Wolf at the Edge
Desperate Emmaline meets something wild on the salt flat
Explicit. Two adults, one supernatural encounter.
Here is the edited scene:
The salt crust glints in the starlight, each crystal a tiny knife blade. My eyes tear up as I blink through the glare, the shards crunching under my boots. Every breath sears my throat, my lungs aching from the cold.
I should have brought a flashlight. Or a map. Or told someone where I was going. But the pull of the place was too strong, the promise of a way out of the gray slog of my life too tempting. Art school loan? Gone. Painting career? Nonexistent. Apartment? Infested with roaches and regret.
So when a friend mentioned a ritual that could change everything, I jumped at the chance. Never mind that it sounded like bullshit. Never mind that I'd have to hike out to the middle of nowhere at night. Desperate times, desperate measures.
The circle of stones rises up out of the salt like a jagged crown. It's smaller than I expected, maybe ten feet across. The rock feels warm under my hand as I steady myself on the edge. My fingers come away stained with red dust.
A footstep crunches on salt behind me. I spin around to see a man standing at the edge of the circle, his outline blurred by the starlight. He's huge, shoulders hunched under a leather jacket. His hair is a wild tangle, catching the light like a wolf's pelt.
"What are you doing here?" he asks, voice low and rough.
"I could ask you the same thing," I shoot back, my voice trembling.
We eye each other warily, two strangers in a strange place. He takes a step closer, and I fight the urge to back away.
His eyes gleam in the starlight, a trick of the light making them look amber instead of brown. "This place is dangerous," he says, taking another step. "You shouldn't be here."
"And you should?" I snap, hating how weak I sound.
He smiles, teeth flashing white in the darkness. "I've been coming here a long time. Longer than you, I'd wager."
His certainty makes my heart race. "What do you want?"
He tilts his head, considering me. "What do you want, Emmaline?"
My name on his tongue sounds like a spell. I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself. "How do you know my name?"
He laughs, a rusty sound that makes the hair on my arms stand up. "I know a lot about you, Emmaline. I know you're desperate. I know you're alone. I know you're looking for a way out."
My heart pounds in my chest. "And what if I am?"
"Then maybe I can help you," he says, holding out a hand.
His palm is broad and calloused, a working man's hand. A spark of something like hope flickers to life in my chest. I want to take his hand. I want to let him help me.
But I can't shake the feeling that there's something wrong, something off about this whole situation. The salt flat, the ritual, the wolf-man with his too-knowing eyes.
"I don't think so," I say, taking a step back. "I think I'll take my chances on my own."
His hand drops, his smile twisting into a snarl. "Your loss," he says, turning away.
I watch him walk into the darkness, his form slowly blurring into the night. My heart is still pounding, my palms slick with sweat. I don't know what just happened, but I know it was dangerous.
A howl splits the night, a sound of pure, unadulterated longing. The wolf-man's voice, but not. Deeper, wilder, more feral.
I turn slowly, my heart climbing into my throat. He stands at the edge of the circle, but he's not a man anymore. He's a wolf, huge and shaggy, his amber eyes glowing in the starlight.
He pads towards me, his movements liquid and graceful. I can't move, can't breathe, can't do anything but watch him come closer.
He stops just outside the circle, his muzzle scant inches from my face. He breathes deeply, as if drinking in my scent. Then he turns and lopes away, melting into the darkness.
I collapse to my knees, my body shaking with relief and terror and something else, something I can't quite name. The salt crust cuts into my skin, but I barely feel it.
What just happened? What did I just see?
I don't know, and I'm not sure I want to. I need to get out of here, need to get back to the real world, the safe world, the world where wolves are just animals and not something else entirely.
I stagger to my feet and start the long walk back to my car. The night wraps around me like a cloak, cold and dark and full of secrets.
I can't shake the feeling that my life just changed forever, but I don't know how, or why, or what comes next.
All I know is that I'll never look at the night sky the same way again.
I yank open the car door, the cold metal handle a welcome shock to my palm. The headlights cast a weak glow over the salt flat. As I shift into gear, a figure steps into the light.
My heart stutters. It's him, the guy from the ritual. His eyes gleam, just a little, in the dark. His body seems to shift, muscles rippling under his skin like the surface of a pond.
I hit the gas, but my tires spin on the slick salt. The guy strides towards me, his movements fluid and predatory. I fumble for my phone, but it's dead.
He reaches the car, slams his hand on the hood. I jump, my heart racing.
"Get out," he says, his voice rougher than I remember.
I hesitate, unsure what to do. But he's not attacking me. Yet.
I open the door, step out into the cold night air. The stars seem to blur above me.
The guy grabs my arm, spins me around. His grip is tight, his fingers digging into my skin.
"What did you do?" he demands.
I try to shake him off, but he's too strong. "Let me go!" I shout.
He pulls me closer, his face inches from mine. His breath is hot and rank, like nothing I've ever smelled before.
Suddenly, he lets out a raw, tearing howl. The sound is like a slap to the eardrums.
I try to cover my ears, but he's too close. He's right in my face, his jaws open wide.
I see his teeth, sharp and pointed. I see his tongue, long and rough.
Everything goes dark.
When I come to, I'm lying on the salt, my head throbbing. The guy is kneeling over me, his face twisted in a snarl.
But it's not a human face. It's a wolf's face.
I scream, scrambling backward. He grabs me, holds me down.
"Stop," he growls. "Listen."
I struggle, but he's too strong. He pins me to the ground, his claws digging into my skin.
"I'm sorry," he says, his voice rough and unfamiliar. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
I look up at him, and for a moment, I see something like recognition in his eyes.
Something like humanity.
But it's gone in an instant, replaced by a feral glare.
He snarls, bares his teeth. I flinch, expecting him to attack.
But instead, he lets me go. He stands up, towering over me.
And then, he turns and runs.
I watch him go, my heart still racing. What just happened?
What did I just see?
And what comes next?
I push myself up, arms shaking, and sit there a moment, catching my breath. My chest heaves, my lungs burning. I look around, trying to make sense of it all. The salt flat stretches out before me, endless and empty. The stars above shine bright and cold, offering no answers.
A shape on the horizon moves fast. It's him. It has to be.
I stand up, legs shaking beneath me. I should run. I should get as far away from here as possible.
But I don't. I have to know what's going on.
I start walking towards him, footsteps crunching on the salt beneath my feet. As I get closer, I can see him more clearly. He's not running anymore. He's standing still, his back to me.
I stop a few feet away, my heart racing. I can see his shoulders rising and falling with each breath.
He turns around.
The sight of him takes my breath away. His face is a mess of angles and planes, his jaw too long, his teeth too sharp. His eyes are yellow and gleaming, and his hair is thick and matted.
I take a step back, my hand over my mouth. I flinch, expecting him to attack.
But he doesn't. Instead, he turns and runs, his feet pounding on the salt.
I watch him go, my heart still racing. What just happened?
I stand there, staring after him. The night is cold, and I can feel the chill seeping into my bones. But I'm frozen in place.
A rustling, a scraping sound comes from behind me. I turn around slowly, my heart racing.
Something big moves in the shadows. I take a step back, my hands out in front of me. I can feel the hair rising on the back of my neck.
A wolf emerges from the darkness. It's bigger than any natural wolf could be. Its eyes are glowing, bright and fierce and inhuman.
I take another step back, my heart pounding. The wolf moves towards me, its steps slow and deliberate.
I can see the muscles bunching beneath its fur, the sharp glint of its claws on the salt.
It stops just a few feet away from me. It tilts its head to the side, looking at me with those glowing eyes.
I don't move. I don't breathe. I wait for it to attack, for it to end me.
But it doesn't. Instead, it sits down on its haunches, its tail curling around its paws.
It looks at me, and for a moment, I could swear I see something like intelligence in its eyes.
Something like recognition.
And then it's gone, replaced by a look of pure animal hunger.
It lunges at me, its jaws wide, its teeth bared.
I scream, but the sound is lost in the night. I close my eyes, waiting for the end.
But it doesn't come. Instead, I feel a rush of air, a sense of movement. I open my eyes, and I'm not on the salt flat anymore.
I'm somewhere else. Somewhere warm and dark and safe.
The wolf is gone. Orrin is gone. I'm alone.
I take a deep breath, my heart still pounding. What just happened?
What did I just see?
And what comes next?
I blink, adjusting to the sudden change in light and surroundings. The air in this small room is stale, heavy with the scent of old stone and wax. A single candle flickers on a rough-hewn table, casting long shadows across the floor. The flame dances, making the darkness seem to move of its own accord.
Orrin sits on a low bench, his head in his hands. His hair is shorter now, his face less angular. He wears a simple tunic and trousers, both made of a coarse, dark fabric that looks rough against his skin.
"What just happened?" I ask, the sound of my own voice a jolt. "Where are we?"
He looks up, his eyes dark and unreadable. "We're in the temple of my master," he says, his voice low and rough. "The ritual pulled us both here, to the heart of his power."
I swallow, my tongue dry against the roof of my mouth. "Your master? The one who controls the wolf?"
Orrin nods, his expression grim. "Yes. And now, thanks to that damned ritual, he controls you too."
I take a step back, my heart pounding. The sound is loud in my ears. "No," I say, barely above a whisper. "No, that's not possible. I'm not part of this. I'm not part of your world."
Orrin stands, his movements slow. He walks towards me, his eyes never leaving mine. "You are now," he says, his voice hard. "You saw the wolf. You know the truth. There's no going back."
I shake my head, denying his words even as they settle into my bones. "I don't want this," I say, my voice cracking. "I don't want any part of this."
Orrin's hand closes around my wrist, his grip tight. "I know," he says, his voice soft. "Believe me, I know. But we don't have a choice. Not anymore."
He pulls me towards him, his other hand reaching up to cup my face. His thumb brushes against my cheek, and I feel the roughness of his skin, the heat of his body.
"This is the only way," he murmurs, his breath warm against my skin. "The only way to keep you safe. To keep us both safe."
I close my eyes, my body betraying me even as my mind rebels. "I don't want this," I whisper again, but the words are meaningless.
Orrin's lips brush against mine, soft and insistent. "I know," he whispers back. "But it's the only way."
His mouth opens over mine, his tongue delving deep. I gasp, my body arching against his.
He pulls my shirt over my head, his eyes darkening as he takes in the sight of my bare skin. His hands skim over my ribs, my waist, my hips, his touch leaving trails of heat.
I'm trembling, my body aching for his touch even as my mind rails against what's happening. This isn't right, isn't fair.
But my body doesn't care. It craves his touch, his kiss, his possession.
Orrin's mouth closes over my nipple, his teeth grazing the sensitive flesh. I cry out, my hands fisting in his hair.
He slides down my body, his mouth leaving a trail of wet heat. He kisses the curve of my hip, the inside of my thigh, the soft skin behind my knee.
I'm trembling, my body coiled tight with anticipation and desire. I need him, need this.
Orrin's hand slides between my legs, his fingers delving into the wet heat of my body. I moan, my hips rocking against his touch.
I'm close, my body tightening around his fingers. I can feel the pressure building, the need coiling tighter with every touch.
And then he's there, his mouth closing over me. I cry out, my body convulsing as the pleasure crashes over me.
I'm shaking, my body spent and sated, as Orrin rises over me. He's hard, his body rigid with need.
He kisses me, his mouth hot against mine. I can taste myself on his tongue.
He reaches between us, his hand closing around my throat as he angles my hips towards his. I'm trembling, my body already aching for his touch.
He thrusts deep, his cock stretching me. I cry out, my nails digging into his back as he sets a relentless pace.
I wrap my legs around Orrin's hips, pulling him in. His thighs tense and release as he drives deeper. My breath hitches in my throat.
Sweat slicks our skin, our only soundtrack the scrape of pubic hair and the wind's mournful howl. His hand closes around my throat. My pulse hammers against his palm.
"Emmaline," he says, his breath hot against my ear. "Tell me you need this."
I swallow, the words sticking in my dry throat. My hips jerk upward, meeting his. "Please," I gasp, my voice lost in the roar of my pulse. "Orrin, please. I need you. Don't stop."
His hips stutter before he surges forward again, his thrusts relentless. I take every inch, my body straining for more. The first twitch of orgasm sparks in my belly. I'm climbing, my vision narrowing to the sensation.
I crest, my body clamping down around Orrin's. He shouts, his hips jerking as he follows. We collapse, our chests heaving. Orrin's arm wraps around me, pulling me close.
I burrow into the sweat-slick curve of his neck. My body hums, still sensitive. We've left things unsaid, secrets and fears unspoken.
For now, with Orrin's heart thudding beneath my ear, I can let it go. I exist, happy and sated, in the warm glow of our lovemaking.
We have each other, the bond forged in the salt flat's heat and the starlight. That will be enough to carry us through whatever lies ahead.
