Chapitre 20

Lenkin hugged her and pushed his chin over her head. To my amazement, Lyza's fingers gripped the new Alpha's shirt tightly. She wasn't afraid of him.

"You see," Zelos whispered and pressed another kiss on my mark. A hot river flowed through my body and I tried to suppress the trembling. I felt his grin against my skin.

Slowly, Lenkin broke away from his companion and turned his head to us.

"I'm sorry," he said, taking a deep breath. "We had to keep it a secret for so long... Luna Mayra wasn't allowed to know."

Lyza wiped the tears from her cheekbones in his arms. They seemed to wash away some of their shadows. Lenkin's eyes fell on Zelo's arms around me.

"So we're not a secret anymore either," I said, turning to Lyza. "Are you all right?"

She nodded and looked up at Lenkin. She put her hands on his chest, and then her head.

"She's mute," the wolf answered for her, gently stroking her back. "And yet I love her. Finally the game of hide-and-seek is over."

A hint of a smile spread across Lyza's face. The feeling jumped over me. If Lenkin had a human companion, then the situation of the people in the mountain could only improve.

I left Zelo's secure hug behind me for a moment.

"I know you're going to be a good alpha," I said. Lenkin's shoulders seemed to broaden.

"It has to be me. The pack has found me worthy, and I will do everything in my power to live up to that honor. Silverblood was able to overrun us once, but they won't be able to do it a second time. They will surge against these mountains like the infinite sea against the northern cliffs!"

His dark eyes foamed with new determination.

"It's good that the mountains have a strong guard again," said Zelos behind me and I almost felt his breath on my hair. "You know what my goal is: to get to the root of the problem. Alpha Udyr's last moves did not indicate that he learned from the defeats."

Lenkin hugged Lyza one last time before motioning for her to follow him. They sat down at the card table. Zelos and I mirrored their movements.

"The patrols on the Riverclaw border are reporting troop movements," the Alpha said, pointing to a fine line not far from the mountains. "It's not impossible that they're planning a new attack."

“But you have fixed the old weaknesses. They have to come up with something new if they want to get the mountains back", said Zelos. "We have to find them and close them."

Lenkin frowned.

"The mountain has no other weak points," he said.

Zelos laughed and leaned back.

"That's what Alpha Richard said too and look where it got him. Better we find the points of attack before Silverblood can do it."

I stared at the map. The whole border consisted only of mountains and everything was covered with trees. Even on the sides of Riverclaw were mountains. A bolt of lightning shot through my body.

"What's going on?" Zelos asked and turned to me.

"Mountains," I whispered. "Mountains!"

He stared down at me, eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes, we are in the mountains. What are you getting at?"

"Silverblood occupied this area and that was only a few weeks ago. You know the people are down here in the mountain. What if they try to gain entry through the rock? You could do it in the shade of the trees. Is there still patrol down in the valley?"

Zelo's eyes widened.

"Is that possible?" he asked and turned to Lenkin.

He was silent for a while, examining the map.

"We can't rule it out," he said, brushing his curls from his eyes. A small spark of pride flew through my veins Hard to imagine silverbloods will be so foolish."

"Who is at the top at the moment?" Zelos asked. "Delta Ivan?"

Lenkin shook his head.

"We can't say for sure. Whoever acts, holds back. It could also be Alpha Udyr, for all we know. It is just as quiet around him as around anyone else. Only Beta Talon occasionally logs in from the Palace. He will have all available fighters stationed in Riverclaw. We have no choice but to wait..."

I take a deep breath.

Lyza sat in her chair, her back bolt upright. She stared passively at the map in front of us but made no move to interfere. A moment ago she had been crying for the other people. Did she have family down there?

"Wait...", Zelos murmured. I could see thousands of thoughts, ideas and words buzzing around behind his eyes and he tried to grab the best of everything. "We give Alpha Udyr the chance to learn from his mistakes. He should if you don't do this, it will be his downfall."

"To whom is Riverclaw left?" asked Lenkin. "Right now it's just a pack's vessel..."

"All in good time. We'll have to wait and see how things develop," Zelos replied. His eyes darted back and forth on the map as if he could see things that remained invisible to normal viewers.

I smiled as Lyza tried to stifle a yawn. Apparently she wasn't interested in the politics of the wolves. My smile faded as I thought of Linur. The boy was down there at that moment, wondering where I was.

"Would you excuse us?" asked Alpha Lenkin, pushing his chair back. His gaze rested on Lyza, who blinked sleepily. "We're welcome to continue the conversation tomorrow."

I followed his movements and got up. The two said goodbye to the room. Zelos and I stayed behind and I sighed.

"It wasn't what you hoped for," he said, voicing how I felt.

Disappointment.

"It's just- I don't know what to do! I just want them to be helped. It can't be that hard," I mumbled.

"Even if it doesn't feel like it, we took big steps towards sustainable change today," Zelos said and put his arms around me. "You did well."

"But not good enough," I murmured into his shirt. I sniffed at his soothing scent, as if that might blot out the images from the mine. Zelos was so familiar that I rested my head against him.

"I could threaten Lenkin and force him to free the humans. I could force the whole pack to do exactly what I want," he said, and I raised my head, eyebrows furrowed. "But what would it do?"

I pressed my lips together.

A bad Zelos.

He might look dangerous, but he'd never acted out of anger or anger. Maybe once when Beta challenged Leo. Somehow I couldn't imagine that he would threaten Lenkin or the pack. I didn't want to imagine him like that.

As a tyrant.

Like Alpha Udyr.

"If you do that, I wouldn't be in your arms anymore," I whispered.

He pressed me closer.

"Another reason not to do it. It's good that you're carrying your own head on your shoulders," he whispered, looking at my lips. He smiled. "Otherwise I wouldn't be able to kiss you."

I stood on tiptoe to give him better access. A growl boiled in his throat as I pressed my body against him. I pulled up a corner of my mouth. My gaze darted back and forth between his eyes and his lips.

I had an effect on him.

"Sometimes you seem to lose your head in my presence," I whispered. "Ah!"

Large hands lifted me into the air and my entire upper body was pressed against Zelos. A tingle ran through my nerves and tightened in my stomach.

"I can do that too," Zelos growled with a lurid smile.

He sat me on the chart table and finally leaned down. Our lips met in a hungry fight. Heat bubbled up inside me with a need I had never felt before. His tongue conquered mine and a moan rumbled between us him and her.

His hands ran down my back leaving sparks everywhere.

"Zelos," I murmured between touches. "Zelos..."

He growled.

I pushed even closer to him and the tingling reached new heights. I wanted him in every way I could. My fingers found the buttons on his shirt. I opened one by one and ran my hands over his warm torso. His hands stopped and grabbed my arms.

He withdrew.

For the first time I saw the Lycan really out of breath. His eyes glowed at the fire between us.

"If you do that, I won't hold back," he gasped. I met his intense gaze and licked my lips.

"I don't want you to hold back."

****

Everything was warm.

My whole back was right against a heater and I snuggled closer. We were sunk in the mattress and a blanket was covering our bodies. A heavy arm lay across my stomach, holding me tight.

Everything in me was calm.

Everything felt free.

The snow shimmered like unique crystals behind the windows. A red sun was still hiding behind the mountains. I put my fingers around my stomach and stroked the backs of my hands.

Zelos growled behind me, but made no move to move. I rolled over in his arms and was only inches away from him. His side was pressed into the pillow while his lashes brushed his cheekbones.

All muscles relaxed, his lips slightly parted.

A tremor ran through my body as I thought about the night. Zelos knew what he was doing. A longing tug emanated from the mark on my neck. His white hair hung down in strands.

"Under normal circumstances, I'd say it's rude to stare," he said, opening his lids. A smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "But I'm too vain for that today."

i grinned

"That suits me," I replied, his eyes scanning my features. The hand that was now around my back pulled me closer. Then it followed the path of my curves upwards. I closed my eyes as Zelo's fingers snuck over the mark, pushing one of my curls out of the way.

He placed them against my cheek and brushed the tips over my skin.

"Whatever you can do, so can I," he murmured. The smile was gone, replaced by an intense gaze with the afterglow of the night. "Your skin is so soft compared to mine."

"By the way, when did you know I was your mate?" I asked, and his fingers paused for a moment.

The trademark grin had returned to his lips.

"It will always be my secret," he said.

"Zelos, come on. Has it been in the dungeon yet?"

Suddenly my world turned and I was lying on my back. He hovered over me and grinned down at me. The sharp teeth made my mark tingle. Memories of the night glimmered in his eyes and mirrored in mine.

Zelos leaned down and looked at my helpless form beneath his body.

"That's pretty demanding for someone who's been trapped in a dungeon himself," he whispered, pulling the covers away from me. Cold air sent goosebumps down my arms.

"I think that's how you describe yourself right now," I replied, licking my lips. His eyes darted down and I took my chance.

With all my strength I turned to the side and took Zelos with me. Now he was lying on the pillows and grabbed my hips. He held me.

"And what are you going to do now?" he asked.

"I-"

"Lycan Zelos!" a voice called and our bubble burst. Before I could even look to the door, I was lying under Zelos and the blanket. He didn't look too happy about the interruption.

"Wait here," he whispered, getting out of bed and getting dressed. I brushed my curls away from my face.

With broad shoulders, he walked to the door and stepped out of the room. I stayed behind in the silence where only my thoughts spoke. Did all this really happen? A part still felt like a dream.

A beautiful dream.

A dream I would hold on to forever.

The door on the other side creaked open, revealing three heads.

"Kerberos," I said, and the hellhound pricked up his ears. He strutted across the carpet, wagging his tail. I set my feet on the warm stone floor and found a new dress.

I stroked the shiny fur of the heads before straightening up.

It was time I got some stuff done too. I might not be able to get the people out right away, but at least I could get them more food. I buttoned the dress and walked to the door. Zelos' muffled voice grew louder. She fell silent when I pushed the handle down.

From behind he and Davin appeared.

"Are you alright?" I asked, looking back and forth between the wolves.

"The remaining warriors have arrived," said Zelos. "These are also the prisoners from the dungeon. They should help us now."

"Will Lenkin be there too?" I asked, leaning against the door. Davin nodded his head. "Then I'll come with you."

Zelos stared at me in amazement for a second. I was surprised by the offensive myself. Kerberos nudged me from behind with one of his heads as if to support me.

"Let's go then," said Zelos. We followed the stairs to the large room of Lenkin. Dull voices came from under the door. After a strict knocking, we entered.

The noise died down and new faces awaited us. They had gathered around the chart table. At the sight of Zelo, the warriors bowed. One of them stepped forward. His hair had a greyish tinge to it.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Lycan Zelos," said the wolf and bowed to him. A shadow of wrinkles graced his face. Then he turned to me. His eyes shone with realization. "And of course you too, Elizabeth. Even if we only smelled each other before."

I tried not to shape the uncomfortable feeling inside me. Sometimes the language of werewolves was strange.

"I'm very sorry, but I can't remember," I replied, giving a bow.

"We've never met before either. But heard," said the wolf. "In the dungeon of Mountain Shade."

My eyes widened.

He was the man who had been squatting in one of the solitary cells.

"I remember. Because of Beta Leo, our conversation was short-lived," I said.

"That's the way it is. You then pushed a second apple through the opening for me. I would like to return this favor. Only speaking metaphorically, of course," he said, bowing deeply. "My name is Ulf."

I suppressed the urge to hold out my hand.

Now that he was no longer rotting in the dungeons, his voice was almost unrecognizable: no cracks, no groans.

"I am very pleased to meet you, Ulf," I said and looked at Zelos. He really had freed the prisoners. "Where are you from?"

Ulf straightened up and waved us over to the chart table.

"I can show you. Exactly there."

He pointed his finger to the other side of the river.

"Silverblood?" I asked, trying to suppress my skepticism. Why would he help us attack his homeland?

"Right on the border, yes. But for the past few months, I've been deployed to Riverclaw. Well, until Alpha ordered Udyr to attack. Then it went here and finally further to Berg Schatten. And you know the rest of the story."

"I think Elizabeth is rather wondering where your loyalty lies," Zelos said and poured himself a glass.

Ulf smiled tiredly.

"I just want to see my family again, that's all. My daughter and my companion. They worry a lot about me if they haven't lost hope yet. Silverblood would kill me instantly at the border. Also, I was there when they attacked Riverclaw... I just want this bloodshed to end."

His eyes darkened.

He must have been through a lot.

"And the question for today is: How are we supposed to deal with River Claw if Alpha Udyr doesn't attack," said Zelos.

"Riverclaw is all flatland," Ulf replied. "A surprise attack won't work. Only a direct attack might be successful."

Zelos pursed his lips, obviously dissatisfied with the solution. In an open battle countless wolves would die, on both sides.

"As long as the bridges are in place and the connection to Silverblood is up, it won't work," said Davin, stroking his chin.

"You mean if we destroy them-"

Zelos fell silent and his gaze jerked towards the door. A few seconds later, footsteps thundered toward us. The door flew open and Alpha Lenkin emerged, out of breath.

"Silverblood!" he shouted. "You did exactly as she said!"

He pointed his finger at me and my whole body tightened.

"You what?" Davin asked.

"The scouts saw them! In the shade of the trees they dig a tunnel in the mountain!"

My windpipe tightened. Silverblood hadn't waited. Her new attack was already in progress. They wanted to penetrate the mountain through the mines and kill anyone who stood in the way of their victory.

Zelos jumped up from his seat.

His eyes shone like liquid blood.

"Have the scouts been seen?" he asked.

Lenkin shook his head.

"No, they retreated right back and if the wind doesn't change..." he replied, glancing between us.

A huge grin spread on Zelo's lips. It sent a tingle down my arms. He already had the perfect plan in his head. He clapped his hands together, drawing the rest of the attention.

"It can't get any better," he said and we stared at him in amazement.

What was better here?

Silverblood was well on his way here.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Elizabeth, it was your suggestion to check the foot of the mountain. "And that's not all. Now we have a plan."

He waved us over to the chart table.

Ulf, Davin and the other warriors stood around with us.

"What should we do?" asked Lenkin. "We can't stop them down there. We would have to overrun them and that would draw too much attention."

"Very simple: we will defeat Silverblood in the river basin and drive out Alpha Udyr. And all this while they think they are attacking us."

"I don't want to disappoint you," Davin said, "but nobody here can follow you."

He spoke to us all from the heart.

"Well, let's start at the beginning. They will dig their tunnel and eventually come out in the mines. They think they found a way and go get the other warriors. They are all in the mountain."

"Together with the humans," I said, my heart skipping a beat.

They would kill everyone down there.

"Therefore, I suggest that we get them out of the mountain beforehand," Zelos replied and let his gaze fall on Lenkin. The alpha pursed his lips, undecided what to do. "I suggest getting the people out, because if once the warriors are imprisoned down there, they will not remain peaceful."

"You want to lock the warriors in the mountain?" I asked.

"I guess that's going to be the hard part," said Ulf. "We need to seal their dug tunnel behind them..."

"And while the strongest warriors are stuck in the mountain, we will head to Riverclaw and clean up the rest," said Zelos.

If that worked...

Then the people would be set free, all at once. I looked at my mate whose ruby eyes glittered. How did he manage to turn the tide every time?

"How can we block all the exits?" asked Lenkin, rubbing his chin.

"I would say we leave that to those who spent the last few years down there," Zelos replied. "We have three options. We attack immediately and create a bloodbath. We let them do it and will be slaughtered at some point in the night. Or we hit Silverblood with her own plan. They don't know we know it."

Lenkin took a deep breath and brushed his curls away from his face. The responsibility for all humans and wolves that lived here rested on his shoulders.

"All right then. We get people out of the mountains."

Pure joy flowed through my veins.

Zelos looked over at me. A soft smile was on his lips. Thanks to him, Linur would be free and finally see the sun.

"All right, I'll inform the pack and get wolves to support us," said Lenkin before looking at me. "If they help us and we win against Silverblood, then they have more than earned their place up here. "

With these words he stormed out of the room, leaving us alone.

Hundreds of people would come out of the mountain soon. My eyes widened. Where should they go? Panicked, I looked at Zelos, who was already examining me with knitted eyebrows.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"The human! Where should we put them? And what about food and-"

"Calm down, we'll figure it all out. Come."

He held out his hand and I gratefully took it. Zelos was warm and reassured me as we made our way down the aisle.

"Don't let go," he said, and I couldn't tell if he was joking or serious.

Because in the corridor there was pure confusion. Wolves ran everywhere: warriors, wolves and children. The babble of voices settled over my ears and I pressed myself closer to Zelos.

It was like walking straight into a storm.

"Where are we going?!" I yelled and he turned to me. His ruby eyes shone stormily and he gave me a rousing grin. His lips moved, but the words were delayed by the noise.

"Take you away so you don't do anything stupid anymore!"

I wanted to pull my hand out of his, but Zelo's eyes widened and he grabbed it tighter.

"I want to help!" I shouted.

"You help me the most when I know you're safe!" he replied.

"I don't have to put myself in danger to help!"

"But somehow you always manage anyway!", Zelos answered and pulled me to him. The noise around us faded into the background when I stumbled against his upper body. He wrapped an arm around my back. "Please Elizabeth. I can do that only finish here if I can be sure."

My heart blossomed at his words. He was really worried about me. Crystal clear sincerity was reflected in his eyes. He didn't want anything to happen to me.

"And if Kerberos is with me? I want to at least help the people who come to the surface. Please Zelos", I said and stroked his strong muscles with my fingertips.

The Lycan weighed his options.

After a long silence he closed his eyes and nodded.

"Okay, but Kerberos won't leave your side and neither will Davin," Zelos said. I stood on tiptoe and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. With a grin, I pulled back.

Blood red eyes stared down at me. Zelos pulled me back to him and demanded a real kiss. My cheeks flushed and the tingling in my throat took my breath away. When we parted, I gasped.

We stared at each other.

Sometimes I didn't know whether to curse the moon goddess or cheer. The more time I spent with Zelos, the more the pendulum swung in the second direction.

"Come! Lenkin must have already started the rescue operation!"

Zelos again took the lead through the chaos of pack members until we reached the last staircase down. The gates to the outside were wide open and blew an icy winter breeze towards us.

I trembled and immediately Zelos put an arm around me.

"Davin will be right here with a coat," he said. But I was already dragging him further down the stairs.

"I don't even know how you got me out of the mountain," I said. "All I can remember is falling asleep there and waking up in the room."

We descended the steps. It was relatively quiet down here, the stream of pack members dried up. The snow sparkled in the setting sun, which sent its last red rays over the mountain peaks.

“Kerberos tracked your scent, but couldn't get the trapdoor open. So he ran outside and found the next best place to dig."

We left the pack house and icy air surrounded me. The wild footprints in the snow showed us the way to the hole the hellhound had dug. We followed the trail and soon Lenkin and his warriors came into view.

But they were not alone.

"Linur!"

My voice rattled in the winter wind and the boy darted around. His face was still ravaged by charcoal, but when he saw me he grinned widely through his crooked teeth.

"Elizabeth!" he shouted, running across the snow towards me. But before he could reach me, he slipped on the ground and with a dull thud he lay on his back.

"Caution!"

I immediately released my hand from Zelos and knelt next to the boy. But instead of pain, his face was still wrinkled with a grin.

"There's the Eternal Lantern," he said, pointing to the fading sun.

"Yes," I replied, smiling down at the boy. "The Eternal Lantern."

But the sun said goodbye again and made way for the dark night.