She thought about those feelings she had at the warehouse. She thought about her contact with the dying woman.
“That’s it. Perfect. Just as I expected.”
“Just as you expected? What?”
“Dani,” Margo began to say as she rose from her seat. Margo was a pretty young woman, a few years younger than Dani’s twenty-six years, or at least she thought she was young. Sometime Margo spoke with such maturity and wisdom it made Margo seem ancient and it freaked Dani out. By the expression on Margo’s face, this conversation was headed into that direction.
“My kind live amongst the humans for many reasons.”
“Your kind?”
Margo stared at her, indicating she was getting annoyed with the interruptions, but Dani was getting antsy. She wanted answers, and she wanted to know why she was feeling so odd inside right now.
“Wolves with healing abilities. That’s what I am. I am a wolf who comes from a long line of magic. I have the ability to shift and to help heal certain wounds or other ailments that only wolves seem to have.”
Dani glanced at the cup and then at Margo who looked incredibly serious.
“Oh shit, Margo. Did you just give me some sort of drug that’s going to make me believe the shit your spewing? I have to go to work. I have a lot of crap to do and a killer to find.” Dani began to stand and she felt the dizziness hit her.
“Sit!” Margo yelled. Margo never yelled. She was as quiet as a mouse and a good friend over the years. What the hell was happening here?
“What I say is the truth and you will face the danger head-on soon enough. You are not safe traveling out there on your own. You need my help until your true identity is revealed to you.”
“True identity?”
“Yes, Dani. You are not solely human.”
“I sure as shit ain’t a wolf!” Dani blurted in a panic.
“No, you are not of the wolf, but you do have magic within you. I am not certain of what degree or from which descending line, but if that rogue didn’t take a bite out of you or physically touch you, then you could be more powerful than any of us had expected.”
“Us?”
“My pack and what is believed to be the pack you were sent to watch over. But it seems you’re not the one we were searching for. She’s still out there, somewhere. But that is another adventure for another time. Right now I need to find out who you are meant to protect and aid and to what extent your powers extend to.”
“You are so freaking me out right now, Margo. Wolves, packs, magic, and family heritages, none of this makes sense to me. I can’t be the one you think I am. I have no family, I have no memory of one or of any abilities you believe I have. I’ve been alone, going from one orphanage to another until Mr. and Mrs. Lynch took me in at age eleven. I don’t even have a good relationship with them because I’m such a workaholic. I love my job and I love feeling strong and kicking ass and taking names later. I love it and none of what you’re implying makes any sense.”
“The Lynches are wonderful people. They are descendants of the Fennigan Pack in Ireland, too. They did a good job protecting you and raising you under their guard. It was a miracle that one of the many other rogues has not sought you out sooner. This has meaning as well. I may need to call in a higher magic official. Perhaps Henry will be available for consultation?”
Margo was talking to herself in front of Dani, making Dani even more concerned.
“The Lynches didn’t have any family. That’s why they adopted me from St. Mary’s orphanage. They were lonely and couldn’t have children of their own.”
“They were barren. You are right, but they were deeply in love and had total respect and dedication to the Fagan Pack and their generations of warriors and knights. I will try my hardest to give you as much information as possible, but it will be information overload for you. We’ll have to get together the next week or so and begin your training. Perhaps that will bring out your true abilities. You have such a strong spirit and brazen personality. I think your battle will be great. Have you noticed anything different lately? I mean, any feelings or inner observations that may show signs of what’s to come?”
“I can’t take any more of this off-the-wall conversation. I really need to go.” Dani stood up. Margo was pulling open a drawer and pulling out a black velvet sachet.
She approached Dani.
“You have no idea how important you are and will be to the were world and to whatever pack you are meant to protect, heal, and possibly guide. You must follow what is inside your heart and your gut. Your instincts, Dani, have saved you and brought you this far in life. There is so much more, Dani. What I tell you is true, and I know you are stubborn, strong-willed, and thickheaded. It makes me crazy with frustration to not know exactly who you are and what your powers will be, but I have done my part. I have watched over you for these three years as those before me have. The time is drawing near. Embrace what is truly yours. Allow the gods to enlighten you. Take this. Wear it at all times until you find your destiny.” Margo pulled out a thin chain that contained a crystal star. It was tiny, petite, and the moment Dani put it on, it began to glow purple. Margo covered her mouth and stepped back, bowing to Dani.