The Lonely God

23.

-HER-

"Nefret." I look up from my book to find Phoebe standing by the door of my room. I keep my book away and nod at her in acknowledgement.

"I want to talk to you." She says grimly.

"Go on. You're already doing that."

"Stay in your limit, Nefret," Phoebe says. A dangerous amount of power radiating off her body. I can sense her wolf on the surface. Her eyes are dark and it didn't take me long to realize what she's talking about.

"What do you meant, Phoebe?"

"I am the Alpha, and you're below me. So stay there." She growls stepping forward. I look her dead into the eyes which are now two black abysses.

"I'll try." I feel Vesta speak on my behalf. She looks guttural and ready to attack. I compose myself for a possible attack.

"Look, Nefret. I am leaving you this time but if you repeat it again then remember that I have the power to banish you from the pack. I won't think twice to do it. You're trouble for this pack and I won't hesitate to eliminate you on your slightest mistake." By the time she finishes speaking, Vesta is fighting for control. She wants to show her what we're capable of. She may be an Alpha by title but she's forgetting that I have Alpha blood running in my veins as well. I am as powerful as her... or even more.

"Was that a threat?"

"Yes."

"Great."

Without another word, she turns on her heels and leaves my room. I see Archander leaning by the door, looking at me.

"You don't belong here." He says, his eyes studying me pensively.

"Neither do you."

~

Time flew by.

Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months and slowly, months turned into years.

I am twenty-three now, traveling around the world, forging allies and influencing the relationships between the packs diplomatically. Archander follows me like a shadow. Watching, advising and helping me.

I am surprised to have lived so long. As each day passes, I feel more and more distant from this mortal world. There's this loneliness that follows me where ever I go. It scares me sometimes but I am used to it. The subject of my nightmares has changed from Arles to a nagging voice telling me that 'I stole fire and I'll be punished for it.' But it's not like Arles has left my nightmares totally. He appears sometimes, his hooded figure pushing me off the cliff or throwing balls of black fire at me.

Sometimes I swear I could feel him looking at me from the shadows. Five years have passed since I completed my first task. He never came back with the third one and I couldn't be more grateful for that.

As I step inside the border of my pack, my head instantly shoots up to see the only flowering tree on this snowy land. The white flowers are shedding their petals signaling that it's the Calentha Ceremony. It's a ceremony performed by the people of my pack to thank goddess Ishtar for blessing them with mates.

I don't have one so I try to avoid being in the pack whenever the ceremony takes place. But this time I couldn't avoid it because first, I am done with work early and second, the annual Alpha meet is going to be held in our pack this year, which means that I have to be present here and help with the preparations.

I sigh deeply, embracing myself for the new wounds that I am about to get. I have been away for a week as I was visiting some packs in the south for some diplomatic issues. I wish if I stayed there a little longer.