Dawn of the Werewolves

Chapter 4 – Aella’s past

Aurora Kerrish was sleeping in the room of the motel where she was staying. It was still the middle of the morning, and she was recovering from her lost sleep.

Her phone rang, and her sleepy brain gave the order for her right hand to reach it. She touched the icon without even looking at the name and said, “Hello… Aurora here…”

“Hello! Did I wake you? What were you doing all night? You didn’t sleep?”

“M… mother… too soon for that… scolding your only daughter over the phone is so ugly...”

“Bah! Anyway, I found Aella. She has quite a reputation in the Enforcer Unit! She always works alone because she doesn’t trust people much. Her last partner in the Enforcers abandoned her during a fight against five Werewolves. She killed them all, and then she caught her former partner. He spent the last year in the Hospital, and he is still doing physiotherapy to learn how to walk again. She is considered to be their best Enforcer, and she often goes to other countries to track down criminal Werewolves. Even overseas, her name is well known. She had some love relationships, all of them outside of work, but they only lasted a few weeks, sometimes days. Mostly with girls, but there were two men.”

Aurora blinked a few times to get fully awake, and she then asked, “Really? I knew she was something… But is there a story behind the fact she hates Werewolves or refuses to accept being one?”

“Well, her file is classified, but I have the highest security clearance. Her parents were Hunters, killed in that synchronised attack twenty years ago on the Hunters’ Headquarters in her City. She was just a baby, but a group of Hunters and Administratives that survived the cleansing took her with them, and she lived with them and other kids until she was fifteen. She and the other kids were trained to become Hunters and to kill Werewolves when the Hunters would resurface. They never got the chance to appear again, because as soon as a hidden group of Hunters was found, they were killed. When she turned sixteen, she changed during a full moon in their hideout.”

“Let me guess, they tried to kill her?”

“Yes. She was fully conscious during her change and tried to escape without killing anyone. When she was surrounded and with no means to escape, her actual superior in the Enforcers, who at that time was doing fieldwork, attacked that hideout and saved her. It says in her file that he gave her a choice. Either leave and try to make a living for herself or become an Enforcer, considering her training as a Hunter and the fact that she was also a Werewolf. Her only question was, ‘will I be able to kill Werewolves?’. Her superior told her yes, but only criminals. She accepted on the spot, and she rose through the ranks of the Enforcers until she got the reputation that she has now. She is fearless, but fair. Her file also says that she never changed to Werewolf during work; all her accomplishments were in Human form.”

Aurora sighed and rubbed her eyes, and said, “I guess it will be hard for me to approach her if she dislikes Werewolves that much. She probably hates you because of your synchronised attack with the other Lunas that killed all the Hunters in the World, her parents included. Perhaps those Hunters that took her also brainwashed her into thinking that Werewolves don’t deserve to live, and when she changed, she had a lot of trouble processing and accepting all that.”

“Yes, I agree with you. If you want to have some sort of relationship with her, be prepared for everything. She might try to kill you or kill herself, trying to fight against the bond that unites you both. She is not someone you should underestimate. But if she also has my light, she can be a powerful ally or a powerful enemy. Be careful when approaching or dealing with her.”

“Oh, I will be careful, alright. I will beat the crap out of her to put some sense into that thick skull of hers. And when she heals, I will beat her again, and again, and again. I will cure her of her Hunter’s brainwash with my fists if I have to! Or with my lips, fingers, and tongue, whatever works better. Heheheh!”

“Yuck! Stop talking about that! I hate it when you say such things!”

“Stop pretending to be so prudish, Aniya Rossi Kerrish! I know that you and my hunk of a father are always all over each other! What is the problem if I like to do the same, and much, much more, with women?”

A sigh came from the phone, and Aniya said, “You are right, I just… I thought you liking girls was just a phase. It’s… You know I had a somewhat good relationship with your grandmother until I told her I was a Werewolf, right? She never accepted you, but I hoped you had children one day who would call me grandma and would follow me around… And I would be the grandmother you never had for them. But if you are with a woman, you can’t get pregnant from her, and…”

“Oh, shush! There are other ways for me or her to get pregnant, you know? The kids would still be your grandchildren, moron! I can even adopt a kid, and he or she will still be your grandchildren!”

“You are right, I know you are… I… kind of hoped you found a man that you loved and could have what I have with your father. And… I was also hoping that you inherited my light…”

“Well, I found my partner, who has your light, but she is a woman. A gorgeous woman, in fact. And if everything in her file is true, she has a similar temper to yours. Just my luck! I got out of your home because you were giving me headaches for the last few years, and now I have found a partner that is as nuts as you! Talk about divine punishment!”

Aniya laughed and said, “Ahahah! Well, at least you got used to my temper, so you won’t have any problems getting used to her! But be careful, okay? She is not as harmless as me.”

Aurora almost choked on surprise. “Harmless? Really, mother? You, of all people and Werewolves, harmless? You need to read the file of your past behaviour, girl, because you are forgetting a few things! I read some stuff about your past, and I still have nightmares because of that! So, do you know where I can find Aella or not?”

“I know. You are now an Enforcer, and she is your partner in crime. No need to thank me, just go get her! I will send a message to your phone with the address of the Enforcers’ Headquarters.”

“Really? Nice! But… What about my job as a Bounty Hunter?”

“Well, you can do both, I suppose, because I pulled some strings and Aella is now also a Bounty Hunter in training, under your supervision. I don’t know if she will not like seeing you all the time, or maybe she will. Time will tell.”

“Wait a minute, you did what? I just needed to know where I could find her! You want to make her mad at me or what?”

Aniya giggled and explained, “No, silly! I am just making things happen! I also thought while I was skimming through her file that she was much like me, and you needed to do to her what your father did to me. He was always around so that I would never forget about him, and slowly, he broke my shell. The bond is a powerful link, but it can be fought. If you are always near her, she won’t have a chance.”

“I hope you are right, mother, because if she gets angry, and I lose her, I will be pissed…”

“Trust me. You are not the first Werewolf I helped with a bond with another stubborn Werewolf. Don’t be too clingy. Treat her with respect, but don’t let her step on your toes. You both need to be on equal ground, or your relationship will never work. Do I need to remind you about your past blunders? All those times you pulled ranks over the other girls that were with you? And the days you were miserable when they dumped you? Well, this time, don’t do that. Because if you do, and you lose Aella forever, you don’t need to worry about anything else, because I will go after you and I will make sure you regret it. I don’t want to see you sad ever again, because you were stupid. Understood?”

Aurora sensed the icy tone in her mother’s voice. She wasn’t joking. She could be worried about losing a Werewolf able to use her light, but she was also worried about her only daughter.

She slowly nodded and said, in a low tone, “I will conquer her, mother. I have to, or I won’t ever be able to find anyone like her… I know that… Thanks… I… need to get dressed and go to the Enforcer Headquarters after lunch to see her.”

“I know what you are thinking, Aurora. I don’t want to lose her and her light, but I am more worried about your happiness than anything else. You are, and you will always be, my sweet baby.”

“I love you too, mother. Thanks for everything, and for all this. I know we clashed a lot over the years because of your bad temper and my stubbornness, but I know that you always meant well. Send a kiss to father. And punch grandma for me, will you? Stupid old hag, that is always wishing my death…”

Aniya hung up and bit her lower lip.

Nick Kerrish raised his gaze from the papers he was reading, and asked, “How did she react? I told you it was not a good idea to force their bond, but did you listen? No, because the great Aniya Rossi knows what is best for everyone!”

“Oh, shush you! She thanked me, okay? Now it is in her hands to conquer that woman. I did everything I could. I just… I don’t want to see her cry again for days… It broke my heart every time a girl dumped her…”

“She is not a little girl anymore, Aniya. She is nearly the same age as you were when we met. All her past sadness only made her stronger. She is the best of both of us. She will be alright, you will see.”

“I hope you are right, Nick. I really do… I just want her to be happy… even if it has to be with a woman. Gosh, I have no idea why she doesn’t like men! I bet it is your fault! She grew up with you always on her tail, and she got bored with men, I bet!”

The green-eyed man smiled at the frowning blond in front of him and said, “You are just jealous because she likes me more. Everyone likes me because I am a powerful and kind Alpha. You are still a spoiled brat, even after all these years. When Aurora didn’t do what you wanted, you would throw a tantrum and break a few things. And she would throw tantrums in her bedroom every time you sent her to her room. I was always the one that had to clean up the damage you both did. Annoying women, both of you! Now shut up and work. You have a few reports to read in that pile on your right. I have a meeting to attend, and when I come back, I don’t want to see that ugly frown on your forehead!”

Aniya grabbed a staple that was on her desk, and Nick grinned. “You are going to throw that at me and prove my point? Really?”

She grabbed two sheets of paper and clipped them together a few times while mumbling, “No, I am working here, don’t you see? Bloody idiot…”

Nick left her office, still smiling, leaving behind her frowning wife, who was clipping papers at random, almost breaking the staple with her strength.