Blood Ties

25

Erisa's face fell. She tended to dress in attire with dark eyeliner, a black leather jacket and clothing that covered her head to toe. But this wasn't about keeping up with her appearance, Erisa had to change a part of her outer self to blend with the likes of a beast in a human environment.

"That's a good idea, Lycus," Accalia acknowledged her mate, feeling her face flush from the flirty smirk he sent her way. "We want him to know what you look like, not who you are. So we will mask your scent, wear a different perfume and change your clothing."

Erisa nodded in confirmation.

Accalia mimicked her nod and in her peripheral vision, a figure swept into the kitchen, carrying three bowls of what would have contained cereal.

Rexton washed his dishes, avoiding anyone who passed him looks, which only happened to be Accalia and Lycus.

Accalia hadn't seen much of the hybrid, he had been isolated and ignored by everyone at all costs. After the rejection from Cadence, he retreated deeper into his shell, like he was back in his coffin. Cadence had yet to mention him. If he was out of sight, he was out of her mind.

"What are all of you doing?" Rexton murmured, coming into the lounge room and rolling his sleeves up to his elbows.

Accalia's heart bled from the pain in his voice. It rang with a craven croak as if he hadn't used it in days.

She looked to Lycus expectedly and wondered what went on in that head of his. He hardly acknowledged his little brother, barely mentioning his name and it made Accalia unsure of where they stood with each other.

Were they enemies? Were they brothers?

"Cadence's friend, Erisa, is going to spy on Cole Canus," Accalia answered him.

He suffered enough, Accalia finalised. Over one hundred years in a coffin for his differences and abnormalities compared to lycans. They weren't saints themselves. He will be dragged through mud and rain before Cadence even sees him as a boy pining for a conversation. And two brothers that treated him as though he didn't exist.

Rexton looked briefly to Erisa, his lips quirking up into a half smile. "She dresses funny."

Cadence slapped a hand over her mouth as a laugh burst out of her and she gripped Erisa's shoulder to steady herself. Erisa's face blazed with withdrawn annoyance.

He made Cadence laugh, a resonant and pleasing laugh that even made Accalia giggle.

Quickly as it came, Cadence silenced herself and threw a glare everyone's way. "Are we sure Cole is going to be there? We don't wanna waste time." She grunted.

"By the tellings of the moon cycle that Vaela saw through Cole's memories, that would've given us dates and times. He'll be there tomorrow," Lycus responded coldly, chancing a glance to his brother and then back to Cadence.

"Maybe I should go by another name," Erisa piped up.

A chorus of unsettling shouts and suggestions followed through:

"Erin."

"E."

"Jae for Jaeger."

Rexton pointed bashfully at Erisa with a worried expression. "She is quite small, I can hear the erratic heartbeats from here, are you sure this mere human will be safe?"

It was only concern in his voice, no stray of malice or rudeness, even if a hunter would consider his observation insulting.

Rexton raised a point. Would Erisa be safe? In the presence of Cole, of course not. No one was safe around him and there was a reason for that. But if anything were to arise, anything were to happen, could Erisa fend him off?