Chapitre 6

MONDAY OF THE 9TH MOON COUNT:

A dull knock pierced the fog of sleep.

I groaned.

It was too early.

My thoughts were still paralyzed from the night. The knocking increased in intensity and I turned on the pile of clothes. Pain shot through my neck. I was wrong and now my whole neck was stiff.

"I'm coming," I grumbled to myself and sat up.

Uncle Theo must have left without me, but then who could interrupt here so early?

I rubbed the sand out of my eyes. Sunbeams floated in the air and hit the wooden floor. The morning had come far too quickly.

I pulled on my emerald dressing gown and knotted it. Then I padded down the steps to the door. I pushed the latch down.

A fresh breeze awaited me along with two guests. Lizzy stood in front of me with raised eyebrows.

"You look even worse than yesterday."

"Thanks, I'll try my best," I replied.

Unlike her, I was not of the morning person species.

"phiphi!"

A small bolt of lightning shot towards me and embraced me. Tommy looked at me with his round eyes brimming with hope and concern.

"Can we go look for Frido?" he asked.

Immediately Lizzy straddled in between.

"Tommy, we've had this discussion before. That will not do."

I put a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't think that's necessary," I said, smiling. "Frido found the way back himself."

I went to my coat and rummaged in my pockets until I could feel the slowly decomposing rag in my fingers. Tommy's eyes began to shine brighter than the sun.

"Frido!"

He gripped the rabbit tightly as if he would never let go. My smile faded a little as I looked into Lizzy's venomous expression. Her eyes were narrowed and her arms were crossed.

"Where did you find him?"

"I didn't find him," I replied, grinning. "He found me."

"I'll spare myself the sermon," she said snippy.

“Okay, then I can use the time productively. Come in. I'll go get ready quickly."

I pounded up the stairs and pulled on a simple light blue dress as fast as I could. Then the box with the golden rose caught my eye again.

I hesitated.

I couldn't just leave it here. I picked it up and took out the bracelet. Something deep inside wanted me to wear it. So I could feel connected to my parents.

The jewel lay icy on my wrist. It was funny that we humans didn't have a problem with this simple metal, but the werewolves downright feared it. I had to hide it somehow.

"Are you done?!" Lizzy's voice boomed from downstairs.

"One moment please!"

I looked around frantically. A small pink piece of fabric that I had often used as a headband smiled at me. I wrapped it several times around the piece of jewelry, which completely disappeared underneath. Finally, I tied it into a bow.

Perfect.

I snuck into the bathroom and combed through my hair, which fell in gentle waves over my shoulders.

Finished.

At the bottom, Tommy played with Frido while Lizzy flipped through Uncle Theo's sketches.

"What happened here? Nevermind. Nothing surprises me anymore."

It would be better if I didn't tell her anything about yesterday and my evening encounter in the forest. Lizzy wouldn't understand. She loved this city and who could blame her. There was good food, good wine and good company.

But I wanted to see more of the world than just the mountains. There had to be more beyond that, room for adventure. I wanted to feel sand under my feet or the salty sea breeze in my hair.

I wanted to discover.

i wanted to live

But the situation was far too tense. The packs would not let travelers pass easily, and the unoccupied land between them was too dangerous.

"The wolves train in front of the pack house! Shall we go see?" Tommy asked excitedly.

Now that the forest was taboo, we had no choice but to make the city unsafe.

"That sounds like a good plan."

Lizzy shook her head as usual.

"The attack could happen at any moment and you want to go into town?"

"Isn't that the safest place?" I asked. "The werewolves are there, after all. And watching isn't forbidden."

Lizzy moaned, but the corners of her mouth were turned up slightly. She was just as curious as we were, even if she didn't want to admit it.

"I guess a look can't hurt. But after that we should go home. Mom and Dad are waiting for us."

"Woo-hoo!"

Tommy jumped up and down like an excited puppy and bolted out the door.

"Wait for us!" Lizzy called and followed him.

I grabbed my coat and ran after them. Running, I slung it over my shoulders on the way to the packhouse, using Lizzy's red hair as a guide through the alleys.

Suddenly she stopped.

I couldn't stop and ran face first into her shaggy mane.

"Shhh," she whispered and I spat out her hair.

We were at the edge of the house facades that led onto the large square in front of the pack house. My mouth dropped open at the sight that revealed itself to us. Hundreds of werewolves stood there in the square, looking at the rise.

To Alpha Eros.

The sun shone down on him as he paced and gave orders. The powerful voice echoed across the square and sent a shiver down my spine.

His hair color matched his wolf's, jet black. He was dead serious, none of yesterday's amusement showing in his blue eyes.

It was as if, overnight, he had turned into the very person everyone feared. His gaze darted across as if he had heard my thoughts. His blue eyes locked on mine and I couldn't look away. It was like a spell that bound me.

My stomach clenched.

Then it sounded.

A howl echoed in the distance, silencing the whole city.

My breath caught.

Something in Alpha Ero's eyes changed.

A firm will manifested itself in them, which was aimed directly at me.

It had started.

His lips parted as he thundered one last command.

"Come on!"

The men transformed into their monster form. Blonde, brown, red and black fur mingled and the wolves charged into the forest.

for their country.

The attack had begun.

Alpha Eros was still in his human form. He jumped off the ledge, his eyes and footsteps fixed on me. I groped for the bracelet. It was warm against my skin, hidden under the pink fabric.

Something tugged at my sleeve. Lizzy's lips moved, but I was underwater. She screamed something, but my head couldn't decipher the roar. Pure, pure fear twisted her face.

The tug left me as she picked Tommy up. He tried to grab me, but I was mesmerized by Lizzy's expression. Her eyes were on something behind me, something big. I slowly turned back, a shadow blocking the sun.

Large hands gripped my shoulders.

"Ephilia!"

I woke up from the trance with a shock.

I blinked.

Alpha Eros stood in front of me and shook me. His arms were comfortably warm, but his eyes were feverish.

"Ephilia!"

His hands cupped my cheeks and sent a warm feeling to the pit of my stomach.

"Yes," I said, my voice sounding thin.

Alpha Ero's presence calmed me down in a strange way.

"Johnson will take you to my house! That's where you're going to stay, understood?!"

His words left no room for objection. I nodded dazedly. Another hand took mine and snapped me out of the moment with Alpha Eros and I almost protested.

"Stay in the house!"

He turned and started to jump. In mid-movement, Alpha Eros transformed into the monstrous werewolf that had roamed the city streets yesterday.

Without mercy, the hand pulled me further away from the action. My gasping breath was all I could hear along with my heartbeat pounding painfully in my chest and in my ears.

Blonde hair belonged to the hand and then I realized who was dragging me there.

Gamma Johnson.

The war had begun and Silverblood had taken the first step.