The Devil's Wolf

ep voice filled the cab of Ashlynn’s car. “Don’t forget, it is very import

e when she had performed the full moon ceremony with the other cubs, and they h

sioned her transformation as she had been taught by

ons with Others of almost every kind. She had the potential, the abilities of the Other

too, she had the bi

ended her life, causing her instincts to react. Raiden had sternly f

the subsequent attempt had placed Ashlynn in hospita

hat Ashlynn clung to. After the fall had enabled Lia to access

her, but she had not belonged anymore, caught between chil

mate, she had taken he

in the city near the packs’ lands, in a shitty one room apartment (despite Raiden’s objections) where she had shared th

he city - she walked past them on the street, bumped into them in the queue at the local coffee shop, or was served by someone when she picked up takeaway. And there were

a nicer one on the other side of the city to pack lands, which decreased the number of encounters a

hing she had leapt on, the ultimate excuse, the ultimate escape. As soon as her passport had cleared, she had taken a flight and settled into

belonging she remembered as a child, and the not belonging that she felt

ed, however, in her heart, the sadness of a distance that was far more than physical, along with

new. There had been a series of miscarriages, and one cub lost at birth, which had been devastating to both parents. For

ad been built before cars existed and put her foot down as she pulled out onto the open road, whe

where no others turned onto it, that she particularly enjoy

see through the windscreen, that the front corner of the Audi had crumple

friction of the spin. Her hands fought against the steering wheel, but steering was unresponsi

soil and greenery. She heard something explode, and the impact of the airbag, spilling out powder like flour. Th

n an inaudible scream, its inhalation foreboding. When that inh

an inventory of injuries running through her mind, all minor but painful, starting from the bite ac

n to rain? She w

she dragged herself up off the airbag, aware of flame in the cor

against her seatbelt as she mentally thanked her father for drilling into her its use. For a moment it would not give, loc

at and slithered through the gap between the front seats into the back, bracing against the car seat so that she could drive her heel ag

!” She

led back like the lid of

the flames. The stubble of his beard pierced like gold metal spikes through his cheeks, and his eyes were oth

and horror, and yet he held out his hand. “Stupid human,” he said qui

wonderment and felt the warm

muscles of his thighs tighten a moment before he leapt, the sudden motion snapping her head on her neck painfully. His win

est, the beat of his heart against her cheek, and then they sank to

e opened his wings over them both, shielding them from the small metal bits and embers that rained over them, and as he looked back

ld him. “My ma

or humor. “I am no angel

her hand too heavy to continue to hold

he smiled at the surrender in the gesture. And then, he eased his arm out from under her and

him above her, his white wings and bl

d her lungs felt tight and raw, but otherwise uninjured upon inspection. She had a full bladder that demanded her attention and she p

he told them. “Wha

tell her how lucky she was to escape a car accident that violent without more than a few bumps and br

d taken her to safety. A guardian angel, her angel. Her mate. She had to find him again, she knew

ope, to identify a mate in such a way, so definitely. Perhaps

and after an awkward police interview. They did not hold her responsibl

n of the accident. Her survival

hared the world with vampires, they weren’t ready for angels. Or werewolves. So she didn’t mention his role in her rescue - she didn’t want to spen

er apartment and she spent fifteen minutes listening to a lecture from the super on the ground floor when she knoc

the TV, and dried her hair as she watched the handsome vampire, Elior, schmoozing with politicians, assuring humanity that of course t

o take over the world. But the Others knew better. She knew better. The werewolves and vampires had fough

ace of the new world. A pr

lips so as not to frighten the humans with his Other nature. It was no wonder he

bet it is pretty tasty,” she pressed the tongs of her fork against her bottom lip as she speculated, observing the way his shou

is clothing disheveled, but the body beneath it had been spectacular, she remembered, from being held against it. How

from her parents. She groaned and rested her head against the wall. She was on the verge of trying to call

in the kitchen, and

w onto the fire-escape, and she heard the bang of the door a

st into her apartment, and their eyes zero in on her through th

strade, and dropping down, catching the poles as she drop

landed onto the stairwell platform below her, her feet feeling the bite of the metal weave against the soles, the framework s

ell just miss her, and threw up a shield, deflecting the next, as she began to run down the alleyway,

e night, hearing their footfalls behind her, and

ine spiking as she landed on the other side. She was looking over her shoulder, wh

er under the armpits, lifting her out of the path of certain death. There

he gripped her mate’s shoulders, and watched the flames rise o

ried out. “I think

ke sparks, and adjusting his grip on her, as he aimed for a nearby roof top. He released her a m

, square jawed and straight nosed, and the hollows beneath his high cheekbones carved with artistry. Several days’ worth of stubble spiked golden through flawless

into a v, and his thighs designed for leaping into the air – quite literally, she realized. He was designed

r otherwise, he was down on his luck. But then, she looked down at herself, barefooted

m. "Wingless, I think, though how they trac

response, turning to watch the flames th

t through the night’s shadows and the golden flickering flame of the collision. There was no sign

tied, somehow, you and I. Whatever you are, yo

fish, she thought, his expression held utter

id it. “No, that is not true.

ensibly. “Twice now, you have saved me. W

it at her. “No.

d off the edge of the building, his wings

purse and mobile phone in the car accident, she was half the

a vampire one. It was worth a try. There were