Phun stood outside the cells, studying the three mages locked inside. The youngest of the two males stood in front of the other two. A glare etched into his dirty face. His stance clearly said 'don't go near them'. The other two held onto each other tightly. The child buried her head against the man's neck. She trembled within his hold. The father, at least Phun assumed he was the father by his protective hold and strong look in his eyes, studied the Alpha closely.
The three looked terrible. Exhaustion was obvious. The smell that wafted from them was disgusting and stung Phun's nose; a mixture of blood, sweat, and burnt flesh. It was clear to him that the mages had been through hell. What had forced the mages to travel wolf territory? Whatever it was must have been terrible for them to put themselves in such a state.
He turned to one of the guards. "Lucas, will you bring Mari here and ask Win to prepare some food?" Lucas, a tall lean wolf, bowed then left to do as ordered. The Alpha faced the mages again.
"What are your names," he asked looking each of the two men in the eye.
The mage standing in front didn't say anything. His glare faltered slightly as his mouth started to open. But he clamped it shut, crushing his lips into a thin line. Phun could tell the mage was just acting tough. Exhaustion had taken it's toll. Deep tired lines were etched across his pale face. Dirt and dried blood smeared his features and his hair was knotted and greasy. His clothes were even worse. Blood soaked his arm and side. A burned gash stung painfully on his arm. A bright red hand print surrounded the wound.
The older mage adjusted his hold on his daughter. "I'm Shin," he stated evenly. "This is Lilly, my daughter and he," Shin nodded toward the other man. "Is my brother, Per."
Considering how his brother looked, Shin seemed to have faired far better. He had dirt and sweat smeared all over. His hair was flatter, skin darker. Exhaustion was clear though, so was hunger.
"I'm Phun the Alpha of the Lunar Melody pack. This," Phun gestured toward his Beta, "is Ohm, my Beta."
The Beta grinned and waved his fingers at the mages. Per's eyes narrowed as he scowled at the Beta. Shin kept his eyes trained on him. Something about the way the elder mage studied Phun, made him uneasy. Was he waiting for his chance to escape? Though, the Alpha had to admit it wouldn't be the smartest move. Their abilities were sealed, thanks to the cuff, and they were right in the middle of a pack of wolves. Lunar Melody wasn't the biggest nor strongest pack but they would be formidable to a couple of mages.
The door at the top of the stairs opened pulling four sets of eyes toward it. Phun, expecting to see Mari was surprised to see Noh stepping down. He softly smiled as his mate strolled toward him. He reached out a hand and lightly creased down Noh's arm to his hand, squeezing it. His mate smiled, returning his touch.
Turning back to the mages Phun asked, "Why are you here?"
Noh moved away from Phun to lean against the wall across from the cells. Ohm joined him. He whispered into his ear, explaining what had happened before he arrived.
"You brought us here," Per stated, eyebrows raising.
Ohm snickered under his breath. Noh, with the back of his hand, slapped the Beta across his chest. Phun looked at him from the corner of his eye. The Beta cleared his throat and looked away.
"Let me rephrase. Why are mages in wolf territory?" He forced a harsh tone into his voice.
Per shrugged, arms crossing. "Passing through." Phun's eyes narrowed, twitching to stare at Shin.
"We're trying to make it to the border up north. Nothing more than that," Shin added.
They were heading toward the border? Wouldn't it have been easier and quicker if they had used the southern border? It's closer and a lot less dangerous. Unless, Phun's eyes darted to the wound on Per's arm, they weren't safe in the south. What exactly were they running from?
"Why," Ohm blurted.
The two male prisoners looked at each other. Some kind of silent conservation passed through them. Phun looked between the two mages. Per's eyebrows furrowed, lips pressing together. Shin's lips parted, eyes pinching together. He shook his head then gripped his daughter tighter and burying his head into the child.
The Alpha gazed down at the tiny back of the child. She hadn't moved since they were in the clearing. She had latched onto her father and remained there. Phun wondered if the girl had fallen asleep but with the tension emitting from the two mages as well as the wolfs, he found it unlikely. Children were a lot more perceptive than adults liked to believe. She most likely was on guard.
Per turned calm eyes onto the wolves. "We didn't have a choice," he said in a soft and strained voice.
"Wha—"
"Now, now, Phun can't you give these men a break," said a crisp voice.
Turning toward the voice Phun dipped his head in greeting. Mari, a woman with soft curly brown hair and skin several shades darker stepped off the last step. Mick followed her close behind, a bag in his hands.
"As you can tell, they have been through quiet a bit and you called me here for a reason. So, shall I do my job?" She gave Phun a stern look, hands going to her waist. The Alpha gave her a loving smile. The healer had always been like a second mother to him and more so since his own mom was off exploring the world. Being older and wiser he depended on her more than Phun probably should.
"Mari, always a pleasure," Ohm teased. The healer shot him a glare before turning to face the cells. The Beta chuckled. His eyes darted to the small boy that scampered out from behind the older woman. "Mick," he called, voice softening. The boy twitched but kept his head down, refusing to acknowledge the greeting. The Beta's eyes closed, eyebrows pinching together. Noh shook his head at the stubbornness between the two.
"You," Mari announced, motioning with her head toward Per. "You seem worse for wear. I'll take you first." She twisted to face her Alpha and signaled with her eyes for him to open the cell. Phun sighed with a slight shake of his head. He edged toward the cells.
"No," the mage barked. The Alpha's hand paused over the lock. The healer, who was walking toward a table and chair, stopped and slowly turned around. All eyes focused on him. "The child, please."
Phun's eyes widen. The young mage was obviously in pain, the red mark on his arm burned brightly, and Mari had the ability to numb his pain. But instead, he'd rather the child be tended to first. Admirable. He gave the mage a small smile and nod. He unlocked the cell and stepped in.
Passing Per, Phun stopped in front of Shin and Lilly. Gesturing with his hands for the father and daughter to head out of the cell. The mage eyed Phun before following his silent instructions. He followed behind not bothering to lock the cell. He knew Per wouldn't bolt. Their family bond was too strong for the mage to leave them behind and save himself. At least, Phun liked to believe.
Shin stepped out of the cell and slowly edged toward the healer. Mari stood by the only table the room had to offer. Mick stood on the other side, arranging things from the bag. He placed a small wooden bowl in front of him and several jars of herbs next to it. He then sat down a larger bowl on the table and filled it with water. Mari dunked a soft brown towel into the bowl. She rang it out and gestured with her head from the mage to the chair.
He hesitated near the chair, struggling with releasing his hold on the girl and not letting her go. Phun didn't blame him. They were, after all, in a dangerous territory.
One of Mari's eyebrows lifted. "Oh, just sit down and put the child in your lap," she snapped. Shin flinched, quickly taking a seat. "I'm a healer, mage. My training is for one purpose, so stop worrying."
The healer knelt in front of Shin. She lightly turned Lilly so she was facing the healer. Shin's hands wrapped around the girl's belly, securing her to him. Mari smiled as the girl's large eyes met hers. With the damp towel she cleaned the child's face.
"What's your name," Mari asked softly. The child twisted her head back to look up at her father. He gave her a nod.
"Lilly," she stated, her lavender eyes studying the healer.
"Pretty. Like you." She smiled lightly bopping the child on her nose. Lilly giggled. The healer began her examination, cleaning the small wounds on her and checking for any major wounds. She mumbled off the things she saw to Mick. The boy pulled the smaller bowel toward him and started adding herbs. He mashed them together creating a mushy goop. When he was done he stood and moved toward the girl. Lilly glanced his way and gave the boy a sloppy smile. He returned her smile with a wink. With a light touch Mick covered her wounds with his salve. She shivered.
"It's cold, isn't it," Mick asked with a chuckle. Lilly nodded and gave an extravagant shiver.
Off to the side Mari was examining Shin. Most of his wounds were minor, just scratches and cuts. He did have a large slash across his side. Luckily, it never broke his skin, merely burning it.
"This," the healer started, holding up her fingers with the salve on them, "will clean any wounds you may have." She smothered it onto his side. The mage flinched against the cold concoction. "It'll numb your pain as well." He hummed as her fingers rubbed quickly against his flesh. Mari's eyes twitched toward the girl as she giggled at something Mick said. "She's adorable."
"Thank you."
"Interesting, though, I've never met a mage with such clear lavender eyes."
"Have you met many mages in your life?"
The healer looked up at Shin meeting his eyes. "A few. I was alive during the war."
Shin's eyes widen, mouth dropping into an O. He clicked it closed and stated "that was fifty years ago." Mari nodded, lips tilting at one side. "Couldn't tell at all."
Standing up, the healer patted him on the cheek with her half smile blooming into a full blown grin. "Sweet boy." She turned away and grabbed some cotton rolls from the bag, wrapping the wound quickly.
Per swayed as he tried to make his way out of the cell. He leaned his back against the iron, gripping his injured arm. His skin had grown a lot paler and sweat ran down his face, soaking his shirt collar. He panted as his legs shook. Phun glanced over at the mage before racing toward him. He caught Per just as he was sliding to the floor. He hauled the boy up and swung his arm around his own neck.
"I'm alright," the mage grummbled, trying to pull his arm away from Phun. The Alpha tsked and tightened his hold on the boy. He dragged him toward the table.
Shin sat Lilly down and rushed toward his brother. He grabbed Per's other arm and helped Phun drag him to the chair.
Once Per was seated Mari quickly went to work on his arm. The red burn was the least of her worries. The gash went deep into his arm. The skin around it had been singed. She needed to clean the wound before she could even think about setting forth to healing it.
"Well, this is nasty," Mari noted. Per hmmed in response. She pulled the large bowel toward her and added a few herbs. After stirring it, the healer dunked the towel into it.
Mick was mixing something in another bowel. He murmured the recipe to himself as he worked. Once he was done he pulled out an empty jar. He poured a small amount of water into the jar and added his mixture. After closing the lid, the boy shook the jar causing the liquid to turn a brown-ish green.
"Alright," he began, walking around Per. "This will help with the pain and aid in healing that burn. It's gross but you have to drink it all."
Per looked up at him then to the jar. He grimaced. The already obvious disgusting liquid had floaters swirling about. The mage swallowed, lips turning down. Slowly he reached out for the jar, his hand hesitating. Shaking his head, he grabbed the jar, unscrewed the lid and downed it in one shot. Both Mick and Ohm ohhed as he swallowed.
While Per's attention was on Mick, Mari focused on his wound. She quickly cleaned the wound, adding some of the salve Mick had made into the gash. The healer felt the boy stiffen as she worked. Her eyes slid up, meeting his dark gray ones. She gave him a soft smile.
"This wound is quiet interesting," Mari stated turning back to the gash. "In all my years of being a healer I've only come across something similar once." She looked up and to the side, meeting Shin's eyes. "When I was a girl and the war was in full swing." The healer looked at Per. The boy swallowed, averting his eyes. She studied him briefly before turning back to her job. Once the cleaning and the salve was done Mari stood and faced Mick. "Child, can you finish up?" Mick quickly stood and nodded. "Phun," the healer meet he Alpha's eyes, "can we have a word?" She motioned with her head toward the stairs.
Not waiting for a response Mari head for the stairs. Phun had no choice but to follower her. Sometimes, the healer forgot Phun was her Alpha and not the little boy he once was. She's always been headstrong, even with his father.
Phun followed her out of the cells with Noh and Ohm on his heels. Once the door closed behind them he turned to face the healer. She leaned against a wall, arms crossed, eyes staring at the floor. She didn't seem to notice three pairs of eyes watching her. Phun cleared his throat. Mari slowly looked up at him. Her eyebrows were pinched together and her lips pulled into a straight line.
"That wound was not caused by a wolf or anything in the north." Mari's voice was pulled tight.
"What do you mean," Ohm asked shifting his weight from foot to foot.
"Mages," Phun whispered, more to himself.
"Exactly," Mari agreed. She uncrossed her arms and pushed away from the wall.
"But why?" Phun rubbed the back of his neck, eyebrows pinching together. "They chose to head for the northern border instead of the southern, chased by their own people, even wounded. Why? What are they running from?"
"The child," the healer voiced softly. Her eyes wide, mouth dropping slightly open. She met Phun's confused eyes. "It's the child. There's something different about her. Something I can't place my hand on. She's, damn it, I don't know!" Mari started pacing, her hand scratching through her hair.
The Alpha nodded, agreeing with the healer. The child had piqued his interest. She didn't smell like a mage, in fact, she didn't smell like anything he had ever smelled before. So she was different, that didn't explain why the mages were running from their own people. Was she something dangerous? If that was the case was it smart for them to be in Lunar Melody?
"Win," Noh called bringing Phun out of his thoughts. He twisted around to find the young boy, tray in hand, staring wide eyed at the closed door that lead down into the cells. "What's wrong with you?"
The boy shook his head, taking a step closer to the door. "I don't know," he breathed. "There's this smell. I've... I've never smelled something like this before."
The four adults looked at each other. Each realizing what the smell could mean.
"Win, what does it smell like," Mari asked gently. She took a step closer to the boy, studying his face. Ohm positioned himself in front of the door, blocking Win from opening it.
"I don't know." The boy's eyebrows smashed together, head tilting to the side. "It's nice. Kind of sweet but with a hint of spice. I," he breathed out. Win shook his head a looked up at Phun. "Is that weird?"
"No, it's not. It's... umm." Phun struggled with explain what Win was smelling. He didn't really want to tell him the truth. Because Phun, himself, was struggling with the truth.
"Child, take that tray of food to my place," Mari ordered, pointing to the food. Phun and Ohm trained their eyes onto the healer.
Win looked down at the tray as if he had forgotten he was holding it. He swept his eyes up at Mari than toward the door. He gnawed on his lip, uncertainty evident.
"Do as she says, Win," Noh spoke up for the first time. He walked over to the boy and turned him away from the door. "Go on." He pushed Win toward the exit. The boy stumbled slightly before nodding and heading out of the hall.
"Well, this just turned complicated," Noh sighed turning to face the others.
"How is it possible," Ohm voiced.
"Easily," Mari replied. "No one said our mates couldn't be mages."
"Yea. But isn't that cruel to Win?"
"How so?"
"Their mages!" Ohm's voice rose.
"So what? Mates are mates." Mari's voice rose as well.
"It's wrong! They hate us!"
Mari stomped her foot, arms crossing. "How would you know what these three mage are. I don't see any hate in them what-so-ever! And trust me, I know what hate looks like."
"It—"
"Enough," Phun snapped bringing the argument to an end. "We do not chose our mates." He turned a glare on to Ohm.
"I'm guessing you have a plan, Mari? Sending Win to your place," Noh asked, arms crossing.
Mari faced her Alpha. "Let them stay with me." Phun started to say something but the healer held her hands up stalling him. "I want to study that child. Find out what she is and why they are on the run."
"They're dangerous," Phun stated matter-of-factly.
"What harm can they do with those cuffs on. Let alone, in the middle of a pack of wolves." Her eyes glanced toward the closed door. "Besides, one of them is the mate of our dear Win."
Mari was right. There wasn't much those mages could do with their abilities blocked. And Win.. Phun slid his hands through his hair. Damn, what else could he do? Keep them locked up? That just seemed cruel. But on the other hand, they were mages. Their kind and wolves don't mix. And with them on the run, they could bring more trouble to Lunar Melody. Getting them out of Lunar Melody was the smart thing to do but that would leave Win without a mate. And did Phun want to deprive the boy of having such a special bound.
Phun gazed at Noh, who gazed back. No, Win deserved to be happy.
"Fine," Phun finally spoke. He turned to Mari. "They can stay with you. Find out exactly why they are on the run and what that girl is." He faced Ohm. "I want a guard on them at all times. If anything happens and our pack is injured those mages will return to their cell. And I'll decide from there."
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Per found himself standing in the middle of a large room. Beds lined one wall; across from them was a wall of windows with shelves underneath. A large table with several chairs sat in the back. More shelves filled with jars, books, and other odd things lined the back wall. His eyes swept across the room to land on the old woman leaning against one of the beds. She wore a blank expression, arms crossed. Her eyes scanned Per and his brother. It made him incredibly uncomfortable. Like they were some kind of experiment for the lady. A shiver ran down his spine.
The odd turn of events were unexpected, to say the least. Per was sure they'd be spending the night in those cells. But when the Alpha and his people returned they announced Per and Shin would be staying at the healers. What was even odder was that the Alpha had informed them that they could move around freely, though there would be a guard following them. And now he was standing in front of his supposed caretaker, unsure and confused.
"This is where you'll be sleeping," the healer stated. She swung her arm, indicating to the beds. "Shower, eat," she pointed to a tray of food resting on the table, "and sleep. When you wake there will be questions. Not just from me." Mari smiled. "The others will be quiet curious about mages in our home." She pushed away from the bed and started heading toward a doorway in the back. "Through this doorway and the second door on the right is the bathroom. You'll find fresh towels and a change of clothes in there."
"Umm," Shin spoke up. "I don't mean to be rude but what the hell is going on?" So his brother was just as confused as he was.
The healer smiled at them. "Your recovery." She grinned. "Eat. Sleep. Questions can wait." With that Mari twisted around and exited.
"This is not what I expected," Shin expressed. He moved over to a bed and placed a sleeping Lilly on it.
"Yea. I was sure we'd be sleeping in that cell." Per slowly walked over to where the food rested.
"Me too. I don't know if I should wake Lilly. She's exhausted but a bath and food could do her good."
"Or wake her up to the point she wont go back to sleep. Just leave some food near your bed so if she does wake up she can eat then."
Shin moved Lilly into a more comfortable position and pulled the deep blue blanket over her. He gave her a kiss on the forehead before joining his brother at the table.
"What do you think they want with us," Per asked staring at the food. The tray was fully packed. A large portion of pot roast, carrots, rice, and a bowl of mixed fruit. A pitcher of water with lemon floating inside sat on the table with three glasses next to it. Per's mouth watered. It's been a while since he's had such a delicious looking meal. Without waiting for his brother, the boy dug in.
"The truth, probably." Shin grabbed the bowel of fruit and popped a grape into his mouth.
Per flicked his eyes up, a piece of meat hanging from his mouth. "And are we going to tell them," he asked, his voice muffled.
" I don't know."
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Pang was hanging out with her girlfriends when something wonderful met her nose. It was and earthy smell with a hint of wild flowers. She instantly felt compelled to follow the scent. She had brushed passed her friends edging toward the scent when she saw something odd. Two men and a child being led to the hospital. The odd thing was, Pang had never seen those three before. And Pang knew everyone in Lunar Melody. She took a few steps closer. The smell wafted toward her again. Her heart speed up and her breath caught when the man holding the child looked back.
His eyes scanned everything around him. Only lingering on Pang briefly. But it was enough for her to get a good view of him. The man had round cheeks, a small nose, and a wide mouth. His eyes had a slant to them. Sadly, from her distance, she couldn't get a good look at the color. He looked about average height and didn't seem to have much muscle. But Pang didn't mind. Because to her, and despite the grim coating his skin, the man was incredibly cute.
She bite the inside of her cheek, fighting her urge to get closer. It was a losing battle. Her feet carried her forward until she was a few feet away. That scent, that incredible scent floated toward her. And it came from him! She sucked in a breath and came to a complete stop when realization dawned. That man was her mate. Her heart pounded painfully. A mate, she had finally met her mate! She felt giddy at the realization. But who was he and why had she not met him in Lunar Melody before?
There was movement to her right that caught her attention. Turning her head Pang spotted one of her best friends stumbling around the corner. Her eyebrows knitted together, eyes narrowing. Win wasn't watching where he was going. He tripped over his feet as his wide eyes skimmed the area around him.
Pang stepped toward her friend, slightly worried. "Win," she called. The boy's head swiveled around. "What are you doing?"
"Pang." He took a breath, eyes scanning about again. "Do you know where that smell is coming from?"
The girl's eyes narrowed even more. Win was smelling something too? She swept her eyes toward the healers house. Pang stared at the white building.
"Win, is it a pleasant smell," she asked, looking back at her friend.
Meeting her eyes Win replied, "yea, it is. I've never smelled something like this before. It's amazing." His voice drifted off.
"You do realize what it means, right?" Win's eyebrows smashed together, head titling together. "Win, it means your mate is near by."
The boy's eyes widen, mouth dropping open. "What! A mate? Me?"
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Thanks for reading! <3
And yea I fail at updates but I'm not giving up on this story! I swear!!