Chapitre 11

I walked between the trees at a leisurely pace. The snow crunched under my boots.

I had long since left Alpha Ero's house behind. So far I hadn't encountered anything unusual. Every fir tree along the way wore pristine white on its shoulders.

The fresh air kept my breath and me awake.

Suddenly a mountainside opened up in front of me. The slope continued down to a clearing completely covered in snow.

Somewhere there had to be the limit.

I took the first step on the way down. Immediately, my foot lost balance, as if I were standing on black ice.

Waving my arms couldn't save me. With an excited scream, I landed on my back and slid down the slope. I kept gaining speed.

There was no stopping me.

I sped down the hill at full speed. My scream turned to laughter as the headwind cooled my face.

The ground below me slowly leveled out and the slide ended. I looked back where I had left a clear trail in the snow.

I jumped back to my feet and brushed the snow off the coat. Then I turned my gaze back to what lay before me:

A white, glittering surface.

It once ran completely between the rows of trees and divided the forest in two.

This had to be the limit.

The strip was a few hundred meters wide and it was dead quiet.

If this was the border, what pack was on the other side?

I continued walking across the broad clearing. The forest on the other side was dense and hardly a ray of sunshine penetrated the branches.

Suddenly there was a rustling. I narrowed my eyes and came to an instant.

"Who's there?" I asked.

My voice echoed across the square.

A crack moved a tree, but I couldn't see anything. So I went closer.

"Is anyone there?" I asked again.

My eyes searched for a sign, a movement.

a face.

"Ephilia!"

I hissed around. A waving Beta Julien stood on the other side of the clearing between the trees.

I lost one last searching look into the deep forest before turning around. Whoever was hiding there probably didn't want to show themselves.

The snow crunched under my feet as I made my way to the side I'd come from.

"Nice to see you this morning," I said.

Beta Julien laughed.

"Morning? It's almost afternoon," he replied before ruffling my hair.

"Stop that," I said annoyed, trying to smooth my hair back down. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Somebody has to make sure you don't accidentally wander into enemy territory."

I looked back at the gloomy forest.

"What enemy?" I asked cautiously.

"Silverblood, of course."

My breath caught. I nearly got into the worst pack in the universe.

And that by accident.

Why were there no wolves guarding the border?

"Don't look so scared," Beta Julien said. "That's neutral territory ahead."

"Neutral?" I asked and we started our way back.

He hesitated for a moment and stole a glance behind us.

"I don't know if I can tell you. Alpha Eros wouldn't be thrilled."

"Oh come on," I begged.

He shook his head vehemently.

"If you want to answer, you have to ask him yourself. I won't get in trouble for you again."

i grinned

"By the way, thanks for not betraying me," I said.

Beta Julien grunted and ran a hand through his hair.

We walked past Alpha Ero's house and continued towards the pack house. The closer we got, the louder the shouts pierced the icy air.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

“I thought you were going to Alpha Eros. He's leading the training right now."

My heart beat a tad faster at the mention of Alpha Eros. The huge pack house came into view, but we passed the entrance and behind it was a new sight:

A wide expanse without snow stretched out in front of us. Hundreds of wolves were scattered about it. They fought against each other in pairs.

Their torsos were free.

heaven help me

Aren't they cold?

As if I could sense his presence among the warriors, my eyes immediately found Alpha Eros's. His arms were crossed behind his back. There was recognition in his eyes.

My cheeks grew hot.

I tried to keep my gaze up.

The fighting made way for him as he approached us. My heart jumped excitedly against my chest and a small smile stirred inside me.

Every time I saw Alpha Eros I felt a little spark of happiness and the closer he got the bigger he got.

I tried to shake him off.

He stopped in front of us and a tingling spread through my stomach. He was a head taller than me and I had to stop my eyes from traveling down.

"I see you were on the edge."

"I followed all the rules," I replied defensively.

"I know, and have been for almost a day," Alpha Eros said, amused.

Suddenly, a battle cry sounded behind us. Alpha Eros darted around so I could see the exact path of his back muscles.

Damned.

A loud rumble forced my gaze past the werewolf, where another spectacle was revealed.

Gamma Johnson had brought down a warrior and was crouching over him, fist raised. Before I could even exhale, she fell down.

I cried out in horror and narrowed my eyes. The bawling and clapping of the other warriors drowned out my protests.

When I opened my eyes, Alpha Eros stood before me, unperturbed by the applause of his warriors. He eyed me as if to make sure everything was okay.

"What's going on here?" I asked uncertainly.

"The greatest honor goes to the winner of the duels," he replied.

I looked at Gamma Johnson, who offered his hand to the defeated wolf. Others came to him and congratulated him.

"And what is that supposed to be?" I asked suspiciously.

"He gets to fight me."

A shock ran through my body. You wanted to fight here and now in human form?

Gamma Johnson stalked toward us. His eyes lost their lightness when he noticed me. He tried to ignore me as he cocked a halt in front of Alpha Eros.

"I'll beat you this time," he said defiantly.

"I'd like to see you try."

A faint grin tugged at Alpha Ero's face.

He accepted the challenge.

I could only stand quietly with Beta Julien and watch as the wolves moved away from us and lined up in the center of the square, facing each other. Alpha Eros was a touch taller than his counterpart.

A part of me wanted to disagree and intervene, but one thing I'd learned in nine years:

Never interrupt two wolves fighting.

I watched transfixed as they circled each other, ready for battle. Gamma Johnson leapt forward in a flash. I held my breath.

Alpha Eros ducked and rammed his fists into his ribs with full force. My head turned sideways at the crack of its own accord.

Ouch.

But Gamma Johnson was still on his feet, though his face was wrinkled with pain. I had to bite back a malicious grin.

"Is that supposed to hurt?" he asked as they circled each other again.

"I hardly touched you," Alpha Eros replied.

Unlike me, he couldn't help but smile.

"How can you sleep well at night when you have to watch something like this?" I asked Beta Julien.

He laughed.

"Once I fall asleep, nothing can wake me up."

I shook my head.

A loud smack drew my gaze back to the fight. The lightness was gone. Fists sizzled through the air at such a speed that my vision blurred.

Now it was serious. It got way too hot under the coat so I took it off.

Alpha Eros was completely focused on his opponent. He seemed to be studying Gamma Johnson's movements closely.

Alpha Eros quickly deflected the blows and landed a hit in the ear. Gamma Johnson staggered back in surprise, but his opponent wasn't done with him.

Alpha Eros grabbed his footing with ease and knocked him to the ground with a thump. His eyes fascinated me. The blue was on fire as he looked down at Gamma Johnson.

The fight was over.

The rest of the warriors cheered their alpha on this clear victory. Beta Julien and I walked into the crowd toward winners and losers.

When it came to fighting, Alpha Eros was no joke, that was for sure.

One of the warriors handed him a shirt, which he put on.

When he saw me, his eyes began to shine brighter. His breathing was still slightly out of rhythm. His gaze made my stomach jump.

"Training is over."

Alpha Ero's deep voice echoed across the plaza and the groups of warriors began to break up. I got one more grim look from Gamma Johnson before Beta Julien dragged him away.

we were alone

I swallowed as my heart picked up speed. Step by step he approached me. Some wanted to run away, others towards him.

I remained rooted to the spot and the coat I had been holding in my hands the whole time slipped to the floor.

As Alpha Eros reached me, he picked me up by the waist and spun me around. A surprised squeak escaped me as I rested my hands on his strong shoulders.

"Put me down!" I laughed, my hair flying.

"Up to you."

He lowered me back against his body so that my head was almost level with him. His arms wrapped around me and pressed me tightly to him. I could feel his muscles and body heat against me.

My heart fluttered as we stared at each other.

"You fought well," I whispered, my eyes gliding to his lips.

"There's one thing I'd rather do."

And with that, his lips lowered to mine.

I closed my eyes.

Finally.

***

The touch was soft and warm.

If Alpha Eros hadn't held me, my legs would have snapped from underneath me. His arms slid down my back and his movement was followed by a warm tingling sensation.

I had to suppress a sigh.

He was so close to me, but I felt a deep trust in me.

Why did his presence feel too good...

His lips parted from mine and I almost protested. He leaned back and looked at me. Only now did I feel myself gasping for air.

"You're wearing my shirt," he said, his voice hoarse.

I could only nod. I would have loved to kiss him again. A cold breeze blew against my back, reminding me where we were.

I looked around quickly.

"Do not worry. Nobody saw us," said Alpha Eros, amused.

Part of me wanted to bury my head in his chest, but I held myself back.

"Can we talk now?" I asked with a slight tremor in my voice.

Actually, I didn't want to talk. I wanted something completely different, but I couldn't admit it.

Alpha Eros broke away from me. He picked up the coat that lay carelessly on the floor next to us.

"Even though I love that everyone can see you're wearing my shirt, you're still human."

He put the coat around my shoulders and my cheeks got even hotter. We walked towards the house together.

"Can you walk a little slower?" I asked.

Alpha Eros didn't seem to notice that I always had to run half a marathon next to him.

He lowered his eyebrows but complied with my request and slowed his pace.

"You humans really do things slowly," he said simply.

"Excuse me! I can be very fast when I want to," I replied reproachfully.

"Is that so?"

The amusement that resonated in his words was unmistakable. I narrowed my eyes. Without thinking further, I sped off.

I sprinted through the trees as fast as I could. I heard heavy footsteps behind me, but I didn't dare to turn around.

The house came into view, brightly lit. I did it right away. I felt Alpha Eros behind me like a shadow.

I braked right in front of the door and slammed my hand against it.

"First!" I gasped.

I put my hands on my knees. I was out of breath as I watched Alpha Eros comfortably pull up to a halt beside me.

"You really beat me," he said, but I knew he wasn't serious.

His breathing was completely on beat and his eyes were shining.

"You let me win!" I shouted angrily.

Werewolves were frustrating.

Alpha Eros laughed as he opened the door and stepped into the warm house. I crossed my arms.

"Are you offended now?" he asked.

I said nothing as I walked past him into the warm house. Out of the corner of my eye I saw how amused he was by the situation.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a bath," I said, nose up.

I left my boots and coat by the door and went up the stairs.

The main thing was that I gained distance.

...

The hot water steamed around me. A bath was just the thing. My hair was tied in a bun.

I closed my eyes Immediately, memories of the kiss floated by.

I leaned my head back and sighed. I wasn't even here two days and it felt like forever.

How were Uncle Theo and Lizzy doing? I hope she got my letter.

"Ephilia, there's food."

My head jerked toward the closed door, through which came Alpha Ero's voice. My stomach responded with a loud growl.

"I'm coming!"

The water dripped from my body as I stood up. I put on a fresh shirt and opened the door. The window was open, letting in a fresh breeze.

I stormed out of the room and down the stairs. The heavenly smell of roasted meat with red cabbage wafted towards me.

I jumped down the last few steps and came to a stop in front of the table, where everything was already ready: filled plates, cutlery and glasses with red wine.

And Alpha Eros.

The crackling hearth fire shimmered against his face and gave him something light. I could almost forget how fiercely he had fought earlier...

This was the complete opposite.

"Sit down."

He pulled a chair back and I approached him.

"You can be a gentleman," I said playfully as I sat down.

He pushed the chair over and just grunted.

"Like you said yourself, you haven't broken any rules in a day. Then I can be a gentleman for a day."

A warm smile spread across my face. Nice to see that we were able to amuse each other.

"Who cooked the meal?" I asked, looking at the steaming plate in front of me.

"Karen. She's in charge of the food in the packhouse."

Alpha Eros took the first bite and I followed suit. The meat had so much flavor that the flavors blended into one. I almost groaned.

Nothing beats good food.

"Then I know who I'm going to visit tomorrow," I said.

Maybe I could learn something from Karen.

"Tomorrow is a good cue," Alpha Eros said. "Johnson and I have some things to take care of at the border."

My joy evaporated instantly. It had to be about the savages we met on the way there.

"You want to give them the land?"

It was a serious question.

I didn't know much about werewolves, and even less about war and diplomacy. Yet to give up part of his land; I had never heard of such a strategy.

"Only if Alec submits to me," he replied shortly.

He raised his wine glass and took a deep sip. I felt he didn't want to talk about it.

"Oh," I said in a sarcastic tone. "You're going to miss me."

Alpha Eros put his glass down and a cynical grin spread across his lips.

"Miss? I'm glad I'm getting a break from you."

"Admit it," I replied unperturbed. "You can't get enough of me."

"I won't be gone for more than two days. And in the two days I will think of you all the time," he said, but to my regret he didn't stop there.

"I'll keep thinking about what you've already done and what a just punishment would be for it."

Heat flushed into my cheeks and my eyes widened.

"What am I supposed to be up to here?" I asked with an innocent expression.

Alpha Eros placed his cutlery on the plate and leaned forward. There was a twinkle in his eyes. He enjoyed it.

"I'll leave that to you. But if Julien has something to tell me, you have to live with the consequences," he whispered across the table.

I was frozen, only my eyes moving to his lips.

"Beta Julien can sleep soundly," I replied hastily, trying to get rid of the tension.

Alpha Ero's mouth twitched up and he leaned back again.

"Good."

I raised my own glass. The fire gave the wine a burgundy glow. I took a deep sip and the bitter taste numbed my throat but unfortunately not my excitement.

"We'll leave tomorrow at sunrise. I still have work to do before that."

Had Alpha Eros slept at all in the last few days? He seemed to do nothing but work and frustrate me.

The chair legs squeaked across the floor as he stood. I did the same.

He walked up to me and put his hands on my back just like he had done on the training ground. He studied my face before leaning down.

His lips just brushed mine.

A promise.

I could feel like we were really connected.

"Hope you can resolve everything peacefully," I said to distract myself from the inner emotion nagging at me.

"Some warriors will accompany us," he said simply, before pulling away from me. "You should go to sleep. I'll let Karen know you'll be over tomorrow."

I just nodded and felt a slight pang in my heart. I wanted to shake it off, but it clung to me tightly.

"Good night, Ephilia. I'll see you in two days."

With these words he went to the front door and disappeared into the night. The pangs in my chest intensified.

I didn't want him to go.

I sighed in defeat and taught the wine glass.

Maybe it really was best if I just went to sleep. I shuffled up the steps and a deep yawn escaped me.

Why did Alpha Eros always have to work?

The wine began to dull my senses and aggravated the tiredness. My thoughts slowed.

I flopped down on the bed in resignation. The soft sheets were like a shield from the cold. I snuggled into the pillows and closed my eyes.

Maybe the sleep helped me regain some peace and reason.

I drifted off into the world of dreams, completely surrounded by warmth and peace.

FRIDAY OF THE 9TH MOON COUNT:

Heat woke me from my sleep.

I frowned before opening my eyes. I was practically swimming in my own sweat.

Disgusted, I jumped out of bed.

Something was wrong.

I could feel it.

A crackle sounded in the distance.

My gaze jerked out the window where dawn was turning the horizon blood red.

My breathing quickened as if I had run a marathon. I tried fanning myself with the shirt I was wearing, but to no avail.

There was no air.

"Eros?" I cried helplessly.

Beads of sweat rolled down my face.

Then it hit me like a shock. They wanted to leave at sunrise. He couldn't be in this house.

A crack drowned out the crackling. I ran to the door in a panic. I followed the hallway down to the stairs.

Licking flames came at me, along with huge billows of smoke.

I coughed.

The smoke stung my eyes as the blazing fire slowly engulfed the house. The stairs were the descent to hell. Everything was on fire.

There was no escape.

Everything burned.

***

The stairs were the descent to hell. Everything was on fire. A beam cracked from the ceiling to the floor.

There was no escape.

The house was on fire.

Panic electrified my nerves. My heart pounded anxiously in my chest.

The flames continued to work their way towards me. They were chasing me. But the worst part was the smoke. He withered the air and deprived me of all oxygen.

I turned and walked back into the room. I slammed the wooden door. Soon she too would burn. The ground beneath my feet began to groan.

Everything below me was already on fire.

I looked around frantically.

The sweat-soaked sheets wouldn't help me. I ran to the windows and threw them open. Fresh wind blew against me and I took a deep breath.

"Help!"

The winter forest lay calm as a soul while I suffocated in here.

My eyes closed as I thought of Alpha Eros.

Help.

My gaze slid behind me one last time.

My bag.

Without thinking, I sprinted off, clutching the leather tightly to me.

The only memories I had left of before. Plumes of smoke began to seep into the room from under the crack in the door.

"EPHILIA!!!"

My eyes darted to the window. Relief washed through my body.

Alpha Eros.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and started crawling on the floor. The smoke stung my eyes like there was dust in the air.

Eros.

I climbed up the window.

He stood outside, his eyes black, his breath wild. He looked up at me, relief evident.

"Eros!"

I coughed the smoke out of my lungs.

"Jump!" he shouted, stretching out his arms.

I looked back one last time at the flames that had caught up with me.

"Ephilia, stop thinking and jump!"

I could hear the desperation beneath the anger.

"I'm scared!" I shouted.

His eyes had turned blue again.

"Trust me! I'll catch you!" he begged me.

My heart had taken on a life of its own in my chest and was pulsing uncontrollably. I swallowed and nodded.

I sat on the edge of the window and tossed the bag into the safe snow below.

"Swear it!" I shouted.

"I fucking swear, now jump!!!"

The flames were already blazing beneath me. My fingers reluctantly freed themselves from the windowsill. I closed my eyes.

Eros will catch me.

He had promised.

My legs pushed off the house. A scream accompanied my fall. The wind brushed my face.

Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around me, breaking my fall. I buried my head in his neck and wrapped my arms around him.

"I got you," Eros whispered in my ear.

My body began to tremble imperceptibly, but it wasn't the cold. There was only one moment in my life when I had felt such fear.

I could not speak. I was paralyzed.

"I am so sorry."

Alpha Ero's voice was unusually soft. He kissed my head. I was completely enveloped by its warmth. The shock wore off.

A deep sob shook my body and tears blurred my vision. Alpha Ero's arms squeezed me tighter.

"Please, you don't have to cry," he said stressed.

I would have loved to follow his words, but my body couldn't. The tears rolled down my cheeks and seeped onto Alpha Ero's shirt.

A terrible crack sounded behind us and filled the dawn.

Small flakes floated to the ground in front of my eyes. I looked at the cloudless sky.

It wasn't snow.

Ash.

It trickled to the ground, conjuring a gray layer onto the snow.

"We're going to the packhouse," Alpha Eros said in a harsh voice.

With me in his arms, he began to trudge through the snow. He even picked up my bag before turning around.

Now I could also see the spectacle: The house was ablaze with flames. The structure was only recognizable by the charcoal bars.

The fire licked its way up through the trees toward the sky. I almost got burned with it.

The house disappeared behind the tree trunks like a bad nightmare. It was dead quiet around us. My tears came to a halt and the cold pinched my damp cheeks.

Fatigue settled over me and the tension left my body. I leaned my head back on Alpha Ero's broad shoulder.

He hugged me even tighter. We climbed the stairs to the pack house and a new warmth greeted me. I had to try not to fall asleep in Alpha Ero's arms here and now.

There was something comforting about him.

"What's going on?" came a worried woman's voice.

"Not now Karen," Alpha Eros grumbled and stubbornly walked on.

I caught a glimpse of a concerned woman with short brown hair. She wore a red checked apron.

I didn't have the energy to greet Karen.

i just wanted to sleep

We climbed the stairs until we came to a stop in front of a room. Alpha Eros pushed the door open and a familiar room came into view.

Carefully, as if I were fragile, he laid me down on the soft pillows. He studied my face, his eyebrows drawn together.

"Can you remember anything? Did you hear something?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"I suddenly woke up because I was getting so hot. I wanted to see what's going on, but the stairs were already on fire," I said.

My voice sounded raspy and a rattle shook my body. Eros left me and got a glass of water.

"Thanks."

I emptied it in one gulp. The water soothed my sore throat. I slipped under the covers while he dropped into a chair in the corner.

"I thought you left at dusk," I said.

Alpha Eros paused.

"We were just on our way. I could sense that something was wrong. As if you called for help..."

He rested his head against his hands and ran his fingers through his hair. I could feel his stress. Maybe he really did hear my cries for help...

"I'm sorry," I whispered, leaning against the pillow, but my eyes never left Eros.

He just nodded.

"I should go now," he said reluctantly.

"Please," I said without thinking. "Stay here. At least until I fall asleep."

He nodded again and leaned back in the chair.

"In order. I won't go away."

I snuggled deeper into the sheets that wore Ero's scent. This is where he must have slept the last few nights.

My eyes closed of their own accord, surrounded by warmth and the werewolf's presence. I felt safe with him.

The numbing tiredness made me unconscious.

...

Loud voices woke me from my brief sleep. It couldn't have been more than ten minutes. My gaze jerked to the chair that stood there deserted.

I tiptoed to the door and peed through the keyhole.

Alpha Eros had lost his composure as he paced up and down the corridor madly. Beta Julien and Gamma Johnson stood by helplessly.

"I couldn't smell anything. The fire destroyed any odors," he growled.

"Maybe it was just an accident. If the fire was still on, a spark-"

Beta Julien couldn't even pronounce.

"Nothing has happened in years. It wasn't a coincidence."

My breath caught. I leaned back. Eros didn't mean...

Did someone try to kill me?

My gaze fell on Gamma Johnson, who followed the action with a grim expression.

"Alec must already be waiting for us," he said. "We should go."

He probably didn't care what happened. A pang gripped my stomach. Gamma Johnson wasn't concerned about what was happening and that increased my suspicions.

"You're right. And Ephilia will accompany us. There's no way I'm going to leave her here after what's happened," Alpha Eros growled.

A ball of warmth spread in my stomach. Gamma Johnson's eyebrows were drawn between his eyes, he looked so angry. However, he didn't dare contradict his alpha.

Good this way.

"Can she make the trip?" Beta Julien asked worried.

"John, tell the warriors we're about to leave. The twins should come too. As for you, Julien, you know what you have to do," Eros said.

The werewolves nodded sharply before stepping away. My eyes widened. I sprinted back into bed and pulled the sheets over me.

The door swung open.

I didn't even try to pretend to sleep. Eros could hear it anyway.

"So you want me to come with you to the negotiations?"