The Witch & The Wolf

Chapter 22

Now admittingly this setting was a rather peculiar one. I mean here they both sat, reading a book on the others respective culture and species, trying to understand each other. But you see the problem was that despite the fact that there were actually books on this topic, they could hardly cover everything. Even if they did, things change over time and certain elements are just different in every different location. 

Despite this fact though, the two of them learned quite a number of things about the other, that were both interesting and suprising...

"Wait so soulmates with witches are rare to non-existant?" Luke suddenly said looking down at Sapphira. 

Slightly startled she looked up at him, her mind taking a moment to process that he'd just said, "What?" She said staring at him blankly, as the cat on her lap moved in annoyance. As he was about to repeat the question, however, she piped up as it had registered, "Oh... Uhm... Well yes. Witches are lonely creatures by nature, very unlike this whole pack structure you've got here." She said holding up the book, "I mean you guys are more structured in ranks then the army. No scratch that, the catholic church..."

Luke chuckled, "Now I wouldn't say that... But we like our structure, we need it. It guides and helps us." 

"See that I don't understand." She said closing the book, "How can you guys live so depended on one another? Why does nobody move away from it all, to live on their own." 

Luke's brows furrowed as he looked at her, "Because we don't want too. Our pack makes us stronger, it protects us." 

"From what? There's hardly anything dangerous enough out there." 

"There are rogues." Lukes said, his expression turning more serious, "And other creatures. Besides if we leave we can become like that." 

"Like what?" 

"A rogue." Luke replied putting the book he was holding away and gently grabbing the book Sapphira held from her, "You see without a mate and a pack we become less stable... The wolf part needs it, it craves it." As he spoke he opened the book and turned it to a page Sapphira hadn't really noticed before. 

At the top of the page stood an image of a mangy looking wolf with red eyes. Its fur was patchy and matted, lesions covered the body and blood dripped from its mouth.

"Rogues are the wolves that have snapped so to say." He said holding up the book to her. "Those of whom the mate died, they were rejected by the pack or other trauma." 

"Can they be cured?" Sapphira said staring at the imagery, "Or helped?" 

"Helped?" Luke said, disgust clear in his voice, "They need to be killed on sight, before they cause any more harm then they've already had." 

"But it doesn't seem like they deserve the fate they get." Sapphira said, her eyes now on Luke.

Lowering the book he stared at her with a mixture of confusion and disgust, "Don't deserve the fate? They kill and hurt those they encounter. They're nothing more then a shadow of their former self. If you're asking me it is a mercy kill to kill them." 

"So it can't be cured?" Sapphira said not breaking eye contact. 

Luke sighed, looking away from her, "No, it cannot." 

Sapphira sighed as she reached over him to grab the book once more. Only when she got halfway he stopped her, grabbing her hand.

"What are you-?" She started but he interrupted her, "Maybe we should call it a day." He said locking eyes with her once more. 

"Call it a day?" She said trying to pull back her hand and move back but he held her there.

"Aren't you hungry? I'm pretty sure you haven't had lunch yet." He said a smile forming on his face. 

Sapphira paused for a moment, "I could eat." She said after a minute. 

"Good," Luke said grabbing both of the books and placing them on the table before him. He stood up as Sappihra gently placed Percy on the floor and following him out of the library. 

Without saying a word he started heading towards the kitchen and she followed him. As they reached the kitchen, he turned to her, "What do you want to eat?" He said leaning on the kitchen island. 

"What do you want to eat?" She asked in return.

"I guess I could go for a steak." He said crossing his arms, "Don't know if we have any though, we might need to go to the store for that." 

"A steak?" Sapphira said with an incredulous look on her face, "Are you serious? for lunch?"

Luke chuckled as he walked over to the fridge, "I'm sure your aware of what wolves eat aren't you?" He said as he opened it. 

"Please don't tell me that all you guys eat is meat," Sapphira said eyeing him carefully. 

"They do like to make you believe that," Angelica said as she walked in from behind Sapphira. "But don't trust it, they do need other substance in their lives." She added throwing a look at Luke. 

"Oh come on, we need more meat than humans," Luke said as he grabbed something out of the fridge.

"True, but we eat a lot more in general than humans." Angelica said as she walked over to the coffee machine, "Coffee anyone?" 

"Yes please," Sapphira piped up, walking over to Luke to examine what he was holding. As she got close she could clearly see the two large pieces of raw meat he was holding. "Please don't tell me that's my lunch as well?" She said.

"How about a grilled cheese sandwich?" Angelica said turning back to Sapphira. 

"That sounds good." Sapphira said before Luke could say anything.