Chapitre 23

The icy wind made the shutters tremble. The fire in the hearth leapt up and radiated its heat throughout the room. For a week we waited for an answer from mountain shadow.

The situation on the river was more tense than before.

Beta Talon probably hadn't informed his alpha, as any attempts for further talks fell on deaf ears. The soldiers on the bank were the silent signal that could only be answered with your own warriors.

It had gotten colder.

Winter was heading towards its peak.

I drew my fingertips over the icicles on the panes. Every day it was the same. Zelos had only been gone for a few hours, but the longing tugged at my stomach.

At first there was still a lot to do.

We brought every single person into the pack house, into the warmth. The number was larger than expected. There were probably more people afraid of their fate in Silberblut than of us. Even some wolves stayed. But the warriors had to intimidate everyone, for they hardly dared to utter a word from their lips.

A whimper pulled me out of my thoughts.

Kerberos lay in his favorite spot on the carpet, right in front of the fireplace, letting the flames roast him. Two of the three heads whined again and stared at me with flat ears.

"Shall we go outside?" I asked and the dog barked excitedly. He jumped up to his true size and wagged his tail. "Come on then. Before Zelos notices anything."

I almost didn't believe the words that came out of my mouth.

I sounded like Lia. With her mischievous smile and the great ideas that always got her into trouble.

Was she doing well up north?

Kerberos grumbled and nudged my hip. I stroked his shiny black fur.

"That's fine. I was just thinking about the old days," I said and made my way down the corridor with the hellhound at my side. Zelos was either at training, at the river or in meetings with the Wardens.

I almost couldn't wait for the evenings when he came back.

Most doors were closed. I strolled through the packhouse on my way down to the stairs. Before I could reach her, I stopped. A room lay open to me, letting in gray winter light.

A back was turned to me.

"Come on in."

Ulf didn't turn away from the window, but patiently waited for my steps. I stepped next to him. Trees bathed in white lay before us. What seemed menacing in the evening sparkled like fairy glitter in the afternoon.

"I'm so close," he murmured. The pepper-grey hair was shaved short. His eyes studied the snowy landscape in the distance. If you looked closely through the trees, you could see the warriors and the flowing water between the ice banks I'm so close and yet so far away..."

He put a paw on the window glass and closed his eyes.

"Your family will be waiting for you on the other side," I replied. "And you'll see them again. I'm sure of it."

A painful smile pushed the corners of Ulf's mouth up.

"You must think I'm dead."

"It will make you even more happy when you can hold her in your arms again," I said. "Imagine your daughter's joy."

"Alice? If things continue like this, she has grown up without her father for most of her life. I've said goodbye to her too many times," he said. "She promised to wait for me by the river until I came back. That was in midsummer. It's winter now. And she won't be able to wait for me by the river anymore and I can't show myself. If Beta Talon finds out I'm still alive, he'll use them against me..."

My heart clenched as the old wolf tried to keep his composure.

“Why would Beta Talon do that? You're part of his pack," I replied.

Ulf snorted.

"Talon is a bastard. Roan and I were then in the new army under General Astor and Delta Ivan. But after the general's betrayal of his father, Beta Talon usurped the army like a tyrant.

"General Astor?"

Was that Alpha Udyr's son?

Ulf sighed.

"It's a long story," he said.

"Well then you'd better tell it once for everyone."

I jerked around and a smile lit my lips.

"Zelos!"

I walked over to him and he caught me in his arms.

"Did you miss me?" he asked with a grin. I opened my mouth and he took the chance and pressed my lips to his. A tingle filled the mark on my neck and slid through my entire body.

"By the moon goddess, get a room," said a voice, making my ears flush.

Davin rolled his eyes playfully. Roan came into the room behind him and bumped his shoulder, drawing a genuine glare from the guard. I bit my lip, but the giggle escaped anyway.

"By the way, we used to call him brute," said Ulf, catching a venomous glare from the brute .

"It's easy for you to talk, old man," he grumbled. Roan was like a giant, next to which even Zelos looked like a wolf of normal size. I was still a dwarf next to it.

"So," said Zelos, "we all want to hear the story from the camp. It's in the very north of Silverblood, right?"

Ulf nodded.

“One wolf from each family was drafted into the army. Delta Ivan came to every village and monitored everything. After all, it was his squad, until a few days ago anyway..."

"But the actual leader of the camp was General Astor," said Roan, the Brawler . He stroked his beard as he reminisced. "He was a true leader. He knew how to encourage the troops."

"Where is General Astor now?" Zelos asked and his typical grin made my stomach tingle.

"He is no longer a general," Roan said. "In short he betrayed his father, Alpha Udyr. But thanks to Beta Talon, the betrayal was discovered and the traitor was driven out. They are looking for him across the land."

Ulf frowned as if dissatisfied with Roan's words.

"Without General Astor, Alice might not be alive anymore," Ulf said, putting a hand over the pocket on his chest, right where his heart was beating.

"Without him, Dan wouldn't be alive," Roan said.

The two silver-blooded wolves shared a meaningful look.

"I'm just saying what the official story is in Silverblood."

Zelos cleared his throat.

"And what's the unofficial?" he asked.

For a moment all you could hear was the rattling of the shutters, shaking under the icy wind.

"Well, it wasn't quite that easy... For one thing, he doesn't have a wolf."

"I beg your pardon?"

The words slipped from me before I could stop them. All eyes darted to me. I looked questioningly at Zelos.

"When a wolf is born during a lunar eclipse, it's almost like a human. Although descended from werewolves, he is immune to silver and vervain while still possessing the strength of his people. Something like that only happens very rarely", said Zelos. Curiosity burned in his red eyes. "So a wolfless man, son of an alpha, former general in the army. Now on the run from Beta Talon. Anything else?"

"Well," said Ulf, scratching the back of his head, "actually only wolves were supposed to come into the camp, sons, fathers and brothers... In hindsight I'm almost a bit embarrassed."

"What is it?" Davin asked.

Roan let out a growling, bear-like laugh.

"Well it was a girl. She fooled us all. Well, all but General Astor. She was his mate."

I stared at the wolves in perplexity.

"Is," Ulf replied, dropping his eyes to the wooden planks beneath his feet. "Is his mate. They're still alive, you said so yourself. Dan ... She has a good heart. Both of you... "

A silence gripped the wolves from the camp.

Zelos suddenly clapped his hands together next to me.

"Wonderful. I would like to meet you."

My eyebrows shot up against my forehead.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me right, my mate. I want to meet Alpha Udyr's son", said Zelos and gave me his typical grin.

"That's impossible," Roan said. "No one knows where they are. Either way, they'd be turned on to Beta Talon in a heartbeat. He cleared his nephew for shooting."

"So you don't have any contact with them?" Davin asked.

Roan laughed dryly.

"I still care a little bit about my life. Or at least enough not to be tormented by Talon's wolves," he said. "I'll keep well out of Astor and Dan's business."

My gaze went to Ulf.

I haven't seen her since taking over Riverclaw. They moved to the White Palace and only rumors of treachery came back from there. I couldn't believe her. But I couldn't leave my family either..."

I looked at Zelos.

Countless thoughts swam in his beautiful eyes.

What was he going to do now?

"You sent for me?"

I jerked around to the entrance of the room. A half-emaciated Delta Ivan stood in the doorway with two guards towering over him.

The deep circles ran like waves under his eyes. Up close he looked ill.

"Delta Ivan, I'm glad that you accepted my invitation," Zelos answered and I rammed an elbow into his side.

But to my amazement, a crooked smile spread across the Delta's face.

"I can understand why the moon goddess cursed you, Lycan," he said, stepping into the room free of the guards. "What do you want from me? I said I would not reveal anything that would harm my pack."

"That is your right and I admire you for your loyalty. But this is just about old stories. Is it true that a she-wolf was among your recruits?"

Delta Ivan's nose began to turn red.

I had to hide the grin under my teeth.

"Dana van Eschwald... Dan ," Delta Ivan growled. "She used a potion to hide her scent and posed as wolfless. I thought that's where her close connection to Astor came from... United in their differences. Wrong one I couldn't have been lying..."

"Van Eschwald," Zelos said and drew his eyebrows together. "The guardian family, for example?"

Delta Ivan's eyebrows drew together.

"Yeah, exactly that one," he replied. "Then the legends about the Lycan are real, aren't they? How many moons have you been walking the earth?"

"Too many to count," Zelos replied.

I frowned. He hadn't told me about his time before the dungeons. The winter sun fell on his silvery white hair and made me think. I knew next to nothing about him, who he was among the people, what he was like...

"So the son of Alpha Udyr and the daughter of the keepers?" Zelos asked. "The moon goddess really has a sense of humor. Beta Talon must have scoured the western forest for them..."

Delta Ivan shook his head.

"Pah, with which wolves? They were probably too valuable for him to look for his nephew. It would have been just a game of cat and mouse in the territory," he replied. "No, they may be safe in the western forest, but they're also trapped. I think Beta Talon is still hoping that Astor will join him... He would be become a big alpha even without a wolf."

"And Dana would be a worthy Luna by his side," said Ulf. "You still have some friends and allies in the villages. Those who know the truth..."

Truth?

Delta Ivan's blush had spread all over his face like he was a tomato.

"It's all just rumours! The truth requires evidence in reality and there is none!"

"Do you think Astor is a liar? You know him better than all of us here," Ulf replied in his usual calm tone.

"What is this about?" Zelos asked and his gaze jumped back and forth between the silver blood wolves as if trying to decipher their secrecy.

"If you want to know, then find Astor. After all, he was the cause of all the chaos..."

A silence fell over the room, as if the fire in the wolves had died out. Ulf finally turned back to the window behind which his homeland was waiting for him.

"I just want someone to bring order to this mess..."

"I think we all do," I whispered.

A grumble shook the three-headed dog that had been waiting outside the door. Zelos, Davin and the others were still discussing shifts and the warriors' plans, nothing that I had to be there.

Instead, I longed for the fresh winter air. Kerberos greeted me with an excited bark and together we made our way down.

The fresh scent of river, forest and ice wafted towards me as soon as I walked through the doors in the large hall. I closed my eyes and let the wind cool my cheeks. The snow crunched under my feet and the tracks ran in all directions in front of the pack house, human and animal.

Kerberos barked excitedly and hopped like a rabbit through the mounds of white. I smiled as I watched the giant dog take turns burying its snouts in it. Together we made our way through the forest, on whose trees the snow glittered like a crystal sea. The river was far away, so the wind drowned out the roar.

I sighed.

A year ago everything was different.

Ephilia was still there.

I was there.

Zelos would still be trapped in the dungeon.

I would never have met him if it weren't for Silverblood. If they hadn't tried to attack, Tommy wouldn't have run into the woods. If he hadn't run into the forest, I wouldn't have gone to prison and met Zelos. If I hadn't known he was there, I couldn't have freed him...

Fate drew strange circles...

I would never have seen the mountains of Silvercrown, or met Linur, or Ulf... The blue sky overhead bore the slanting afternoon sun.

Hands grabbed my shoulders and I winced.

"Boo."

The shock fell off my body like scales when I saw Zelo's mischievous grin.

"You always have to tease me," I said, jokingly nudging his side. "I'll tease you back eventually, Mr. Lycan."

His grin widened and sent goosebumps down my arms.

"I'm already looking forward to the day," Zelos replied, laughed and walked a few meters ahead of me.

Adrenaline shot through my veins as I gazed at his beautiful, broad back.

Just wait...

I bent down and swept up some of the snow in my hands and formed it into a ball. The cool water glistened on my fingers and before my heartbeat could give me away, I swung back. I threw the snowball with all my might.

He flew through the air, but before he could reach his goal, Zelos darted around. With a raised hand he hit him and the snowball burst into white powder in front of his face, which slowly trickled to the ground. A grin pulled at Zelo's lips.

"You wanted it that way," he said, bending down himself.

The adrenaline pumped through my veins. I raised my hands in a sign of peace.

"Please Zelos, we can talk about everything," I said, half grinning, half startled. "Kerberos, help me!"

The three-headed dog lifted his snout out of the snow and, with a white beard, stared questioningly at me as if he couldn't see a problem.

"Ha, he won't be able to save you from me," Zelos replied with a devilish grin. He threw the snowball in his hand and caught it again. Before he could throw it, I jerked to one of the trees and sprinted towards the trunk .

Suddenly something hit me on the back and I nearly tripped against the trunk. Zelo's laughter echoed through the winter forest. I jerked around and glared at him.

Then his eyes glazed over, as if someone was contacting him through the mind link. This was my chance.

I knelt down and formed one snowball after another. Again and again my gaze flitted to Zelos, but he had turned away from me in the meantime and was staring around between the trees as if something were there.

I pushed the worries to the back of my mind and picked up too many bullets to carry. I crept closer.

"Zelos!"

My voice made him spin around and this time he couldn't get his hands up in time as a hail of snow hit him. My uproarious laughter drove all the animals away.

Zelo's eyes began to glow.

"You'll pay for that, little mate," he muttered. I dropped the remaining snowballs and turned around.

"Davin, Ulf, help me- AH!"

A force ripped my feet off and I landed face first in the ice cold crystal powder. I squirmed around like a fish and stared up at Zelos, whose silver-white strands fell in his face.

He grinned superiorly.

I tried to catch my breath again.

His lips were blood red.

I swallowed.

The snow that began to melt on my face was a pleasant relief on my sizzling cheeks.

"Got you," he whispered.

But suddenly he looked back at the forest behind us.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"They are coming."

I stared at him in amazement.

"Who?"

"The foxes, with news from mountain shadows."

My heart lost some of its lightness...

Lycan Zelos,

Thank you for the message. More resources will be coming to you soon to ensure supplies on the river. All of us here support you and pray to the moon goddess that you will be successful.

But I also have bad news to bring you.

If you are reading this letter, we hope to have recaptured the problem. I will keep you up to date on this. We are already in close contact with Alpha Lenkin to get the problem under control again.

Beta Leo escaped from the dungeon.

We don't know his current whereabouts, but I've put the trackers on him. He fled the pack and joined the savages. The packs have been warned and he will be of little use there.

Deliveries to you will be protected with additional warriors to ensure they reach you safely. We remain at your disposal, and all of Mountainshade prays for your victory.

Alpha Fenrir

****

The fun in the snow was over.

I scratched Kerberos behind the pairs of ears. Zelos had straightened up to his full height. The rest of the snow that was stuck to his coat from the snowballs slowly trickled to the ground.

Beta Leo had escaped from the dungeons and is now at large...

I got up and the crunch accompanied me to Zelos. I put my hand around his strong arm. The warmth radiated from him like the sun. I took Alpha Fenrir's letter from his hand and tucked it into my cloak.

So I could hug him fully.

It took a second for Zelos to react, but then he let out his breath and pressed me tightly to him. As if he were afraid that I would vanish into thin air.

"It's okay," I whispered, resting my chin on his chest.

"I didn't know that you could be so optimistic," Zelos replied, but I missed his typical grin. He didn't feel like laughing and he took the news very seriously.

"I wouldn't have believed it until a few weeks ago..."

He put an arm around my shoulder.

"Come on, let's go inside. Your nose is already red," he said. He gave a short whistle and Kerberos followed us through the snow.

"Who just pressed my face in the snow?" I grumbled.

"Beta Leo will not be seen in any pack again... However, we should be careful. And Luna Mayra was spotted across the river."

"No wonder Beta Talon knew about us," I replied, exhaling a cloud of white.

The pack house came into view.

The icicles hung like a garland under the roof and reflected the light of the setting sun. I leaned my head against Zelos and enjoyed his smell.

"Hey Betty! The foxes also brought a message for you!"

Davin's voice shattered the afternoon silence as we entered the pack house. He handed me the scroll.

"Thank you David. I'm sure we'll see each other at dinner," I replied. I wrapped my hand around the paper that brought news from home.

Together with Zelos and Kerberos I made my way upstairs to our room. A fire was already burning in the hearth, casting shadows across the walls. I squatted in front of the flames and unrolled the message.

At first glance it looked like pure ink chaos, but after a while my eyes could tell the squiggles and lines apart:

Dear Elizabeth,

It's nice to hear from you. Uncle Theo is writing this letter, but I, Tommy, am dictating to him. There was a huge mess when Beta Leo was no longer found in the dungeon. He's probably a cunning dumbass. They've followed his tracks everywhere, but haven't found anything yet. Things are going very well in the store and he looks better now than before.

Also, Alpha Lenkin sent new foxes for us. The wolf said they need to be retrained before we can start sending letters to Iceclaw, and that will take a couple of weeks. I hope Phiphi is fine... We haven't heard from her in ages. I'm worried.

Maybe Riverclaw has foxes coming north? I dont know.

It's getting really cold here. Uncle Theo says it's the coldest winter he's ever experienced and that's saying something. There has never been so much snow to play with!

I'm also happy when we finally meet again.

I love you!

Tommy (and Theo)

My heart clenched and I closed my eyes. I could feel the water pooling behind my lids. I dropped the letter next to the flames and focused on the warmth and crackle of the fire.

They were fine.

Gentle paws wrapped around my body. Zelos pulled me to his chest without resistance.

"Please don't be sad," he whispered in my ear. I tried to nod my head.

"It's just, I miss her..."

Tears ran down the dam.

I missed Tommy's smile and Theo's headless manner.

Zelos stroked my cheeks and pressed small kisses on them as a substitute. A silence fell, with only my little sobs to be heard.

"If you want, Davin will take you back to Mountainshade..."

My whole body stiffened and I turned around in Zelo's arms.

"Forgiveness?"

The flames reflected in his red eyes as he looked down at me, brow furrowed.

"I'm serious. Davin can bring you back. Then you'll see your family again and I can focus on defense. Beta Talon knows you are my mate. In mountain shadow it is self-"

I put a hand on his chest.

"But I don't want to leave here," I replied. "I want to be here with you. Also, there's a former beta roaming around Berg Schatten at the moment, who can now probably be counted among the savages and who doesn't speak very well to me is..."

Zelos pulled me towards him.

"That mutt wouldn't even get close to you," he growled, and a tired smile lifted my lips.

"I know Zelos. And that's why I want to stay here. what should i do at home Then I would just worry about you and what crazy idea you come up with next. You really want to meet Alpha Udyr's son?"

Zelos was finally able to grin again in the light of the flames.

"Of course. Who should know him better than his own son. Astor knows the family, the territory and, as a former general, also the army. From what I've heard from Roan, he's an excellent defender even without a wolf. Defying Beta Talon is a good sign he's not as crazy as his father..."

"But that's not for sure," I replied. Zelos nudged my nose as if I were a small child.

"Of course not. So I have to meet him. We need allies in Silverblood. Who knows what myths Beta Talon has spread about me..."

A triple bark sounded from the carpet behind us.

"And about you too, of course. Kerberos, the bringer of death of the Lycans . Most wolves really have no idea..."

His lips wore the colors of a dawn and before Zelos could even utter a word, I pressed my lips against his. He immediately returned the kiss and slipped his hands under my dress.

Every touch left a hot tingle on my skin.

"Luna, Lycan!" a muffled voice sang, interrupting our moment. "Dinner is served!"

Did Davin just call me Luna?

Zelos narrowed his eyes and tried to suppress the growl. I kept the giggle behind my lips and stood up. It was way too warm in the room anyway.

"Please Davin, don't call me Luna. I'm not Luna and I don't want to be one," I said.

"But I can't call you Betty anymore," he answered through the door. I frowned and opened it.

"Why that?"

Davin smiled sheepishly and his gaze wandered up from me to the Lycan standing behind me. I spun around to Zelos.

"Did you forbid him to call me Betty?" I asked in disbelief.

"I found it inappropriate," said Zelos and shrugged his shoulders.

"I think it's beautiful," I replied, turning to Davin. "Please, call me Betty again."

"All right Luna, uh, Betty. We should go downstairs. Everyone's already waiting for us," he said, hurrying down the stairs.

Zelos wrapped an arm around me.

"If Davin interrupts us again, then... then he must go back to Mountainshade alone and be in the Dungeon Warden for the rest of his life."

I pressed my elbow into his side.

"There's no way that's going to happen," I replied.

Zelos kept grumbling to himself until we reached the big hall. All members of the pack, humans and wolves, as well as the warriors not assigned to watch, sat at the long tables and talked animatedly.

The smell of fresh buttered bread and stew floated through the rows, making my stomach growl. The noise stopped and all eyes were on Zelos. We joined the front table where Davin, Delta Ivan and Roan were already seated. Ulf's place was deserted.

I frowned.

Was he still upstairs?

"Begin!", Zelos ordered and immediately the cutlery of the hungry warriors rattled.

He took my plate and poured a decent amount of potato soup.

"Thank you," I said.

My mouth watered. I looked at Roan.

"Where's Ulf?" I asked.

The brute opened his mouth, but suddenly the doors of the great hall banged open. Zelos jumped up from the table in a defensive position. The winter air howled in and I looked past my companion's shoulder.

There he stood.

Ulf.

The wind had blown his otherwise neat hair in all directions.

"What's going on?" Zelos asked and the food was completely forgotten.

"The river!" he gasped, "it's going to freeze over! Silverblood is preparing to attack!"