Bound By Faith Divided By Blood

Chapter 4.

Some time after her father left for the stream, Elera could feel Rowan's energy around and came out from where she was cleaning to find him pacing the front of their compound.

“Good morning,” she said, smiling. She hadn’t expected him to come so early.

“Good morning. How did you know I was out here?” he asked. She wasn’t ready to tell him she could sense energies, so she smiled.

“I saw you,” she said. “Are you coming in?” she asked. Rowan nodded, and she let him in. She offered him a seat while she went ahead to cook.

“I could get you a maid,” he said, and she stopped, turning back to him. How would a hunter be able to afford a maid? Rowan realized his mistake and smiled. “I mean, you could get a maid,” he corrected, and Elera smiled.

“I love doing house chores, so I told my father not to get one. I’m almost done,” she said and continued cooking. After preparing the meal, she went ahead to make smoked fish for him. Rowan enjoyed the fish, and after cleaning up, they headed for the hill.

“How did you find the hill?” Rowan asked as they walked side by side.

“When I was younger, my mom took me there twice just to see the world outside the village,” Elera said honestly with a smile.

“She must be beautiful,” Rowan said, and she turned to him.

“Yeah, she was,” she said.

“Was?” he asked, and she nodded.

“She’s late,” she said, and he smiled instead.

“I have a late mom too.” She found herself laughing. Usually, people got sad knowing she lost her mother, and for some reason, she never wanted them sad. She was happy for the time she had with her mother, and her father was more than the best.

“That makes us equal,” she giggled.

“Yeah,” he said.

The wind was pleasant, and the weather was favorable. They spoke about many unnecessary things, just enjoying each other's company as they walked to the hills, their laughter echoing in the woods. As they got to the hills, Elera took him around to where she had made a stair-like way. Rowan, however, took the lead, extending a helping hand to her.

“I can go up by myself,” she said, and he smiled.

“Let me take you,” he said. Involuntarily, she gave him her hand, and they both went up the hill. Once up, Rowan looked at the villages in the distance.

“This is a beautiful view,” he said captivated by it.

“You’ve never come up here?” she asked. If she were a werewolf, she would explore every wood, tree, and mountain..whatever it was.

“No, I’ve had no reason to,” he replied. He was the heir to Ridgecrest Pack, and he was calm, having grown up learning the pack’s ethics and how to be a ruler. Leon had explored beyond the pack and its environs in ways that didn’t involve the pack’s business, but he hadn’t. Rowan only left the pack when he had other packs to visit for business, and Leon had taken him out to practice archery when he met Elera. He didn’t regret agreeing to teach Leon, because here he was, enjoying every bit of her presence.

“You can come here often, it’s my favorite place to be,” she said, and he smiled. Being with her was his. His wolf was more excited than he was. She adjusted her dress and settled down on the leveled grass, seeing that he got down with her.

“You’re my first friend,” she started out of the blue, and he looked at her. She was friendly, and he’d thought she would have a list of friends.

“Why?” he asked.

“My father is very rich, but I just want a simple life, and that he accepted because of me,” she said. “Most of the elders’ children are usually bossy, bullies, and unkind, so I think the villagers thought I’m the same. In gatherings, they are usually careful with their words around me, but I don’t care, so I just stopped and became my own friend,” she said, and he smiled.

“I will forever be your friend,” he said, and she smiled, looking at him.

“You sure?” she asked, and he nodded.

“Yeah,” he said. She gave him a bright smile and focused on the view while he kept his eyes on her. She was the prettiest view. Elera was glad she got a friend. He was gentle, calm, and protective. He could fill in as her brother.

They stayed till evening before returning home, and after that day, it became their routine. He would get to her very early and soon start helping with the house chores until one day. Elera had giggled over a joke Rowan cracked as she walked into their yard, but her expression changed

immediately she saw her father. Zach was standing outside his house with a very angry face. His anger appeared to increase after he saw Rowan, who had come in after her.

“Good…” she started the greeting, trying to catch her voice.

“Elera, get inside,” Zach interrupted in a commanding manner. She turned to Rowan, and he gave a small wave as he watched her walk to her room.

“Young man, who are you?” Zach asked as soon as Elera exited. Rowan turned to Zach. Leon had taught him how to become friends and relate with a human lover, but not with a potential human father-in-law.

“My name is Rowan,” he started but was cut short.

“Where are you from?” Zach asked.

“Harmony Village,” he replied.

“Who’s your father?” he asked, and Rowan cleared his throat.

“I am an orphan,” he said.