Chapitre 12

"Here is a cloak," said Eros. "And here are new gloves."

He handed me an identical pair to what I had previously owned. He walked around the room while I put things on. He stopped and looked at me with satisfaction.

"Should anything happen, no matter what, you'll let me know immediately, understood?" Eros said.

I just nodded.

Should I ask him about the fire?

A knock pulled my thoughts back to reality.

"These are Castor and Pollux. The twins will take care of you during the negotiations. I trust them with my life."

I hadn't seen Eros that serious for a long time. Not since I was in the dungeon in the mountain shadow pack. He yanked open the door.

I swallowed.

There stood two werewolves that were a reflection of each other. Brown, curly hair, green eyes and a monotonous expression. There was only one difference.

One of the two had a red scar running across one of his eyes.

A silver injury.

The only wound that would never heal even in werewolves.

"Ephilia, this is Pollux."

"Luna," he said, tilting his head.

"That's his brother Castor."

"Luna," replied the second brother, doing the same as the first.

I crossed my arms. Should I say thank you? I caught Eros' gaze, but he was still busy arranging his things.

"Come on Luna," said Castor, the werewolf without a scar.

I would never get used to this title.

"Go with them," Eros said, patting his forehead.

I could read the stress in his eyes. The fire must have hit him harder than I first thought. I would have liked to disagree, but I just nodded. The twins made way for me and I gave Alpha Eros one last look before stepping through the door.

They closed them behind me.

"Follow us, Luna," Castor said.

We walked a few steps. Pollux seemed to be more of the quiet type. Who do you think had given him this scar?

Suddenly there was a loud bang behind us.

I jerked around immediately. A pop followed along with the sound of splintering wood.

"Eros?" I asked in a panic and sprinted back.

"Luna!"

I opened the door and iced. Shards of glass from the broken glass table that lay in the corner sparkled everywhere. Alpha Eros stood in front of the chair he had been sitting in tonight; where he was still peaceful. Now the room lay in ruins.

"Eros?"

His eyes twitched to me. His breathing was quickened and he wore the wild expression again. Without thinking about it, I walked towards him.

The shards crunched under my boots.

His eyes followed my every move. I stumbled to a halt in front of him and looked up at him.

I felt the need to calm him down. I awkwardly wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his chest. His heart was beating to the rhythm of a drum, fast and strong.

I squeezed him tighter. He broke out of his rigidity and embraced me with his warmth. I could feel the tightening of his muscles. He planted a kiss on my hair and tightened his grip so nothing separated us.

"For a moment I thought I lost you," he whispered.

His words sent a spasm of tingling in my stomach.

"I thought for a moment I was going to die," I said quietly. "But then I heard your voice."

I raised my head. Alpha Eros stared at me. He brushed a strand of hair from my face.

"Whoever did this, I'll rip to pieces on my own."

His eyes turned black. A shiver ran down my spine. That side of Alpha Eros was terrifying.

"Maybe it really was just an accident," I said uncertainly.

He hugged me tighter to him.

"That would be too good to be true. Whoever is behind this... I'll find out."

There was something powerful in his voice.

"I'm not scared when I'm with you," I said, smiling.

He relaxed a little at my words.

"Come on, let's go now. We've kept Alec waiting long enough."

I nodded.

It was time to visit the savages.

I never thought I would ever consider something like this, but it was safe there. I just had to stick with Eros and if he trusted Castor and Pollux then so did I.

...

The wind ruffled my hair. My hands were buried in the black wolf's fur. Eros carried me through the snow and its territory without any problems. Behind us was Gamma Johnson, whose fur was the color of sand. Behind them followed a dozen warriors, including two brown wolves of the same color.

Castor and Pollux.

To my relief, the wolves all had their clothes between their teeth.

There was a panting in the air and a fine mist was also forming in front of my nose. The sun hung obliquely above our heads. Unfortunately, their warming rays did not reach north.

Dark clouds lay on the horizon towards which we rode. Soon they would swallow the sun.

I was grateful for the gloves Eros had given me.

As if he heard my thoughts, his steps slowed. A chasm came into view.

Down there lay the lake, but instead of sparkling water it rested motionless and frozen before us. He was covered in snow. Beyond were trees and a larger clearing.

My breath caught.

It had to be Alec and his followers. All I could see was a red mop of hair. They were in human form, which was very unusual for savages.

They seemed serious about peace, which reassured me. They paced back and forth impatiently.

From here I had the perfect overview of everything.

Eros knelt and I descended into the snow. He stood up again. I only reached up to his shoulder.

I looked back.

Castor and Pollux had assumed human form and clothing again, while the other warriors around them had retained their animal form.

I turned to Alpha Eros.

"Good luck," I said, stroking his fur.

He just snorted before turning to his warriors. Through the mind link, he seemed to be giving them a signal.

Like a vortex, they charged sideways down the slope with Alpha Eros in the lead. They ran into the forest between the clearings.

Alec and the savages paused and seemed to be getting ready.

I turned to Castor and Pollux. They stood a few meters behind me and watched what was happening as I did.

"How do Eros and Alec know each other?" I asked cautiously.

“Many years ago he was part of our pack. He was born in the north, but..."

Castor stopped mid-sentence and looked at his brother.

Pollux's eyes riveted on what was happening in the clearing, as if he were completely ignoring us. I tried not to stare at his scar.

"Yes...?" I asked.

"But when the big change came, he rebelled against Ero's father and was banished."

I shook myself.

The big reversal.

I hadn't heard that term for a long time. The day werewolves conquered humans all over the world.

It was almost ten years ago.

I didn't reply, instead looking back at what was happening. The werewolves of Iceclaw strode fully clothed and in human form from between the trees.

Ero's attitude was proud.

The groups stayed a few meters apart. I could smell the distrust between them from here. They seemed to be talking.

"But in the north there was no reversal . People never lived here, did they?" I asked.

"Correctly. Alec felt the pack needed to expand and claim new lands."

The sun disappeared behind the gray clouds. I looked up. White flakes floated towards us calmly.

I frowned, but my gaze lingered on Ero's black hair the whole time. I could feel his anger inside me as if it were mine. A growl made the earth tremble.

Alpha Eros had positioned himself in front of Alec.

"What did he say?" I asked excitedly.

"Alec doesn't want to agree."

As if by an invisible force, the warriors around the two wolves retreated and made room for them.

"What's going on down there?" I asked helplessly.

You didn't mean to...?

"Alec challenged him."

"Challenged?"

My voice sounded stressed and I felt my heart pick up a fresh pace.

" Pugna . An old tradition of the pack. When two wolves disagree on words, they fight."

My eyes widened.

"You fight?" I echoed.

Alec and Eros charged at each other. In mid-leap, they transformed into their wolf form.

Charcoal Black vs Fire Red.

They twisted around each other. All I could see was their fur and fangs clawing at each other's necks.

I clapped my hands over my mouth as if that would stop the fear.

But the panic had long since crept into all my muscles.

There was no turning back.

"Yes. Of life and death."

I held my breath.

Alpha Eros was a little taller than Alec, but that meant nothing in a fight like this.

How could the other wolves just stand there and watch? Not even Gamma Johnson dared intervene.

My veins pulsed spasmodically under the skin. My knees started shaking.

The fiery red fur of Alec turned around the black of Eros. But with one leap he brought him to the ground. The alpha stood above the savage.

"Don't do it," I whispered into my hands.

Hissing, Alec squirmed under the force, but he didn't stand a chance. Without mercy, Eros pushed him further into the snow.

"What is he waiting for?" I asked.

As if on cue, Eros bit.

My heart skipped a beat and I narrowed my eyes.

Silence settled over the landscape.

It was decided.

Alec was dead.

I carefully opened my eyes and looked down.

The snow was soaked in blood. The fiery red wolf lay lifeless on the battlefield. His followers knelt.

The black wolf let go of his prey and stalked back towards his followers. Fresh blood dripped from his mouth.

He was a monster.

His eyes darted to me, but I couldn't meet his eyes. As if in a trance, I began to walk down the slope.

"Luna!"

A rumble made the air tremble. But it didn't come from the clouds above us.

A wolf.

An Alpha.

I looked back.

Castor and Pollux were frozen.

None of the wolves seemed to move. But I wasn't a wolf. I stumbled down and ran alongside the lake.

The image of red on white stuck to my inner eye where I couldn't tell blood from fur.

I headed for the forest, beyond which horror lurked. A streak of gold hissed toward me between the logs.

Suddenly a snarling wolf jumped in front of me and snapped me out of my trance. His fur was the color of sand.

Gamma Johnson.

He bared his teeth and a deep growl escaped between them. My hands went up in a defensive stance.

"Stop that right now," I said with as much confidence as I could muster.

But Gamma Johnson ignored my warnings and stooped toward me. A deep hatred for me burned in his eyes.

Not even for who I was, just what I was.

A human.

"Luna!" Castor called from behind me, but my eyes were locked on the wolf in front of me.

I backed away step by step.

"Luna, don't go any further back! John stop it!"

I ignored the warning, as did Gamma Johnson.

He kept pushing me backwards. Suddenly I felt ice under my feet.

The sea.

A dull cracking sounded beneath me.

For the first time, Gamma Johnson's eyes left me as he stared between his paws.

One moment he was there, the next he was gone with a crash as if the ground had opened up beneath him.

Except it wasn't soil, it was ice-cold water.

I could only listen to the splashing in shock.

An arm yanked me away from the hole and back into the safe snow. I looked at Pollux's scar in surprise.

"Alpha Eros isn't going to like this," Castor said next to us, staring at his brother's grip on my arm.

Immediately Pollux let go of me as if he had burned himself.

Had Alpha Eros told them not to touch me?

Our eyes slid back to the lake when we heard rippling water.

A sopping wet Gamma Johnson had his paws on the ice in front of him. His ears were flat and I almost felt sorry for him.

Nearly.

"What's going on here?!"

An angry Alpha Eros charged at us, his eyes fixed on me. With a jerk he picked me up off the ground.

"Can I really not take my eyes off you for a second?!" he hissed at me.

His words pierced my heart straight and I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes.

He turned his anger from me to Castor.

"What happened?"

"After you killed Alec-"

I couldn't stop your sobs. The image of the dead wolf stuck to me. I tore myself away from Eros while tears blinded my vision.

I just wanted to get away from him, away from all the wolves.

Why did I care so much that Alec was dead? I hadn't even known him.

"Gamma Johnson tried to stop them and then he broke into the lake."

Ero's eyes darted to the sandy-colored wolf who had just fought his way back onto solid ground. Now that his fur was stuck to his body, he didn't look so menacing.

He shook himself and fine drops of water flew to the ground around him. His eyes reflected the suffering of the cold, which he couldn't get rid of so easily.

Eros strode towards him menacingly. Gamma Johnson growled, surprising even me. Without hesitation, Alpha Eros picked him up and threw him a few feet through the snow.

Between the tribes the warriors came out to see what was going on.

"You shouldn't let her walk through the woods and what are you doing? You scare her to death and risk her falling into the lake! And now you're snarling at me like I'm not your alpha?!"

His voice deepened with each sentence. Each time more wolves interfered.

Gamma Johnson turned onto his stomach and showed Eros his vulnerable side in front of all the warriors and me too.

I couldn't help it.

"Stop."

I couldn't keep watching Gamma Johnson being humiliated.

Eros winced at me. His anger was interrupted for a second. He eyed me scrutinizingly.

"Someone has to give him clothes," I said, looking at the warriors who had been watching with wide eyes.

After a few awkward seconds, one of the fighters laid pants and shirt in front of the wolf before quickly scooting away.

I turned and crossed my arms.

There was no way I wanted to see Gamma Johnson transform. There was a crack of bones behind me.

My eyes were fixed on Castor and Pollux, who were eyeing me as if I were a creature from another world.

Had they never met a human being?

Castor nodded imperceptibly as a sign that I could turn around again.

I turned back and my jaw dropped to the floor for a moment.

Johnson's hair was a battlefield, no order left. He gasped in exasperation. It was a wonder he didn't poison himself with the hate his eyes sent out.

"So, now let's talk. In private," I said, my voice leaving no room for discussion.

"No," Eros interrupted. "First we will return to the pack. Enough has happened here."

I nodded but couldn't meet his eyes.

"I'll run," I said.

"No, you won't," Eros growled.

"I will and no one will stop me," I replied.

I had enough.

I wouldn't let myself be bossed around like I couldn't make my own decisions.

As if by magic, the warriors broke their observing stance and streamed ahead of us on the path back to the pack.

The mind connection.

Gamma Johnson also reluctantly moved with them.

I could see he had so much to say, but he saved it for later. Maybe it was better that way when everyone had calmed down a bit.

Eros snapped me out of my thoughts.

"So now we're going to talk first," he growled, walking towards me.

My stomach twisted into a ball. But instead of just standing there like I always did, I took a few steps towards Eros.

I lifted my chin.

"In order. Let's talk about everything."

***

I raised my chin.

"In order. Let's talk about everything."

"Every time I turn my back on you, you're already in trouble again. Why can't you just-"

"Yeah damn! Why was I in a burning house?!"

"I don't mean that and you know it!" he snarled in exasperation. "But you resist any orders that provide for your own protection!"

I stopped in front of him and angrily tapped his chest.

"Who told Castor and Pollux not to touch me? Then how are they supposed to protect me let alone stop me?" I said.

My breathing was getting heavier, but I wasn't done yet.

"And sicing Gamma Johnson on me was a great idea too. After all, we both know how much he likes me!"

In a blur, Alpha Eros grabbed my hand, preventing my forefinger from attacking his chest.

Sparks flew through my veins.

His eyes blazed with so much anger that he forced his breath through his teeth. Still, his grip on my hand wasn't painful.

"I'm trying to defend my country and you have nothing better to do than run straight for the fight? Would you have preferred the twins to stop you by force?" he asked.

"I thought there wasn't going to be a fight at all!" I yelled angrily.

He leaned back in surprise. I hadn't realized how close we had become. He drew his eyebrows together.

"You thought we'd settle this peacefully."

"Naturally!"

I couldn't control my heart anymore. It throbbed painfully in my chest.

"Alec didn't want to negotiate. He just wanted to fight. I gave him what he asked for," he replied, eyeing me more closely.

I avoided his gaze.

"Were you scared?" he asked, taking my chin in his hand.

I was silent. I didn't know the answer to his question. I just stared into his stormy blue eyes with no reaction.

"What were you afraid of?" he asked.

His voice had calmed, but I said nothing and just stared at the snow below.

“You humans are so frustrating. Listen Ephilia, it's hard for me to figure you out if you don't talk to me."

My eyes snapped back to his and finally the dam I hadn't felt before broke. Fresh tears formed in my eyes.

"Okay, I'm scared! Everything here is new to me, I feel alone in a strange world! I left my family in a pack threatened by Silverbloods!"

Rivers of tears ran down my cheeks. Eros had made me explode.

"I'm afraid for them and I'm afraid they'll die! And I thought at least the North was peaceful, but I was wrong about that too!"

A sob trembled from my throat. Suddenly, warmth spread all over my body. I could feel his muscles.

Eros held me tight to him and a small spark of security ignited in my stomach.

I guess I had pent up my emotions until they erupted on their own.

“There is no place in the world that is truly safe. But no matter what happens, I'll do whatever it takes to make sure it's you."

He broke away from me. I looked at him questioningly and wiped my tears away. He rummaged in his pocket.

What he pulled out made my breath freeze.

"I know it's difficult for you to be here. But maybe you're better off with this."

In his hand he held what I thought was lost forever.

My mother's silver bracelet.

It lay on his palm like a bracelet.

I gently touched the cold surface. But instead of silver, cool glass awaited me.

It went around the whole bracelet and cast it into a solid, round shape.

"I had to find a way to keep it from harming me," Eros explained.

"It's beautiful," I whispered while observing the pendants more closely.

The glass reflected the few rays of the sun while protecting the silver underneath.

Eros took my wrist and slipped it over my fingers. I almost cried a second time at the sight.

"No matter what, you're never alone."

I couldn't prevent it. New tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Aren't you happy?" Eros asked, stunned.

A small smile crossed my lips and I wrapped my arms around him. He seemed a bit taken aback by my gesture.

"Thanks."

I couldn't put into words how much it meant to me. So I showed him. I stood on my ten toes and shut out all the thoughts in my head.

Any distance between us was closed.

My lips touched his and he immediately responded.

His arms wrapped around me and lifted me closer to him. His touch set off a hot path on my skin. A sigh escaped my lips.

Eros growled.

His mouth slid down my neck and a tremor ran through my body. His muscles pressed me even closer to him.

Nothing was between us anymore.

Suddenly he found a point on which he remained. Pure lust flooded my body and if he hadn't held me tight I would have landed in the snow long ago.

Suddenly a thought flashed through my head.

Werewolves marked their companions.

I widened my eyes and pushed away from Eros with as much force as I could.

He reluctantly pulled away from me and stared at me. His eyes looked like a storm at sea.

We both gasped for air.

"You were going to tag me," I said with as much calmness as I could muster.

"Yes," he said, but his terse answer lacked the apology.

"But doesn't that mean..."

I couldn't finish the sentence without renewed heat taking over my cheeks. Eros laughed.

"No, marking and completing the ribbon are not the same," he said with an amused expression on his lips.

I liked this Eros much better; the relaxed and smiling ones. The Eros who had the situation under control and always knew what to do.

Without shedding blood.

"So what do we do now?" I asked uncertainly.

Ero's grin spread at my words.

"Do you know how cute you are when you're not playing rebel?" he asked.

"Excuse me!" I exclaimed, but my cheeks were on fire.

"From now on, the twins will look after you. When we come back, I'll teach Johnson a lesson first."

Towards the end his voice was more like a growl.

I looked at the lake, which still had the hole. The memory of Gamma Johnson falling into it would stay with me forever and I would remember it when I wanted to laugh again.

"I want to talk to him. Otherwise he'll never respect me," I said seriously.

I wonder what happened to him that he hated me so much...

"And I want something else," I said, eyeing Eros closely for his reaction. "I want to learn to fight."

His face twisted, but I didn't let him argue.

"I don't want to be as helpless as I am now. If it really comes down to a fight with Silverblood, I want to be ready."

Eros was silent for a moment, as if weighing his options.

Hopefully he knew that refusing wasn't part of it.

"You are a human being. No matter how good you are at fighting, you're always at a disadvantage in a fight between werewolves. I won't teach you to fight." I narrowed my eyes, but Eros wasn't done yet. "I will teach you to survive."

A small cheer broke between my lips and I hugged him again.

"Thank you," I said, and I saw the satisfaction in his eyes.

A huge smile blossomed on my face. I didn't want to destroy the moment.

For the first time I looked at the waterfall that led into the lake. Instead of streaming tides, he was icy in motion. He sparkled like thousands of diamonds.

I looked back at my mother's bracelet resting on my wrist and then at Eros.

He had made all of this possible.

He made every effort to give me a good life among the wolves.

Even though I was human.

It had never mattered to him.

"Thank you," I said again, pulling his eyes back to mine.

"For what?"

"For everything."

An emotion burned in his eyes that I couldn't interpret and it was gone as quickly as it came.

"We should rejoin the pack," he said.

"Do you still want to walk or can we take the quick route?"