a Primal Pursuit

four

He growled deeply; the sound vibrating my insides. "You think she would?"

I nodded. "She is money hungry. With me gone..."

"You fear your sister is next to be used?"

"I do." I sniffed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "What has even happened to my hometown, you know?"

The question was rhetorical, but when Asra tensed, I knew there was something up. I pulled away from him, trying to catch his gaze, but he was frowning down at his lap instead.

"Asra..." I drawled, and he grunted. "What do you know?"

"Nothing in particular." He muttered.

"So... something?" I quirked an eyebrow.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "After I found out about your previous... relationships, I was ready to charge that pathetic town and tear it to the ground."

My eyes widened. "Did you?"

He growled, baring his teeth. "Rio stopped me, talked me out of it."

"Oh... So, you didn't go near?" I pouted.

"I didn't even leave my pack grounds." He shook his head, finally looking me in the eye. "I sent people to scout instead. I wanted to make an attack but..."

My breath hitched as I searched his face for any sign of what he knew. His eyebrows were furrowed, lips pursed into a frown. He took my hand again, playing with my fingers as he debated his answer.

"They go on as though nothing happened." He muttered. "Everything seems normal."

"And my sister?"

"Until I know who I am looking for... I can tell them to look for her."

I swallowed. "And what of the town?"

"What about it?" He cocked his head.

I nervously licked my lips. "They are illegally hiding from you... Is anything being done?"

Asra's lips quirked in the corner as he gazed at me. "You are a clever little thing, aren't you?"

Grimacing, I nudged him with my elbow. "I was being trained to be a leading lady of that town. I know what happens to lawbreakers."

His nose twitched, swiftly revealing one sharp canine. "They are under review. It takes a while to go to trial. If this was the old times, I would've slaughtered the entire town."

Ignoring his blatant taste for human flesh, I shook my head. "Who are they?"

"So many questions." He mused as I scowled. "The human leaders are aware of trials. When they are found guilty, we will take them down. From there, the village shall be destroyed or overrun, and the humans spread out amongst wolf districts."

"When is the trial?" I cocked my head.

"I am unsure. They are not so... fast with things like this unless there is a dire need for consequence." He grimaced.

"So my sister..."

"May still be there. Someone has not brought here her as a mate since, and we killed no females that day."

I froze, looking at him with confusion. "So, they killed males? Why was this all so hidden from me? Why do I not know any of this about my old town?"

Asra growled, his chest vibrating with force. "I do not want you to think of that town. One that allows you to be mistreated, one that begs and reeks of desperation. Respect is earned, love is cherished, and I will be damned to let you go back to thinking you are nothing."