Hunters and Hybrids

Chapter 10

Sykes had paced up and down for over an hour, trying to figure out what he could do to stop the Witch from hurting his boy.

In the end he threw his rag onto the table in frustration and did something he hadn't done in nearly nine hundred years.

Sykes closed The Inn.

He waited until the last patron finally, and still grumbling left, then he locked the door. Walking out to the back room, put food down for Tim's dog, Cerberus. Then he grabbed his coat as he listened to the seven foot tall puppy bound up and eat his food. "I'll be back soon Cerb," He called, "You watch The Inn while I am gone."

He walked out into the courtyard behind The Inn with the seven foot puppy following him and headed for the portal that Tim used most mornings to go to work.

Just as he stepped through he turned to the dog again, "Sit and wait." He said, he heard the dog slump with a huff to the floor as he turned with a small smile and stepped through the portal.

As Anna opened the door, Callen bounded out without thinking. He stopped as he saw his team members sitting at the large outdoor table and he screeched to a halt and moved closer to Anna.

"It will be ok Callen, Papa wouldn't have let them here if they were going to hurt you." Anna said as she crouched down to soothe the wolf who was giving a quiet whine.

Kensi turned her head and smiled at him, "Hey Callen, come on, this breakfast smells great."

Callen's tail gave a small but hopeful wag and he bounded up beside the table and sat on the ground next to Anna.

The others smiled as he stuck his head on the table looking longingly and sniffing loudly at the bacon.

"Ok, ok G." Sam sighed and took some and put it in a bowl for him, handing it to Anna, who placed it under the table so Callen could eat without being watched by the others who had started to talk amongst themselves.

Breakfast continued amicably. The Ne'er Worlders answering questions from the mortal about the realm and filling them in on what they could amongst themselves.

A large bird landed on the lawn and conversation stopped as Callen barked and chased the bird around the grass, his tail wagging happily as the bird flew just out of reach.

"Callen!" Kensi gasped in shock.

Deeks laughed, "He looks like he's enjoying himself Kens."

Callen ignored them as he ran happily around. He had picked up the ball from the basket he had placed it in, he tossed it with his mouth into the air and chased it across the grass.

The others watched with smiles as he played.

"In this form, Callen is still a pup." Arkady explained, "He's a teenager in our realm. So although as a man here he is an adult, in his wolf form he is still a child and plays. It is why he is so carefree while he is changed. His emotions are not bound by his human side in wolf form."

Deeks smiled, "I will admit seeing our fearless leader like this makes me wish I could be a wolf too." He said wistfully.

"Is it like the movies?" Eric asked, "Can you get turned into a Werewolf by being bitten?"

Arkady shook his head, "No. We are not vampires, child. It has been lost to us through time how we came to be. We just are. You cannot get turned into a Were', although when we do bite, it is usually for self preservation or the protection of others. Like our natural namesakes, we are wolves. We live as a pack, we love as wolves do, for life. We are as gentle as wolves are, we do not kill for fun, or for malice. See, even with that bird, Callen will not get close enough to kill it. He is not hungry and there is food here. We do not kill for no reason."