Chapter 11

“Centuries?” Dillon repeated, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “Looking pretty good for centuries...”

Winnie rolled her eyes comically and gazed at Mila’s face with apparent interest. “Are you immortal? Like a vampire?”

“In a way,” Mila nodded. She could tell that more than just Dillon and Winnie were listening now. Several conversations had stopped midway. “I can age this skin artificially to create the illusion of a human life, but then I need to shed it and grow a new one. Guess I don’t need to do that anymore.”

“If it’s not too rude... why didn’t you go back to the ocean when the humans changed?” Winnie asked it quietly, but there was certain way the other wolves in the vicinity leaned toward them that meant she wasn’t just asking for herself.

Of course they would be curious. Surely, the entire reason they were in this glade was because it was remote. Who would willingly choose to walk among the stinking wreckage of humanity if they had any other choice?

Mila glanced around at the other wolves. Most were polite enough to pretend they were listening with avid interest, but the two young ones who’d been discussing witches were looking directly at her. She sucked on the inside of her cheek for a moment before answering.

“I was charged with staying on the surface... to observe things.”

This seemed like a safe enough answer. Though it wasn’t entirely true. She had been told simply to ‘stay’. She had not been given any other instructions and likely never would again. She had been abandoned.

“Charged by who?” The young wolf from the next table asked.

Mila looked at him. He was scrawnier than Dillon with light blond hair. He seemed to struggle under direct eye contact. Very low ranking, she decided.

The way he ducked his head back, lowering his eyes under her stronger gaze made her feel bad. Besides, it wasn’t like it was a secret. Not really.

“My God.”

There was a light ripple. Not only were the wolves now very curious about her tale, but the fact that one of their own hadn’t been able to measure up to her eye contact bothered them. She was far older than even the eldest of them. Surely, that meant she was stronger than originally speculated. Many were needing to readjust their initial assumptions about her.

Winnie looked like she wanted to ask more, but this was making Mila weary now. She turned her attention fully toward the unicorn. She reached out a bare hand, stroking its nose, very clearly not leaving herself open for more questions.



When it seemed that the meal was at long last being concluded, Mila stood up. Winnie jumped slightly and Dillon stood to follow.

Mila, very purposefully walked toward the inner tables where the alphas and elders sat. They watched her and Dillon approach, their eyes cold and unmoving. The male that had collected her in the forest and again in the cabin was among them.

Mila bowed slowly from the waist, lowering her eyes respectfully. “I thank you for your generous hospitality, but I do not wish to overstay my welcome. I would like to ask that you return my belongings and allow me to exit your territory with my companion.”

The eldest of the wolves, a wrinkled old female held out a knobby hand. “Where do you intend to go?”

Mila raised her eyes to look at the woman’s face. Her blue eyes were a little milky. “I am merely a wanderer. I have no intention of intruding.”

The woman shook her head slightly. “I have heard stories of your kind. You do not travel alone.”

Mila stiffened slightly. “I do now.”

“By order?” The woman pressed.

Mila frowned, her gaze flicking between the faces of the other alphas. “Do you have something to ask of me?”

The woman gazed sightlessly at Mila. “Are you in contact with the god of the oceans?”

Mila hesitated. She wasn’t sure she wanted to answer this. But if they were asking her because they had a request to make of her god, there was only one answer to give.

“No, I am not.”

The woman paused, frowning. “We understand that your kind are long-lived. Tell us, do you believe that there is any hope for humanity to come back from this?”

Mila gave a tiny, unnecessary cough. She was surprised. The woman hadn’t spoken with any inflection. It was like the answer didn’t really matter.

Though Mila wasn’t human and was capable of being objective after living so long, she still felt a sorrow. Humans, for better or worse, had been a species that had lived for thousands of years. She had watched them grow, lived among them, even cared for some in years past.

For all the stories and films, humans had almost seemed immortal. They had lived such relatively short lives, but they’d acted, on the whole, like a species that wouldn’t disappear. Which was ridiculous, really.

Mila knew well that all things on the surface of the planet must come to an end.

She let out a soft, slightly quavering breath. “I cannot say for absolute certain, but I would say that this does appear to be the end for their species.”

The wolves took a moment to exchange glances. They clearly had thoughts to discuss amongst each other. It really made Mila feel like she was intruding, but she wasn’t yet ready to relinquish her few belongings to them just so she could get away.

The elder wolf’s milky eyes didn’t leave Mila’s face. “What is that you plan to do once you leave us?”

Mila felt again that it best she answer truthfully, though she didn’t really want to. “I will continue to wander. I have no set goals.”

The woman nodded. “We are expecting more company than that of the wolves here. Several more packs are due to arrive in the coming days. If you leave, you will surely run into them.”

Mila’s brow creased. That was very unusual. Why would a pack open up its boarders to other packs so easily?

“As a whole, we have decided that it is up to us to repair and make use of the world the humans have left behind,” the woman continued. “We wolves are strong and used to communing with nature. We plan to reshape the world. Fix it.”

Organized as wolves might be, that was a very big task they’d set for themselves. And it was one that might meet some problems later on. Even if every wolf pack agreed to go in on this deal – become the next dominant species – they weren’t the only intelligent life left.

Vampires, witches, fae... there was a whole variety of peoples that would want to stake their own claims on this new world. For now, Mila was just a wanderer, but perhaps others of her species would want to join together again. Maybe they too would attempt to rebuild.

But Mila was immortal. She had potentially forever to wait for her people to reassemble. These wolves had finite lives.

“If you choose to stay a little longer, you could take part in our discussions and planning for the rebuilding. Someone with your experience could be very helpful in the coming days.”

Mila opened her mouth, but she had yet to even form a coherent thought on the matter before the woman waved her hand. She stood slowly from her place at the table, the other alphas following suit at once.

“It is late now. You don’t have to answer right away. Sleep on it. I will hear your answer in the morning. If you still wish to leave, you may go in peace.”

The alphas crowded around to help the woman hobble back to whatever cabin she must belong to.

Mila was left to stare after them.