The Myth of the Wolves

Chapter Ten: The Past

They traveled for almost an entire day without stopping; having trained heavily, Halo found it much easier to keep up. They were heading to Damius’s camp to the north. Every now and then she would catch Damius staring at her, longing in his eyes.

Although she could tell that Sess was concerned about her, he joked often to lighten the mood.

They finally stopped to make camp, feeling they were at a safe distance from The Darkmoon Pack’s territory.

Halo was sore and exhausted. The sores on her back aching, one of them opening again. She didn’t want to complain, but Catherine gave her a knowing look.

“Halo,” Catherine said softly, “can I take a look at your back?”

Damius tensed, and Sess looked at her with a deep sadness in his eyes. Damius just looked angry.

Halo nodded, following Catherine through the trees to find a private place where she can tend to her wounds.

Peeling her clothes away from her back once Halo was sitting on a log, Catherine looked at the damage.

The bindings needed to be replaced, and the wounds needed to be cleaned. Catherine slowly and carefully pulled away the bindings, Halo intaking a breath as she peeled off the bindings from the one that opened.

“I wish we could stop and wait for you to heal. This is really an awful situation, Halo, I’m so sorry you’re going through this.” A tear fell down her cheek.

She heard Damius’s rumbling voice from where they had come. His voice broke when he saw her back. “I will carry you the rest of our way. I didn’t realize how injured you were, Halo. Please don’t keep this from me.”

Halo nodded, accepting the help. Damius set down a bowl of water next to Catherine, taking a seat next to Halo as Catherine began washing her wounds.

Damius held Halo’s hand in his, squeezing it every time she would flinch at the pain.

“We are about another full day away from the camp, but I want to stop at an Inn nearby. I must speak with the owner,” Damius explained while Catherine worked. “She is an ex of mine, but she plays a very important role in our next move.”

Halo felt her heart squeeze. Was she jealous of his ex? She barely knew Damius, and more than that, his very own father had abused her. Was it okay for her to feel this way? She nodded, nonetheless. She didn’t know what kind of plans they had, but she honestly didn’t care. She was just happy to be free of Alpha Dome.

“I also want to have a doctor I trust take a look at you.” He continued, “but he’s a little out of the way, although I have some ideas about that. We can discuss it later.”

Damius stood as Catherine finished up, replacing Halo’s shirt with a clean one. Damius turned away during this to respect her privacy.

When they returned to the group, they had seen that they put together a makeshift camp. A fire roared as the sun descended, creating warmth around them. Halo found herself staring into the flames. There was something about the flames that called to her memories, but she was too afraid to let herself continue down those thoughts. She shook her head, forcing her thoughts to focus on the environment around her.

The atmosphere was a quiet winter’s night. The insects and birds long gone, and snow fell lightly around them, but not enough to threaten the aggressive flames of the campfire. Halo shivered, pulling a blanket closer around her. Damius and Sess moved closer to her on each side, and she basked in their warmth. For once, they weren’t bickering. They were just there to support her, keeping her warm.

Yanni was scouting the area, and Beta Jeffrey was tending to a stew while Catherine chopped more vegetables, smiling at Halo every now and then. Halo enjoyed Catherine’s motherly instincts, finding herself desperately clinging to all her attentions.

Halo breathed in the cold winter air, feeling peaceful. She smiled at Catherine and Beta Jeffrey softly as they worked together to prepare dinner. It felt like she was among family.

She suddenly found herself crying. Damius wrapped his arms around her tightly while Sess leaned his shoulder against her, helping to ground her. “Sorry,” she sniffed. “I’m actually crying because I’m happy.” She laughed lightly.

“Don’t apologize for having feelings,” Sess cooed, nudging her.

“I’m honestly surprised you’re not more of a mess,” Yanni called as he returned from his scouting, throwing a rabbit toward Catherine. “Found this little guy hiding from the cold in a tree trunk.”

Catherine held the rabbit up by its legs, pulling its skin down, skinning it expertly without the use of a knife. “You have to teach me that,” Halo commented, her eyes wide.

“Well first we would need to teach you how to hunt,” Sess commented.

“How do you know that I don’t know how to hunt?” Halo asked, eyeing Sess beside her.

Sess looked at her, rolling his eyes. “I know you very well, Halo; you don’t know how to hunt. Unless you were taught within the last month?” He questioned.

“Nope,” Yanni supplied.

“It’s so weird how you two seem to know everything about me, but I have no idea who you are.” Halo said lightly, ignoring the twinge in her heart.

Sess squeezed her leg. “It’ll come back,” he said.

“Speaking of which,” Beta Jeffrey eyed Damius. “We need to speak about some things.” Damius nodded mutely. Halo wondered what Beta Jeffrey knew about her situation.

They ate the rabbit stew before laying down around the fire to sleep. The men took turns keeping watch throughout the night. Sess, being an expert tracker, had hidden their trail as much as possible throughout their journey, making suggestions on how to keep their tracks to a minimum.

Halo felt the sparks from Damius’s touch as he caressed her arms lightly, helping her to sleep. He took the first watch, lightly tracing Halo’s features with his fingertips. He felt so much for this woman who no longer remembered him, but he would wait for her. He would always wait for her.

The Inn.

They were cold and dirty when they arrived outside the inn. It was a twelve-hour journey from their main camp, according to Sess, and it was located on the outskirts of a small human town. It was a well know rest area for travelling werewolves and humans alike.

Damius had pointed out mountains in the distance, the tops forming snowy peaks. “The entrance to the underground cave to your pack is located just on the bottom of that mountain,” he described, while pointing toward one of the mountains that was shaped peculiarly like a howling wolf.

“Ironic,” Halo pointed out. Now that she wasn’t so overwhelmed with the outside world, she could take notice of things like that. She figured this was good information for later.

The inn was a large building made of wooden panes. The rickety large sign leading up to the wrapping deck showcased the name of the inn: The Winter’s Rest Inn. Damius walked right up to the heavy wooden door, opening it wide for Halo, but releasing it before Sess could sneak past him.

Damius wrapped his arm around Halo’s waist, guiding her to the bar. He wanted to make it clear to the other patrons that she was not available.

It looked to be late afternoon when they had arrived, the dinner crowd busy chatting and chomping away. A fireplace stood in the middle of the crowd, connecting to the ceiling. It was open all around, offering a view if the flames all the way around.

Halo thought it was cozy in there, despite the amount of people swarming the place. It smelled of cedar, which reminded Halo of Damius’s scent. She found herself feeling warm and safe here.

Behind the bar worked a tall and attractive woman with long curly black hair. Her wrists, which held many different metal bangles, clicked together as she mixed drinks and flirted with the customers. Her smile was wide, exposing bright white teeth; her canines particularly stood out. Without asking her, Halo knew she was a werewolf.

Her bright red outfit matched her deep red lipstick. It showed off a lot of skin, exposing a very tanned and curvy body with a thin waist.

The second the woman looked in her direction, she had set down the bottle of vodka, and she smiled extra brightly at Damius. Damius squeezed Halo’s hand before waving at the woman.

The woman circled the bar, jumping up into Damius’s arms. Damius had to release Halo’s hand to catch her, and Halo found herself growling at the woman without noticing it.

Damius glanced at Halo, a smirk on his lips.

“Katalina,” Damius greeted, setting the woman back down.

“Oh, Damius, there’s no need to be so formal,” she stated, hugging him; she kissed him on each cheek. “Here for the night?” She winked.

“It would seem so,” Damius confirmed. He stepped away from her again, taking Halo’s hand into his.

“This is my mate.” He introduced Halo, thinking better than saying her name so publicly.

“isn’t that a little soon to know?” Sess asked as he moved forward, introducing himself. “I’m Sess.”

Katalina took her in then, eyeing her up and down. She looked over at Sess, nodding, “Katalina.”

Halo couldn’t read her, but she noted that she seemed colder after Damius introduced her as his mate. Halo did not like this woman.

“How many rooms?” Katalina asked, eyeing the Betas and Catherine behind them.

Sess ruffled Halo’s hair. “Two should do it,” Sess answered for Damius. “One for Halo and I, and the other for everyone else.” He winked.

Damius scowled at him. “Two rooms, if possible,” he answered, ignoring Sess.

Katalina nodded. “I’ll get Cherry to bring you to your rooms. Come back down for dinner before you turn in. On me.” She smiled, whistling to a woman that was busy handing out drinks to a nearby table.

Cherry followed Katalina behind the bar where they whispered for a few seconds. Cherry picked out two keys, coming around the bar, and she motioned for them to follow her.

Cherry had dyed dark red hair that reached her shoulders. She had a similar body type to Katalina, although slightly less curvy.

They followed her to a staircase that led to a balcony overlooking the dining area and bar. The rooms overlooked the dining area, each door on the balcony leading to a different room. Halo thought it was a beautiful and rustic looking inn.

To her dismay, Cherry had placed their rooms on opposite sides of the inn. Damius looked uncomfortable about that. He dismissed Cherry, but Cherry whispered something into Damius’s ear before leaving. She glanced at Halo apologetically. What was that about?

Damius angrily stomped into one of the rooms, and they all followed him, taking various places in the room to sit.

Beta Jeffrey closed the door behind him, and the noise from the bar was muffled greatly.

“I was initially going to put Halo and Catherine together but being across the inn from each other would make that unwise.” Damius concluded.

“Does that mean I get to share a room with her?” Sess wiggled his eyebrows. Halo laughed.

Damius turned to Halo, “Halo, you can either share a room with Catherine and Beta Jeffrey, or you can share a room with Sess and I.”

“Hey, what about me?” Yanni asked, frowning.

“Keep dreaming,” Sess rolled his eyes.

“You’re going wherever Halo isn’t,” Damius stated, not taking his eyes from Halo’s.

“It might be awkward staying in a room with a mated couple, so I think I would rather stay with you and Sess,” Halo answered. She also felt comfortable and safe with them.

“So that means I need to share a room with a mated couple who are also my parents,” Yanni mimed throwing up.

Sess and Halo laughed at his expense.

Beta Jeffrey laughed heartily, “just don’t come back upstairs until after dinner and you should be fine, son.”

Catherine blushed, “Jeffrey, don’t be so crass.”

“If that’s it then?” Jeffrey asked, looking at Damius.

“Yes, that’s it.” He responded.

Beta Jeffrey and Catherine left the room, leaving Yanni behind for now.

“Halo, you can go clean up first if you wish. I need to go speak with Katalina anyway.” Damius stood. “Sess, you and Yanni need to make sure Halo is safe.”

“Of course,” Sess responded.

Yanni nodded, stretching out on the bed.

“Why are you speaking with Katalina?” Halo stood, following Damius to the door.

Damius looked evasively away from her. “Just some personal business,” he said vaguely, closing the door on her face.

Halo felt angry, but she didn’t understand why. She balled her fists before turning back to the room. Sess looked angry also, seeing the hurt in her eyes.

“Come on, you can have the bathroom first.” Sess reached her, taking her in for a hug.

“You can use me later to make him jealous,” Yanni suggested, and Halo laughed. She contemplated doing exactly that as she grabbed her belongings, entering the bathroom and locking the door behind her.

If he was her mate, why was he going to talk with his ex about something secretive? Did he even want her?

She contemplated all this, dwelling in a dark place in her mind, while washing her hair and body, watching the dirty water drain beneath her feet. She was careful when washing her wounds.

She decided to spend extra care on her appearance, a plan in her mind. She smirked while applying the kohl lightly by the vanity, making her grey eyes seem even more striking.

She left the bathroom, still combing through her hair, to see Yanni and Sess drop their jaws to the floor.

Sess laughed loudly, amusement swimming in his eyes as he took in her appearance. “Oh, this will be a fun night,” he exclaimed, grabbing his belongings. He entered the bathroom behind her to wash up.

The two men took a lot less time in the bathroom, although Yanni took a little time applying wax to his hair, styling it in a way that looked sexy.

The entire time Yanni was in there, Sess watched her with amusement. “I hope you’re not only planning on using Yanni to make him jealous.” He winked, but then he burst out laughing.

Halo smirked, “I plan to have a great night.” She couldn’t stop thinking of Kiera as she was getting ready, and although that saddened her, she also smiled at how proud she would be of her. She wasn’t even sure Damius was her mate, so she had every right to explore her options.

The three of them joined the dining area, noticing that it was a lot less busy now. Sitting at the bar, they ordered food and drinks. Halo wanted to try the wolfsbane laced red wine, having never tried anything that strong before.

She couldn’t see or smell Damius, but she also refused to go looking for him. She chugged back her wine after finished off her food, ordering another glass.

“Take it easy,” Sess warned. “I don’t want to have to carry you up at the end of the night.”

Halo smiled at him. “What if I want to be carried up.” She would be damned if she wasn’t going to drink, flirt, and forget her trauma tonight. She was sick of thinking about Alpha Dome.

She moved to sit on Sess’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissing him on his cheek.

Sess smiled, kissing Halo’s forehead, and repositioning her on his lap, moving her to a less provocative spot. “Damius is going to murder me,” he grinned down at her.

Yanni had disappeared long ago, flirting with some women nearby.

Halo rested her head on Sess’s shoulder, taking in his comforting scent of blueberries. Sess wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her head.

“I don’t know what it is about you, Halo, but I could hold you forever.” Sess breathed in her hair.

Halo could be held by him forever. She felt safe and loved in his arms. His scent was bringing back memories that, this time, she wasn’t running from.

“I think…” she said softly, inhaling him more. “I remember your scent.”

Sess spoke softly to her, trying to jog her memories. “I found you sleeping under a tree. You were laying on a bed of leaves.”

Halo grasped at the memories, seeing them distantly in her mind. “I remember someone making fun of your name.”

She felt Sess’s chest rumble with laughter, “yes, my brother. Bayne said Ulysses was a stupid name.”

She remembered that moment. She grasped onto his chest, her head still on his shoulder. “I remember that.”

Sess moved away, looking her in the eyes. “This is good. We can get them back one at a time.”

Halo smiled, leaning forward to grasp her glass, drinking down the wine greedily before sighing and resting her head on his chest again.

“Maybe I don’t want a mate,” Halo reasoned out loud. “A mate wouldn’t want me cuddling with you.”

She felt Sess laugh. “Probably not. Especially a werewolf. We are territorial.”

Just then they heard a loud growl, silencing everyone in the inn. Halo, keeping her head on Sess’s shoulder, could feel Damius’s sharp eyes on them.

“Looks like our fun time is about to end,” Sess sighed, sadly.

Halo wrapped her arms around Sess, snuggling into him more.

“You’re going to get me killed, Halo.” He reprimanded.

“You’re going to get yourself killed,” Damius was next to them. His voice was cold.

Halo sighed. Leaning forward to drink the rest of her wine. Damius grabbed her waist, pulling her off Sess and into his lap. She felt sparks all over her body at his touch. This was too much for her, especially since she was supposed to be angry with him for ditching her for his ex.

Halo went to move off him, but he pulled her back, tightly holding her in place. “What are you trying to do?” He asked her, whispering next to her ear.

“I’m trying to get off your lap,” she answered.

Damius grumbled in annoyance. “You know what I mean, Halo.” Her name rolled off his tongue, making her crave more from him. Yes, she remembered her name now. Halo, the name, felt right. It felt like it fit. Things were coming back to her.

“I was starting to remember things when I was sitting on Sess,” she answered, mimicking his annoyed tone.

“I can help you remember things too,” he argued, moving his hand lightly up her thigh.

She gasped at the feeling, grabbing his hand, and holding it in place, stopping him from moving further up.

Damius’s lips found the top of her head, kissing her gently. “I don’t want anyone else touching you.” He stated.

“But women can touch you?” Halo argued.

“What are you talking about?”

“Katalina.” Halo answered, coldly, trying again to move away from him.

Damius smirked at her. His forest green eyes swimming with amusement and smugness.

Halo picked up his hand from her thigh, removing it, and then she jumped off his lap. She looked around for Sess, only to find him watching her intently from the other side of the dining room. He smiled at her, and as she was about to join him, Damius grabbed her hand, turning her back toward him.

“The only woman who can touch me is you, Halo.” He said seriously. His eyes bore into hers, conveying honesty and devotion.

Halo shrugged, still angry at him for blowing her off without an explanation. She took Damius’s mug of whatever he was drinking with her as she joined Sess at his table, sipping at his drink. It was bitter and strong as it burned its way down her throat, sort of like his attitude, she laughed to herself.

Yanni joined them soon after, smiling brightly. His recently styled hair was tousled, as if he had just gotten back from a serious make-out session.

“Have fun?” Sess asked him, smirking at his appearance.

“I don’t kiss and tell,” Yanni responded. He poked Halo in the rib, making her giggle, “what’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing,” Halo responded, “just a grumpy alpha.”

They all nodded in understanding.

“Why don’t we go sit outside,” Halo sighed. “I miss the moon.”

“You know,” Sess commented, “I think I know why you were named Halo.”

Halo tilted her head in question.

“Your skin always seems to have a glow when you’re in the moon light,” Yanni supplied.

That was true, Halo thought. Her skin seemed to emit a halo of light.

Memories of her parents flooded her mind, and she grasped onto the table in a panic. Her breathing grew erratic. Damius was next to her in a second, pulling her face to his, his eyes filled with concern.