The Witch Who Ran With The Wolf

Chapter16: The Selective Scent

Melvin charged after his mate.

The clairvoyant wolf tripped Alex's hind leg before his attack could make contact with him, and flipped him over on his back. Alex growled in appreciation for their position, and rubbed his snout against Melvin's fur.

"Good Job Red." Nowaki, who'd already shifted from his wolf had been helping Melvin settle into the pack training regime. He was quite pleased to see that the new addition to his pack was more than capable.

Melvin's brown fur dispersed as his flesh returned.He stretched in his human form, and let out a yawn."Thanks."

"How are you so fast?" Alex asked through the mindlink, refusing to shift.. Melvin's touches were especially pleasing in his wolf form.

"I'm not fast." Melvin chuckled. "I saw your first three moves before you even thought of em."

"That's cheating." Alex pouted, rubbing himself against the ground.

"Don't make excuses." Nowaki teased, kicking a nearby pile of dirt into his direction. "You got your ass beat by the newbie."

Hearing his mate's name, brought an instant feel of withdrawal over Nowaki.He turned on his heel and headed towards the back door of the mansion.

"Going to see Mercury?" Melvin asked, following behind him. "She's started training with grandad today. You might want to hold off-"

"Do you have the address?"

"Yea. I'll come along with you, I need to get my clothes anyway."

"Me too." Alex grinned, wrapping his arm around Melvin's shoulders.

                                              ***

"If you can't save yourself, how do you expect to save anyone else?"

Mercury kept her eyes closed and her posture straight. She was sitting in the middle of the living room in grandad's old rocking chair. A cut, dripping with blood was slashed across her right arm and it was her job to heal it.

Her great uncle, James walked circles around her as he waited for her to complete the task. He was the total opposite of his sister, Meryl. The man was impatient, demanding, and always pushing for the impossible. It was ten times worse when he was with Mercury. She was the only female in the family apart from the adults. The old man found it crucial to test her more than his grandsons and nephews.

"Focus. Mercury." He told her, as he rubbed the white hair that coated his chin.

"I am." She gritted her teeth, trying her best to endure the pain in her arm.

"Not focused enough, it's been ten minutes."

"If you bleed to death it'll be your own fault." He spat, knowing damn well he'd stop before it could get to that.

The skin of the cut began to coil together at the tip. It fastened like a spider web and sealed itself. The process stopped before it could fully heal.

Mercury fell forward, exhausted. "I..Grandad I can't finish."

He squatted in front of her, and took her arm in his. "We're done for the day."

"I'm sorry." Mercury told him, assuming from his expression that his expectation was more than she had done.

"Be here bright and early tomorrow." He told her as he finished the healing process of the wound. "And I expect a better performance."

"Yes Grandad."

                                            ***

"He lives pretty close to Ms. Johnson." Nowaki commented as he parked on the curb of the old house.