Ryder and the Wolf: The End Begins. (Book 1 Completed)

Chapter 18 (last chapter)

Chapter 18:

Life’s Back to Normal... Sort of.

Many of the witch hunters ran for cover; among those that stayed were a few village folk from Widecombe who had gone missing years ago, and peter who immediately aimed a cross bow at me.

“Peter? you’re the one who shot me!” I shouted in mixed anger and disbelief; I knew my brother was a traitor, but never had I expected him to attempt my murder. At least not of his own accord; however distraught he felt the night I left, was nothing compared to the sense of betrayal I felt for what he had done. I stood fast and gave Peter a cold glare; he did not budge however, but kept his crossbow aimed at my heart.

“That arrow was anointed with wolf’s bane, you should be dead.” he snarled.

“Sorry to disappoint you.” I replied, “but we’re supposed to be friends.”

“You’re not my friend, you’re one of them!” he shouted.

“So are you!” said another voice; it was Galgar, our father. he approached from the ranks and stood facing his son; however, Peter refused to lower his cross bow. “you’ve grown, peter, you have your mother’s eyes. How is she? worried about you, I’d wager.”

“Father?” Peter said; unsure of how to react, “No, you can’t be. My father’s dead.”

“No, it’s true son. you and your mother are weren wulver, I tried to get her to teach you more about our ways, but she was too afraid of the witch hunters. Rightly so too, they would have slaughtered us all if we hadn’t gone underground.” our father told him, “Put down the cross bow, Pete. It’s over now; the father of darkness has been destroyed he cannot control you anymore.” Peter lowered the cross bow, and looked me directly in the eye.

“So grandfathers old stories... they were all true?” he asked; I nodded and then the moment between us was interrupted, by Tobias Crabb’s voice.

“McFarlane! Elder McFarlane! I found it! a way to send that bastard back to the devil’s realm! I-” I turned and pinned the grubby little man to the nearest stone.

“You’re too late! Atticus Darcy has been vanquished.” I barked, “And elder McFarlane was  killed! Now go back to your run down, death trap of a hovel; and don’t ever let me catch you among my kind again, or I’ll make you wish you were never spawned, toad.”

“You... managed to kill the devil’s own?” he whimpered, “oh, right then... Job well done. Carry on, lads... I’ll be off then.” I released him; and glared at him as he straightened his jacket, and then he turned and waddled off toward home.

“Gar Ryder?” called Alick from somewhere in the crowd, “I’ve been wanting to ask this for almost a lifetime now.” he pulled me away from the other wulver; to the crest of the mound in the center of Stonehenge, knelt to the ground in the witness of the entire company of human and wolf-man alike. He had finally done what he had been destined to do since we were small children; he had asked me for my hand, it was in this custom that wulver are paired indefinitely. Or else the code of supernatural life shall be broken; thus the world would fall into chaos, and be lost to the shadows.

The wedding itself was a splendid one; an outdoor ceremony in the moor close to home, the entire village along with the wulverclagen and our garwulver brethren all attended. Streamers and confetti were everywhere; if any unsuspecting simple folk had stumbled across the wedding, they would have thought the local greeting cards vendor had just suddenly exploded in a puff of colorful paper and ribbons. It was a happy day for all of us; and there was so much laughter, I never thought the wedding would end.

When it was over however; the rest of the wulver and the garwolves parted as equals, only to keep in touch but once or twice a year. The villagers all continued their average lives; blissfully unaware of what we really are, and we joined the countless other “normal” families out there. At least until the next time one of Mordred’s order comes out of hiding; because “normal” is so overrated, werewolves are stranger than fiction... But that works for me.