Word Count: 2371

~Evoni

I stare at the space before me, dreadfully disheartened.

This is what I have to work with?

Today is the day I'm beginning my work on the fertility powder with Billie. I've been anticipating this day, being that it brings me a step closer to being able to return home.

But looking at what is before me, it somehow seems more likely that I'll be trapped here forever.

"This is where you shall work from now on," Maric says from beside me, surveying the mess with a lot less discontent than me.

Billie gives me a sharp look, approaching the table. "You better not get in my way."

I look between them, wondering whether this is some kind of joke. "This is it?"

I know I shouldn't have expected a scientific lab brimming with all the equipment that will undoubtedly be needed, but this...this is primitive in a way I couldn't have anticipated.

Billie's work space is comprised of one large wooden table. It's cluttered with all sorts of dried and fresh ingredients that she's been studying, stuffed into jars or just lying about. There is tools to break stuff, cut stuff and blend it together. There are stacks of degrading paper and books under the table that Archie brought Billie, who must use them to keep track of her research.

It really is a confronting sight to behold.

Billie glares at me. "What more do you need?"

I look between her and Maric, wondering how I bring this up. I doubt their reactions will be favourable, but I cannot begin until I have a sense of what I'm doing.

"Well...my research," I mutter with a shrug.

Billie's eyes narrow. "What research?"

"I've only been studying the plant for a few weeks. I don't know every ingredient needed to be incorporated into the powder," I admit, running a hand up and down my arm.

Billie sighs impatiently through her nose. Maric doesn't look surprised, although there is the faintest line between his brows.

We haven't seen much of each other this past week, since I moved in with Rhenn. He's always tending to something or someone else, which is a relief.

His proximity is...overwhelming.

"How do we obtain your research?" He asks.

"It's in my home, at my desk." Sort of.

Billie groans, shaking her head like she suspected this all along.

"Archie returns today. He can fetch it," Maric says simply. He isn't going to let me talk myself out of having to do this.

"No, I need to get it myself along with all the books I need to loan from the library," I insist. "Archie won't know everything I need, and I won't know until I see it."

It's not entirely a lie. I would need to spend some time in the library searching for anything of relevance, since I know so little about this topic.

Billie stares at Maric. "This is a ploy for her to return home."

I doubt it would be that easy to get away from this place. I could envisage Maric hunting me down wherever I tried to hide, even if I left the island.

But it would be good to learn the path out of here. I was too busy suffering from an infection when Maric first carried me in here to take much of a note.

"Either I get my research or I can't help you." I approach the table, picking up the wounded, drying flower I picked that fateful day.

If only I hadn't let my curiosity get the better of me...

Maric sighs, his jaw tightening. He looks tired, like he hasn't been sleeping. Dark circles haunt the space beneath his eyes, and there's a drawn look to his face.

"You can retrieve your research," he says. "I will join you."

My brows raise. "And risk being seen by the townspeople?"

"They won't know what I am."

I almost laugh. He would pass as a human from a distance, but the moment someone drew near, they would be able to sense that something about him is otherworldly.

"I'm sorry to break it to you, but you by no means look human. Not really." I look over him. "You're exceptionally tall and your markings..."

Up close, they don't even look like tattoos, and their meaning is nonsensical to humans. I still haven't bothered asking him about them.

There isn't a piece of him he wants to willingly share with me.

"Then Archie will go with you into town, and I will remain in the tree line," he muses. "If you don't return, I shall walk into your town and retrieve you myself. Or just kill you, to save the effort."

The impassive tone of his voice and the heaviness of his stare frighten me more than his words. I have no doubt he would kill me if he needed to.

Regardless of the guilt he showed the last night I was sleeping in his tent.

"This is an island. Where am I supposed to go?" I demand, throwing my hands up.

He doesn't deign to answer me. Instead, he says, we leave at dusk."

I watch him walk away, disappearing around the nearest tents.

Thankfully, Billie's workspace is located on the fringe of the settlement, which has allowed me to avoid most of the werewolves roaming around freely.

Still, none of them have hunted me down or made an effort to contact me. They've abided by their Alpha's instructions and left me alone. Rhenn even suspects I may be able to leave the tent instead of having to wait for her to bring me my meals each day.

Billie is silent as I inspect her workspace.

I can already tell from a perfunctory glance and my limited knowledge that almost none of this will be of relevance. She's been chasing the wrong lead for what might be years now.

"May I request some books from the library?" She asks suddenly, coming to my side.

I blink. "Oh...I suppose so."

"I'll make a list." She picks up a scrap of paper from under the table before she begins hunting around for a pen. "Human research is superior to ours, unfortunately. There are great many methods of healing I know nothing about."

She doesn't say what I know she is thinking — werewolves would have far better research is humans hadn't forced them to sequester themselves away out here.

"I would be happy to help, as long as you agree to help me." I turn to face her.

"How so?"

"If I can't find all the ingredients to make this fertility concoction, I need you to not allow him to kill me." I point in the direction Maric walked off.

I know it's a risk asking Billie to make such a promise. She doesn't like me, and doesn't think I should be here. But she is close to Maric, and if he is going to listen to anyone, it's her.

She smiles a little, shaking her head.

"He won't kill you. He may threaten so, but he couldn't." She picks up a jar of dried herbs, giving them a little shake. "But yes, if it comes down to it, I'll help you. In exchange for the books, that is."

I nod. I wouldn't expect her to do this out of the goodness of her own heart.

"Billie!"

Both her and I flinch at the familiar voice that has suddenly come up behind us. Rhenn appears at our sides, her face flushed bright red from where she was helping her family in the garden. There's even dirt still caked under her nails.

"Yes, Rhenn?" Billie asks with an exasperated sigh.

Rhenn's grey eyes shift to me, then back to Billie. "I need something for my pains again."

"Yes, yes, hold on a moment." Billie crouches down, hunting under the table for something. This looks like a regular exchange between the pair.

I frown. "Pains?"

"Associated with her monthly." Billie's voice is muffled from beneath the table.

One look at Rhenn and her averted gaze tells me she's embarrassed about this. It's the first time I've seen her be coy about anything. She is the most shameless person I've ever me — I envy her for it.

"You get period cramps quite bad?" I ask softly.

She stares at me blankly. "I don't know what that is."

Billie rises from beneath the table, pressing a long grey root into Rhenn's palm. She immediately begins dusting the dirt of it, the substance scattering down onto her bare feet.

"She does, but that helps," Billie tells me, nodding at the root in her hand. "Remember, chew only every three hours."

"Yes Billie," she drawls.

I'll have to remember to bring her back some supplies when we return back to town. Strong painkillers and maybe even some chocolate, if Maric will allow.

It almost makes me want to come back.

Rhenn's face sudden brightens. "Guess what?"

"What?" I ask.

"Archie returns today!" She bounces on her feet, her smile bright, her pain momentarily forgotten.

"So I heard," Billie mutters.

"I cannot wait to see him!" Rhenn gushes.

I eye her curiously. "Is he your friend?"

I never thought I would see a werewolf appear so animated to see a human. Archie must be particularly special to have convinced them out of centuries of well-deserved hate.

Billie snorts, shaking her head. "Hardly. She prefers staring wistfully at him from across the village while he reads or cooks."

Rhenn scowls at her while she snickers to herself, clearly relishing in her embarrassment.

"He isn't anything like the males around here. They are so arrogant and brutish," Rhenn mutters. "He is gentle and kind and incredibly attentive."

Billie sobers from her laughter, giving Rhenn a hard look that might usually be reserved for a younger sister.

"He's human, Rhenn. What would you future mate say?"

"I hope the Goddess understands my feelings and allows a mate bond to form between him and I." She glances up at the sky. It's clear she prays about it often.

Billie glances at me. "Don't get your hopes up. Humans and werewolves are not meant for one another."

I go to agree with her — not to hurt Rhenn's feelings, but to be realistic — but the sound of commotion in the distance gives me pause.

Billie nudges Rhenn. "Would you look at that. I think he's here.."

I follow the pair through the tents, keeping close to Rhenn's side. None of the other werewolves spare me a glance, to interested in seeing Archie return.

We find him speaking to Maric at the forest line. He has a handheld cart beside him, which others pick through curiously.

I can make out food, clothing, books and fabric being tugged from the cart and handed between people. They all seem enamoured by it, inspecting each item like it give insight into the human world.

I immediately approach Archie. I need to speak to this traitorous human who...

Wait.

He turns as I approach, breaking off midsentence from his conversation with the Alpha. Our eyes lock, his jaw slackening as he takes me in.

"I know you..." I whisper, shaking my head in disbelief.

I've known him for years. I went to school with him, right from primary to high school. After we all graduated, he stuck in town like I did, although he never attended University. He never even had a job.

The only time I ever saw him after school was in passing, around town. When he was, no doubt, fetching supplies for his werewolf friends.

He scratches the back of his neck, beneath dark blond hair that is grown out to his shoulders. "Evoni, right?"

"Yeah." I prop my hands on my hips. "I thought your name was Archer."

I should have realised. Archer is the town loner. He never had a single friend, not even in school. Any attempts to speak to him were shut down.

No wonder he came out here. Werewolves living in solitude might be the only ones who understand him.

"It is," he glances around at the werewolves gathered nearby, face stuck between impassivity and a grimace. "I prefer Archie, though."

I can't tell what to make of him. He seems different here, than in town. He holds my gaze instead of inspecting his feet — this might be the first moment I'm realising he has brown eyes.

"Right..."

"You're Rowan's girlfriend," he states.

"That's me."

He adjusts the straps of his bag on his shoulders. "He's a prick."

I blow out a breath. "Yeah, pretty much."

Rowan wasn't exactly kind to Archie in school. He was an easy target, and Archie never bothered fighting back.

Would he now, though? He's changed so much, and not just physically, although that is notable. He's broadened from carrying heavy carts back and forth through the forest, and he's let his hair grow out a bit.

I doubt the girls from school would call him ugly now.

"So you know about werewolves, huh?"

"Not by my own volition," I mutter, looking to Maric. He's studying our interaction closely, his eyes slightly narrowed.

"Nothing ever works out the way we want it to, does it?" He looks over my shoulder, a smile lightening his features. "Hey Rhenn."

She smiles, offering a little wave. "Hey..."

When Archie looks back at me, his expression is grim again. "We should talk privately."

"Save it for the trip back into the forest" I motion at Maric. "We're on a mission back to town."

Archie groans, running a hand through his unbrushed hair. Maric moves beside him, patting his back.

"Blame Evoni. She needs to research."

"For you and your people," I remind him sharply.

He jerks his chin in the direction of Rhenn's tent. "Go pack. We leave soon."

Then, he turns to Archie, ushering the man away for a private conversation.

💜••💜

If you want more, this story is available 10 chapters ahead on Inkit at all times! Just search for Midika Crane (Sophie) and you'll find this work under the stories tab.

I appreciate everyone who supports my work and continues to read my stories. I'm so grateful for you! Enjoy!

~Midika 💜🐈‍⬛