The Wolf and the Natural ✔️

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We stood on the borders between our pack and the outside world. To my left was Melloni, her head held high. Jonah held her hand tightly. He had argued with her for the both of them not to go but she won.

We opted to not let any other guys come. Because to Arlis... guys were far more threatening. So Electra stood to my right, Iris on the far side. Dalia refused to come, she was far beyond pissed at me. I was okay with that, she'd thank me later. Vera left early to go help her brother, Chleo. Chance had come back to my house for a couple minutes and when we told him our plan he flipped out. He begged me not to do it. But... I eventually got him to agree. So he was still back at my house with the other guys.

So it was just us. Melloni. Jonah. Iris. Electra. Me. The perfect team, I suppose. I could've opted for a couple other people at my side. Iris made it very clear that the five of us were not strong enough to take Arlis down.

"How do you know he's here?" I asked.

Jonah had led us here. He couldn't explain how he knew or why Arlis would be here, just that Arlis was here. Just that... he was going to be here.

"Here" to be specific, was a small clearing in the woods. I didn't see any significance in the spot, but apparently it was a special place.

"He is," Jonah whispered. I had never seen Jonah scared, nor did I like seeing him scared. He clung to Melloni's hand like if he let go she'd slip away from him. He jumped at every sound, looked over his shoulder far to often for me to not to feel anxious too.

My earlier heat of the moment bravery and badassery had fell down the drain. I had no clue where that side of me went. I wanted that part of me back right now.

"What's so special about this spot?" I asked, hoping to get an actual answer instead of vague words. I always hated getting vague hints.

Jonah looked down at the snow. Something I did notice that was weird about this area, was that it wasn't just a normal clearing. There was no life for a near perfect circle. "This is the spot Arlis met Constance and Becker. It's the spot Constance killed her husband. It's where Kasparov tied Constance to a pole. Becker sent Konrad to Hell here. So many things happened here."

I noticed where a tree had been skinned towards the top. I... had been here before.  "Me and Arlis were here... with my brother. We found Everly on the ground here. Because... Konrad was risen here."

ELectra's jaw twitched. "So much supernatural blood has been spilled here. So much it has literally cursed this area. And Arlis feeds off of this land. Last time he was Rogue, this circle was his home. Jonah is right... He'll be here."

I shivered as a particularly cold wind blew through. I had noticed that I was starting to feel the weather less and less. And the longer we stood here, the more I seemed to get used to the negative weather. Melloni had sweats and a fluffy hoodie on, but the rest stood in regular clothes. Jonah was wearing a T-shirt for crying out loud.

As crazy as Jonah looked at the moment, however, he was right.

Moments later a growl ripped through the wind, tearing at my eardrums. I didn't flinch, didn't jump. This was Arlis. And he was coming back. I needed him back. He had to come back.

A black wolf strutted out from behind a tree, yellow teeth snapping at us. He looked at me and his growl only got worse.

"Kate," Iris asked, her voice shaking. "He does not look like he recognizes any of us."

"That's because he doesn't," a silky voice came from the sidelines. Out of nowhere, Konrad materialized next to Arlis. I expected Arlis to tear him to shreds but he just sat there, his wolf emotionless.  "He's Rogue, but a clean slate Rogue. He doesn't know you all from a deer. The only thing he understands are my commands."