"Do you understand the implications of what you have told us?" The Eye asked the wolf, her piercing ice blue eyes calculating his reaction, assessing him.
"Yes," he said.
"You would sacrifice your pack for one?" She affirmed, face neutral and portraying no emotion to give away her thoughts to him.
"They have done enough," he said.
"And not you?"
"Yes, me too," he affirmed, "I didn't realise it until she was gone, that-that well, I had ruined her life. We all did, I should have done something I should have stopped-" he faltered, "never mind."
The eye cocked her head to the side.
"Why?" she said, "Why go to me, now? What do you get in return? Retribution? Nobody seeks that without a cost."
He shifted on his feet, "My mate, she uh, she's pregnant but I'm told she'll die."
The Eye nodded and waved her hand reverently, calling a Council member to her side, before whispering in her ear. Although he had excellent hearing, he could not make sense of the intelligible clicks and trills from her lips.
She turned back to him, icy eyes once more piercing his soul.
"The court shall hear your case. You wish to see your mate and child alive in exchange for your pack, position and your wolf. Those are the terms."
He nodded, "Will you punish my pack?"
She smiled, coldly as if she was mocking his childlike naivety, he was brave to come to her, but was still too young.
"Pup," she said, "We deal the justice that it is due, to Eden and to all others destroyed and ravaged by your people. Their fate is in our hands and Eden's is in yours."
He nodded, anxiety filling him at the unnatural thought of betraying his pack, but every time he faltered he remembered those haunting eyes as he held the gun to his sister's face.
"Leave me," the Eye ordered, "Until justice is served: Alpha Drake of the Mahery pack – kuze saphinda ukuhlangana."
**
"How long have you been out here?" Cesare asked, plopping down next to where I was straining to touch my toes – I was so very close and shut my eyes against the stretching pain of my muscles.
"Not long," I replied.
Cesare checked his watch, simultaneously shielding his eyes from the glaring sun, "Four hours? I'd say that was pretty long."
"I need to train," I told him, "I-I've got to get stronger."
Cesare's face turned to sympathy as I looked up, causing me to frown. I didn't need pity – I was a Luna.
"Eden, you don't have to change for me or the pack. You're not weak."
"I am," I replied resolutely, staring at him fully in the eyes for the first time. "I-I am."
Cesare sighed, "I don't want you to get sick."
"I won't."
"Look Eden, you don't have to fight for this pack or lead them, I'm perfectly capable I don't want you to push yourself-"
"I have to!" I retaliated, voice cracking, "What if he comes back, what if- what if I can't escape I need to be strong, I have to be."
"Oh." Was his only reply and I scowled up at him before standing up – "I'm going for a run."
"I'm coming with you." He said, insisting on following at my heels, I growled and jogged faster, entering into the forest. He was right on my tail and I had to speed up to avoid colliding into him – it was incredibly annoying. I turned sharply down a trail to my left, picking up speed as a dodged tree roots until I had unintentionally began running.
He was fast, coming up to my side – "Eden you should slow down."
For once both me and my wolf agreed that we should speed up. I was tired of taking orders.
"Eden!" he warned again, sounding further behind me. I heard him mutter, "I don't know what Chloe's been teaching her," under his breath.
My frown deepened and I sped faster, my lungs beginning to my protest and my calves aching – but I wouldn't give up. I won't slow down. I won't.
His footfalls were heavy behind me as he chased after me, I turned to the right and I could hear him tossing tree branches out of his way in my wake.
I couldn't stop. He was chasing me. "Stop!" he yelled, causing my eyes to widen and my blood to turn to ice.
My heart was still pumping fast, faster than my footfalls as I tore through the forest. They were behind me, chasing me – forcing me towards the lake. I didn't want to go there, but I could see Jonathon on my right.
"Stop!" he growled menacingly, "Stop running!"
I jumped over a tree root, almost stumbling before I kept going, faster and faster towards the lake clearing. Fear drove me onward – maybe I could run past the lake and escape for good.
"I'll kill you!" he yelled, growling loudly in frustration. My eyes widened as I saw a wolf jump in front of me, cutting me off so sharply that I barrelled into it, sending me sprawling to the floor. My back hit the grass of the clearing – I could feel it tickling at my arms and I could hear the birds on the lake screeching as they fled the wolves.
The wolf that had tripped me was on my chest in an instant, claws digging into my flesh as it made sure I couldn't run any further. Jonathon was still in his human form and he was livid, his muscles rippling as he stormed up to me; I could see him from the corner of my eye, above the snarling jaws of the grey wolf.
My hair was in his grasp faster than anticipated, ripping me away from the wolf causing an agonising fissure in my stomach where the claws had been. I cried out, stumbling back on my feet, now feeling the burn of my ankles after my frantic sprint.
He punched me in the jaw, cracking my head to the side, his hands still gripping my hair as he forced me to stand.
"Are you going to run from me again?" He bullied, glaring down at me.
"N-no," I replied, unable to shake my head due to his tightening restraint. Until he abruptly dropped me, making me fall to the ground, my head cracking against the dirt. I had expected more and was confused, until I was hauled onto James' shoulder, who had shifted. I was momentarily disoriented, the blood rushing to my head and I could see the ground speeding past until his feet were on the wooden slats of the pontoon.
I gasped trying to free myself from his hold, but he held fast, his nails digging into my bare calves. I was petrified of water and they knew that.
They just didn't care.
I was frozen in fear when he kept going, I could see the murky water below me, I was deliberately hanging near the edge. His foot stopped where the wood dropped off, where there was no more land but endless depths of water.
I could scarcely breathe, my diaphram expanding faster to get air into my lungs as I stared wide eyed into the depths. James dumped me from his shoulder, landing me in front of them both, feet scrabbling to stay on the decking – I could feel the rough edge of the wood on the base of my foot.
Jonathon's hand shot out to my neck, pushing me back until I had to grapple onto his arm to keep myself from falling, my tiptoes frantically trying to find purchase on the edge – scraping the skin in the process.
He squeezed tighter, sending me into a frenzy, my nostrils flaring as my throat was constricted, I was unwittingly forcing his hand to squeeze harder the more I grappled to stay above the water. He laughed at me, enjoying the sheer terror in my eyes no doubt, I could scarcely register it over the pounding in my ears.
His hand left my neck and I fell.
My stomach flipped as I plummeted down, breaking the still surface of the water with an almighty splash, my head slipping under. I was murky and dark, I couldn't see. I frantically waved my limbs, fighting my way to the surface where I gasped, taking in as much oxygen as I could before I was dragged under again.
I couldn't swim, I didn't know how - I fought to stay above the surface, water stinging my eyes and clogging my ears and nose. I could hear faint jeering and laughter, which faded every time I was plunged under again.
I couldn't breathe.
"Eden!" he yelled, "Eden breathe, you need to breathe."
I gasped, my eyes flying open as I coughed for air, my chest painfully tight as I try to gather air back into my lungs. My head was dizzy, my vision blurring as I grappled at the dirt underneath my fingers, scratching my fingernails against a pebble. Relief replaced the fear, feeling the ground and not the endless expanse of water.
I could breathe.
When I felt my lungs had inflated enough I tried to level out my breathing, inhaling through my nose to calm myself down. I was sitting, splayed out on the forest floor and my knee stung; I must have grazed it somehow.
I looked up, seeing Cesare through cleared eyes, he was opposite me; his hands out as if bracing to catch me. He looked almost as shaken as I felt, literally – my fingers trembled as it continued to relish in the dirt under my nails.
He didn't come any closer than his few feet away, eyes searching me, "Are you okay now?" he asked.
"I'm fine," I said, frustration replacing the fear that still lingered in my veins and I picked up a rock flinging it into a tree yelling, "Damn it!"
Cesare just stared passively at where the rock had hit the tree, turning back to me, "I'm sorry for chasing you."
"It's fine. I'm fine." I reassured him, getting to my feet, but I was unstable and fell back, Cesare launched forward in time to catch me before swinging me up into his arms.
I was shocked, but let him carry me back in the direction we had ran, glancing up at him with wide eyes. His hands were warm where they rested around my waist and under my legs, making me blush at the close contact.
For once I found that I didn't mind.
The steady pace at which he carried me helped loll my heart back into a humane pace. He glanced down at me every so often, making sure I was still okay.
"You scared me there," he began, "You just, I don't know, you weren't here. You were somewhere I couldn't reach."
I sighed, contemplating what had happened.
"What actually happened?" I asked, "What did I do?"
"Well you were running but then you tripped, when I came to help you, you had blanked out. You were struggling to breathe...like you were drowning or something."
"I was..." I whispered, "I had a memory about...ab-"
I couldn't finish.
"Don't worry," Cesare soothed, "you don't have to tell me but I would really like to know at some point so I can help you. It was so scary not knowing what to do."
**
I giggled, still invariably shaken up by the experience but happily laughing at Cesare as he made cupcakes.
His face was so serious as he stirred up the mixture.
"What you laughing at?" He questioned with mock hurt.
My face fell, faltering with the age old question before I caught myself and pushed those bad thoughts away to regain my smile.
"You." I said.
"Is that so?" He replied with an eyebrow raised, before gesturing to me, "Come over, you can mix it for me if you think I'm doing such a bad job."
I moved toward him, taking the spoon as he offered it to me. He twirled away to gather more ingredients as I began mixing the substance together. It was quite hard work. He grabbed the eggs and placed them in the counter next to me.
"Do you know how to crack an egg?" He asked, I nodded and he gave me an egg. I smashed it against the side of the bowl before putting my fingers in the cracks and separating the halves. Unfortunately, it meant that some small pieces of the shell got in the mixture, Cesare clicked his tongue and shook his head.
I was a little worried he was angry but he merely smiled as he fished the pieces out, before expertly cracking his own eggs, sticking his tongue out at me as he did so.
I laughed.
I managed to mix the rest of it whilst Cesare prepared all the ingredients, making it in good time with the chocolate chips as the only left ingredient. Cesare dumped as many as he thought should go in, not caring to measure them out. There was still a few left in the packet, he chucked one up into the air and caught it, winking when he saw me watching.
"Your turn," he stated, hands ready to throw one of the chips, I opened my mouth to humour him, not at all surprised when it missed completely. He insisted we try again, him throwing them constantly, most of the time only succeeding in hitting my nose.
He pouted when he saw we had used them all up.
"Alright, lets' get them in the oven – can you open the door?"
I followed instruction, watching as they slid into the oven and he closed the door. I turned around to face Cesare just as I saw Celia walk into the kitchen.
She smirked and quicker than I could react, she had grabbed an egg from the box and had cracked it on top of Cesare's head. She was in hysterics as she saw the egg yolk dribble down his face; she was clutching her stomach as I watched on in horror.
Cesare froze, no doubt feeling the cold yolk dribble down his shirt and turned on his sister. I took a few steps back, frightened by the look on his face.
He grabbed a handful of flour from the bag, chucking it at Celia who squealed when her face was coated in white powder- "That's it!" she declared, grabbing the sugar which she launched at Cesare.
He retaliated with an egg as I cowered back in a corner of the kitchen, staring in dismay as they trashed the kitchen. Suddenly a handful of flour wacked me in the face, I froze, glancing up at Celia, the culprit who giggled in glee.
Cesare looked concerned, but walked calmly up to me, careful not to spook me as he handed me an egg. I stared down at it, "Go on," he encouraged.
I bit my lip, "Are you sure?"
"Please," he said. I closed my eyes and winced as I chucked it, rewarded by a squeak from Celia, opening my eyes to find her hair dripping in egg yolk. I thought she'd be angry, but she smiled and beckoned for me to come towards her.
I frowned, confused, before she threw an egg at me which she had hidden behind her back. I was shocked, feeling it drip down my neck. Cesare growled, launching towards Celia, who began grabbing whole ketchup bottles of the side. He looked towards me for help and I grabbed a mustard bottle,
chewing on my lip before squeezing and squirting it all over her.
Soon the kitchen, and ourselves, were a mess and I was slipping all over the floor as I tried to run from Celia who was charging towards me with chocolate sauce. Cesare grabbed me by the waist, swinging me behind him as a giggle escaped my lips, letting himself take the brunt of the sauce.
I had never laughed so much.
We also trashed the kitchen.
**
"Hey, Eden, I was wondering if-" Cesare began, walking out of the bathroom after he had finished getting ready for the day. I wasn't able to concentrate on what he was saying. My wolf was incredibly antsy, demanding, forcing and manipulating me into shifting over to her form.
I refused.
I wasn't ready for the pain or to trust the creature invading my thoughts.
The more I pushed back the more she grew angry, livid that I could ignore her.
She didn't talk to me, but I didn't need her to and she didn't want to because of her pride.
Cesare was staring warily at me as I emerged from the closet, hands fidgety.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah," I recollected myself, "Yeah I'm fine."
He raised an eyebrow, "Mate, I know when you're lying," he said, not unkindly, "You can tell me."
"I erm, it's just my wolf – but it's nothing."
I tried to walk past him, out to anywhere but with him when my wolf was this wild and savage. I needed clear air to dispel her anger and attempt to control it. He stopped me before I could leave, gently grabbing me by the elbow to bring me to a halt by the doorway.
His touch sent a jolt through me, as if suddenly waking up – almost akin to fear but a far more pleasant sensation. I stared at him with wide eyes.
"Please don't hide from me," he pleaded, eyes staring directly into mine. I didn't look away for once, drawn in by his eyes – like standing on a bridge and looking into the water, contemplating whether to jump or not.
There was something there, ignited between us that I didn't understand. Cesare smiled, the corner of his mouth upturned as he tentatively took me by the other elbow so I was facing him head on.
My wolf howled, making me jump which caused Cesar's eyes to sadden.
She was rabid, I had managed to ignore her for a few seconds but she took advantage of my distraction to gather her strength and surge forward in my mind.
I clenched my fists, grabbing on to the bottom of Cesare's shirt to hold steady. I didn't have to look to know my veins were blackening again.
My mind was rushing, being pushed and tugged in different directions. She kept changing what she wanted, did she want to shift or grab onto Cesare?
"Are you okay?" Cesare asked, very concerned.
My mind was in turmoil; I couldn't decipher my emotions between my wolf. I was angry, sad, vengeful – everything was blended together and converging inside my chest. I was so confused, I was drowning in my own emotions; tossed and turned between me and her. Pushed and forced into bending my will and allowing her to break free.
I had only one coherent thought that I could grapple on to, that we could both agree on.
So I did the only thing I could think to do.
I kissed him.