The guard swore under his breath. ‘All right then. Just do as I do, and we should prevent a riot breaking out.’
‘You really think they’re going to riot?’
‘It wouldn’t be the first time.’
‘What was your name?’ Jack asked quickly. He was ashamed to admit that his legs felt weak at the thought of confrontation.
‘Wulfric,’ the guard replied. ‘And you?’
‘Jack.’
‘Well, Jack, you’re going to learn something today.’
The mob approached, stopping mere meters from the front gates which Jack was helping guard.
‘All right, folks, let’s move along, now,’ said Wulfric, stepping forward to meet them.
‘We aren’t leaving until you let us in!’ piped a small woman at the front of the mob. A chorus of ‘Yeah’s' followed her statement.
‘And what do you plan to do if I let you in?’ Wulfric looked back at Jack and winked.
‘I want to see my brother!’ screamed another young woman.
‘And my daughter!’ yelled a large man.
The other members of the mob started yelling too, their cries indistinguishable.
Wulfric sighed. ‘Look, I don’t know what you’ve heard, but we don’t have your families here. Now, if you don’t sod off within the next few minutes, I’m going to have to force you to leave.’
‘You’re outnumbered,’ said a young man, rubbing his knuckles menacingly. ‘You can’t stop all of us.’
Jack wanted to tell these people that the Realm did not keep humans here – that they were sent to various human markets across the country, yet he could not say such a thing when Wulfric was here.
Jack stepped forward and stood beside Wulfric.
‘Let me try,’ he muttered, nodding towards the gate. Shrugging, Wulfric stepped back and allowed Jack to be the centre of the mob's attention.
‘Look guys, we aren’t going to solve anything with violence,’ he said loudly and clearly.
‘Says you,’ piped the small woman. ‘Let us in or we’ll break that gate down!’
‘I know you’re all really angry at the Realm. You miss your family, and you want to protect them. But your families aren’t here anymore.’ Jack walked up to the small woman so he was mere inches from her face. She looked up at him with utter contempt. Jack lowered his voice so only the woman could hear him. ‘I’ll give you the information you seek tonight if you’ll meet me at the tavern around the corner at midnight. Don’t say anything.’
The tiny woman raised her eyebrows, shocked at what Jack had said, but it seemed she understood that he wanted to help them.
‘Let’s go,’ she said, turning away from the gate. Her mob followed in her wake. They seemed confused by her sudden change of heart.
‘But I thought-’ began the large man.
‘Later, Woodman,’ the woman snapped. ‘Come with me.’
‘Wow,’ said Wulfric, clapping Jack on the shoulder. ‘You got rid of them pretty easily.’
‘I’m good with people,’ said Jack.
‘I’ll say,’ said Wulfric. ‘Thought I was gonna have to go feral on them.’
‘Feral?’ Jack repeated.
‘They don’t call me Wulfric for nothing, you know.’ He grinned, showing pointed yellow teeth.
Jack recoiled slightly. He hadn’t meant his reaction to be so rude – it had been instinct. But Wulfric did not seem insulted, on the contrary, he laughed.
‘Gives most people a fright,’ he chuckled.
‘So, what does the name Wulfric mean?’ asked Jack.
‘It means the ruler of wolves.’
‘And what is your Power exactly?’
‘I change,’ said Wulfric, grinning; his pointed teeth bared.
‘Into?’ Jack pressed.
‘What do you think?’ he said. ‘A badger? No. I turn into a werewolf, I guess you’d call it.’
Jack felt his heart quicken as he recalled the wolf-man that had worked for Martinez – the one who’d had his head bitten off by Hawthorne.
‘Is that … a hereditary Power?’ asked Jack.
Wulfric nodded, his black eyes gleaming. Jack wasn’t sure why, but now that he knew what Wulfric was, he suddenly did not like him. Perhaps Jack was prejudice to judge him for his Power. For all he knew, Wulfric might be a very kind man indeed.
‘Been in my family for generations - a great Power it is, too. My ancestors worked hard to ensure the line stayed pure, and the Power didn’t die out. Of course, with the death of my brother, the line has shrunk.’
‘Your brother?’ asked Jack, feigning an expression of sympathy.
Wulfric nodded. ‘There aren’t many of us left. I am the last male in my family now. Of course, I want to share my Power with my future sons, so I must be careful who I breed with.’
Jack cringed internally. Wulfric spoke as though copulating was nothing more than animalistic instinct, where they chose the strongest of their species to breed with.
‘So … can you only change on the full moon or something?’ asked Jack, feeling foolish.
Wulfric laughed. ‘No, no, nothing like that. The change happens at will, but it is sometimes hard to change back into my human form once I have transitioned.’