Soul Moon

Second Chance

Caden watches, his heart a tumultuous mess of emotions, as Erick slams the car door in his face and jogs away from the car. Away from him. Every few feet the bartender's stride falters and the urge to go to his side burns through Caden like witch's fire.

But he can't go to him. If he does, he risks Erick shifting right here in downtown Seattle.

When the bartender had clawed at the door handle trying to get out, Caden was about to reach over to try and calm the frantic man down until Erick looked at him with glowing red eyes. Whatever hope Caden had of keeping the terrified man with him was snuffed out in that second. The risk that Erick's shift would be triggered if he continued to keep the irate bartender locked in the car was too great. And so, Caden had been forced to let him go.

But not before he stupidly shouted three words Erick may or may not have heard.

Oh! Who the fuck is he kidding? Of course Erick heard them. If the bartender heard him and his friends talking through a heavy wooden door when they were standing dozens of feet from it, he definitely heard Caden say, "You're a wolf."

The question is, will Erick know what it means?

As he drives back to his condo, Caden tries to convince himself that the bartender will just think it was his crazy way of calling him an ass. But with every red light he's forced to stop at, something Erick said to him falls into an endless loop inside Caden's head.

The people who are supposed to protect me are the ones I fear the most.

Each word pierces his heart like a poisoned dagger. They bring back memories of a past he still longs to forget yet can never find peace from. The pain of that first life is a shadow that fades and shrinks but never leaves. It has woven itself through the threads of all his other lives until it has become a living, breathing part of him. Its constant presence in Caden's empty soul is a scarring reminder of his greatest failure as a guardian. Forgiveness will never be granted to him. Because the only person who could have given it perished that fateful night, their soul never to be reborn.

He can't go back and make things right. It's too late for that. But it's not too late for Erick. There's still time to save him. For unknown reasons, fate has given him a chance to atone for his original sin. The bartender might not want his help, but that won't stop Caden from protecting this wolf who desperately needs his guidance. This time he knows who he is and what he wants. In this world, there are no gods to stand in his way, no leash of morality to prevent him from following his heart.

Traffic is heavy with people returning to work after their lunch breaks and moves at a snail's pace. Caden spins the metal ring around his left middle finger slowly. At first glance, it looks like any other plain silver band. But if someone stares long enough, the ring reveals its secret. Like an oil slick kissed by the sun's rays, a kaleidoscope of colors swirls just beneath its surface. They expand and contract randomly, rise and fall like the waves of the ocean. As Caden stares at it, he notices the colors seem brighter today, like the ring is trying to tell him something.

The honk of a horn startles him out of his musings and he quickly steers his car through the intersection. His eyes focus and unfocus, his thoughts a stormy mess of what if's. It's obvious that the lack of sleep from last night, the adrenaline crash wringing the last of his energy reserves dry, and the after effects of his long overdue shift are all quickly wearing him down. But his concern for the bartender banishes any thoughts of rest from his mind. Whoever is hunting Erick is desperate to capture him. They've made two attempts already. Leaving Erick on his own now would be a grave mistake. For both of them.

Shaking the fogginess from his head, Caden flicks on his turn signal. However, instead of turning right which would take him back to the condo, he makes a sudden left turn, cutting off a large SUV in the process. His foot lays heavy on the accelerator as he expertly navigates the busy downtown streets.