19

D E V O N

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I listened to the sound of the Ayrun River, which must be not far from here, and enjoyed the cool night wind that caressed me while I thought about what Xenos and Reah had discussed together. I've known more werewolves than I could count on their fingers who had waited their entire lives for their mate—that one soulmate they were chosen to love—only to die before they found one.

I strolled through the forest and tossed one of the many pebbles I had in hand into the distance. If what Reah said was true - and by the moons, I believed her - then I had another option. I could decide for myself who I take as a companion, I could consciously make her my wife - connecting our souls forever.

I threw the next stone into the dense undergrowth and grinned. shit yes! I wouldn't sit around like a dull bean, I had a plan. A plan where Joy and I finally had a future. We didn't have to hold back anymore.

My mouth curled up in a smile at the thought and it grew bigger when I saw her in front of me with her pretty brown ponytail and her big eyes that lit up when she looked up at me. I was able to make Joy my mate - finally.

Immersed so deep in my own thoughts, I couldn't smell the danger behind me. Only too late did I hear the drumming of paws on the ground, when I was already pulled back violently. I roared as my skull exploded in pain and my vision went black.

➳

X E N O S

➳

The branches crunched with every step I took across the moss-covered forest floor. I would have been quieter if I wasn't so deep in thought. I hadn't had time to speak to Devon alone after today's meeting. Had he found any news on the assassin Arya had injured last night? I growled, opening my fists and stretching my fingers. It had to be a gi. What other werewolf would go to the trouble of getting the Petalouda Venom from the South, and then kill a Giwarrior—for no reason? I shook my head. No, it was someone she knew. Arya was a stubborn, strong-willed woman. If she had her mind on something, then she would pursue it the same way – no matter who objected. My wolf stretched proudly at this woman's strength and gave a wolfish grin. Still... Surely she had already robbed some people of their nerves with that.

Once I found that foolish warrior who dared to violate something sacred to me, I would-

I froze when I heard the bloodcurdling scream. "Devon?"

Nothing.

I ran. "DEVON!" But no matter how many times I shouted his name, he didn't answer me. I was sprinting through the forest as fast as I could, following his scent, when suddenly I smelled something else in the air. I came to an abrupt halt and my eyes darted through the woods until I found it. Single drops of blood on a large boulder. I smelled it again - definitely Devon's blood.

Again my wolf hit his bars and this time I didn't stop him. I willingly embraced the anger coursing through my veins, opening the deeply locked doors and hearing my clothes rip as I transformed. “Be warned, Daemon, nobody touched my pack.”

➳

A R Y A

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Reah's legs dangled as did mine as she perched in a forked branch beside me. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

I nodded.

"Well, there's something you should know about xenos." She leaned against the tree trunk and was about to add something when the silence was broken.

As soon as I heard the scream, I was on the forest floor, slinging my quiver and bow down my back. Then, without waiting for Reah, I ran in the direction the scream had come from. Supernaturally fast, my bare feet padded across the cold forest floor, dodging every bush and twig while I summoned the branches of the fir trees and, like a dexterous monkey, took one big leap, Reah beside me the whole time. Skillfully she scurried over the branches and jumped from tree to tree, her spear firmly gripped, but it was not enough. We weren't nearly fast enough.

"XENOS!" I yelled, not slowing my pace. An icy hand around my heart. "XENOS!"

Silence.

I kept running until I skidded to a halt. Ignoring the burning of the soles of my feet, which had cut open on the small twigs and branches on the ground, I stared at the dark red bloodstains on the rock and squeezed my hand over my heart.

Reah came to my side. "We will find her."

But the crushing feeling didn't leave my bones. Again and again I heard the last of his words to me.

“You could never be nothing to me. “

How could I have been so cold towards him? Those were his last words to me, and what had I said to him? Nothing. As cool as the deepest places of Fyrsald Forest, I had turned my back on him and honored not a word. I would never forgive myself for that.

A deadly calm settled over me. 'I'll kill him. If he takes it from me, I'll kill him."

"Hey." Reah put her hand on my shoulder. “Xenos is strong, he is the king. He's not hurt. And neither does Devon.”

I nodded and found myself reaching for my bow when I heard a howl and saw the flaming torrent darting through the thicket, followed by dozens of wolves running after the howl.

A terrifying grin graced my lips. “Aee”, run away. Because as soon as my arrow was aimed, you would drop like dead flies.

➳

A R Y A

➳

We followed the roguepack's every step, because they were chumps, foolish “purasus”. With loud yapping and howling, they made it pretty easy to follow. So light that I wondered if Daemon wanted us to follow him. Good, it should lead me straight to Xenos.

We weaved our way through the densely packed fir trees at breakneck speed, striving to get even closer to them, when out of nowhere a golden glow lit up the forest and the wolves headed straight for it and...disappeared.

“A portal. “I neither slowed my steps nor turned to see if Reah followed me as I ran towards the portal. Gripping the bow, I was about to leap off into the floating vortex of light when I was held back.

"What are you doing?" Reah snapped, her grip on my arm digging into my flesh.

"I'll get Xenos back." Silently, I stole my arm from her.

'Don't do that, you don't know about protal travel. If you're not careful, you'll be spat out somewhere else.” She fished two glittering crystals out of her cloak with one hand, still clutching her spear. She grinned at me with a little triumphant twitch. 'I'll take us there. And I can take us back too.”

I silently gestured for her to leave. "Nice. after you.”

With my hand on her shoulder, I followed her through the golden whirlpool, losing all sense of space and time until I felt moss under my feet and struggled to keep my balance. I automatically raised my bow and secured the situation with my eyes at the same time. We had been spat out a few yards from the tree line. In front of us loomed a large ledge, which extended forward like a pointed tongue and on the end of which a handsome blond-haired man was enthroned.

"I hear I'm becoming a suspect."

Dozens of werewolves, eyes the red of blazing hellfire, barked and snarled in our direction from under the rocky outcrop, but made no move to approach us.

My hands didn't tremble, nor did my pulse race. I locked my sights on my prey, aiming for the spot on its heart as I called out over the raging wind, "Where's Xenos?"

Calmly he straightened his black suit and said, 'I don't care why you're spying on me, or what you think you have on me. Just stop this foolish snooping around me and my pack, and I'll spare you."

"Where are they, Daemon?" Reah had her spear trained on him as well, ready to strike at any moment.

His eyes narrowed. "Did you hear what I said?"

I calculated the wind, made sure my bow was at the right angle and my arrow would find its way straight into his heart. "Give him to us."

"Whom?"

"Xenus! The King of the Werewolves!” Reah roared furiously.

“I don't know what you're talking about, girl. I only brought you over so you could tell your rabble to leave me and my pack alone. But I'm starting to think it's getting on my nerves more than it was good for anything.” He'd jumped off the rock and landed gracefully on the ground. Slowly he stepped in our direction, his white razor-sharp teeth flashing in a grin that seemed anything but cheerful—it was more like a shark's deadly promise to be ripped into a thousand pieces should anyone offend his mind. “You'll be gone now, and all of Semeera and Anifeira will tell you to leave my pack alone. Otherwise, I won't hold back anymore. And the blood of these countless lives would be on your hands