Souls Entwined

Chapter Twenty-Two

Müller's regard had turned wary, and his lips pressed together as he assessed the two of us before him. He shouldn't have been surprised to see us as I had personally confirmed the meeting with him, but as he recognised us, he let out a slight wheeze and shuffled back, his eyes pinching.

My neck pickled, and everything became hyper-focused as I took in our surroundings. Two strides back to the end of the porch, three steps down, one step on gravel to get to the grass, muffled sounds are easier to hide. Five more strides to the car but eight more to Fallyn's. She was already in the driver's seat. She'd be the quicker option. There were no other scents in the air than Müller's, which meant that upwind was clear, but there was no way of knowing if someone was lurking downwind. There was a creaking sound from the house, but it was only the tin roof ticking in the sun's heat.

We were safe for now, and I knew the second we were settled inside that Fallyn would do a thorough search. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down and trust that we had made the right choice to come out here.

When Müller clearly wasn't going to introduce himself first, I took a step toward him and offered my hand, it was a human tradition, but when you weren't members of the same pack or didn't understand the intricacies of their customs, it would do. Unfortunately, the Umbra pack had always been tight-lipped about their lives, and there was no way of knowing if the things I knew were outdated customs.

'I am Kaden Delossa, Alpha of the Vermiculo pack. This is Elliot Clarke.' I wanted to add the future Luna of the Vermiculo pack to her introduction, but I did not want to pressure her into making a choice.

Müller snorted, and the part of my upbringing that had always demanded respect bristled. 'I know who you are, child.'

Müller did not bother looking at Elliot.

'I believe you are expecting us,' I continued in a calm, almost bored tone. If he were playing some game with the unpleasantries, I wanted no part in it.

He did not move from the doorway, neither welcoming nor shooing us away. Instead, he looked me up and down like he had seen better gum on the bottom of his shoes and, with a scoff, said, 'I didn't expect you to show up.'

I let the disdain slide from my back, barely registering it, 'I am a man of my word, and I promised to come to hear about your struggles.'

Finally, Müller flicked his eyes toward Elle, a sneering jab at the ready, 'And with the human girl in tow.'

To Elle's credit, she did not flinch even though her heart stuttered within her chest. It caused an echoing stutter within my own, and I wished things had played out differently. 'I have only bothered to hear your story because of Elliot's compassion. The fact that she is human does not diminish the fact that you would have no one pleading your case without her empathy.'

His foot smacked against the beginning of the porch, his lips pulling back in a sneer. I'd barely registered it, my hand steadying Elle as she stumbled backwards, staring at the dark splatter of wood where Müller spat. I felt my nostrils flare, jerking my head to cut Müller with a hard stare. Only the feel of Elle by my side stopped me from doing anything other than letting a low growl rumble deep in my chest. 'If you plan on living until tomorrow, I suggest you don't do that again.' I snarled, feeling my lungs fill with air as Elle's fingers danced across mine. 'You will treat us respectfully because we are your last chance at maintaining the sanity you so desperately cling to. Can you see it yet?' I stalked closer, the putrid smell of rotting flesh sweeping into my senses as I closed in. 'Do you notice it when you stare at yourself in the mirror? The paleness of your skin. The subtle redness in your eyes will only get worse over time. You're losing your grip, and you are not the only one. You can sit with us, and we can have a proper discussion, or you can go back to praying to the goddess to offer you clemency and provide you with an alpha. Though that hasn't seemed to help you so far.'