Dead Grass

Jocelyn's smug grin only grew as she watched panic rise in the young wolf's face. The moment she saw the hybrid, she knew why the witch was able to be turned; the Moon Goddess had already fated her to be with a wolf. She wondered how Elias found her witch, especially in the vulnerable position he had found her in. Of course, there would be time for such questions. She had many questions for the hybrid; but she had nothing but time.

"Claire," the wolf said, his voice shaking. "Do you know what I am?"

The young woman looked at him and nodded. "You're a wolf."

His face clouded for a moment as he realized that she was not scared of him. She was scared of what she could do to him. He glanced down at his shirt, covered in his own blood, and looked back at her. Her blue eyes had darkened as blood flooded her irises, turning them into a deep purple. Jocelyn heard his heart flutter, both from innate fear and from the admittedly beautiful change. The hybrid swallowed, trying not to let her thirst show.

"You do not need to answer this dog," Elias muttered at her, annoyed by his child's awestruck expression. "Come, we are going inside."

"No!" both voices rang out; hers defiant, his angry.

"You," the hybrid's voice cracked with anger. "You lied to me."

"Ma chérie," he began.

"Don't!" she snapped before dropping her face to the ground, trying to cover her sadness. She did not notice, but Jocelyn saw the table shudder from her force. She repeated it again, this time with a wave of sorrow, "You lied to me."

The young wolf stared at her desperately, needing to get closer. He took his shirt off and tossed it across the yard. She shuddered when the smell hit her, but she did not back away as he moved to her. "No blood now. Is that better?" he asked, smiling softly.

He fought back the grin as her eyes ran over his muscular body. What mattered was that she was comfortable and safe. That was all that mattered to him, in this moment at least. He would remember her expression for later, of course.

She meekly nodded, looking back at his earnest face, into his wide brown eyes. He took another step, holding out his hand. "Claire, I want to help you. If he's making you, I mean — you don't have to stay here," he said with an encouraging nod.

At his words, she shrunk back. He held his palms out, as if to show that he didn't have a weapon. But that wasn't the issue.

Alpha Peter took a step towards the pair. Though his face was set into a calm, almost kind expression, anyone with a nose for it could tell that he reeked of angry power. With a saccharine voice, he interjected, "Come and stay with your pack."

Confused, she cocked her head. She looked at the Alpha and back to Elias. Peter draped his arm around his son's shoulder, who tensed at his touch. Claire noticed, she but did not react other than a quick glance. Before he could say anything else, Colin cut in, "You don't have to. I can help you get a hotel room if you wanted? I just want to make sure that you are safe." Peter's fist clenched, and the young wolf swallowed. He cleared his throat and continued, "Claire, I know you have no reason to trust me. I know that you're overwhelmed, and there is so much happening. But I swear to the Goddess that I only care for your safety and wellbeing."

The hybrid stared at the wolf, slowly softening. Elias cleared his throat, forcing her violet eyes to harden on him, much to the dismay of all the wolves. "Claire, you know that I do not like to do this," he began.

Her eyes widened at his words. He was planning to invoke his sire bond. Colin noticed the anxiety cloud her face again and dropped into a more defensive position. Jocelyn smirked as the wolf turned his head to snarl at the old vampire, while the vampire turned to glare at the Alpha. This was the perfect moment. She blinked, and the hybrid was gone, a patch of dead grass where she had stood.

"You've lost your touch, Alpha Peter. Your younglings don't seem to respect elders," Elias sneered.

The young wolf curled his lip in displeasure at the mention of his father and looked back to where the hybrid had been. A strangled cry escaped his throat, and he charged at Elias, yelling, "What did you do to her!?"

Confused, Elias looked too, unable to hide the shock in his face. The wolf noticed as well and stopped in his tracks, partially shifted. Blood dripped off his mangled body as he closed his eyes and sniffed the air, trying to figure out what had happened.

Elias, on the other hand, knew. He faced the witch, a cruel expression marring his otherwise handsome face. With an alarmingly calm voice, he said, "You've taken it a step too far, Jocelyn."

She shrugged, "I assure you that I have done nothing wrong."

"That is not for you to decide!" Alpha Peter yelled as he realized what had happened.

The young wolf did not know what was happening, but he knew that the old witch had something to do with it. He finished shifting, and the giant, russet wolf leaped forward, growling so deeply it shook the ground.

Jocelyn smiled again, "The hybrid is safe and with her true people. And we will see you when The Council convenes in a few days."

With that, she too disappeared, leaving as the wolf's powerful jaws snapped where her leg had just been.