She's The Lone Wolf

~29~

**Some mythology in this has connections to true stories, but is also heavily made up by me for the purpose of this story**

Amaris

I still feel shaky as Anton leads me to the group's hangout room. Monday, Emi, and Vace are already waiting for us when we arrive. Emi stands quickly, striding toward me before pulling me into a hug.

"What happened you're shaking like a leaf," her eyes full of concern as she backs away. "Anton told all of us to meet here, what's going on?"

"Another rogue," Anton answered, taking a seat next to Vance on the couch. "Right on the border of the housing units," his voice raising several decibels.

"Shit," Vance mutters under his breath, rubbing his stubble with his hand.

"That's not all," Anton looks to me, silently asking permission to tell the group the rest of the details. I give him a small nod. "The wolf had no scent we could pick up on, but Amaris was able to feel them before they were even visible."

"Even visible? What does that mean?" Emi asks. Anton and I both look at each other before he continues.

"The wolf just came out of nowhere, and then vanished."

"So these rogues are experts in camouflage?" Vance looks as confused as we had felt.

"No," I finally say, "it simply vanished into thin air." I take a breath before continuing and locking eyes with Anton. "I could feel the energy, and that was no wolf. It almost felt like," I struggled to find the right word, "a shadow of one."

"So you're telling me," Monday finally stands with the rest of us, "that there is a group of savage rogue wolves that have banded together to terrorize pack lands AND they can disappear at will because they don't have a physical body?" I nod at her, to which she sighs and flops back down on the couch. "This is way above my pay grade."

"Why are we talking about Malar?" Laura finally appears in the doorway, her face splattered with baking flour. "Sorry I'm late, baking mishap." All eyes shoot towards her as she shakes some remaining flour from her curly hair. "What?"

"Who's Malar?" Vance asks.

"You know, Malar. God of the savage wild, deity of the hunt. Seriously no one?" Our blank stares must have been enough to confirm we had absolutely no idea what she was going on about. " I can't believe y'alls parents never told you the story of Malar. You're all talking about it like you know it"

"In Amaris' defense she doesn't have parents," Monday pipes up. Earning her a growl from Anton and glares from everyone else. "It was a joke, I'm trying to lighten this mood. Damn." 

"Anway," Laura continues, giving her mate a pointed look. "When I was little, my mother would always tell me the story of Malar, to keep my behavior in check. Make sure I didn't wander onto different pack lands, talk back, you get it. She told me if I misbehaved Malar would sneak me away in the night, steal my soul, and make me part of his rogue legion. I would become a wild beast that attacked other packs at his will." 

"Your mom needs better bedtime stories. Jesus babe."

"Moday!" Vance, Emi, and Anton all chide at the same time. Monday throws her arms up surrendering.

"Do you remember your mom mentioning anything about shadows or wolves being turned into shadows?" I ask.

"Shadows? No, she never mentioned shadows. But, she did say something about how the wolves would become mist, their souls no longer being intact."

The rest of us sit in silence looking at each other with fear in our eyes, all knowing what this meant.

"Someone needs to tell me what's going on."

"I don't think Malar was just a bedtime story Laura," Anton says, a heavy weight falling onto all of our shoulders.

a/n

oooo cliffhanger!! I'm out of school right now so I have been doing a lot of catchup writing, I may be continuing to update daily, at least till Sunday! Love you all, and thank you for all the support. 

xoxo, 

EA