the edge of the trees, weaving in and out and occasionally dropping to my haunches when I heard a noise. There was nothing out there that was unnatural, however. At least not until I heard footsteps. Ears twitching, I eased myself further back into the trees but drew closer to the sound. I sniffed then drew my lips back over my teeth. I knew that scent. I was on higher ground here so, despite the dunes in front, my line of vision was clear all the way to the glittering sea. It wasn’t the water I was interested in though.
I hunkered down, watching carefully as Mackenzie made her way out of the long sea grass and towards the flat sand. There was another figure there, waiting. He looked familiar, and I realised he’d actually been standing next to her during the initial assembly. An involuntary growl escaped me. For some reason, it hadn’t occurred to me that she’d already be attached.
She saluted him sloppily. Without exchanging a single word, he passed her a long wooden staff, keeping one for himself. I settled back. A fight. This was going to be interesting. Even from this distance he looked like a werewolf and that meant he would be strong and fast. Despite the power I’d sensed within her, she was still a girl. I wondered if he’d go easy on her. When he immediately swiped at her with swinging force – and she only just ducked her head in time to avoid it – I realised that he wouldn’t. I felt my tail twitch in answer. I shouldn’t have worried, however. She immediately responded by smacking him in the knees and causing him to fall over.
‘Been practising much?’ she asked when he got back to his feet.
He didn’t answer and instead began circling her. He kept his own staff close to his chest and seemed like he knew what he was doing, but when he lunged forward for a second time he still found nothing but air. It wasn’t until his third jab that he managed to actually hit her, connecting the wood with her hand. Mackenzie, however, barely reacted. I’d have said they were fairly evenly matched, were it not for the fact that there were several occasions when she was patently holding herself back. I puzzled over it. He was strong and adept. She had to be a powerful shifter indeed to keep him at bay so easily. I hoped they’d take things to the next level and she’d shift so I could finally work out what she was. When he momentarily stopped and pulled off his clothes, I purred. It was about time.
As I’d expected, he was a werewolf. He obviously kept himself in good shape and his coat was glossy and healthy. Instead of shifting herself, however, Mackenzie merely continued in human form. More startlingly, she was still in control of the fight. There’s no way a human body should be able to defend itself properly against a wolf without being very, very lucky. When she knocked him down again, obviously winding him, I caught myself narrowing my gaze as if to assure myself that what I was seeing wasn’t an illusion. If she could manage this and remain in that body, then she’d be truly magnificent when she transformed. Whatever she was, she’d be the perfect addition to the Brethren.
The wolf dropped all finesse and slammed himself into her, forcing her to fall. When his body landed on hers, I stiffened.
‘Tom, if this is when you decide to shift back to a naked man, I will not be happy.’ She said it lightly, as if bantering with a friend. Excellent. And even in that compromising and vulnerable position, she still managed to pull out a knife and make him finally capitulate. Disappointment clouded through me as he shifted back to human and I realised the fight was over.
‘One day I’m going to beat you at this, Mack,’ he said.
I cocked my head. Mack, not Mackenzie. It suited her better.
‘I have no doubt. You need to watch your left side before you shift though. You keep leaving yourself open and you need to work on your body tension. I know what move you’re going to pull five minutes before you do it.’
She was teaching him. It made sense; she was, after all, by far the more powerful. She also had an odd accent. Some words came across as lilting Cornish, but some were harsher. I’d lay money on