Sounds of the waves at the water side filled my head, the smell of the water engulfed my senses. I stared off into the stormy sky, the dark gray clouds approaching my town. It wasn't my town it was the town I lived in, well you understand it. "Hey!" A stern voice snapped me out of my daydream, along with the voice came a painful hit on my back. I hissed loud as I looked back to see the Jarl of our town, he whipped my back with a willow branch. "What are you looking at me for? Get to work you lazy boy" He stared at me for a second then walked past me. I sighed and stood up slowly and picked up a basket of salmon, I hate it here more than anything. I hate working for that piece of shit, I wish I didn't have to be here but I have no where to go. I can't just get up and leave, I don't have anywhere to go. No coins, no food, no clothes I have nothing.

When I was seven my parents were murdered by thieves, they raided our house. My mother put me into a chest and covered me with blankets, I heard them question her. They hit her and when my father got home they tortured him. He begged and begged for them to not hurt her, I heard him cry as a loud thud hit by my hiding spot. Thats when I heard my father scream my mothers name, his blood curdling scream of her name will forever be embedded in my mind. I can't go a night without hearing his scream. He cried for 5 minutes, I felt him crawling on the floor to my mom. He whispered her name and kept telling her that he loved her as she slowly died. I cried softly as I heard my father yell no multiple times, then it went quiet and a loud thud. I covered my mouth as I the top of the chest opened, I wasn't seen but they didn't dig. They closed it then after a while I heard the door close then dogs barking. The Jarl at the time found them and was after them. I can never get the sight I saw when I exited the chest. All the blood on the floor, their bodies just laying there. When the Jarl came into the house I saw the pain in his eyes, he took my hand as they started cleaning up. I never was the same after that, I haven't gotten a good nights sleep in 14 years. It's full of screaming in my head, nightmares and anxiety.

I took my time walking down the path towards the Jarl Grieve house, I really should try and keep on his good side but I rather not be a butler to a complete asshole with his head up his ass. "Hey Ev" My friend Tyler ran up to me, I smiled slightly as he opened the top of his basket to show dead foxes in it. "You got the fun kill, I had stupid Salmon. He doesn't even like it! So why do we need it?" I rolled my eyes as we walked. "I mean, he said something about some group that's coming to visit and talk about the situation of our cattle dying. Maybe they like fish" Tyler shrugged it off as he opened the door to Jarl's house. Many women were running around the main entrance getting things together. Some were sewing, some moping, some putting flowers into pots and a group fixing the dinning table. He had these women wrapped around his finger, they always listened to him. He led them to believe that he will be their husband if they do what he says, he is a terrible man to be a husband first off. He's obnoxious first off and extremely rude. I don't know how they can't see past that, I guess some are blinded by love. That's gross.

"Ev, are you going out with us tonight? We go down to the lake and buy these good drinks from these people. It's really fun and we are swimming, jumping from the waterfall. It's really fun you should go" Tyler said, he walked with me into the kitchen and sat his basket down. I shrugged at him and put mine down and opened our baskets. "I don't know, maybe I will. We will see if our Jarl is going to make me do stupid stuff" I sighed heavily and turned away. Tyler's eyes followed my movements. I walked out to the entrance way, "Come on it will be fun! You'll enjoy it and besides maybe you'll meet someone" He tried cheering me up. I caved in and smiled a little at him, "Fine, I'll go Tyler just shut up about it! Who all is going?" We exited the house. "Uh, you, James and me" He smiled big and walked with me towards our local inn. "I guess but James flirts with me all the time and I don't like it" I opened the door for him, he looked at me as he passed. "Evan, you know damn well that you like men. No need to be shy about it, no one cares" He knew me so well but I'll always deny it.

****

"Come on Evan! Jump!" Tyler shouted at me as he ran his hands through his hair. I bit my lip as I stared down the waterfall, it felt as if it was a 400 foot drop but it was 12. I took a deep breath and looked up at the stars quick. "Here we go.." I whispered then looked down within seconds I jumped. I felt the wind brush against my skin then the spike of ice cold water hit my skin. "Shit shit shit shit" I swam towards the edge of the pond. The water was so fucking cold, I swear that my hair grew 20 feet. "Was that fun or what?" Tyler smiled as he ran over to me, I nod slowly. "Oh yeah, freezing your ass off and have a shrimp in your pants is so much fun" I took a deep breath and bit my lip.

"Damn man, sorry you have a shrimp. Maybe you need some warmth" Tyler said with a chuckle as he handed me a cup of 'dizzy' juice, it's what he calls it. I took the cup and downed the whole cup in seconds. I was letting go tonight I just need to get my mind off of things, I hope I get sleep. "Are you going to share Tyler? Or are you and little friend here getting wasted?" A man's voice said as he approached from the side. I looked at this man and stared at the scar over his right eye, I stared at him. Why does he have this scar? How is he not blind? It's so close to his eye I'm concerned. "Uh, is he going to stare? Man, If you want to know just ask" He rolled his eyes and took my cup. I stepped back a bit and shook my head to erase my thoughts. "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare" I looked down and felt his graze on me. A hard graze as if he was going to hit me.

"So, your Jarl has met with the Fang Hunters? You guys believe that the so called animals will stop attacking the cattle if you set up traps?" This guy said with the scar, I nodded slowly as I drew in the dirt with a stick. "Yeah, apparently one of the elders said it was a wolf and I said it was a wolf, just keep guards up. But I guess they don't believe that the guards will know" Tyler shrugged and rested against a tree stump. "I call bullshit on the traps for them, like if it's wolves they need to hunt and they will hunt. They have families to feed too" The guy sighed heavily. I looked at the fire and sighed heavily. The crackling noise soothed me, I stared into the flames and tried to get lost in thought. "So, small boy. You know the ancient stories about the Gallow wolf Pack? The wolves that stood eight feet high and 12 long, they ruled the land centuries before our great grandparents. I broke my stare from the fire to look at the guy, "My father told me the story of how he came face to face with one, but the beast let him live" I had a small smile at the call of my father. The guy nodded and smiled a little, "Well, he was pretty brave to be face to face with one. Some do and don't live to tell the tail" He sat up and positioned himself so he was sitting better.

"The Gallow Pack is a wolf pack, where they hunt bears and can take down mammoths like it's nothing. But they're nothing like a wolf pack, they are shapeshifters. They can turn into humans whenever they please" The guy continued. I cut him off, "Wait they can turn into a human?" I stared at him. He had a slight glare as he looked at me, "Yes, they can turn human now let me finish". I nodded and bit my lip. "So, while in their human form they are built like huge bear. They also have yellow eyes, sometimes they're a mix of brown and yellow. They keep their eye color sometimes depending on how long they've been a wolf. Their wolf fur is unique and can never be seen again. The fur from one of their wolves is arrow proof and fire proof, they're very strong animals that can't be killed. Well I heard they can die but from a sword through the heart. But you can never get close enough to do it. Also, legend says if you go to the top of the cliff there and howl and call out the alpha he'll appear" The guy smirked heavily at me. "What is the Alpha's name?" Tyler asked with a huge smile on his face. I looked at Tyler with wide eyes. "You're not summoning the alpha, I'm not dying tonight!" I threw a stick at Tyler. "Oh calm down, it's a legend it's probably not true" He gave me a laugh. I sighed and covered my face. "His wolf name is Delirious" No one knows why he would pick an odd name, no one knows the understanding of the word Delirious. But I bet you 100 coins that if you go and say his name he will come" This guy said. Who the hell is he again? Why is he still here?

"Deal" Tyler stood up fast and stretched. "Lets go Ev, I'm doing it" He sounded so confident. This bastard is about to kill me, why am I following? I didn't notice that us three were walking already towards the cliff. I gave a loud sigh which caused this guy to look at me. "Sorry" I looked down to my feet fast.

"So.. stand here, both of you and stare off into the woods. Now say.. Delirious, the one with the eyes of the moon. Guild me through the storm" The guy stepped back away from us. Tyler stretched and smirked. Why is he excited about this? We are about to die and he's prepping himself as if he's going to have sex with a hot girl. I gave him a sigh and looked around, "Delirious! The one with the eyes of the moon. Guild me through the storm!" Tyler shouted and opened it arms wide for a hug. We waited a few minutes and nothing, I looked around and sighed heavily. "Thank god it's not true, Im not ready to die" I turned away from the forest sight. "It's not real Tyler let's go" I tried to get him to come down from the cliff but he stood still. He was just staring out into the woods, I walked up and looked at him. His face was pale as snow, he was just staring at the darkness of the moon lit forest. "You don't see h-him?" He stuttered as he slowly pointed his finger. I followed it slowly and looked into the woods, I didn't see anything. "I don't see anything Tyler" I looked at him and sighed. "Stop trying to scare me and let's go" I grabbed his hand and pulled him and started to walk down the hill. The other guy watched up and followed. "Did you see him Tyler?" The guy asked him. "I did Luke, I did" Tyler said. His name is Luke? Well shit I'm a terrible person for not remembering.