Arctic Hunter Read online

  Arctic Hunter

  Wolf Shifters Year One

  A High Fae Academy Novella

  Chapter One

  All I recall from that day is a sickening sense of dread. The day that my parents left—telling me to watch over my sisters—they raced to defend us from the red wolf hunters. After hours, days even, of waiting I had to accept the truth. They weren’t coming back, and they never will. My parents had sacrificed themselves to save us.

  It haunts me every day to reflect on it.

  And ultimately, here my sisters are, dying their hair with the rest of my oils before prancing into town. They're doing the exact action that got our mother and father killed. It's not their fault, they haven't learned the truth about our parents' disappearance. They know that they're dead, just not how or why. I have isolated us in this cottage for their entire lives. But I was old enough to know better when they left. A sudden clatter comes from the bathroom around the corner and I hear one of my sisters’ screech.

  I walk over and poke my head into the doorway. “Everything all right in here?”

  Lissandra replies, “Yes Ashe, you don't have to worry about every bump and sound. We just dropped the empty dye container.”

  Liss and Janna turn to smile at me, their hair sticky with homemade chocolate brown dye. Despite that, they’re still beautiful. Their sparkling ice-blue eyes and perfect pale skin glow with the force of a thousand moons. It’s a shame that we’re required to dye our hair an ugly brown shade otherwise my sisters would be the picture of a perfect arctic shifter. Our original hair color, a white so fine it looks like fresh snow, is too easily identifiable. We would be captured, tortured, or worse if anyone found out who we are. They ostracize us from the shifter community; we are a lineage that’s no longer accepted.

  There are four bloodlines in the shifter lineage. The first and most common of them is the gray wolf. Everything about the gray wolves is average. They’re not too big, not too fast, and not too powerful. Good in a fight as a pack but cannot do much to protect themselves alone. The second most common is the red wolf line. We know this pack for their hot temper and berserker like bouts of strength in high intensity situations. They can overpower almost anyone in a fight, well, that is, if they can catch them. The third line of wolves, the Indian wolf, is rarer. These are the smallest, but also the fastest of all four lines. They prefer to fight with guerrilla warfare and are excellent messengers on the battlefield.

  Finally, last and certainly least, comes the arctic shifter lineage that runs through our veins. We are known as the most powerful and rare out of all the shifter packs. This is because of our overwhelming size, my sisters and I stand at six and a half feet, and our brilliant white coat. The arctic wolves were the original ruling pack of the shifters. For a long time, my father was the king of the shifters, ruling over them with justice and loyalty.

  Some people didn’t feel that way. The red wolves believed that our line was dying and pointed out that my father had no viable heirs. Only I was alive, and they do not consider female shifters fit to rule. This created a rebellion that lasted over a year before my parents fled. As my mother was once again pregnant, my father didn’t want to risk her or the babies' lives, so they left. And the red wolves took the throne as their own.

  My father built us this cabin, tended to crops, and hunted daily for our survival. They stripped away our once lavish lifestyle from us. But my parents didn’t seem to mind. They thrived in the great woods, almost feeding off of the magical energy it gives to all who pass through it. And after almost four years of living in isolation, my mother found the ingredients to make a homemade dye. That was when they went into the city that week.

  Academy goers who had read and seen pictures of the famous ruling arctic family spotted them. After those kids reported the sighting, they sent hunters out to find my parents. To lure them away from our home and my young sisters, my parents left and told me to watch over them. Then they never came back. I’ve heard whispers of a public execution, a hanging, a beating. But I don’t know for sure how they met their end. All I know is that they did, and I will forever loathe the red wolves for committing such a heinous crime. Under my father’s rule, killing another shifter was the worst crime a wolf could commit and was punishable by death. So where is justice? Who is responsible? Its treason is what it is.

  Janna pokes my cheek, “You’re doing it again. Where’s your mind wandering to this time?”

  “Nothing, I’m just tired. I didn’t get back until late last night. I’m trying to gather as many edible roots and plants as possible before the first winter storm comes.”

  Liss waves her hand. “We can always get some from the city for you. Don’t work yourself so hard.” She pauses, looking at me. “In fact, come to the city with us today. Let off some steam.”

  Janna nods her head, smiling. I roll my eyes and turn to leave the bathroom. There is no way that I’m going into the city today. I look too much like father. Or so I was told as a child. My sister’s sigh in unison behind me but I don’t stop walking. They can go to the city if they’d like to, and I’ll have a delicious dinner waiting for them when they get home.

  ***

   The hearty stew is bubbling happily by the time the sun falls toward the horizon. Frost coats the windows, and I hope the fire keeps the growing cold at bay. Hopefully, my sisters will be back soon. The rolls are almost finished baking. I’ll take a quick shower before plating up the food.

   My feet make no sound as I glide toward my bedroom in the back of the house. It’s a dark room full of blue silk and midnight black blankets. I’ve always loved the darker side of the color wheel. My mother told me it was because of my genes. Arctic wolves love the cold, which she assured me comes in all shades of blue. I’ve always agreed with her, but my sisters would claim otherwise because they love fall shades of burnt orange and sunset yellow.

   In my bathroom, I crank on the shower and shed my heavy layers of clothing before stepping in. The hot water pounding against my back is a welcome feeling after the long day I had. Living in the middle of the woods can be difficult. You never really realize how much you need until you have to gather it all yourself. From firewood to vegetables to home remedies, it all takes time and effort, but I don’t mind. It keeps me busy as my sisters are away almost every day. I know they hate being so isolated, and that’s why I don’t forbid them from going into the city as much as they want. As long as they dye their hair, and they leave their traditional arctic clothing at home, they’re free to do as they please.

   As I’m stepping out of the shower, I hear the front door open and close. I smile to myself and hurry to get dressed, knowing they’ll appreciate the fact that I made their favorite dish. My wrap around azure dress trails behind me as I rush to the front room of the cabin. But what I see makes me stop in my tracks. There is a man with them, and by his size and scent I know that he is a wolf shifter. A low growl vibrates in my chest as I stalk forward. He turns toward me, amber eyes blazing.

   “What the hell are you doing in my house?”

   My sisters come into view from the kitchen, steaming spoons in their hands. Their eyes are wide as they hurry to step in front of the man they must have brought with them. He’s holding up his hands in a placating gesture, but I’m not quite convinced. I cannot believe that my sisters would be so stupid as to bring a boy back here.

   Lissandra says, “This is Jace. He’s the academy recruiter we told you would come by.”

   I tilt my head to one side, studying her as cold dread seeps into my stomach. An academy recruiter? Are they nuts? There’s no way that three banished arctic wolves will attend the academy without being noticed. Even if we dye our hair and maintain a decent cover story, someone will slip up. P
lus, we have rare blue eyes and are all over six foot five. That’s not normal. I consider nothing about our little family normal.

   Jace smiles. “I’m sorry to barge into your home uninvited. I see that you’ve prepared an excellent meal for your family. I can come back tomorrow to collect your things and help you move.”

   My voice is flat. “Help me move?”

   Janna winces and replies for him, “Yes, remember? We’re enrolling into the academy. We will move into our dorms this weekend and start classes on Monday.”

   I plaster a fake smile on my face. “Oh! That’s right. Well, thank you for being so considerate. Liss, will you please show him out?”

   He gives me a little wave before Liss and Janna both walk him down the hall toward the front door. I stalk into the kitchen and ladle the stew into bowls before moving to cut the fresh bread. The door closes and my sisters appear in the kitchen doorway, their faces as white as sheets. I don’t say a thing until we’re all sitting at the kitchen table, eating in silence.

  “So, when were you going to inform me of our new accommodations?”

  Janna shifts in her seat, “Tonight. We didn’t want to ambush you but also knew that you wouldn’t listen to reason,” She pauses and looks at her twin, “We both feel confident that we can blend into a regular society. We’re tired of constantly feeling lonely. The life of a recluse isn’t for us, and we don’t think it’s for you either. You act like your content, but we can see through it. You’re just as lonely.”

  “I will only say this once because you’ve left me no choice. We don’t live out here by choice. I promise that I don’t enjoy making you dye your hair and pretend to be less than you are. Our parents died for our freedom, and you’ve just squandered that gift,” I paused, looking at them both in the eye, “But now you’ve dug us a hole I’m not sure I can dig out of. They know where we live, how we live, but not why. And if we refuse to attend the academy now, it would look too suspicious not to investigate. Then we’d all be dead. So, I guess you got your wish. But at what cost?”

  They’re both silent and all I hear is the happy crackling from the lit fireplace. Reminding them of the tragic events that led us here is cruel, I know, but it’s also necessary. They forget time and time again that we live in this secluded cabin in the woods because our lives would be forfeit otherwise. And now we will be escorted to the academy for gifted supernaturals tomorrow morning. How in the hell am I supposed to fix this?

  Will they notice? Are the red wolves trained to sniff us out? Or has everyone forgotten all about us and our family? Those are the questions I’m not sure I want to hear the answer to. I stand up and pace in front of the kitchen sink, my sisters still silently eating at the table.

  Liss says, “We’re sorry, we didn’t think--”

  I cut her off, suddenly furious. “That much is clear!”

  The ring of royal authority in my voice makes them flinch and sink down into their seats. That happens sometimes, and I’m not sure why. The ruling pack has one alpha leader who can control all other pack members by using their voice. It’s a special bond that the pack leader has with their betas. But I’m no pack leader, and I’m not a male who is fit to rule. We do not allow women to become pack leaders. It is the way of things no matter how much I wish it were otherwise.

  My voice is low, “Finish your dinner, and then pack your things. Then we will all freshly dye our hair to ensure our fake identities as gray wolves. Got it?”

   They both nod vigorously while looking anywhere but at me. Without another word I go to my room and slam the door behind me, vibrating the walls.

  Chapter Two

   The next morning, I wake up long before dawn comes. The nervous energy coursing through my veins is making me anxious to do something other than sit here and wait. I close up the house by sweeping the fireplace, cleaning out the fridge, and throwing a tarp over the firewood outside. And after our showers the night before I had turned off the well, so the pipes won’t freeze while we’re away. I had also taken the time to pack away our traditional arctic clothing and relics in case anyone came sniffing. By the time I’m finished, my sisters are awake and sitting on the couch.

  All of our bags are by the front entryway, and the rest of the house is clean by the time Jace shows up again. I answer the door right away and step outside with him. Another male is with him, hanging back a few feet. He looks larger and brawnier than Jace. While I suspected Jace to be an Indian wolf, I believe the male behind him to be of the red wolf pack. The realization sends a cold shiver down my spine. Logic tells me that not every red wolf is looking to kill me, and yet I still can’t shake the feeling of tension in my shoulders.

  Jace grins, “Hello again,” He gestures to the male behind him, “This is my acquaintance Matthew, you may call him Matt if you wish. He’s here to help carry your things. Are you ready to go?”

  “Yes, our bags are in the entryway.”

  My sisters had come out behind me during the exchange and moved to the side as the males grab our things. They don’t ask for help, nor did I suspect them to. In the pack culture, women are taken care of at all other costs. We’ve been taking care of ourselves for so long that it will take some getting used to. And I suspect that I will have a hard time coming to terms with it.

  The males lead the way back toward the academy and I can’t help but glance over my shoulder several times. This is my home, and I feel like I’m being ripped from it against my will thanks to my sisters. I glare at their backs for a minute before looking away again. Jace insisted on taking up the rear of the group as if something in the woods might come for us. Nothing in these woods would dare attack a wolf shifter, but I don’t say anything. The point is to blend in, not to challenge a male shifter on the first day I’m brought to the academy. So, I walk next to him instead to feel even slightly in control of this situation. He doesn’t seem to mind.

  He tries to start a conversation. “So, your sisters mentioned that your name is Ashe.” I raise my eyebrows, and he hurries on, “That’s a nice name. I assume you of gray wolf descent despite your size?”

  I almost flinch at his observation. “Yes, I’m a gray wolf. So are my twin sisters. My parents preferred the wilderness to the city, so we’ve been quite isolated for most of our lives.”

  “Yeah, your sisters said that you wanted to wait until they were of age to enroll in the academy so you could all go together. That’s an admirable gesture, but you may have a lot of catching up to do.”

  “Yes, you might be right.” Is all I say.

  Despite not having traditional schooling, our parents had taught me everything they knew and brought home books upon books for me to read. I know most of the history involving the four shifter lineages. And by being an arctic shifter, I have no need for combat training. It runs in my veins just as freely as my blood. But if they believe me to be behind, I’ll act the part. Hell, I’ll even ask for a tutor.

  He smiles. “Don’t worry. Even if you have a lot of extra training, the tutors are great. They’ve helped even the weakest of wolves to become formidable adversaries.”

  My chest fills with anger and I have to force myself not to sneer at him. Did he just call me weak? I’m so insulted that I want to challenge him to a fight here and now to prove my dominance, but I know I can’t do that. And my sisters’ shoulders stiffened at his words. I know that they’re worried I’ll mess this up. Well, jokes on them. I may have a hot temper, but I can pick my battles. And my first fight won’t be with an Indian wolf, it just wouldn’t be fair to him.

  Matt surprises me by cutting in. “If you believe that she’s weak, you’re dumber than I thought you were Jace. She’s not weak just because she’s a woman. That’s an elder’s notion.”

  I cover my mouth with one hand as I watch Jace’s face flush deep scarlet. It’s funny to watch. Maybe I judged Matt too harshly at first for being a red wolf. I’m enjoying his reasoning for my high level of power. And his humor is right up my alley. It ma
kes me wonder if we’re in the same class until he turns and flashes me a smile. His red toned eyes force me to look away again and realize that I can’t risk becoming friends with a red wolf. There’s too much at stake, too many ways to slip up and show my true identity. Especially to someone as handsome as him. Yes, I said it. He’s tall, dark, and handsome. I may be a tomboy but I’m not blind.

  Janna rushes to speak, “Oh Matt, you’re too kind.”

  Both my sister's giggle and flounce closer to him. It makes me want to throw up. There’s no way I will suck up to the males like that. It’s just too degrading for me to stand. I hope the academy is as modern as Matt. That way it might be a bit easier to blend in. If it allows women to be strong and formidable, you damn well know that I will be. But that word, allowed, has never been a part of my vocabulary. Just the thought of it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. No one has ever told me what to do, and I don’t want them to start.

  Jace doesn’t look at me for over an hour as if he’s no longer interested in conversation. Good thing I’m not feeling very talkative either. By the time I open my mouth to make this situation less awkward, the sprawling academy comes into view. My mouth stays open from shock. It’s huge! I haven’t seen it in years. He glances at me, but quickly averts his gaze when I go to return his stare. Apparently what Matt said either made him afraid of me, or wary of me. Both reactions would be acceptable to me as I’m not here to make friends.

  Jace says to the group, “Let’s go to the main shifter dorm. We already have a shared room for the three of you. I figured you’d want to stay together. You can get settled in today and start classes tomorrow.”

  We say nothing as we move across campus. The students barely glance our way, and at first I’m surprised, but then I remember that we don’t look like arctic shifters right now. We’re simple gray wolves here, not remarkable at all except for our height. It feels strange and slightly disheartening. Arctic wolves were made to reign, to lead. Are we cheapening our lineage by hiding who we truly are? But what else are we supposed to do when everyone wants to capture us?