Rogue of Obsidian: The Ultimate Key

Chapter 6

Audra awoke, bones aching from all the heavy lifting she had done yesterday. She heaved a shaky sigh as she got up from her mat.

She grumbled as she realized she shook from the cold. She figured she exhausted herself yesterday to the point where she forgot to shift into her wolf form when she arrived back home.

Involuntarily, she started rapidly rubbing her arms. The cold weather came on rather decisively, even sooner than it usual.

Teeth chattering, she yanked the silk ribbon from her taupe tresses and rapidly rubbed it onto her arms and legs. It would do for now, but the fabric proved too thin for this chilly season; packmates, at least Audra's, usually reserved it for summer. On top of that, the fabric was running out with Audra's nearly being at the end of hers.

The pack had less money than they used to, but Audra dared not think about whose fault that was.

She growled at herself for even thinking to not be thinking about that werewolf.

No, the Mother decided to place her in this pack to help it. She was not here to break its rules, shatter its pride, or even criticize it. Besides, she called Terrae Mons her home for over a decade now. She did not have the heart to do that now, if she ever did.

Rubbing her temples, she relaxed as she felt her nerves subsiding. Maybe that's why she felt ill recently, Audra thought. She felt conflicted which hurt her since she experienced needless mental rebellion.

She nodded her head.

"Yep, sounds about right," she said, heading up the ladder.

Gripping the handle, she opened the trapdoor and smirked.

"So now that I know the silly cause of all this I can simply stop thinking about-"

Arnold Cortez.

Shocked numb, Audra's grip on the trapdoor's handle loosened. The great wooden board smacked her soundly on the head, causing her to once again be stunned. Only this time, she fell off the ladder flat onto her back.

Angrily and buffeted, she ripped the necklace from her throat, snapping the chain. She flung it to the other side of her room.

Now panting heavily, Audra noticed just how aggressive her mood had metamorphosed. She felt sweaty moisture mingle with the heavy beads of blood from where she ripped off the chain.

She wiped the blood off her neck. It still seemed purple but looked to be getting darker.

"Oh no." She whimpered, barely audible.

Audra's blood was usually dark, in her "true" form, but never that dark.

"This can't bring about any good; that's for certain."

"I mean, that's what you said about me and Roady, and I guess you were right. He left me for-"

Audra whipped around, frantic.

"Elf... WHAT!"

Audra's thoughts raced. Did Elf see the blood on her hand and possibly neck?

Elf eyes widened and she slinked to the cold stone floor.

"Audra, don't be angry with me. I... am providing valuable romance knowledge to help you... when you experience it. Yes."

Audra rolled her eyes in relief.

"Elf, I'm not a romantic. But what- You know you are not supposed to come down here without permission."

Elf ignored the latter remark, choosing to focus on the first.