Rejection Trials

Era,the Huntress

We found a wheelbarrow near their small farm area. Luckily, the wolves had shifted to their human forms, or they would not fit stacked up like that. Of course, I got to drag one. They aren’t heavy; I just do not want to pick that thing up. Even in their human forms, they looked wrong. There was black foam coming from their eyes, noses, and ears even. Blood continued to bubble out of their mouths too. Their red eyes remained even in their human form, which was off-putting to say the least.

“Where are we taking these?” I ask as I follow Syrus, who is pushing the wheelbarrow full of corpses through the trees. We managed to cross out of the pack border without dropping any bodies somehow.

“I know someone. They live nearby.” Syrus grumbles, trying to focus on their task.

“Just like you know the Moon Goddess,” I said.

“She’s not the only god I’ve met either,” Syrus says, pushing the barrow over a tree limb. I shook my head. Syrus is full of surprises.

“Is this person a friend or are you getting me into more trouble?” I inquired, knowing Sai would never give me a straight answer in this case.

“I think of them as a friend. She did say she would kill me the next time we meet though.” Syrus smirked as if remembering a fond memory. “Don’t worry, we’re bringing gifts.” Syrus motioned to the pile of dead wolves.

“Doesn’t sound like someone I want as a friend.” How do I just follow along with whatever Syrus is doing? This is insane. As an alpha, I should not be doing this. As a mate, I shouldn’t allow this. But with my mate, you don’t allow them to do anything. Syrus will do what they want, and you just join or miss out.

Crack! A loud shot rang out and the tree beside my head had a huge gunshot in it. That shot barely missed my head! Yet Syrus appears…giddy?

“Don’t worry,” Syrus says. Not reassuring me at all. “Era doesn’t miss. If you were the target, you’d be dead,” Syrus continues casually.

“Not another step Syrus.” I hear a sweet voice that fills the air.

“Era! I bring gifts.” Syrus gleefully throws one of the bodies down to the forest floor.

A beautiful woman in a sundress walks into view. Her curls bounced along with each step. I was so taken aback by how innocent she looked I hadn’t noticed the rifle in her hands. The way she lackadaisically swung the gun by her side as she approached unsettled me. She squatted down to inspect the body Sai offered her. The image of Syrus offering the literal moon goddess a frozen turkey comes to mind. I look over at the stack of bodies and how eager Sai looks as they watch Era inspect the dead man. Who is this woman to Syrus that they would offer an entire pile of dead rogues when they only offered the moon goddess frozen poultry?

Blood wolves. Tobias says. Once again, not elaborating.

“Are they blood wolves?” I ask. The woman with the warm brown skin looked up at me. I barely saw one of her eyebrows rise behind all her curls. Era looks over at Syrus, then points the butt of her rifle to gesture at me.

“Who is this?” She asks Sai.

“Uh…this…this is…” Syrus stuttered.

“Their mate.” I say sharply, wanting to get past introductions already.

“Belvedere Canisson?” Era asks with a large smile spreading across her face. “How charming. You came to visit me after I banned you from my sight, and you even brought your rejected mate along. Syrus where have your manners gone?” I couldn’t stop snorting.

“Syrus, what manners have you ever had?” I asked, trying to hold my laughter.

“You know I’d only risk your wrath if it was an emergency,” Syrus said, ignoring my comment. Sai’s eyes didn’t leave the woman with the gun the entire time. I’d never seen Syrus look at anyone with such admiration. I could feel a rumble of jealousy deep in my stomach.

Era looked up at me with rich hazel eyes and looked at me as she approached me. I’ve never witnessed a human approach an Alpha with such confidence. She’s not human. Not entirely. Tobias interjects.

Hunter? I question. I wonder if this is the hunter Syrus mentioned previously.

She doesn’t look or smell like a hunter, but it is possible. Does she have a mark on the upper part of one of her forearms? I was surprised at how talkative Tobias was.

As if she heard his inner dialogue, the woman stuck her hand out as if she wanted a handshake. There on the upper part of her extended forearm was some sort of runic branding. Hunter. Tobias confirmed as I cautiously extended my hand to meet her handshake. As I grasped her hand I felt a prick on the inner part of my index finger. The ring she’s wearing must have some kind of silver blade.

I let out a low growl that seemed to have no effect on the hunter. She was too busy rubbing my blood across her wrist in some sort of macabre gesture. She looked at the smear of red on her wrist while muttering some sort of language I didn’t understand. I looked over at Syrus, who was acting as if this was a normal greeting.

This must be the one that read Syrus’ blood. I could only grunt a response to my wolf. I suspected the same thing. I really question Syrus’ ability to judge other people’s character.

“I knew you were of royal blood, but I wasn’t expecting you to carry the Shadow Alpha.” As Era finished speaking, I could feel the surprise radiating from Tobias.

Shadow Alpha? I question my wolf.

A nickname I’ve picked up. It was all Tobias was willing to supply.

“Help me get the bodies back to my cottage.” She instructed Syrus, who eagerly loaded the body back onto the wheelbarrow.

Era’s cottage was up on tall stilts that looked like legs almost. I was dreading the concept of how we’d be able to get way up there without climbing. Before I could let out an annoyed groan, Era started muttering. I am assuming the same unknown language as before. As if her voice was conducting a symphony, vines and tree roots began to move, forming steps. I tilted my head upward, following the stairs as they spiraled towards the center of the cottage. It was then that I noticed the cottage didn’t have any doors that I could see.

“Wait here.” Era spoke again to Syrus. She is ignoring me completely. Syrus responded to the command by pouting. I was getting more annoyed by the minute.

Era ascended the stairs, and Syrus began laying the bodies side by side in a line. Odd. I thought to myself. But it was not as odd as Syrus pulling out a small knife and cutting one of the dead men’s arms. Then Syrus pulled up their own sleeve, revealing an array of runic symbols tattooed across their skin. Tattoos are common among werewolves, but these seemed to move slightly. My eyes must be tired. Syrus then made a symbol on their tattooed arm with the blood of the dead wolf. I reached over, snatching their arm.

“Syrus Barghest! Blood magic is forbidden and incredibly dangerous!” I snarled in their face. Syrus was mumbling in that unknown language while holding my gaze. I watched the blood glide up their arms and merge into the elaborate network of symbols across their exposed arm. I shook Syrus firmly as their eyes rolled back in their head momentarily continuing muttering.

“Blood magic is dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.” Era’s voice came from behind me. I turned and growled at her. “Calm down, I taught Syrus myself.” She continued, not reassuring me in the slightest.

“Syrus is not a witch. They cannot harness blood magic without it draining their life force,” I shouted. Syrus, still in my firm grasp, was looking up at me with wide eyes. Era’s laughter drew my attention back towards her.

“You haven’t told him?” She spoke to Syrus. I looked back at Syrus, who was biting their lips nervously.

“It never came up in conversation,” Syrus responded.