Hungry Wolf - Aidy Award Page 0,50

Heli.

Heli wrinkled up her nose and sucked in a deep breath. Then she started singing. “At first I was afraid, I was petrified...”

Helena snorted, but joined in, as did every other woman in the circle. They walked, holding hands, and singing I Will Survive at the top of their lungs. The second they got to the disco drop, every single human started shaking and shimmying and swaying to the beat.

That's when something magical happened.

The wolves howled up at the moon, and the light of its rays intensified right before their eyes. Dozens of beams shot down from the sky and highlighted the dancers as if they were each the star of the show. There were tall women and short ones. Curvy girls with jiggly bits, and medium sized girls with big butts and small butts and in-between butts. There were thin girls with smiles, and skinny girls with tears in their eyes. Every size, shape, skin color, ability, belief, fear, hope, and dream were joined together, as one, and it was magnificent.

The woman in white leaned over to Helena and whispered in her ear. “This is how we change the world. Girl power.”

Zhin Moya, My Life

Aleksei had never fought with his own wolf before, but he was now. The beast was trying its best to claw its way back into Aleksei's soul and every time it scratched or bit at his broken human body, Aleksei saw nothing but blood and destruction in the wolf's intention.

This was not his wolf. It had been taken over by something dark and malevolent. Something chaotic.

The wolf attacked him again and again, but even though he tore at skin and bones, without Aleksei's acquiescence he couldn't get back into the soul. The one thing keeping Aleksei fighting and sane was the knowledge that the place inside he'd feared was desolate and empty wasn't. It was filled with the love of Helena.

With each strike, his body grew weaker, but his spirit grew stronger. It was as if she was there with him, filling him with her light.

The wolf charged again and the black witch screeched. A ray of light, bright and piercing in this utter darkness, shone like a beacon. It was more than that, the light became both Aleksei's weapon and his defense.

He pulled on the last reserves of his body and moved toward the little beam. The closer he got to it, the brighter and wider it grew, as if it too was reaching for him.

“No. You must join with him before he reaches the light.” The witch screamed, but then turned her back on the bright ray and sank farther into the darkness.

The wolf lunged toward him one last time, its eyes burning with a black fire not unlike that of the grey wolf. The moment it crashed into Aleksei, he reached the beam of moonlight and stood up in its full glorious illumination. The power of the wolf's jump knocked him down, but not out of the ray.

Whatever had been possessing the wolf melted away into the darkness. Aleksei swore he heard the feathers of a large bird, as big as a great owl, swoop, rustle, then fly away.

The wolf lay on top of him, as if dead. Its fur sparkled like polished steel in the moonlight. Slowly its form faded and the magic of its being sank back into Aleksei, joining together with him once again.

Without even realizing he was doing it, Aleksei shifted, welcoming the warmth and healing power of his wolf back home. He lay bathing in the pure beautiful light of the moon which seemed to dance all over him.

“Aleksei? Aleksei! Oh my god. There he is, help me get to him. Hurry.” Helena's voice filtered through the haze of his recovering mind and soul. It was like a balm that nothing else could have ever provided.

He tried to get to his feet, but he simply didn't have any strength left. His wolf begged him to be still and let it heal them both a little longer. It was smart enough to know that she would come to his side.

In another breath, she was there. “Oh Aleksei, tell me you're okay. When I saw that horrible witch looking lady doing her impression of the galactic emperor on you, we sent all of the light straight for her. Tell me we did enough. Oh, my Aleksei.”

My Aleksei. He liked the sound of that. I'm here, love. I'm not entirely okay, but I will be now that you've found me.