Chapitre 30

"Eros!"

Her eyes lit up as she recognized him through the darkness. Finally the stone that had made it difficult for him to breathe detached itself from his chest.

Eros walked towards her and spread his arms. Her smile was the most beautiful sight in the world that not even the stars could match.

Her steps darted across the snow and Eros could hear a relieved laugh coming out of her mouth. Her heartbeat fluttered excitedly in her chest.

She jumped into his arms with full force and he spun her around. Her hair flew wildly and deep laugh lines made her beautiful eyes shine.

Eros pressed her against his chest to feel her heartbeat. Her arms were wrapped around his back and she was clinging to him. Eros carefully sat her down in the snow and kissed her head.

Ephilia looked up at him with her eyes blazing. Her pupils were greatly dilated and Eros sucked in the air. No blood, but something else instead.

Alcohol.

"Have you been drinking?" he asked, examining her body for wounds. Like a small child, she clasped her hands over her mouth and looked at him in surprise. "You know what, I don't give a damn. As long as you're back, with me."

He hugged her tighter and listened to her hectic breathing and heart beating. He would never let her out of his sight again. That was over now. For the first time since she had disappeared, he was able to take a deep breath.

"Did they do something to you?" he asked and felt her shake her head. Then a sob shook her body.

"No," she cried. "I'm just glad I'm back. I'm sorry, but I had to. That monster was chasing me..."

She was talking about the primeval wolf.

"Shh," whispered Eros as he watched his mate burst into tears in front of him. "Don't cry. Everything will be fine now."

He stroked her head and she looked at him with wide eyes. He could gaze into her clear sapphires for a lifetime. He could see everything in them, bright joy, deep trust and pain that was already beginning to heal.

Alpha, Karen is in the dungeon now, came the voice of Julien, who must have carried out his assignment somewhat reluctantly.

Eros pressed his face into her hair and took a deep breath. His wolf growled contentedly. Finally he was peaceful again and did not steal from the inner barriers.

Suddenly angry footsteps sounded from the other side of the border. Light flickered through the hunter's forest. Eros immediately placed himself protectively in front of his companion and searched the area.

Second unit immediately to the north-west border, he ordered through the pack.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her hands buried in the back of his shirt.

He could hear Ephilia's heartbeat quickening against her chest in fear. The hunters had probably not let her go without resistance.

...

"Eros!"

A flash of joy hit me to the core as I recognized his blue eyes through the night. I immediately ran towards his shadow, which was waiting for me on the other side of the border.

He spread his arms and took a few steps toward me. I felt like I could fly across the snow as a relieved laugh escaped me.

Finally.

The weight lifted from my shoulders. Without braking, I jumped into his outstretched arms and clung to him. Eros spun me around before cradling me to his chest.

His arms were wrapped around me, protecting me from the freezing cold. He pressed a long, intense kiss into my hair and I looked up at him. He frowned.

"Did you drink?"

I clapped my hands over my mouth in shock. The Verbena Liqueur. Damn hunters. "You know what, I don't care at all. The main thing is that you are back here with me."

phew

I tried to catch my breath and he hugged me again as if to make sure I was really there.

"Did they do something to you?" he asked in a deep voice and I could hear his wolf scratching the surface. I shook my head, but I couldn't stop myself.

All the pressure of the last few days erupted in a deep sob. All emotions flowed through me in a raging torrent and all I could do was cry. I was a mess.

"No. I'm just glad I'm back. I'm sorry, but there was no other way. This monster has been chasing me..."

"Shh," whispered Eros as he studied me with worried eyes. "Don't cry. Everything will be fine now."

His large hand stroked my head and a deep calm settled over me... for the first time in days. I looked at Eros and felt nothing but warm admiration for him. He was a strong werewolf and yet he was loving and conscientious in what he did.

I could hear a satisfied growl as Eros pushed me back against him. We had some catching up to do. Suddenly his whole body tensed up. Before she could react, he pushed me behind his back.

"What's happening?"

My heartbeat picked up a new pace.

Then I heard it.

Angry footsteps pounded in the distance and I scuttled past Eros to the forest I had just escaped from. Lights flickered on the tree trunks, getting brighter and closer.

The rebels.

Apparently they didn't like my speech after all. A pang of fear twisted my stomach as I heard angry shouts that shook the icy air. I pulled my hand from Ero's shirt and instead clasped his arm as I stood halfway beside him.

Suddenly something whirred across the clearing. I narrowed my eyes, but it was already too late. In a blur, Eros caught the silver bolt out of the air. The tip sparkled at me just an inch from my face.

My eyes widened.

The hiss of skin snapped me out of shock and I immediately snatched the silver bullet from his hand. I looked at Eros, but there was no sign of pain on his face, quite the opposite.

Black pupils, like onyxes, slowly turned towards the hunters who had appeared in the clearing. Eros looked as deadly as I had ever seen him. His muscles tensed.

"Eros," I whispered softly to calm him down.

A monstrous growl escaped his throat as he stared at Rex, who stood motionless in the clearing with the other rebels.

Suddenly dozens of footsteps sounded behind us and I looked around frantically. The warriors of Iceclaw had answered their Alpha's silent call. They stood a few meters away, hidden between the trees.

They were ready for battle.

Eros and I stood alone in front of the clearing, but I recognized his plan. He wanted to lure the hunters away from the verbena field into the territory, away from their safety and their only chance of survival.

"Stop!" a voice suddenly called across the clearing that lay in the darkness of the night. If Eros hadn't been holding me, I would have run to her.

sunny

She stood in front of her father, who didn't look at her. All his attention, all his hatred, was on Eros. Rex wouldn't stop. The madness that had fueled the beer burned in his eyes.

He pushed Sonni out of the way. She landed in the snow while her father raised the crossbow again.

"No!"

I lunged forward, but Eros easily caught me in his arm. I could still see Sonni's eyes widen. Before I knew what was happening, Eros continued walking into the trees with me in tow.

"No!" Sonni yelled, but for me she disappeared behind the dark trunks and chaos erupted at her command. The hunters left their safe ground with false hopes of success.

"Eros, put me down!" I shouted, struggling against his grip. He carefully lowered me onto the soft snow before giving me a sharp look.

"You stay here, understood?"

His hands were firmly on my shoulders and I hesitated for a moment before answering.

"If you promise me nothing will happen to Sonni," I whispered, cupping my hands on his cheeks. Eros closed his eyes for a millisecond before opening them again.

Determined blue met me, which could see into my soul. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine for a beautiful moment. A shower of sparks flew over my body, which still hadn't gotten over our separation.

"And promise me you'll come back," I said, heart clenching.

"I promise," he replied in his firm way. Then his warmth left me. Eros darted around and was gone at breakneck speed, as if he'd never been there.

I leaned against the tree next to me, exhausted. Only now that I was alone did I realize how little strength I had left. I had hardly eaten anything all day and had only drunk the verbena liqueur.

Not a good mix.

I just stood there, powerless and had to listen to the cruel sounds of the fights: screams, hisses, cracks. I closed my eyes. When would these brutal acts finally come to an end?

Why did it always have to be solved by force?

The tree I was leaning against had lost all of its leaves over the winter and was now bare and tall right next to me. I stroked the rough skin of the trunk, which bore a deep pattern of lines.

There was no distraction from the melody of the battle, the cries for help echoing across the earth like a final prayer. I squeezed my eyes tighter, but the images my mind painted only got worse: broken bones, blood splattering from lacerated wounds, and lifeless bodies.

no

I had to do something.

But I had promised Eros to stay here.

I looked up at the tree again. Without hesitation, my fingers gripped the bark and I began climbing off the ground as I had done hundreds of times before.

A fine mist came frantically between my lips when I could finally see what was happening below me. Torches cast orange light on the snow, illuminating the battlefield between the tribes.

Bloodstains had seeped into the white floor. Werewolves in various forms jumped like shadows while the hunters, completely taken by surprise and helpless, tried to protect themselves from their sharp claws.

As if instinct were guiding my gaze, I recognized Eros. In human form he stormed towards Rex. My heart skipped a beat as I watched the hunter level his trembling crossbow at him.

The whirring followed, but it was drowned out by a loud growl. In mid-leap, Eros transformed into his midnight black wolf. I could still hear the crack before I flinched and turned my head before they met.

"NO!"

The voice pierced the whole place with pure pain.

sunny

The girl who was a hunter but had never seen real war stood motionless on the battlefield. Her eyes shone with unshed tears as she saw her father's lifeless body in the snow.

I shouted her name, but Sonni didn't seem to hear me. Her whole world had collapsed before her eyes and all I could do was watch. All of her former companions lay scattered and dead in the icy graveyard.

Individual figures tried to save themselves, but no one escaped. Few fights took place, but I could see Eros lifting his head to the slayer. Sonni was frozen with shock.

Then she took a step back, then another, and suddenly she turned and disappeared into the infinite darkness.

"Sonni!" I shouted and clung to a branch, but the darkness had completely swallowed her black hair.

There was almost no one left to flee to. The last resistance was almost wiped out. They had waited ten years in their safe hiding place and this was their end:

In the icy north, without a soul ever knowing that they still existed, that they still believed, that they still fought, that they had caused their final downfall themselves.

Nobody would sing songs about them or honor their names. Nobody except Sonni. My hands kept shaking. I couldn't tell if it was from the cold or from the images flashing through my head like stabs from a dagger.

"Eros," I whispered desperately, but to my astonishment he seemed to hear me. His wolf eyes darted around at me. I stared down at him, frozen for a moment.

He had promised.

As if reading my mind, two wolves rushed into the darkness after the slayer. My eyes watered as I looked at her father's lifeless body. The silver crossbow lay useless beside the body.

My fingers caught themselves in the tree as I climbed down the trunk. My legs were still in the air when large hands grabbed my waist.

Without effort, Eros gently sat me on the floor in front of him. He immediately wiped away my tears, but I turned my head to the side.

"You promised," I said. My whole emotions were completely scattered while I couldn't think straight.

"I'm sorry, but don't worry. You will find her."

If Eros hadn't been holding me, I would have just collapsed. My legs were completely powerless and shaky as pudding. My vision was dim, like looking through a fogged window. I grabbed Eros upper arm.

"Ephilia?"

His voice sent a shiver down my spine.

I really needed to sleep.

Now.

***

WEDNESDAY OF THE 9TH MOON COUNT:

The morning rays shone through the glass over the mountains. My head was sunk in the feather pillow while Ero's warmth surrounded me. He hadn't let go of me since last night.

Even now his arm was wrapped tightly around my waist while our legs were locked together. I couldn't lie. I had missed it.

I had missed him.

I snuggled closer to his chest and closed my eyes. Last night's events seemed years away. Nothing but the quiet morning and the nearness of Eros surrounded me.

Suddenly he planted a hot kiss behind my ear and my whole body trembled under his touch. Soon he had turned me so that I was lying under him and looking into his beautiful, bright eyes.

"Good morning," he whispered, even though his voice wasn't quite awake yet. I yawned and ran my hands through his hair. Without waiting any longer, Eros leaned down and kissed me.

I fell back into the feather pillows, completely overwhelmed by the sensation rattling through my body. My whole chest seemed to open up and my heart tripled in size.

God, did I miss him.

How could you be so connected to another human being? Uh, werewolf.

"Do you know how worried I was?" he asked in a hoarse voice, stroking my cheek gently. I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch.

"Now I'm back here. And don't worry, you won't get rid of me anytime soon," I said and I could clearly see the corners of Ero's mouth twitching up against his will. I smiled and wrapped my arms around him.

Finally I was home again.

Eros pulled away from me and looked at me. Our little bubble slowly burst as reality caught up with us. We had so much to talk about that I didn't know where to start.

My thoughts fell back to the day when everything had taken a bad turn. Calm said goodbye and horror took its place.

"Karen-"

"It's already in the dungeons," he said, running soothing lines down my back.

"What happened, is everyone okay? Where's Demetrius?" I asked, trying to sit up. I felt cold sweats on my back from the images of the stormy night.

"Calm down," Eros said, but let me get up. "He's in the next room, sleeping. The monster poisoned him with its silver claws."

The last words were more like a growl and I could see a kind of desperation in his eyes. My stomach seemed to drop down a notch. He was still here.

The primeval wolf.

“I searched the whole territory myself. Not a trace. It's like I'm looking for a ghost, and one that doesn't want to be found."

Eros sat on the edge of the bed. He tangled his fingers in his hair and looked at the carpeted floor. I put my hands on his shoulders trying to calm him down.

Now that I was here again, I wasn't afraid anymore. The primeval wolf might be strong, but he hadn't dared to reveal his true self to Eros.

Was he afraid of him?

My thoughts drifted back to our encounter in the vervain field. He hadn't panicked in front of the plant, but when he saw my treasures something seemed to stop him.

I looked at the silver bracelet around my wrist. What did all this mean? Wasn't the primeval wolf immune to silver after all?

"Why did he show his face and why was he chasing me? He left Demetrius alive. Why did he want me dead so badly?"

Eros looked at me with a serious expression.

"It is said of the primeval wolf that he harbors an unbelievable hatred. He could have wandered somewhere between the borders without anyone noticing. And it might be because-"

"That I'm human," I interrupted him. It made sense. No wonder the moon goddess had sent after the Lycan to erase this being from history.

Suddenly, an idea hit me like a bolt of lightning. I jumped up and Eros looked at me in surprise.

"I know what we're doing."

I could already see the contradiction in his eyes, but he held back. The situation was probably so desperate that Eros was grateful for every suggestion.

"He must be hiding around here somewhere. So let's provoke him until he comes out of hiding!"

"No way," Eros said, getting up and taking two long strides toward me. "I know what you're thinking. You want to use yourself as bait, but the primeval wolf is no joke."

I took his hands in mine and cupped them over my cheek. The stern look between Ero's eyes slowly broke away from his forehead while I enjoyed his closeness. It was only now that I realized how precious our moments alone were.

"This is our best chance. We can prepare for it. Instead of him surprising us, we will surprise him. Or do you want him to be sneaking around and hurting more people?"

The storm in Eros' eyes was picking up speed.

"I know exactly what you're trying to do," he said sternly. "And it's working."

A ball of joy burst in my stomach and I bounced up and down in his arms. My brain couldn't believe he agreed, but I was already on the plans we needed to make.

"We can't tell anyone about this," I said frantically.

"Calm down," Eros replied, holding me with his hands on the ground. "I will take whatever measures are necessary to protect you."

A fire blazed in his blue eyes, which I also felt deep inside me. Suddenly fear gripped my heart. I didn't want him risking his life for me. How could I be so blind? How could I ask such a thing of him?

Eros frowned as if he could read my mind.

"What, first so excited and now scared?"

I looked down.

"I don't want you to risk your life. There's no way I want anyone else, warrior or not, to fall victim to the monster," I said.

Eros took my chin between his fingers and I looked at him.

"You said it yourself. If we force him onto our battlefield, we'll have the best chance. We will prepare so that no one loses their life. I'll do it whether you want it or not."

"It was still my idea," I said, an amused smile creeping onto his lips.

"I know, and I'll make it a reality. There's only one other person I would confide in," he said, and I eagerly awaited his response.

"Pollux."

My eyes widened. I had completely forgotten that. The twins had kept watch outside Demetrius' house. Why had Eros only named one of the brothers? A lump formed in my throat.

"What about Castor?"

My voice went blank as I thought of the werewolf that had been by my side every day for ages. In my heart I knew the answer, but I wanted Eros to speak it.

"The primeval wolf killed him."

Fresh tears blurred my vision and I laid my head on his chest. He immediately wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tighter.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"It's my fault. I have to apologize. How is Pollux?" I asked worried.

"It's not your fault," Eros said firmly, squeezing my shoulders. "Did you hear, it's not your fault. Pollux wants justice for his brother, as do many other families. He we can trust."

His voice was firm and determined. I just nodded and wiped the water from my eyes. Now was no time to cry. I finally had to be strong so we could defeat the monster threatening the pack.

"In order. But there is someone else we should let in on. Demetrius."

Eros nodded in agreement.

“He will even be incessant. He can contribute a lot with his knowledge," he said thoughtfully. "I'll tell both of you that we'll meet tonight. Then we'll discuss our exact course of action."

"Now we just need a good opportunity to lure the primeval wolf out of hiding..."

"Don't worry about it," Eros said, stroking my hair. "There's something I've wanted to do since we got back from the far north."

He leaned his head down and kissed the mark sending jets of sparks through my body. I closed my eyes and let Eros carry me.

"How much I missed you..." he breathed against my skin, which was starting to tingle. It was taking everything I could to stay focused.

"What have you been wanting to do since we got back?" I squeaked, feeling his smile on my neck.

"Officially make you my Luna."