Chapter 51

Kane's heightened senses immediately tingled with familiarity, a scent that could only be an omen of peril. Careful to shroud himself in shadows, he followed the trail of danger to its source. A towering figure loomed ahead, emanating the unnerving fragrance that had caught Kane's attention. The watchful wolf shadowed him to the precinct, his mind racing to unravel the elusive aroma. There he lingered, grappling with the tantalizing scent that permeated the air, until the arrival of the stunning Divina. Kane's gaze raked over her form, awed by her flawless beauty.

Time slipped away, and soon Divina emerged from the police station in a flurry, her scent now tinged with terror. Kane watched as she clumsily fumbled with her car keys and sped off into the night. The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning – the scent belonged to a witch hunter. Divina was in grave danger.

The mere mention of witch hunters set Kane's nerves on edge. The destruction they left in their wake was enough to make him shudder with disgust. The memory of endless witches burned alive always haunted him. But what was worse was their immunity to witch magic, it made them a formidable and fearsome foe. However, Kane vowed to protect Divina at all costs. His duty was to watch over her day and night, keep her safe from these vile hunters. If it meant biting every last one of them, he would do it without hesitation. For wolves bites were poisonous to these hunters, death was inevitable within a day of a bite. There was no way he was letting these hunters anywhere near Divina.

The witch-hunter-turned-detective sauntered out of the precinct, a smug expression plastered across his features. Kane emerged from the gloom, fangs bared, and began to circle his unwitting prey. Taut as a bowstring, he was poised to pounce at any instant.

The hunter produced a small bottle from his coat pocket and with a quick flick of his wrist, sprayed Kane. The effect was instantaneous. Kane was racked with searing agony, feeling as though he were being scorched alive. He collapsed to the ground, writhing in excruciating pain.

The witch hunter loomed over him, a look of fierce triumph on his face. "I've been warned about the wolves prowling these streets, defending the wicked sorcerers that infest our world!” he sneered. "But I came prepared. This is wolf's bane, boy, and it hurts... so very much." He cackled as he retreated into the darkness.

Kane could do nothing but lie there, trembling in agony as the poison seared through his veins.

It was a cruel trick of fate that left Kane fighting off the effects of wolfs bane for a torturous thirty minutes. But as soon as he was able, he rised to his feet and slipped into the comforting embrace of the shadows. His movements were slower than usual, the remnants of the poison still wreaking havoc on his wolf form. Nonetheless, he soldiered on, emerging at the boundary of Divina's grandpa's land. He remained alert, his keen senses trained on detecting any hint of danger, any sign of the witch hunters that pursued Divina. But the toll of the wolfs bane weighed heavily on Kane's shoulders, and he knew he needed help if he was to protect Divina. Desperately, he retreated into the woodland, howling in frustration. The sound was raw and visceral, causing birds to flee from their perches in the trees. Realization dawned on Kane with sudden clarity - Melissa would not be able to understand his wolf form. He needed his sister Angelica's assistance, and so he steeled himself for the task ahead. Kane would find her, and dispatch her to Crystal with haste. There was no time to lose.

Kane knew better than to ask his sister, Angelica, for assistance. After all, like himself, she too had abandoned the pack. However, unlike him, she pined for a life of normalcy, free from the clutches of the supernatural world. Kane was well-aware that his presence would not exactly be a welcomed one, especially if he was seeking aid for a supernatural dilemma. But he had no other choice, and so he set off towards the row of houses that skirted the forest's edge. Each of the backyards served as a gateway into the thicket, a clever move made by his sister in order to harness her wolf instincts while still remaining detached from the world she wished to avoid.

Before long, Kane had arrived at his sister's backyard and stepped foot onto her property. She was sprawled in a chair, basking in the playful warmth of the sun's afternoon rays. With a slow ease, she redirected her feet from their lounging position to the dirt-gravelled ground below and fixed her gaze upon Kane. He could sense the light in her eyes rapidly diminishing. "What business do you have here, Kane?" she barked at him, halting him in his tracks. "I require your assistance," he submitted the thought to Angelica, who let out an indignant snort. "What I require is a vacation, but alas, that is not something I can enjoy at present." she retorted sharply. Kane advanced, drawing ever closer until his wolf-like snout was almost touching her exposed knee. "I wouldn't pester you if it wasn't urgent," he implored, beseeching her for help with his eyes. "I have long since departed from that world, Kane." She stood up to underscore her point, but Kane was unyielding. Clenching tightly to the hem of her shirt, he appealed to her, "Please... all I need is for you to dispatch a message."

"It all begins with a message, innocent enough at first. But before I know it, I'm caught in the midst of an otherworldly conflict," she murmured, her voice low and strained with the weight of what she had experienced.

Her brother's heart ached for her, knowing all too well the dangers of the supernatural realm. "I'll do everything in my power to shield you from this world," he vowed, determined to spare her any further agony.

“Angie, A crescent Moon witch, A singleton. She is in danger. The witch hunters have found her.” He said, he feared it was too late. "A crescent moon witch," she breathed, her eyes widening in horror. "A singleton - a rare and vulnerable species." Her brother nodded grimly, his expression darkening. "And now a Witch Hunter has her in their sights."

Angelica sank onto the nearest chair, her heart heavy with the weight of impending doom. "If the Crescent Moon clan gets hold of her, they'll destroy everything," she whispered. "And if the witch hunters catch her..."

Her words trailed off, but Kane didn't need her to finish the sentence. He knew what was at stake. "I need you to deliver a message," he said, desperation creeping into his voice. "Please, Angelica - our world depends on it."

She understood the gravity of the situation all too well. "This could go three ways," she murmured, her brow furrowing with worry. "And two of them could mean the end of humanity."

Kane could only nod in agreement, his heart heavy with the weight of the responsibility resting on his shoulders. He knew that he had to do everything in his power to save the world from falling apart.