Quiver

27

The following days were brutal for everyone. They were slammed with training from Luke, endured more hours with Elliere in the pack house making them tense, urged to get proper amounts of sleep every night and if they didn't it showed the next day of training. Even I was beginning to get exhausted from it all. Roman and I barely had time for each other besides collasping in each other's arms late during the night when we had eaten finally.

Today when I awoke I could barely get up. My muscles ached, my eyes burned from not quite enough sleep and the comfort of my bed was so hard to walk away from knowing I might have more training. Though today marked the second day before we'd invade the Jaecar compound. Everyone was more wired than before, the pack house a flurry of Lupus moving in and out while chatter was heard everywhere aside from the sound proofed rooms.

I could feel it all throughout and it made me feel tense and excited too. This would be the end to a whole new beginning.

I slipped down the stairs, a smile on my face as I greeted the vibrant pack. They too looked excited and happy, eager even to fight. It seemed to be the most they were all actually doing for a change besides the Annual Gatherings. Smiles were seen all around, even those with exhausted faces mustered a smile my way and it was a nice change.

There were also stressful faces too. Faces that showed the strain and mental drain that all of this was putting on them. It made me feel gulity, but as I spotted Elliere seated, discussing with Yorik in the living room I knew that this was a good thing. One look at the Lone Wolf with the eye patch and you could tell he'd been through a lot of things. He needed this and so did I. So did my brother and so did all of the other supernaturals that were locked within the Jaecars walls or had died there.

I didn't realize I'd been standing there, a frown on my face until two arms wrapped around me and a warm voice sent tingles down my spine.

"What's wrong, beautiful?" Roman's rough voice asked, his breath tickling my ear.

"Just thinking about how much better things will be without the Jaecars, though I am worried about what will be the actual outcome," I murmured quietly so only his ears could hear what I said and not the whole pack. If they heard they might stress more than they were.

"Everything will be fine. Bree has just about perfected her healing spells, everyone has been trained very well and Elliere has went through the plans over and over with the entire pack," Roman reassured, squeezing me.

"Hope so," I mumbled, but my worries were melting the longer he held me as they often did when it came to Roman and our bond.

"Know so," he said, kissing my cheek and tugging at me towards the kitchen to eat.

**

Breakfast was eaten rapidly and training with Luke was quick though it wasn't easy. I was covered in dirt and sweat by the time we finished and hurriedly ran to take a shower. My muscles ached and burned from the strain but I knew it was good. It was a good ache and burn because it meant I'd be ready for them. The shower eased away some of the soreness and washed away the dirt easily.

When I finished with my shower, I dressed in more sweats as I was told dinner tonight would be eaten raw meaning I'd finally run with the entire pack this round. Yorik and Annalise were firm about everyone participating, not that anyone seemed to mind me anymore. The only one not running would, of course, be Elliere, but he'd be gone before the run started.

It was going to be a few more hours until the run and Roman was busy with his own training for now while Bree was off practicing her own magic at her Clan for today meaning I was left alone. I decided to go and visit with Sarah and Holden since everyone else seemed to be so busy. I was almost skipping down the hallways with excitement since I hadn't had much time to spend with the Elders myself.

As I approached the familiar porch doorway, I could hear their aged voices speaking to someone. My hopes were not dashed though as I didn't mind sharing or listening to whatever they were telling someone else about. I merely wanted to be by them and listen to their tales of history.

I leaned into the doorway, peering around the side subtly so as not to disturb them. I spotted the Elders in their usual spot on the porch swing and Cole sitting on a floor pillow, looking so intrigued. I slowly slipped inside and saw Holden's amber eyes flicker up to me, a small smile curving his lips. Luckily it was Sarah who was speaking so it didn't alert Cole, though I knew she sensed my presence as well, she just didn't show it.

Her wispy words filled my ears and what I heard had me leaning comfortably against the wall to stay awhile.

"....Fenrir, the large wolf god, was not always a wolf. He was a man at one point," Sarah said, her eyes sparkling with delight at telling the tale.

"A man?" Cole murmured. "Like I was a boy?"

Sarah nodded and continued speaking, "Very similar, yes. He was also tricked into becoming a shifter, much like you had the option of becoming a Lupus taken from you."

I watched with amusement at Cole who was hanging on Sarah's every word. She had hooked him in entirely when she compared the Lupus god with young Cole and she knew it. Though I could admit that this tale was one I had yet to hear and I was intrigued by it. I had heard of mates and bonds, how a Lupus was made, Sarah and Holden's own love story, but I had never heard about the Wolf God's past.

"How was he tricked?" Cole asked, squirming from where he sat.

Sarah smiled and I caught Holden's own grin on his face as she began again. "Fenrir was a man who did not like the wolves because he'd been attacked by one when he had been just a child. Because of his hatred, he set out when he was old enough and began slaughtering all of the wolves in the forest. Day after day until the forest was cleared and then he moved on to another. This continued until one Goddess had had enough. This Goddess was Mother Nature. She saw her precious wolves were dying and disguised herself as an old Witch in the forest. Fenrir stumbled upon her and she told him to stop killing the wolves or he would become one himself. Of course, he scoffed at her and continued, but little did he know a spell had been placed upon him."

Cole gasped rather dramatically and I could barely keep in my laughter. He had never been so sucked into a story before. I shifted a bit to keep my laughter in check and Sarah continued, a twinkle in her gray eyes.

"The next wolf he approached he was prepared to strike him down immediately. But suddenly he thought he heard the wolf speaking to him. Fenrir shook his head and killed the wolf. Unexpectedly, pain and anguish washed over Fenrir at the fact he'd killed the wolf. He slumped to the ground, shaking and crying. As time passed, he hadn't even realized his cries had turned into howls or his body was no longer a man's. Fenrir was just a wolf then, but he vowed to be a better wolf than the man he once was."

I clapped then, knowing that was the end of the tale and startling Cole. The Elders grinned at both of us and Cole jumped up to greet me.

"That was a lovely tale," I commented after hugging Cole.

"True as well," Holden murmured, smiling.

"Indeed, I hope I'll hear another when I come back."

"Always, dear," Sarah said, eyes crinkling as she smiled.

I grinned, stepping back out into the hall with Cole and headed towards the living room with one hour remaining until the raw hunt.