The Forgotten One

They’re on our trail trying to figure out why they can’t scent us. Akira stated in my mind, and I could feel the annoyance seeping through her fur. Farina, a witch I’ve known for many years, did a fine job creating her odorem celare tablets to help me travel without catching unwanted attention. Sometimes, though, male wolves and their need to hunt and kill anything they can’t understand sent them coming my way, chasing with the need for blood.

Akira pushed her mind away from the males and focused on running. Her lips curled into a smile, feeling the breeze through her brown and white locks. She loved running and being free. But most of all, she loved being forgotten. It was easier this way because it was our job to hunt and kill disgusting excuses of wolfs. Without any ties, I had nobody waiting at home for me, nobody to disappoint, and it gave me all the freedom in the world.

When we were younger, we had a recurring dream of a beautiful white she-wolf, larger than any we’d ever seen; tell us, “My dear Emori, you were created to create equilibrium in this universe. There are wolves out there shaming their creator by committing terrible crimes. Find them, kill them, and do what you do best, run.”

Akira’s growling snapped me out of my thoughts. I connected back to her mind, intertwining my life source with hers to see what she focused on. When I saw a frail grey wolf showing its teeth to me, I smirked. These idiot testosterone-driven men think they have what it takes to defeat me and return my head to their alpha for appraisal and promotion.

This is a waste of my time. Akira said as she rolled her eyes in our bond. She was a sassy wolf with a liking for blood. What can I say? She hated being disturbed, especially when she was on a time crunch to find Farina because we were running low on our tablet supply. We stared at the older wolf, who looked ready to pounce and projected our aura. I don’t know much about my lineage, but I know that my parents were strong because my aura made any wolf tuck their tail and bow.

I could see the male wolf straining in an attempt to refrain from bowing down to me. I watched in amusement as his eyes switched from human to wolf; his bonded life sources were obviously arguing. My wolf sent another warning growl to her opponent before he whimpered and took off. She calmly said to me, Let’s hope he warns his packmates to leave us alone. Then she took off, focusing her strength on her nose to scent our witch friend.

I decided to recede into my life source, letting my wolf control us. I didn’t mind being feral for a while, which meant that I was more wolf than human for the time being. Most of the time, feral was frowned upon, but I was safe with my wolf. She would never erase my life source completely. We had a close bond.

I started daydreaming again about my past, how I had no parents or lineage, which left me with no desire for intimate connections. I was six feet tall, with sun-kissed skin, long blonde hair, blue eyes, and a curvy body. I didn’t mind my human appearance but cared more for my wolf’s appearance. She stood tall above most alphas and was light brown with white cascading through her fur. She was wise beyond her years, and, well, she was a drifter wolf.

Drifters were more wolf than human; they were sacred beings because they never completely killed off their human life sources. Most wolves that became feral ended up as rouges, which wasn’t terrible. They were just all wolf. Their human life source completely cut out of their bond, inevitably killing the human life source. It was sad for the human, but their wolf rejected them. Nobody could save you if the human and wolf life sources weren’t a perfect bonded pair.

If you were lucky, like me, you and your wolf connected so well that either life source could recede so far from human or wolf form that they became undetectable from others. This gift allowed me to give my wolf complete control (feral) and recede my life source so far from my wolf (drifter) that if it weren’t for my scent, I would be mistaken as a rouge.

After a few hours of daydreaming, I connected back to Akira and asked, Have we made any progress finding Farina? She rolled her gold eyes and said, No, this bitch is on the move. Anytime I catch her scent, it seems she has packed her belongings and left.

It wasn’t unusual for my witch friend to move from place to place, but it was strange to scent her in multiple locations in such a short time frame. She must have someone trying to find her, I stated. Akira and I were both annoyed. I took half of my last tablet about 45 minutes ago. I know the effects would be lessened, but I should go unnoticed as long as I am quick. I couldn’t bring myself to take the whole tablet since I was unsure when I would find Farina.

At this thought, I felt Akira stop in her tracks, we took a deep breath in, and I could tell our eye color had changed from our usual gold to black. Fuck, I stated in annoyance to my wolf. I could feel her fear of being scented through our bond. It took a lot to get her worked up, but for him, it only took a glance, and she was on edge.

Konin, my Konin. The Lycan delegator that traveled the world to catch, find, and imprison all supernatural beings that defied the rule of the order. I felt for Akira; she had never had the chance to see her Lycan because I wasn’t keen on having an intimate relationship. We liked being forgotten.

I allowed myself to watch from a distance, as I have every time I encountered him. With Farina’s tablets, he wasn’t able to scent me, but I sure could smell both his human and Lycan life sources. Drool-worthy, to say the least.

“She got away again; this witch is becoming a real hassle,” Konin stated with gritted teeth. Witch, was he looking for Farina? The long-term ally that I could almost consider a friend. “Sir, it’s almost as if she’s disappearing as soon as we find her, almost like she just vanishes into thin air.” Zion, Konin’s brother, stated with amazement. Zion was a young Lycan, the youngest of the Vladar family.

No shit, she just disappeared, I laughed to myself. She is a very old and powerful witch. She won’t be caught unless she wants to be. This is why we haven’t been able to find her, Akira stated with annoyance dripping in her tone. These dipshits are the reason we have had to waste a large amount of time and energy. Why were my mirrored soul and his brother looking for Farina? These two powerful, royal Lycans can mind their own business. I have no time to keep chasing Farina across the globe because she is hiding from these two. What the fuck did you get yourself into, Farina?

I started to look away when Konin took a deep breath to calm his frustrated Lycan. Suddenly his eyes snapped over to me, and he had a look of realization. Oh fuck, how could I have been so stupid? Of course, he can scent me, I only took half of a tablet, and he is a tall, handsome, strong Lycan. Shit, I could already feel the magnetic pull toward him. This shouldn’t have happened. Before he could register that he found the missing piece to his life, I popped the remaining tablet in my mouth and took off.

I heard his Lycan roar, and Akira was tempted to turn her ass around right there. No, Akira, we are strong. We will have our time with him, but not yet. We have a balance to restore in this world. I know she knows I am right, but it doesn’t make it any easier to leave her other half.

This was a game to him, his mirrored soul running, tempting, wishing to be caught. Or so he thought. What can I say? He is also a testosterone-driven male. He doesn’t understand that I am running with no intention of being caught.

Akira took a deep breath and smiled when she couldn’t scent herself. Good, the tablet is working; he will not find us today Em. My wolf started pushing peaceful feelings through our bond to let me know this was something she was okay with. It was harder on her because it was in her animalistic ways to protect her mirrored half. We both knew Konin could easily take care of himself, however.

Though we knew Konin wouldn't find us tonight, we still ran as fast as we could for hours in any direction that smelt like Farina. Akira took a deep breath. She faintly smelt Konin’s scent and could tell he had been through here some time ago. But she also scented Farina, strong. I sighed in relief. As much as I like a good chase, I needed more tablets sooner than later.

Akira slowed down and sat outside the border our witch friend created to keep unwanted guests from seeing her. I couldn’t see her, but I could smell her, letting me know she was standing nearby. I heard her chant words in her native tongue before the border opened, allowed me inside, and closed again.

“Long time no see, pup.” She said to Akira and me with a warm, motherly smile. Akira growled at the pet name before rolling her eyes and receding into our bond, causing the shifting to start and transforming me into my human form.

I grimaced at the twisting of my bones and stood up. Nakedness was something I was used to, and most other supernatural beings didn’t mind it, either. Wolves were known to feed into their animalistic ways, and clothes didn’t seem to fit into that category.

Sighing, I looked into Farina’s purple eyes and smiled. She was at least 4oo years old but didn’t look a day over 24. She was beautiful, with long black hair, piercing purple eyes, and skin as pale as a ghost. I would have been intimidated by her had I not known her for so long. “Why are twiddle dee and twiddle dumb looking for you?” I asked her with a frown. “Oh dear, don’t worry yourself with the likings of those two. They have been on my tail for about a year now.” She laughed as if this was a joke. I hadn’t realized it had been about two years since I saw her. Neither of us had changed a bit, but there was a small feeling, very small, might I add, of longing I had to see her again.

“Honey, don’t lie to her, Konin and Zion have been up our assess since a certain someone has been going too long without his mirrored soul, and he’s hoping my dear Farina can help him find her.” Leander, Farina’s husband, stated with a smile. I scoffed at the audacity of Konin for getting impatient. He’s already gone 284 years without me. What’s a couple more going to hurt? “He knows I’m out here now and what Akira looks like. He won’t stop until he finds me now that he has seen me. Lycan men and their patience are about as thin as someone’s capillary arteries.” I said while looking at both of them.

I watched as they both smiled at me with a knowing look before Farina said, “I suppose I can stop hiding soon.” Hell no, she will need to stay away from him for a couple more years. I am not ready for any relationship with any man. “Farina, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not like you and Leander. I’m not going to hang my ass high in the air begging for Konin anytime soon,” I said as I rolled my eyes. Their magical connection from being fated was romantic, but I am not them. I can be patient, and if my mirrored soul wants me, he’ll have to be patient. Farina scoffed at my remark before looking over at her fated and smiled with a look that made it very apparent she was thinking about things that needed to stay in the bedroom.

“Okay, gross, you two. Listen, I only need more odorem celare, and I can be out of your hair and on my merry way.” I said while looking away from the two of them. I swear they might rip off each other’s clothes soon. “Dear, why don’t you stay a while? I have some news I think you’d like to hear.” Farina said with her mesmerizing voice. I hated when she used her powers to sway my choice in her desired direction. It was unlike her to want me to stay, though, she usually preferred her alone time with her husband.

I nodded in agreement at her; I suppose I could stay for a few days. My wolf was drained from the endless hours of running, and I was exhausted from resisting the connection I had with Konin. Farina looked at me happily before she said, “We are sleeping in the trees tonight, dear, and tomorrow we’ll be on our way to my sister’s coven.” Don’t get me wrong, I can tolerate Farina and her husband, but a coven of witches smelt, and I didn’t enjoy their manipulative behavior. But fucking Farina and her stupid fucking magical powers had me nodding in agreement. I couldn’t even protest before she and her husband levitated out of my site and into the trees for the night.

Gosh damn it, I hate the smell of those pessimistic power abusers. I laughed at Akira before allowing her to retake form. I decided to keep our bond intertwined tonight and let us both rest since Farina’s border protected us. I knew Akira needed to feel me with her after seeing Konin and hearing his Lycan cry out for her. With that last thought, I frowned before falling into a deep sleep.