The wolf followed the scent as he moved. The moor was empty of day trippers, had been for days and yet something lingered in the air. Brodric raised his head at a noise to his left. There before him stood a shadow wolf staring at him. Praying he wasn’t about to meet his maker without letting his wife know he stepped closer lowering his body in a sign of respect. The shadow wolf was a thing of legend, a Fae blooded Were that was said to be their version of a Banshee. The wolf moved away, pausing to see if he followed. Brodric mentally shrugged as he followed. If it was his day to die, he wouldn’t need to worry about Anna’s anger until later. The pair ran as fog descended across the moor. Coming to a clearing Brodric stopped short as the shadow paused nodding to him before disappearing. A noise drew him closer. Staying hidden he moved until he saw it. There playing with a wooden knife was a girl child about four years old. She was singing softly in a language he didn’t know as she created grooves in the grass. The wolf watched in fascination. He hadn’t heard any vehicles along the moors they were too far out for many cars. Moving slowly he walked up to within five feet of her. Gold rimmed eyes met his own.
“Woolfie,” she cooed trying to stand.
Backing up he sat to watch her movement. The human side studied her clothes -ragged as they were- covered in dirt, yet her skin was clean. Clean enough for him to see the bruises dotted around the exposed parts of her body. She seemed well fed as she got her footing and looked at him, he noticed her eyes. Trying to pinpoint what she was proved difficult. He knew she wasn’t a Were, she smelt human but humans eyes didn’t glow. A firm grip on his fur brought him back to her.
“Woolfie.”
Blowing air through his nose he rolled his eyes. The child had no fear of him. Rick knew he was formidable, any wolf that weighed in at close to three hundred pounds would be. Yet it also told him that she had been around those of his kind without fear as well. He yelped when she stepped on his tail. Yes she was well fed.
“Hurt woolfie,” tears filled eyes met his.
The little one started to cry. She was silent as the tear rolled down her cheeks he noticed. A child used to needing to be silent. Then he felt the wind pick up as the fog around them rose thickening. The more tears that fell, the denser the fog got. Whining he nudged her quickly before licking her cheek. Gods knew he hated a crying female regardless of age, but one that could control the weather was a different matter. This child had magic running through her veins and it could kill them both. He kept it up until her was rewarded with laughter that hooked claws into his heart. He was going to keep her. It didn’t matter what she was capable of. The look of delight in her eyes as she rubbed her check across his fur, the utter trust there snagged him.
“Mine,” his animal instincts growled his human half agreed.
Knowing full well his mate may kill him he gently took the girls shirt between his teeth and lifted. Squeals of delight filled the air as he trotted home.
“Brodric Allistair McKinnin,” Ann McKinnin watched her husband come closer.
She could feel his pride and his possessiveness from where she stood, had felt it before he was even close to home. She knew he was up to something and whatever he held was going to be trouble. Wiping her hands she moved further away from the den and closer to the edge of the clearing.
“What have you brought home this time? If it’s a rabbit it’s still moving love,” she watched.
“I’m keeping her” he said through there link.
She frowned until he got closer and she realized what he placed before her was not a rabbit but a babe. He sat down head cocked staring at her waiting to see if he needed to intervene. Ann looked at him them back down at the child currently playing with her mate’s tail. Small in size she was oblivious to all else. Especially of the deadly predator she had turned her back to. If nothing else the babe was secure in the knowledge that Ann’s mate would protect her.
“Rick love, where are her parents?” she asked, “You canna keep a child because you want to.”
He stood and nudged the child to stand. Tiny hands clutched his fur as she followed him. Rick guided her closer to his mate. Ann’s eyes widened as she took in the dirt and bruises. Rick felt when her instincts kicked as she growled at the sight. The little girl turned to her and stretched out her arms to be picked up.
“Up up.” Ann obliged holding her closer as the child placed her head on her shoulder.
Talking human form he sighed.
“I found her on the Moor love, alone. A shadow wolf brought me to her.”
“A Shadow Wolf?”
“Aye. There were no cars, nothing she was just there, alone.”
The she wolf growled causing the girl to whimper.
“Shh lass, your ma is mad at another,” Rick smiled at her.
“Here ma?” Ann couldn’t help but smile at his confidence.
“Aye love, her ma. I’m keeping her.”
“She’s a human babe.”
“And?”
“We’re not.”
“First I don’t think she truly is. Not fully anyway. Second, Ann do you really think the boys would allow anything to harm her?”
“Human or not they might by accident. She’s so tiny Rick.”
The pair had moved into the house while talking. Ann put the child down by some blocks to play before she moved towards the kitchen.
“And what of the others?”
“What about them? The clan will accept what we tell them. Her eyes glow, and she acts way too normal around us. There is enough other in her to be ok. ”
Ann looked at him then the child and back again. He had rushed through that.
“You think?"
“He does like human women. It’s possible with a witch to cast a spell.”
A tug brought Ann’s eyes down. She hadn’t heard the child move yet there she stood eyes round as she stared up at her. Human children were noisy things even the cubs were noisy at that age. Here was a child that moved in silence and could very well be from a forbidden pairing. She looked at her mate knowing he wouldn’t change his mind. He always wanted a little girl, and with six boys he was right none would get to her. Ann scooped her up and held her close as she sent out a call to her boys. The pounding of footsteps let her know they heard. When all of them stood before her she smiled. “
Lads, I want you to meet your sister”
“What’s her name?”
Rick stepped forward to put an arm around his mate. “Her name boys, is Danni.”
