Sighing I looked at the clock. Still one more hour til I finished work. God I hated the Mundane repetitiveness of serving people. Always trying to smile even though I knew what they were thinking. That's not to say I could read their thoughts no that power was best left to the witches. No it was more I could smell it on them.
Every day it was the same. humans, they had a sixth sense when it came to things that just didn't fit in. While they smiled on the outside, they could tell that there just wasn't something right about me.
I placed the empty plates on the counter turning back to wipe down the table my last customers had just vacated. It was 2am in a small diner just outside of town. Mostly truckers and out of towners stopped in which suited me fine since everyone in town tended to steer clear of me. Like I said humans and their sixth sense.
"Raven, that was the last of em start closing up then you can go home."
Loki was the owner and my boss strongly built and covered in scars. His long black hair greying in some areas pulled back into a pony tail. His one good eye green while the other was white making him blind in one eye. One long jagged scar forcing his bad eye closed just a bit more then the other. his body type was just like every one of the males that shared the Lycan gene toned with muscles even with all the scars that he never felt ashamed to hide. I marvelled for the thousandth time as his short sleeved shirt showed many mismatched scars running up his arms. Most just thought that he had a military back ground and considering what he wore he never bothered to deny it. Better they think he was a war hero then a banished super natural being.
For like me he was banished from his pack but for very different reasons, the outcome was the same though.
"Raven?"
Pulled from my reverie I nodded.
"Sorry I'll go lock the doors now."
Leaving the cloth on the table I walked to the door reaching up to turn the key just as it swung open.
"Stoves off buddy we're closed for the night."
My nostrils flared at the smell of the man towering over me. Don't get me wrong everyone towered over me but this male had to be at least six foot. Wolf to be sure but there was just something not quite right about him.
He was older it was always hard to tell age with our kind as we lived far longer then humans but he definitely was older for even our kind. His face all hard lines as he scrutinised me sneering as if I was something he'd just scraped of his shoe. His black suit not at all fitting into the diner setting.
"Are you deaf buddy I said we're closed."
It was then that Loki finally looked up from what he was doing to peer at the guy in front of me. Loki's eyes widened then quickly hid his reaction turning to me.
"Raven it's alright why don't you go home early I'll finish the rest."
I tore my eyes away from the strange wolf to face Loki.
"Are you sure I don't mind-"
"It's fine you deserve a break."
I shrugged.
"If you say so, call me if you need me."
Loki nodded eyes not leaving the wolf who still had not taken his eyes off me. I could feel his gaze boring into my back as I left the diner.
"What was all that about?"
I wondered out loud. Oh well guess if he wanted me to know he wouldn't have asked me to leave.
I sighed as I started to walk home. I didn't own a car it's not like a waitress earns enough to own a car, but more then that I liked to walk. Well more to the point I like to run. Now I know what your thinking I'm a wolf of course I like to run but it's different for me. It's a part of the reason I was banished you see while I am a wolf, well werewolf to be exact, I can't shift.
I didn't even know if I have a wolf you see most wolves reach shifting age at sixteen me however nothing. Even now at eighteen I still can't shift nor can I hear my wolf. Ok so yes While in human form I'm stronger faster and have a great sense of smell and hearing but when it's comes to actually connecting to my wolf nata.
I kicked a rock as I followed the road the trees to my right. We were in the mountains surrounded by trees the smell of pines exciting my senses, making me want to run more. So what if I couldn't shift I can still run as a human.
Why was shifting such a big deal anyway? They say your wolf is like having a best friend with you at all times. I didn't know what it was like to have friends, i mean yeah I had Loki but he was more like an over protective father figure. I was doing just fine without friends and family. Loki was more then enough, it's not like my own family ever did anything for me.
I shook my head ridding myself of thoughts of them. I swore to myself when they banished me I'd never look back. Never think of them again or have them ever in my thoughts after everything they had done they just weren't worth my time.
Picking up the pace I started jogging the steady pounding of my feet on the road freeing my mind of all thoughts. Turning I veered down a worn trail leading through the woods. The trail lead to a small house that Loki owned. He had let me stay in it two years ago after I'd been banished. All I did was stop in at his diner next minute I know he's offering me a job and this house.
I chuckled to my self as my pace again got faster. Like I said over protective father even after only knowing me for five minutes.
The trail wasn't long for me but at the speed I was going it wouldn't be. If a normal human was to run down the trail it would take three times as long.
I started slowing down as the blue roof came into view. Getting closer the grain of the wood patio could be seen with the stairs leading up to them. I smiled to myself I couldn't wait to get into bed and relax with a good book.
I was about to enter the clearing Til I stopped dead in my tracks. Something wasn't right. I ducked behind a tree as I surveyed the area.
What was that smell? It smelt like sandalwood and musk with a hint of something else I couldn't put a name to. Whatever it was it was intoxicating, my senses went haywire as whoever it was moved clumsily inside my house.
I gritted my teeth while however good they smelled they were still inside my home. Slowly I approached the house down wind so that they wouldn't smell me coming. I climbed through a side window where I could see the bathroom light on.
What the hell were they doing in my bathroom, hell what were they even doing in my house. Slowly I grabbed a knife from the kitchen as I lifted it ready to stab putting one hand to the door.
I swung it open knife at the ready. I gasped at what I saw. He was lying on the floor unconscious blood was everywhere as it seeped from a huge gash in his stomach. Just like all of our kind he was strongly built his black hair cut short with unshaven face. Handsome beyond measure even with all the blood I felt myself reacting to him in ways I never thought possible.
Shaking my head I slowly approached him putting down the knife I touched his hand intending to inspect the wound, but he grabbed me his eyes snapping open. They were the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen a luminous blue that bore into my own.
I grabbed the knife with my other hand pressing it to his throat.
"Let go you don't hurt me and I won't kill you."
He chuckled then started coughing as blood ran from his lips. Slowly he let go of my wrist.
"Not much of a deal since I'm gonna die anyway."
His voice was husky due to blood loss as he stared into my eyes.
"Kill me I'll be dead soon anyway."
His blue eyes never left mine as I slowly put down the knife.
"Your not going to die."
Quickly I stood opening the medicine cabinet I pulled out the first aid kit.
Kneeling again I ripped away his shirt revealing the wound that stretched from one side to the other. Blood still pooling out of it.
"What are you doing?"
Without looking at him I disinfected the wound as he hissed in pain.
"Ouch do you even know what your doing?"
I glared at him.
"Do you wanna live or not now shut up and let me finish."
He scowled obviously not used to taking orders but he listened as he watched me start stitching up his wound.
Finally done I poured more disinfectant on the wound then put a bandage on it.
"Why are you helping me?"
I shrugged.
"Seems like the right thing to do."
His look of disgust said it all. You see most wolves admire strength. to show kindness to an enemy was to show weakness. While he wasn't necessarily my enemy he was still a stranger.
"Considering I just saved your life i would think you would be grateful."
His nostrils flared as he smelled me.
"What are you?"
I scowled it wasn't the first time I had heard this asked. Because I couldn't shift nor had a wolf I didn't smell like the others of my kind. Loki said I smelled more like a hybrid though how he know what they smelled like was beyond me.
"Come on we need to get you to the bed."
He sniffed again as he leaned closer. I poked him in the stomach.
"Ouch what the fuck was that for!"
He yelled holding his stomach his facial features twisted in pain. The scowled only adding to the arrogance of his wolf side.
"For being rude now come on."
He continued to scowl as he allowed me to lift him up swinging his arm around my shoulder I helped him into my bedroom. As we walked he continued to sniff me.
"Keep sniffing me and I'll slice open that wound again."
He chuckled despite his obvious pain.
"Feisty one aren't you."
I dropped him on the bed causing another bout of pain to run through him.
"Could use a little more bed manner tho."
"Considering your in my house I believe it's you that needs more manners."
He frowned.
"Your right,"
I started to turn away pausing at the door.
His eyes had started to close his body needing sleep to heal. Before I could shut the door I heard him whisper.
"Thank you."
I turned back just as the blue in his eyes disappeared his breathing slowing as sleep over took him.
Closing the door I sighed. What a night this turned out to be. Where did he come from and who did that to him. I shook my head no! His problems are not mine. Once he's healed that's it he can go on his way and take whatever is chasing him with him.
Slowly sliding down the door a settled in for a sleepless night knife still in my hand, as I watched just in case whoever it was decided to come here.
It wasn't long before my eyes started to close as I lay down on the floor no longer being able to hold off the sleep taking me over my eyes closing.