09
Life in Shadowpine was a fresh start, a chance to rebuild. Working at the hospital kept me busy and gave me a sense of purpose. I wasn’t a Luna anymore–I was just Mauve, a healer who made medicines and tended to the sick. The people here were kind and appreciative, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like I belonged.
The hospital was usually abuzz with chatter, but today the air felt muggy. As I mixed tinctures in the corner, hushed voices from the nurses caught my attention.
“Another sighting near the northern border,” one of them whispered. “This is the third report this week.” “Do you think they’re scouts?” another asked.
“Could be. Or worse, rogues planning an attack.”
Rogues. My stomach churned. Shadowpine was supposed to be safe, a haven far from the toxic pack I’d left. behind. Yet, the thought of rogues living nearby brought an old, familiar tension back to my shoulders.
It was usually a calm evening walk for me to get home. The streets were empty, and the cool air felt good against my skin. I rented an apartment unit, and though it was far, I could call it my own home away from the commotion of the city.
But tonight, the worry from the hospital remained. The shadows looked darker, and the sound of leaves ru caught my wolf’s attention
We’re being followed, she whispered.
I glanced over my shoulder, but the street was empty. Still, I quickened my pace, locking the door behind me as soon as I got inside. I leaned against it, breathing hard, trying to shake the feeling. But my wolf wouldn’t settle.
It was in the middle of the night when I heard something fall. As I sat up and tried to listen, my heart was beating fast. There was a faint thud coming from downstairs, like something big hitting the floor.
The
Call for the warriors, my wolf growled. What if it was a rogue?
But I didn’t. Instead, I grabbed the small knife I kept by my bed and crept downstairs, my steps slow and silent. My breath hitched as I reached the living room.
A wolf lay slumped by the door, blood pooling beneath him. His chest rose and fell weakly, his fur matted and torn. I hesitated, unsure whether to retreat or move closer. Before I could decide, his body began to shift. Bones snapped and fur receded until a man lay there–tall, muscular, and covered in blood.
His scent was rich and earthy, stirring something deep within my wolf. She growled, but it wasn’t a warning. It was something else, something confusing.
I stepped back when he groaned and moved his arm. When I sniffed, wolfsbane and silver burned my causing my own wolf to recoil in pain.
“We cannot help him,‘ my wolf said, and I felt she was starting to weaken, and so was 1.
“T–Treat me,” the man gasped.
nostrils,
My wolf whimpered in response, torn between her instinct to protect and the overwhelming scent of danger emanating from the man.
“I’ll take you to the hospital,” I said finally.
His eyes fluttered open, dark and sharp despite his condition. “No! Treat me here.”
For some reason, the command in his voice had me complying, despite the warning signals going off in my head. Despite the rogue threats in the area increasing, I couldn’t ignore him.
Why?
“Alright,” I said, kneeling beside him and assessing his injuries. “Worry no more. I will take care of you here.”
The night felt endless. I cleaned his wounds, stitched deep gashes, and applied every salve and herb I could think of to keep him stable. The sharp, pungent scent of goldenrod filled the air as I crushed the leaves to stem the
bleeding. I layered a paste of yarrow and comfrey over the deeper cuts, the herbs sticky under my fingers as they worked to knit the skin together. For the burns and raw flesh, I applied calendula ointment, its soothing properties providing a small comfort against the damage.
He flinched occasionally, and his jaw tensed, but he didn’t cry out. His dark eyes followed my every movement, sharp and assessing even through the haze of pain.
By the time I finished, my arms were heavy with exhaustion. His breathing had steadied, though his jaw remained
clenched against the pain.
“You need to rest,” I said softly. “You are out of danger. I’m sure of it.”
He didn’t respond, just kept staring at me with those piercing eyes. I wanted to ask who he was and why he was here, but I was 1 too tired to push. I slumped into a chair and fell asleep before I could think too much about it.
