Return of the Wolf Blood

"What are you two doing?" Maddie asked as she faced her mother that had come out of the cellar in her wolf form, the trapdoors were supposed to be locked. "Get back in there."

Her eyes turned yellow as she growled at her mother who growled back before both stopped when another growl was heard. A pure black wolf came bounding out the forest with blood red eyes and was twice the size of her father in his wolf form before knocking Maddie's mother into the open doors.

The wolf gestured to the doors and Maddie quickly shut them and put a chain and bar through them so that it wouldn't open from the inside but walked backwards cautiously away from the large wolf. He looked at the girl nodding his head before limping towards the open front door with his front right paw held in the air while she noticed open wounds across it's body as well.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked closing the door after she came in and the wolf lay in front of the couch. "What happened? Are you a Wolf Blood?"

He nodded to her for the last question making her kneel next to him before making him follow her to her room before getting some medicine and bandages. She cleaned the wolf's wounds and gently bandaged them tightly so they wouldn't come off.

"You'll be okay for tonight okay." Maddie told the wolf who licked her cheek causing her to laugh and she changed into her pajama's before getting in bed and was quickly followed by the wolf that lay next to her. "I'll talk to Mum about ye tomorrow."

He seemed to accept that and lay his head down next to hers on the pillow as she put an arm around him feeling safe and secure for some reason. Sleep quickly claimed them both as the two wolves in the cellar settled in for the night as well unaware of what had happened downstairs.

A promise that I keep, I'll never share, I'll never speak,

To my grave the secret goes,

The beating heart, the beating heart,

That beats the creature one and far,

Through these veins a Wolfs blood flow,

A change will come night low,

Behold my future,

As sure as they returns tonight,

The passion of my clan to be at one with them,

And hidden from the world outside,

A promise that I keep, I'll never share, I'll never speak

Through these veins a wolf blood flow.

Next Morning

"What was that last night?" Emma Smith asked her husband as they sat at the table in the Living Room. "I can' remember much but something hit me when me and Maddie were growlin' at each other."

"Your guess is as good as mine, I was the one in the cellar when it happened." 'Dan' Smith said as they drank their morning coffee. "Where's Maddie?"

"Uh Mum, dad?" the girl in question asked walking into the kitchen in her school uniform. "I need te talk with ye about somethin'."

"What is it Mad's?" Emma asked leaning back in her chair slightly looking at her daughter with a raised eyebrow while Dan did the same.

"Las' night when you tried te get out another Wolf Blood shoved you back into the cellar." She said making both of the adults stand up shocked and alert. "Calm down, he was hurt and I couldn't' do anything but help 'em."

"Where is he?" Dan asked as black lines spread across his hands representing his near transformation.

She was about to answer before a low growl interrupted them and the wolf in question walked into the room with the bandages still on but it was clear he didn't need them and was healed by the way he sat down before biting them off.

"Maddie, he's bigger than yer dad how could ye let him in the house?" Emma asked her daughter in so much shock that their Wolf side receded entirely.

"He was hurt and helped me get you two back into the cellar." She answered and the two stared at the wolf in confusion and relief.

They watched his eyes turn bright yellow as he changed before turning red again and a fourteen year old boy stood there in his place. He wore black jeans with running shoes and a tight black sleeveless shirt while he had a tight black jacket on which was open.

His hair was black and shoulder length as his skin was that of an albino making him stand out more with all the black clothes and a beanie sat atop his head keeping his hair in slight order. "I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble, I was just passing through when I smelt you and I suspected that you were like me." He told them putting his hand in his pockets looking at the two adults. "I'm Maritz O'Connell by the way."

"Do ye, live on yer own?" Emma asked slightly scared of the answer while Maddie walked away to get her shoes.

"Ever since I was five when my pack abandoned me, back then my coat was snow white and I found I could change anything about me wolf form during my transformation but the size is permanent." He said sitting down and Emma went around the kitchen making him some coffee. "I lived round here ten years ago before my pack abandoned me, they went North and I went West going across Europe searching fer a new pack or someplace I could stay as a normal person or a wolf."

"Didn't work, every week or so the pack that had accepted me went off for some or the other reason and I was hunted for hours sometimes when hunters found me. Thanks." He gingerly took the cup of coffee from Emma and she sat back down while he took a sip. "I've got other abilities like Eolas and Ansin which scared off most packs."

"Well, we don't mind you staying her for a couple 'a days." Dan said looking at his wife who nodded in agreement. "We could help ye settle in if you want, my families been here for over four hundred years so no one would question it if you were Maddie's second cousin."

"Thanks, do ye think I could go ter school with Maddie like sign up?" He asked finishing the bitter coffee Emma made since she thought he'd choke on the sugar.

"Of course, we'll come with ye and help." Emma said and the two adults went to their room to get ready while Maddie came back in.

"What happened? Are ye staying?" She asked sitting in the chair next to him.

"Ye, I'm not going anywhere." Maritz told her with a smile making her smile back as she grabbed a bowl of cereal and offering him one. "I'll choke on the sweetness, I've lived off of the land for ten years in me wolf form."

"Did you really, how does it feel?" She asked eating her cereal quickly while he grabbed an apple.

"Your free, all ye need te worry about is yerself and yer pack if ye have one." He told him taking a massive piece of apple with his first bite. "That is if ye have a pack but wasn't my problem most of the time, I fit in with normal wolves more than I ever did with the packs over the years."

"What was that Eolas thing you told mum about?" Maddie asked as she grabbed her bag and led him to the front door while walking backwards.

"It's something you'll learn when your ready which is after twelve moons for you." He said as Emma and Dan came in presumably with money to buy his books and pay for school fee's. "I've got my own money so you don't need to pay."

"Nonsense, you're a Wolf Blood and we're gonna help as yer family." Emma said brushing his money comment aside and everyone got in the car. "Turn that off."

Everyone turned to look at Maritz and saw his eyes were completely black with no whites, pupils or iris's making him sigh before they returned normal with his red iris's. "Sorry, instinct." He defended himself before closing his eyes and turning Eolas back on to look around and he was fortunate electricity didn't bother him in the slightest.

They were silent on the trip there and Maritz slipped on a pair of sunglasses when they got out by the school. They had pitch black frames that held the lenses only by the top with the bottom frame and covered his eyes so he could use Eolas without interruption.

"Take those off." Emma said trying to pull them off but he slid them down his nose slightly revealing Eolas before sliding them back on completely. "Fine, keep 'em on."

It took all of the morning before school started to get Maritz registered, get his books and luckily he was put in the same class as Maddie so she could show him around. He was sitting on the desk with his feet on the chair as Maddie walked out a minute earlier but now she walked back in with two other people.

"Tom, Shannon this is my second cousin Maritz O'Connell Smith." She said stopping in front of him. "Maritz, these are me best friends Tom Okanawe and Shannon Kelly."

"Hey." Tom said shaking Maritz's hand as he took stock of the boy, Tom was slightly shorter than him with dark black skin and looked to be an athlete.

"Hi." He replied and enveloped Shannon in a hug shocking the three. "Sorry, me old family was big on hugs and that sorta stuff."

"Oh, well that's okay." She said with a blush that he found adorable while he looked at he turning Eolas off. She had long red hair with freckles on her cheeks making her even cuter in his eyes as she wore glasses and he took off his sunglasses showing his red eyes. "Whoa, how do you have red eyes?"

"It's a family thing, one in a million every few generations." Maddie quickly said to her friend coming up with a cover story. "Oh great, here comes Jeffries."

"Alright, alright settle down, today we've got a new student today." Jeffries said and Maritz merely spun around while still sitting on his desk while Shannon too the seat next to him. "Two new students I see, everyone say hello to Maritz Smith over there and Rhydian Morris who is….."

"His parents are Welsh and you've been bounced from Foster homes in England, Ireland and now back here." Maritz cut in making everyone stare at him in shock. "You've got this smell."

Everyone began ba'aing like a sheep at him before Maritz smacked his fist on the table very hard making a resounding bang that silenced everyone. "You want te say something cheese boy?" he asked Jimi who was staring right at him before looking away when people began laughing the 'cheese boy'.

"Alright settle down, seems this year could be interesting." Jeffries said and began roll call and Maritz moved to his chair which was between Shannon and Maddie.

"Do you smell him?" Maddie whispered to him and he nodded his head subtly so she knew his agreement. "What are we going to do?"

"Tell yer parents and I'll talk te him, I've got more experience and he'll probably change if you try." He told her before leaning back. "So Shannon, what do you do for fun around here?"

"Well me, Maddie and Tom are in the Photography Club but Jeffries is trying to close it down as we're the only members." She said slightly sad and answered Jeffries when he called her name up. "You wouldn't join would you?"

"Well I thought it might be a good way to meet cute girls but I guess I already did." He said smiling at her causing her to blush brightly and look away. "I'm sorry, that was inappropriate."

"No it's fine, it's just that nobodies said I cute or pretty." She admitted staring at her lap while Maritz smiled again.

"Well then that's their problem." He put a hand on Shannon's back and rubbed her back a bit before letting it drop making Maddie and Tom go wide eyed while Shannon was as red as her hair if not redder.

An hour and a half later – Hallway

"What was that?" Tom asked Maritz as they opened their lockers that were next to each other. "Were you flirting with Shannon?"

"Yea why?" He asked closing his locker after putting his books away.

"Nothing, just that nobody's ever really liked her like that." Tom admitted putting his books away and they walked towards the dark Room where Shannon and Maddie would meet them only to stop when Rhydian hit Jimi in the back with his lunch. "That's not good."

Maritz went to work walking past Rhydian with a small growl before stopping Jimi five feet away from the Welsh boy by blocking his way with his shoulder and putting his right hand on Jimi's chest. "This is what's going to happen, you will walk away or go to the nurse because I hit you in self defense." He hissed soft enough only for the rich boy to hear.

"Fine, he's not even worth it anyway." He said turning away with his two cronies.

"HE's worth more than you and your two boy toys." Maritz yelled back making everyone burst out laughing and the three ran away in embarrassment. "Rhydian, Dark room now."

"Hey Mate….." Tom began about to go in himself after the two.

"Sorry Tom, five minutes and we'll be out kay? Rhydian has some temper problems I had so I'm gonna help em." Maritz said through the gap in the door before closing it completely.

"Yea, that's alright." He yelled through the door as Maddie and Shannon walked up to him. "Maritz says he's helping Rhydian with some temper problems."

"Temper problems? How does he know that?" Shannon asked pushing past Tom and found the door was locked. "Of course."

"Shannon, Maritz has lived in foster homes just like Rhydian." Maddie said as Shannon looked for the key to the door but stopped. "He knows how it feels and he told me this mornin' how his anger builds up quickly as nobodies properly taught him how to control it."

"What do you want?" Rhydian asked his eyes darting around nervously as he looked for a way to get out. "Why am I even here?"

"Why are you here Rhydian? Why are you invading my packs territory?" Maritz asked his eyes turning bright yellow and Rhydian's did the same on instinct. "I don't give half of my leftover chicken about a new life here but if you do anything to threaten my pack I will rip you to pieces myself."

"Yea, got it." he said their eye contact not breaking even for a moment while their eyes glowed and Rhydian's veins began showing with black going through them.

"You need to learn to control yourself or you'll get us all killed." Maritz said and Rhydian looked at his hands seeing his black veins before he pushed it back and his eyes turned to normal. "Come by tomorrow night and we'll help you, your foster parents are vegetarians right?"

"Yea." Rhydian said suddenly shy and ashamed.

"Good' we'll have Hog roast." Maritz answered unlocking the door and Rhydian walked out before Shannon, Tom and Maddie came in. "Hey, why all of you looking so negative?"

Maddie and Tom laughed outright while Shannon hid her giggle behind her hand but both Wolf Bloods heard it making them both smile. They sat around teaching Maritz how to make photos from the negatives and giving him a personal camera before heading to the cafeteria.

Five Minutes Later

"You think Rhydian would be interested in football?" Tom asked the three as they at their own table in the cafeteria eating the good food as they got there before most people.

"Is that all you think about?" Shannon asked her friend making Maddie laugh.

"Basically yeah." He said with no shame before Jimi walked past. "Hey Jimi, you gonna ask Rhydian to try out?"

"Lea-." He began before noticing the hard stare of Maritz which sent shivers down his spine. "Don't think he's the right sort for the team, do you?"

"He didn't say you couldn't ask." Maritz and Shannon said at the same time causing the latter blush while the former smiled.

"Good point." Tom said and stood up before Maddie could stop him.

"Well that's brilliant really good y'know." Tom said as he looked over Rhydian's shoulder at the drawing her did of the forest before noticing the wolf in the bottom right hand corner.

"What do you want?" Rhydian asked not bothering to look at the boy and continued on his picture.

"Just… wanted to know if you wanted to try out for the football team." Tom said making Rhydian look up. "You know it's a great way to make friends."

"Look, I don't care about football or friends and I don't want to hang around with your weird mate." Rhydian snapped at Tom making him step back.

"Obviously they don't teach manners in Wales." Tom mumbled as he walked back to his friends making Rhydian pause but his mood dropped further when the K's sat down around him.

"Hey Rhydian, look we found this competition." "And we're going to enter." "We think you should too, cause your dead good looking."

"All you need is… what's it called, Fortolio?" "She means a Portfolio." "Come on girls, he's not interested in that he's only got here and what he needs is someone to show him around. And we know everything about."

Rhydian looked between them for a moment before turning slightly and pointing at Maritz. "That weird kid, who's he?" Rhydian asked making all three turn to look at him.

"Maritz Smith? No idea he just got here before you did but he's the cousin of Maddie Smith and her families been here for centuries." They said and he turned back to his drawing putting them off but they spoke around him.

"I heard you needed someone to do your Portfolio's?" Maritz asked suddenly as he dropped in between two of the girls scaring them before a pink, black and blue fold hit the desk. "Join the Photography club and these are yours."

"What?" they asked each grabbing their own file to see everything in there. "How did you get all of this?"

"I have my ways now do you want them or not?" he asked them placing the Photography Club sigh up sheet on the table with a pen. "You just need to sign up, don't come in or anything."

They quickly put their names down and ran off with their Portfolio's before he picked up the sheet and went back to the Dark room where Maddie, Tom and Shannon most likely were but first made a copy of the sheet and gave the copy to Jeffries who was surprised.

"Hey, we were just thinking how we could get three more members by tomorrow." Maddie said when Maritz walked in and everyone noticed his smirk. "What happened?"

"I got us three new members." He told them causing everyone to jump to their feet and grabbed the signup sheet from him.

"No way, how'd you get those three to sign up?" Shannon asked pinning it to the wall in excitement before she hugged him but jumped off a second later as red as a tomato. "Sorry."

"I have my own ways." Maritz said to them smiling before he was hugged by Maddie.

"Thank you so much." She said and he returned the hug with one arm. "To the Great Photography Club."