Hellbound

Chapter 8 - In which work happens

'Today,' Anya said as she pulled a piece of paper from her pocket after they had finished breakfast. 'Ah, interviews and portraits. Where will we do this?'

'Some of them will be down by the school, but most will be in the guardians' area,' Callum said as they collected their gear from the car.

'What will they be used for?' Steven, their chaperone for the moment, asked.

'Showcasing different sizes and traits of wolves.'

Anya perked up at that. 'Portraits of you shifted? Oh, that's great. Here I thought it would be a boring old corporate portrait.'

'Why would you think that with this job?' Callum asked incredulously.

'I don't know. Sometimes I'm an idiot, or as my dad always said: I don't have all the cups in my cupboard.'

Steven frowned and shared a confused look with Callum. 'What?'

She waved aimlessly. 'It makes sense in German. Not the sharpest tool in the shed, that kind of thing.'

'Alright,' he said with a slow nod. 'Anyway, if you're ready, we'll head to the school first.'

'Lead the way.'

'You are way too chipper about this,' Callum said and covered a yawn with his hand.

#

The morning went by slowly for Anya, who was mainly on standby for Callum as he conducted his interviews with the few teachers who had volunteered. She had snapped a handful of images during their talks, but there were only so many angles she could work with, and in the end, simply sat there listening.

Tanya Malloy was the head teacher of the pack and was quickly becoming Anya's favorite person. She was in her early seventies, with laugh lines she was quick to reinforce, thick silver hair tied up in a wild ponytail, and her pants covered in brightly colored flowers.

While Callum mostly asked about her work and how they managed the education, Anya took the opportunity to ask her own questions when he paused to put down some notes. Such as follow-up questions about their references to the fact that werewolves had magic.

'What kinds of magic?' she asked and leaned forward in her chair.

'Ours is exclusively related to our spirits. We can't do magic like witches or in stories, but being able to shift is a form of magic. Our strength comes from it as well since it's enhanced.'

'Can you make the magic stronger, or is the strength you're born with what you'll have for the rest of your life?' She glanced at Callum only to see him looking at her with a half-smile. A blush climbed onto her cheeks and she sat back once again. 'Uh. Sorry.'

'Don't be,' Tanya said with a warm laugh. 'Your questions are normal, and I'm sure Mr Read just finds them familiar.'

'I asked the same thing when I began to learn,' he nodded. 'I don't mind. It helps with my reports too, so ask away.'

'To answer your question: yes and no. You are born with the potential, but how much of that potential you actually achieve is a combination of things. Your physical health, such as strength but also general health things like if you have inflammations or similar impacting you; your mental health and strength, like if you're dealing with depression or if you're processing your emotions properly; and your connection with your spirit, how in tune you are with your instincts and similar.'

Anya hummed. 'So it can fluctuate throughout your life?'

'Very much so.'

'Does your...uh, I don't know if there's a word for it, but maybe place? Status? Like being a guardian, or a guide. Does your strength or magic dictate if you stay as one?'