Age of War: Book One - Alliance of Wolves

Chapter Twelve - Instinct

The days till Full Moon faded away like mist and Drew found himself waiting at a back gate for Blaze and Cimmorene. They were supposed to meet there the eve of Full Moon and leave for the King's Forest before sunset. The Forest was on the outskirts of the city, in a walled off section that very few could enter.

To his surprise, Cimmorene arrived alone.

"Where's Blaze?"

"He had some things he needed to finish up. He'll be here soon."

"Oh, alright." They stood a few feet apart neither speaking. It was the first time they had been alone with each other, and the first they had seen each since Drew had fought with Blaze. All Drew could think about was how Cimmorene had reacted, how she'd backed away in fear. "Cimmorene?"

"Yes?"

"I'm- I'm sorry for the other day. It's needless to say that I overreacted a bit."

Cimmorene looked at the ground. "Blaze and I already talked about that," she said quietly. "You were right. We overstepped our boundaries." This wasn't what Drew had expected. He would've almost had her yelling at him. Yelling he could handle. "And I don't know if Blaze told you, he probably didn't, but I was the one who was pushing for things to happen so fast. I got a bit too excited."

"It's fine, really." He paused. "Why were you excited?"

Cimmorene looked up, surprise in her eyes. "I've never been with other werewolves on the Full Moon."

"What?"

"There aren't any other werewolves in the city. At least, none that are willing to reveal themselves to the king. I've always spent Full Moon alone."

"I did too." Why am I telling her this?

"Really?"

"Last month was the first time I've ever not spent Full Moon in a locked room." That was too much information! Horror washed across Cimmorene's face. Horror and understanding.

"I've done that a few times too. King Haedrik isn't fond of werewolves, and until I was taught how to control my wolf, I was locked up."

"Who taught you how to control your wolf?" It still seemed strange to Drew that other werewolves weren't in tune with their wolves the same way he was. Was it another black mark against him that he hadn't needed help?

Cimmorene shrugged. "Some old werewolf they found at the slave market. He was here for a few days and then left again. It took me three months after that to gain control." There was something about the way she spoke that piqued Drew's curiosity.

"How old were you?"

"When I Shifted or when I learned control?"

"Both."

A blush crept up her neck and looked anywhere but at Drew. "Fifteen and seventeen."

"You've only been allowed in the forest for three years?"

"Yeah, about. What about you?" It was a desperate attempt to move the attention away from herself and they both knew it. Do we answer?

She'll either feel worse about herself, freak out, or both.

But she told us, we'd be a jerk not to tell her.

Fine.

"I was ten."

She would've looked less shocked if he'd slapped her. "When you Shifted?"

"And I never had a problem with controlling my wolf."