Prologue

The moon mocked him from its place in the sky, grinning down at him like a mischievous imp. The underbrush crashed against his battered body as he dashed across the countryside. Heero felt the hot blood on his fur from the open wound. They got a lucky hit. He had to get away. Far away from the villagers chasing him. He told his friends they shouldn't have gone. It was too risky. Too close to the time where the full moon demanded their compliance, but they wanted ale. They wanted women. And he had to go with them. It was his duty. He never meant for anyone to get hurt. Never meant for their secret to be blown.

And now he was on the run.

He could hear their dogs bellowing the sound of their hunt. The smells of the smoke from their torches burned his nose. He dashed through the stream; deeper than he'd anticipated. He shivered at the shock of the chilled water as it rushed over and into his wound, but pressed forward, clawing up the bank and out. As soon as all four paws were sturdy he took off once more. He had no idea how far he ran or how long, but the sounds of his pursuers dwindled and he felt his body begin to shake at the thought that he could be safe.

The smell of smoke from a hearth and the musky scent livestock reached his snout. A farm. Small but adequate. If he could reach the barn, then he could rest easy for the night hidden in the scents of other animals. Gathering all of the strength he had left, he continued his journey until he reached the safety of the barn. The horse and cow were asleep. The chicken coup was far enough away that no bird should call an alarm. A large pile of old hay lay in a dark corner behind a few old crates caught his attention. It would do. He padded over; every muscle in his body protesting the final movements. Circling twice, he lay down and gave his wound a few quick licks. He was so tired. He felt his consciousness slipping and embraced the darkness.

Morning came. The call of the rooster heralded its arrival, piercing his ears. His head hurt. Well, his whole body hurt. He needed to leave, but he couldn't. He was still too tired to move. Too weak. His wound bled most of the night but crusted over enough that he would not bleed out. A soft, sweet sound reached his ears. It was behind the barn at the chicken coup. A woman was humming. Her voice was beautiful and soothing. He felt his muscles relaxing, but as the humming neared, he froze and tucked himself deeper into the shadows. By now, the horse and cow had awakened. Why neither of them had alerted her to his presence he did not know. But he was hungry. Too weak to take down a cow or horse. Too tired to chase a chicken. But a woman…

He growled at himself and fought his baser instincts. He'd never stooped so low as to eat a human before and he wouldn't now. But he needed to eat. It took all of his energy just to reach the barn and heal his wound enough that he wouldn't die. He heard her soft footsteps on the hay covered dirt. She smelled of vanilla and lavender with a hint of roses… She stopped. Her humming ceased.

"Is someone there?" He felt his whole body tense. "You needn't be afraid. If you are hungry or need shelter you are more than welcome to share whatever I have." She was generous. Foolish. But generous. But he had to stay hidden. She expected a human. A lost soul in need. He was in need but his soul was lost so long ago… He scowled, if a wolf could do so. He heard her approaching and readied himself for her scream...

But none came.

She stood, staring at him, eyes wide, lips parted in a silent gasp. She was beautiful, he noted. Hair the color of sun-dried wheat, lips pink and thin, aqua eyes under thick dark lashes. High cheekbones and a proud nose. She was of average height for a human female and her figure was full but proportionate. Definitely pleasing to look at. She was the kind of woman men dreamed of. And she was staring at him. Her brow furrowed as she frowned.

"A wolf…" She stepped a bit closer. "A large one at that." She cocked her head to the side. "It looks as though you've gotten yourself into a bit of trouble." She continued to approach and he growled to ward her off. "It's alright." She held out her hand. "You've been injured. I want to take a look at it, if you'll let me?" She continued to walk toward him despite his warning. She reached out a hand and he snapped at her, but there was no hint of fear. She wasn't afraid of him. She knelt by his side and gently brushed her fingertips above the wound. The brief contact made him feel something… something he'd never felt in his life.

"That wound is deep. I'll need to sterilize it and stitch it up. But I'll do my best to not hurt you." She stood. "Wait here." He watched her leave and thought for a moment, to make a break for it, but decided against it. He would let her help him and then he would leave and never look back.

She returned some time later with a basin of boiling water and several tools and salves in her apron pockets. She held out a piece of raw rabbit meat and he stared at her. He sniffed it. It smelled funny. He sneezed at her and shook his head.

"I won't lie. There is medicine in the meat to help with your pain. This will not be an easy procedure." He stared at the meat for a moment. He sensed no dishonesty from her; no malice. He licked the meat out of her hand and gulped it down without bothering to chew. He watched her prepare her tools and he felt the drugs she gave him began to work. She was humming again. It soothed him. He fell asleep at some point, though he wasn't sure how it could even be possible.

He woke up sometime in the evening. His side still hurt but he felt the unmistakable pressure of the bandages wrapped around him. He wondered how she managed such a feat on her own but the sight and smell of the bloody meat on the plate before him took over his mind. Rabbit. Relatively fresh. In a ravenous act of hunger, he devoured each of the bloody offerings without pause, not bothering to even try and taste it. Then he slicked his thirst with the water that she'd left for him in the small bucket. The cool liquid quenched his dry throat. He hadn't realized how much he'd needed it until it touched his tongue.

"I see you're awake." He looked up, startled. Water sloshed from his mouth to the ground. How had he not heard her? Was he that distracted by the food? "The wound wasn't too deep so I was able to stitch it closed, but you're going to have to rest and let it heal. Even with your advanced healing capabilities it will take a while." He stared at her, eyes wide. She knew?

"Yes, I know you're a werewolf. You're much too large to be an ordinary wolf and you understand me far too well." He snorted at her and she smiled. "I know the little bit of meat I gave you won't hold you for long and I'm afraid I'm not much of a hunter so I have to go get some more at the market tomorrow." That meat was at least five rabbits. Most likely several weeks of meals for her. He owed her his life. And now so much more. He licked his lips, eyes meeting hers and he lowered himself at the front, bowing to her. She raised a brow before her smile widened.

"You're welcome. You need to rest. The sooner you do, the sooner you'll recover. Now lie down." He stared defiantly at her for a moment before doing as she said. She shook her head and walked over to retrieve an old horse blanket, clean but well-used. She draped it over him and turned to walk away. "I'll head to town first thing in the morning. Sleep well." He watched her leave. She was a peculiar human. She lived alone in the countryside on a farm she couldn't possibly be keeping up. Most of all: she wasn't afraid of him. Not even slightly. And she went out of her way to help him without asking anything in return. A strange human indeed. One he wouldn't mind trying to figure out.