Night Hunter (BL)

I spent the night arguing with myself. My wolf was mostly quiet, though he tried to respond to all my childish vents—as he called it—until I eventually fell asleep.

I woke up the next morning, still on my couch. God, my neck is killing me. What time did I fall asleep last night? I swung my feet off the couch and took a moment to myself, cracking my neck to get some life back into it.

Last night didn't go well. Either I capture Ginevra's brother and beat the shit out of him until he starts talking, or I keep playing nice and chatty—which obviously isn't an option. I hope Jake stays home. After last night, there's no telling what Ginevra's brother will do if he finds him.

I headed to the kitchen. I still hadn't unpacked all my stuff because I was so used to moving around. If shit goes down, I'm already prepared to get out of here—no need to waste time packing.

I took out some ingredients for breakfast while thinking about my next move. I don't have much strength as a werewolf, and if I dare use angelic rune magic, then I am as good as dead. The angels know when someone who isn't of pure blood uses their runes. I'm not sure how, but it's believed every angelic rune used borrows power from beings called the Higher Angels.

I shook the thoughts from my head and cracked a few eggs into a bowl.

I needed help with this. I couldn't do it alone. But who could I trust? -I didn't even bother thinking of names, because I didn't know anyone.

Sometime later, after finishing my breakfast, I threw on some warm clothes and headed out for my daily walk into the woods. It had become routine: wake up, eat, take a walk, repeat. Sometimes I wondered if this was all my life would ever be. I couldn't work, not without drawing the wrong kind of attention. It felt like I was bound to be alone, forever. The city seemed more lively, more exciting, but it was also full of Night Hunters.

I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life anymore. My goals had always revolved around becoming a Night Hunter, but now that I couldn't pursue that, I felt worthless. Like someone without a purpose.

I kept walking, forcing myself to shut down my thoughts and focus on the peaceful nature around me. The mornings here were always cold, even when the sun was shining brightly, peeking through the trees. Today was no different—sunshine, birds singing, and dew falling from the leaves. It was lovely, in its own quiet way.

As I neared my destination, I could hear the thundering sound of water crashing against rocks. A smile tugged at my lips as I emerged from the trees and stepped into the clearing, the waterfall coming into view. No matter how many times I visited, it always felt like the first time.

I sat down a little farther from the waterfall, just enough to feel the cool spray on my face without getting soaked. I leaned back against a high rock, closing my eyes, and let the soothing sound of the water wash over me.

"Good morning, Blake." The voice came from behind me, and I didn't need to look to know who it was.

"Good morning, Cecilia," I said, smiling as I opened my eyes. She was already walking past me, heading straight for the water.

I didn't know how she did it. At this hour, the water was far too cold for a swim, but she always waded right in without hesitation.

"Do you come here to watch me, Blake?" Cecilia's tone was teasing. She was the one who had introduced me to this place. I'd hiked past her home one morning, and when she saw me, she was a little shocked. She said nobody, in all her years living on the mountain, had ever set foot near her home.

I watched her in awe as she waded deeper into the water, until it reached her torso. She cupped some of the water in her hands and raised them toward the sky.

"Why do you always do that?" I asked, curious.

"Do what?" She smirked, knowing exactly what I meant. She drew something into the water, then submerged herself completely before walking out.

"Get into the water, and then do... all those things?" I rolled my eyes, frustrated but amused.

She laughed softly. "Why do you think you come here every day, Blake? Why do you think no one else does?"

I thought about it for a moment. Sometimes I'd see hikers on the mountain, but none ever came to this side. I'd never really wondered why no one stopped by. It wasn't exactly hidden.

"I mean... for me, it's peaceful here," I said slowly, realizing what I was feeling. "I don't feel out of place, I don't feel alone..." I paused, and then it dawned on me.

I didn't feel like a reject. I felt like this place had accepted me.

Cecilia laughed again, as if she had read my thoughts.

"What you feel, Blake, is love," she said softly. "This place has been blessed by the Goddess Oshun. Only a few chosen have set foot here."

"Only a few chosen... chosen for what?" I raised an eyebrow, confused.

Cecilia flashed me a bright smile before walking away.

It was never any use asking her questions. Her answers always left me with more questions.

I slipped off my shoes and dipped my feet into the river. "Yeah, no." The water was definitely too cold. Maybe witches had some special connection to nature that I didn't understand. I put my shoes back on and lingered a little longer.

Soon, I was back in the woods, walking toward my cabin and admiring the wild plants around me. I was almost home when an unfamiliar scent filled the air.

Flowers? I looked around, confused. The woods had some flowers, but not the kind I was smelling.

Maybe it was a seasonal plant. I shrugged it off, but as I reached my cabin, the smell grew stronger.

"What the heck?" There, on my front porch, were several baskets of flowers.

"Did someone get the wrong address?" I scanned the area, looking for any sign of who might have delivered them. Finding nothing, I stepped onto the porch and picked up the flowers.

All I could smell was a bunch of flowers. I wished I could at least smell whoever dropped them off. I carried them inside to inspect and noticed a small note attached to one of the baskets. "I would love to get to know you better, on a romantic level, of course." I snorted a laugh. So cheesy.

I had no idea who they were from. Why would anyone send me flowers? If I didn't live in the middle of nowhere, it would make more sense to think they had the wrong address.

Still, I didn't see any reason to keep them. I would just put them back outside where I found them.

As I carried the flowers back out, a silk scarf wrapped around one of the baskets fell out. The moment I bent down to pick it up, a familiar light floral, earthy scent filled my nose, and my mind immediately went to Ginevra.

"Maybe I'm just imagining things." I placed the scarf over my nose, inhaling a little longer than I should have.

Some of these flowers could probably grow if I put them in pots outside. I had planned to leave them outside, but I changed my mind. It would be a shame to let these beautiful flowers die on my porch. Plus, my small garden could use a little colour.

At least that's what I told myself. I wasn't keeping them because they were from Ginevra or anything like that.

I planted the Alcea rosea near the entrance to my cabin.

Wait... if these really were from Ginevra, did accepting the flowers mean I wanted to get to know him, too? My gaze lingered on the flowers in my hands. Heat crept up my face. "On a romantic level?" I whispered the words to myself.