The green eyes didn't move, just stared at him. Yin gripped his sword tightly, while Irene peered out the window.
"Yin," she whispered, gripping the carriage frame. "Someone's there." He rolled his eyes. Of course, he could see the person, there was no need to state the obvious.
Before he could say a word, a massive wolf leapt from the undergrowth, fangs bared, aiming for his neck. Yin spun with practiced swiftness, steel flashing in the moonlight. The beast slammed into him, knocking them both to the ground.
The wolf clawed at him, leaving marks on his face. Yin's eyes burned with anger, his fist connected with the wolf's ribs causing it to yelp in pain.
Irene, who was scared to death, placed her hands over her ears to shut out the sound. The coachman ran away to get help.
Yin's blade bit deep, hot blood spraying across the soil. The wolf yelped, twisting in pain, but Yin pressed harder, his jaw clenched in grim determination to kill the hairy monster.
The wolf laid flat on his back, wincing in pain. He'd changed back to his human form, his trousers torn due to his transformation.
"Stop!" Irene's scream tore through the night. She scrambled from the carriage, skirts dragging in the mud, and shoved at Yin with all her strength. "Stop, you'll kill him!"
Yin's blade held steady, his body coiled to strike again. "It's not a man," he snapped, holding his sword to the man's throat. "It's a wolf."
"Are you blind?" She yelled at him. "You've injured a helpless man, and you're calling him a wolf?"
Irene went down on her knees beside the injured man. And as she looked down, her chest tightened. He was badly injured all because Yin couldn't tell the difference.
His chest rose and fell raggedly, and when she pressed trembling hands to the wound, the warmth of human flesh met her palms.
"You see?" she cried, looking back at Yin, her eyes wide with horror. "You cut down a man, not a monster!"
"He is both," Yin growled, but Irene wasn't having it. He wanted to speak but his voice faltered when Irene's hands began to glow faintly against the man's wound.
At first, Irene thought it was her imagination. She tried to take her hands off, but it didn't budge. Heat spread from her palms, moving up her arms, and the strange marks on her arms began to burn like her entire body was on fire.
Her body arched, a cry torn from her throat.
"Arghhhhh!" she gasped, clutching at her arms as light spilled from her skin in pulsing waves.
The man beneath her groaned, his eyes fluttering open. He looked down at his chest, where torn flesh was stitching together before his very eyes. The wound closed, blood crusting and fading, until only a scar remained.
"What… what are you?" The man moved away from her, his hand on his chest, checking to see if what he'd seen was true.
Then, before either of them could stop him, he bolted into the forest. Irene felt like someone had smacked her on the head and her body fell to the floor with a thud.
"Irene!" Yin crouched low, picking her up in his arms. Her body trembling violently, skin clammy. Her breaths came shallow, her lips pale.
Darkness pulled at her vision, and the last thing she heard was Yin's voice, sharp with urgency. "Everything's going to be fine, I'm going to get help."
While Yin rushed back to the mansion, the man stumbled into his pack's hall, mud and blood streaking his clothes. The doors slammed open, startling the warriors gathered around the long table. Alpha Zimion rose, broad shoulders rigid, eyes narrowing.
"Rylan," the Alpha barked. "What is the meaning of this interruption?"
Rylan collapsed to one knee, gasping for breath. "Alpha—I… I was attacked by a strange man who wounded me to the point of death. But there was a woman—" His words broke, and his hands shook as he gestured to his chest. " All she did was put her hands on me, and I was healed."
Murmurs rippled through the pack. Zimion's glare hardened. "You expect me to believe this tale? Perhaps you drank too much before patrol." Everyone knew Rylan was a chronic drinker.
Rylan shook his head fiercely, fear stark in his eyes. " You can smell my breath, I'm not drunk. I swear on the moon, Alpha, it was real."
Zimion's lips pressed into a thin line. Slowly, he lifted his hand. "Bring me the divinator." Rylan hurried out, minutes later he returned with the old man.
At Zimion's nod, he knelt, murmuring incantations as he cast the powder into the bowl. Smoke curled upward, shimmering under the moonlight that streamed through the hall's high windows.
The water rippled, forming the shape of a woman with hair like shadows and eyes that glowed faintly. The divinator's voice came out in a whisper as he stirred the water with his index finger.
"She has returned," he breathed. "The one your ancestors hunted—the last keeper who holds the power to the chalice."
The hall erupted in startled voices, warriors gripping their weapons, some whispering to themselves.
Zimion couldn't believe his ears. He asked the divinator to confirm once more, and he said the same thing.
"The chalice keeper has returned," his fist clenched at his side. "The beginning of an end has begun."
Far away, Irene tossed in her sleep, the sheets wrapped around her as the marks glowed. Her body arched, sweat soaking her brow. She whispered incoherently, her voice breaking.
Yin held her down, his hand pressing gently but firmly against her shoulder. "Stay with me, Irene. You're going to be okay."
The healer crouched at her side, grinding herbs into a paste. The sharp, bitter smell filled the room as he pressed the mixture against her skin.
"She's burning from the inside," the healer muttered. "It's not a fever—it's something older." The healer was helpless on what to do, he'd never seen anything like this.
Yin knew. He knew that the healing of the Wolf had activated something in her. Something that had been sealed for years.
"Sire," the healer trembled with fear as Yin picked up a knife. "Forgive me Sire, I don't know what's—" Yin cut his hand. The healer watched as he let the blood from his hand drip into Irene's mouth.
The moment the blood dropped in her mouth, her body became still. Yin turned to the surprised healer. "Breathe a word of this to anyone and you'll not leave to say another word."
The healer clamped his mouth shut, and nodded.
"Now leave," He gathered his stuff and hurried out of the room. Yin sat next to Irene, whose breath had now steadied. The marks no longer glowed, just looked like tattoos.
It was only a matter of time before the rest came hunting. He had to act fast!