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Wolf

-Naomi-

I trod carefully on the marble steps, grateful that I'd decided to wear flats on this trip. Each tile shone so brilliantly in the lights of the evening sun and the external LED white lights of the mansion, that they looked like polished glass capable of shattering even under the most minute of weights. At the top, there was a wolf head emblem by the door, crafted by the same golden brass that I had seen at the entrance gates.

The long double entrance doors loomed before me, hinged at each side, probably designed to be opened like French windows. I looked around for a door handle or a knocker, but there was nothing on the doors and the wall. Was this wolf emblem the doorbell? I was beginning to get a little irritated. There seemed to be little difference in behaviour between wealthy werewolves and wealthy human beings.

The whole symbolism and paraphernalia stunk of someone who perceived themselves as more eccentric and exclusive than they actually were. Or was it because Vincent had ditched me to stay alone here while he frolicked around on the eve of his wedding? After coming all the way here?

I took a deep breath, and put some pressure on the wolf head. I could hear a faint chime inside, and some footfall approaching. Calm down. It’s not like we would’ve done anything, I told myself. I would just make myself as quiet as possible during the ceremony, and be gone the next morning. A door opened inwards; the sight before me cemented my idea that the moonlight pack was an unhinged square peg in a round hole lot.

A brown wolf stood on its hind legs, one paw on an iron handle behind the door."State your name and business." he mind-linked me. I felt dizzy and immediately massaged my temple. I hadn't been mindlinked in years. It felt like someone scratching the bottom of a cast-iron pot, hooked up to two surround sound speakers in my head. The unorthodox sight before me didn't help either."Naomi Holt." I replied aloud. " Vincent invited me here. A guest, I suppose."

The wolf wiggled its nose but kept its beady eyes affixed on me.

I examined him in turn. I knew it was a he, because of his….tool flagrantly exposed like that. I didn't know of many werewolves that would be bold enough to display themselves in a casual setting like this; it was essentially the same as being naked. His human form would be impressive too. As a wolf, he was already towering over what I considered the giant doors, looking down on me. His hind legs and back contained some robust-looking muscles and his mandibles a long tangent to his mouth. It was closed, but I would be very surprised if long powerful fangs weren't hidden behind it. He was just, primal.

He grunted."You are not worthy to enter this place. Leave immediately" he communicated telepathically. "Excuse me?" I retorted. But the wolf was already leaving the porch. I noticed the right door had not been swung open, and managed to kick my foot in the passage just so that he slammed against it, thus remaining open."I don't think you understand who I am. The son of your Alpha invited me here." I boasted.

"I know precisely what you are, female. It is so monumentally obvious, and the fact that you don't recognize it yourself is a testament to your ineptitudes." he strung together. Hmm. This one likes hearing himself talk. I wasn't too bothered by demeaning comments from men. If I heard it once, I'd heard it a hundred times. A classic, pathetic move of trying to downplay a woman to make yourself seem much more interesting. But something about his tone was much more serious than that, so I wanted to hear what he had to say."What exactly are you talking about?" I said again, out loud.

"It's your smell, female. You smell much more a human, than a Lycan. It is that basic." he blasted my mind again.

"You're talking nonsense" I replied. "I work around humans all day, maybe that is what your confused nose is picking up."

"I will give you one short example. Respond to my mind link." he blasted.

Ahh, I see. To humour him, I focused my mind, closing my eyes when the hulking beast became too distracting. I could see the small threads of his link lingering like cobwebs on a dusty ceiling, and I jumped and leapt each time to grab it. I failed each time. "It's been years since I did this. It doesn't prove anything." I said.

"Go home, child" he blasted condescendingly again. "If you don't allow me inside right now, I will reach out to Vincent immediately and express my concerns." I threatened.

The wolf let go of the door and clambered towards me on all fours. He paced in a circle around my body. "There is a world of a difference between refusing Master Vincent's guest and refusing a human. You can find out if you are curious. But I will warn you against it." he talked.

"Fucking...look. One of you already shot me today, point blank range! Look at it. Would a human's skin have already healed like that?" I exposed my gunshot wound to him.

He looked at it for some time, and without warning, suddenly pounced on me. Again, I was still too slow this time. One of his paws was lodged tightly on my waist, the other on my right shoulder. He opened his mouth, and I had guessed right. Two engorged fangs came into view as he positioned them on my neck. I could feel his warm breath on my face."Let go of me" I mumbled. I couldn't struggle in this position.

"There is one requirement of every guest entering the Moonlight Mansion. You must shift into your wolf now, and prove you are worthy" he demanded.

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