I bled as any human would.
But my blood was not red.
It was silver.
“Guards!” My father’s yell shook the palace walls. “Kill them both!”
I turned and held up my hands, it was protective, the instinct to live. Wasn’t it for all beings?
The world around me froze as if I’d just stopped time. The sound of wings grew louder and louder until I almost had to cover my ears. As it was, my eyes squeezed shut of their own accord.
“Found him,” a smooth voice sighed as if disappointed. “He’s been stabbed, but he’ll live.”
“I’ll live?” I repeated. “That sounds promising.”
My eyes fell to a man over seven feet tall, he had dark hair and blue eyes. Standing next to him was another man with green eyes and fangs where normal teeth should be.
“Immortals,” I breathed.
“Welcome to the club,” a gruff voice said behind me. “And no, we aren’t making T-shirts.”
“T-shirts?” I repeated. “What is a T-shirt?”
“I should have never revealed that future,” another voice interrupted; this one was stronger than the others, and when I turned I knew immediately why.
He was an angel.
His purple wings spread out across the room, their span so wide they nearly touched each wall. The flapping increased as the purple feathers turned bright red then shuddered as the blood around us disappeared into thin air.
“Time to go, Alex.” One of the gruffer men who looked more beast than human grabbed me.
“It’s Alexander,” I corrected in my haughty prince like voice.
“Eh, I’m gonna go ahead and go with Alex, Alexander’s too much of a mouthful.”
“Mouthful?” What were these words they used? I understood nothing, but I knew I needed to go with them. That my future was not here, perhaps it never had been.
The burning beneath my skin increased as I clenched my teeth and waited for what would come next, either my death, or my purpose. I was ashamed to admit I was afraid of both.
The angel whistled and then tilted his head back as his eyes rolled white, and then I knew nothing but warmth.
It was the first time in my life I’d felt safe.
Alex
Present Day
“TURN IT OFF already,” Mason grumbled. “We get it, even plants are attracted to your scent. Now, hurry up, my nuts are freezing.”
“That right there—” I rolled my eyes. “—is why you’ll never have pups.”
“For the last time, wolves do not have pups!” Mason growled nearly swiping me with one of his claws as I tried to focus on everything but the current predicament I was in.
“Maybe she’ll be nice.” Mason offered in a gruff albeit slightly encouraging voice as he slapped me twice on the back and then held out a berry in his paw.
“Dear God, man! Do I look like I need a freaking berry right now? If you don’t have whiskey or anything stronger then that don’t, just don’t.” Mason’s paw trembled. “Shit.” I reined in my emotions, careful not to kill any nearby flowers with my emotional intensity. “Sorry Mason, I didn’t mean it. Not really. Damn it, stop whimpering and just give me the stupid berry.”
Mason wound up and threw it at my face.