Page 105 of The Lone Wolf Café
Werewolves, like witches, had magic running through their veins, though ours was far more subtle. During the full moon, it gave us supernatural strength and power, our wounds mending quickly and our pain tolerance vastly increased.
In other words, it was going to take a lot more than a few rocks to slow down Big Red.
“Alright, everyone,” Rowena announced. I was still in my wolf form, my fur standing on end and my body braced for action, as Rowena explained the next steps.
The witches, who had previously been guarding the holes in the barrier that Big Red created, stepped back.
Because now, they needed to let Big Red through.
And I was the bait.
Once the witches were out of the way, Big Red burst effortlessly through the barrier. They must have been shocked that they were able to get past the witches, because they ended up running past me and skidding on their heels.
The red wolf whipped around, moonglow-filled eyes beaming on me like spotlights. The glow consumed the wolf’s entire eye, shrouding their iris and pupil and making it look like nothing more than a milky abyss.
I gulped. I’d never realized how terrifying we moon-glowed wolves truly were.
Big Red’s nostrils twitched as they took huge, deep inhales that made their belly bulge. They gave a low growl and drew back their lips, revealing curved yellow fangs.
I braced myself, pushing my shoulders up and digging my claws into the earth.
Come get me, you big red bastard.
Big Red charged. Deep, guttural growls echoed from the wolf’s throat as they sprang toward me. But just a few feet before they reached me, I darted out of the way, and a dazzling burst of fire sent Big Red reeling backwards.
Nina leered toward the wolf, the conjured flame in her hand blindingly bright against the void of the night sky. Big Red turned, a hint of panic flashing in their eyes, as they attempted to escape to Nina’s left.
But the earth-wielding witch stopped Big Red with a wall of dirt, pulled up from the earth with a great tremble that made my paws shake.
The other witches gathered in a circle, using their powers to either intimidate or restrict Big Red. The wolf spun from left to right, panic rising in their glowing eyes as they realized they were trapped.
Finally, once Big Red slowed down, Rowena stepped in front of the exasperated beast and extended her hands.
Vines burst from the ground, wrapping around Big Red’s giant paws and weaving themselves in tight formation around the wolf’s legs. Big Red stomped and thrashed, their howls morphing into whimpers as they realized they were trapped.
Rowena let the vines crawl all the way up to the wolf’s shoulders, until she was confident they would hold. That Big Red wouldn’t be able to escape.
Now it was my turn. As I bolted around Big Red’s flank, the red beast craned their head over their shoulder, desperate to keep their glowing eyes on me.
Once I reached Big Red’s tail, and they had to stop and twist their neck the other direction to maintain their gaze, I made my move.
Deep breaths.
I had to time this perfectly.
I sprang into the air, pressuring every cell in my body toplease, pleaseshift. I needed to be in my human form before I hit Big Red’s back.
I felt my fingers hit fur just as Big Red bucked beneath me.
I slammed into the wolf’s back, nearly banging my teeth on the back of their huge skull. Despite having the wind knocked out of me from the landing, I had no time to collect myself. I reached my arms up, pushing my fingers onto the fur around Big Red’s neck so I wouldn’t slide off.
The wolf writhed and protested as much as they could, but Rowena’s vines had their legs bound like they were stuck in cement. It only took a few seconds for Big Red to give up their thrashing, and for me to get a hand on the back of their head.
I dug my fingers into the short fur of the wolf’s forehead, right between its two furry ears. With my other hand, I ferociously gripped the loose scruff of Big Red’s neck, and I squeezed my legs around the wolf’s belly as tight as I could.
I was determined not to fall off. Right now, I was out of reach of those huge jaws, and I wanted to keep it that way.
I pressed my palm deeper into Big Red’s head, imagining that my arm was a conduit. That through it flowed a current of electricity, pouring from my mind to theirs.
