The Myth of the Wolves

Chapter Five: What’s a Mate?

The next time she woke, she could feel a rhythmic trotting. She knew she was on a horse. Her limbs were aching, and she was hogtied. She could see the pebbled road beneath her scurrying past, racing against the horse.

Her head burned, and she couldn’t keep her eyes open for long, but she knew this would be the only chance of escape. She doubted they knew she was awake.

She could feel someone resting their palms on her back, likely holding the reins. She developed her plans in her head, knowing she had a short window to act.

Finally ready to prepare, she casually allowed her head to tilt to the side as the horse's movements would bounce her enough that it would look as if her head were simply shifting with the motion.

She opened her eyes just enough that she could see through her lashes. She watched the side of the road, waiting for her perfect opportunity.

After waiting for almost an hour, her aching and limp body complaining loudly, she finally found it. Without a second thought, she shifted her weight, using her legs to flip herself forward over the side of the horse. She literally did a somersault and landed on her butt in the dirt road.

Without thinking or glancing ahead of her at the horses that continued to run, she squirmed to the sharp boulder she had found, and desperately tore the ropes to shreds, freeing her of her binds.

Although shaky and weak, she took off at a run into the thick forest ahead of her. She could hear the cursing of the rogues behind her as she realized she had just missed them. She knew they would be leaving their horses behind to chase after her on foot, but she didn’t have the time to think of that.

Having no experience in a wooded area whatsoever, she prayed to the Moon Goddess, and she pumped her legs, focusing intently on her footing. She could not afford a mistake. If she fell even once, they would catch her.

She heard howling behind her, and she knew they shifted. She felt adrenaline like ice through her veins, and suddenly she lost her footing, falling face first into a large mud puddle. She was completely soaked with mud.

Making a split-second decision, she climbed the tree she fell beside. She felt her nails turning to claws as she dug into the bark. Had she always been able to do that?

She reached the top of the tree quickly, lying belly-fist on a thick branch. She shook. She was wet, cold, and terrified. Her adrenaline was still pumping from her chest; her hearing became muffled as she heard her heartbeat in her ears.

She tried to still herself so she could hear them. They should have caught up with her by now.

After attempting several times to get her breathing under control, she gave up. She just couldn’t calm down, but thankfully she seemed to have lost them.

Halo refused to leave her spot in that tree for several hours after they had been gone, and when she did finally decide to move, she decided to travel from the tops of the trees, developing her terrestrial skills.

Eventually, her mind turned into nothing except her movements. She was ultra-focused, and she lost herself completely, just moving and escaping. After almost an entire day of travelling this way, she eventually dropped to the ground and continued on foot, memorizing and predicting the unpredictability of the foliage around her.

The moon was brightly shining above her when she decided to stop, noticing that her chronically sore ankles and joints were no longer bothering her. Clearing the forest floor, she sat down on rough dirt only to change her mind and make a bed out of leaves and sit on that instead. She was learning through experience. Trial and error.

It was freezing outside, but she could not risk creating a fire, so she laid down and wrapped her arms around herself, staring up at the soft glow of the moon.

She mouthed a thank you to the moon and smiled. She had escaped, and she would survive. She just didn’t know what to do next.

She knew she needed to make it back to her pack and help them escape. She could not abandon them, but she also knew there was no way she could do this alone. She needed to find Damius. She needed his navigation, his keys, and his skills. But that’s all she needed or wanted from him.

She closed her eyes, her heart heavy with feelings she did not understand, until sleep came for her. She laid there shivering on a bed of leaves with the moon's glow illuminating her skin, deep in the thralls of sleep while a camp of unknown werewolves drank and laughed deep into the night not too far away.

Friend or Foe?

Halo woke up feeling oddly recharged. The mud on her skin had dried, but her clothes were still soaked. She desperately needed a warm bath and a hot meal. She groaned and sat up, stretching her aching body.

“About time,” she heard a deep voice not far above her.

She screamed and jumped to her feet, readying herself to fight.

“Calm down,” the voice said, and the man dropped in front of her.

He was tall, much taller than her. His hair was dark and unkempt, giving him an innocent look. His eyes were dark, almost black, but they held anything but innocence. In fact, he looked absolutely mischievous. She noticed he was muscular, though not too much. He smirked, “If you’re done checking me out, do you care to tell me who you are?”

“Considering you hid yourself and watched me sleep for Goddess knows how long, I could say the same thing,” she quipped back. “You go first.”

He rolled onto his heels, seeming to consider her reasoning. “Fine, but only because I like you,” he extended his hand in greeting, “I’m Ulysses, but people call me Sess for short,” he paused, “for obvious reasons.”

She laughed, deciding that she liked him.

“It’s because Ulysses is such a dumb name,” another voice said, and another person dropped down next to Sess. “I’m Bayne.” Bayne was also built, but he seemed stockier and larger overall. He looked to be older by a few years, and he ruffled Sess’s hair in a brotherly manner.

Halo looked up at the trees, “are there any more of you?”

“Only back at the camp,” Sess responded. “Speaking of which, it looks like you could use some help,” he raised an eyebrow.

Bayne looked at Sess a little taken aback, “I’m not sure we should just bring a stranger into camp.”

Sess gestured toward her, his eyebrows raised.

They both looked at her, sizing her up. She was still shivering with the chill that had never left her since she escaped. She was soaked in mud and wet from head to toe.

“Fine,” Bayne replied.

Halo entered the small camp, following Sess and Bayne. The camp consisted of three medium-sized tents, a large campfire in the middle of them, and an area by the river that appeared to be for washing clothes and dishes.

Two women exited a tent on the right, glancing over curiously at Halo. One woman had bright orange hair, freckles, and she appeared to be very pregnant. The other woman looked like a warrior. She had dirty blonde hair that was tied into a low messy bun. She was built just like the men, and she walked past the red head, protectively, toward Halo.

Halo hid herself behind Sess as she approached. The woman stopped them, gesturing wildly at Halo, quite obviously angry.

“She needed help. Look at her.” Sess argued, stepping aside to present Halo.

Halo saw the woman’s look soften as she took in her state, but then she gave Sess a dead glare, “if we get murdered in our sleep because you want to get your d**k wet, then that’s on you.”

Halo turned bright red, staring down at the ground.

Sess laughed and nudged her with his shoulder. “It’ll be fine.” He winked at her when she looked up.

“Come with me, and I’ll show you where to wash up. We have some extra clothes around here,” the woman motioned for Halo to follow. “My name is Libya by the way.”

“Halo,” she said in response.

The woman stopped at a tent to grab some supplies, and then she led Halo along the river, eventually stopping at a spot that was fairly hidden.

She put the supplies on a boulder. “I’ll just leave these here, come join us when you’re done.”

Halo grabbed the soap and liquids. She went into the cold river with her clothes still on, taking them off once she was in the water and tossing them onto the rocks nearby. The cold water did nothing for her already chilled bones, but she gritted her teeth and dealt with it, craving to be clean again.

When she was done, she dried off in a towel they gave her, and she put on the grey wool pants and shirt. They fit her surprisingly well, but she wasn’t used to clothes that fit her. She felt self-conscious that her curves could be seen. She was used to loose second-hand clothes.

Brushing through her hair, she left it loose to dry, and then she made her way back to the camp, holding everything close to her.

She heard a low whistle when she re-entered the camp, her blush rising high in her cheeks.

“Oh, will you leave the poor thing alone,” the red head complained, approaching Halo. “I’m Piper.” She smiled warmly, taking the things from Halo’s arms. “We just set up the fire if you would like to warm yourself by it.”

Halo nodded, taking a seat close to the fire. She stretched out her hands and closed her eyes. The warmth felt amazing to her.

“You sure clean up nice,” she heard Sess remark as he took a seat beside her, passing her a warm cup of tea.

She smiled, unsure of what to say. The tea tasted herby, and it helped to warm her up quicker.

Sess leaned forward, resting his chiselled jaw in his hands, “so what pack are you from?”

Damius.

Less than four hours after Halo went missing, they tracked her to a cabin. Damius almost lost his mind upon finding that not only was she gone, but he could smell her blood, and he could smell wolfsbane.

“Damius!” Bryce grabbed him by the shoulder, peering seriously into his eyes. “You will not find her like this. Calm down.”

He was right. Losing his head wouldn’t help anything. They would just have to keep on their trail.

Halo.

It had been two days since Halo went missing, and Damius could feel his wolf going more and more feral. He was going feral.

Damius, although slowly losing his mind, had been organizing any allies he could find. He planned to no longer stay silent about his father’s sins, about his sins.

His father had yet to make a move on him, and it made him nervous. What was he planning? He had allies feeding him information about his father, and from all accounts, his father knew Damius had turned on him. He knew about Halo, and his father had recently been seen in meetings with rogues. He ground his teeth thinking about the rogues he scented when Halo disappeared, but according to his sources, Halo had not yet been captured. It was a matter of time, and he planned to find Halo before his father. He had to.

He had suspicions of at least one person in his party that had remained loyal to his father. Damius had a feeling it was an older man named Gregory, but he did not have the proof yet to throw him out. In the meantime, he had set some traps for whoever was betraying him.

When Halo disappeared, he had packed up his camp and moved further south, following her trail. He would comb the woods nonstop. At nighttime, he would stare up at the moon, being reminded of the grey of Halo’s eyes, the soft glow that seemed to come off her skin. He wanted to feel her warm skin again. He wanted to stare into her eyes and read all her emotions. He needed to mark her.

Ezra slinked up beside him as he rode down one of the most obvious trails leading through the forest that led to the underground cavern; it was known as the Oppressor’s Path to some. Ezra was the best tracker they had, and he had sent him ahead to scout the area.

“I found some bindings up ahead. It looks like they were shredded on a nearby sharp boulder,” he informed.

Without a word, Damius kicked his horse and shot up ahead, ordering Ezra and Bryce to follow.

Damius flew off his horse without a second thought upon seeing the bindings.

“I left them undisturbed,” Ezra explained as he dismounted. Bryce waited on his horse as he watched for Damius to inspect the rope.

Damius knelt, bringing the bindings to his nose. He smelt her vanilla and lavender scent. He also smelt blood. His eyes turned pastel green, and his pupils dilated in recognition.

“This is it.” Damius yelled out. “Bryce, you stay with the rest and set up camp in the area. Ezra, you come with me.”

He was getting close. He knew he was. It was only a matter of time, and this time he wouldn’t hesitate before marking her.

***

Halo was unsure of what to tell Sess. On the one hand, she felt like she could trust him, but on the other, she had felt the same way about Damius, if not stronger.

What she did know was that she was done being naïve, but she also was not a liar.

She looked into Sess’s serious and dark eyes, seeing a tinge of brown reflected in the sun. “I have trusted someone else not long ago only to end up hurt. I will tell you my story in the future, but it may take some time.” She paused, trying to read Sess’s eyes, conveying all the honesty she could in her. “What I can tell you is that I am not safe, and I have at least two parties looking for me.”

Sess looked trouble, glancing over at Piper who was heavily pregnant, with concern on his face.

“I will leave, but I do thank you so much for all the help.” Halo realized she couldn’t rope these innocent people into her troubles.

She stood, only to have Sess pull her back down by her sleeve. “Hold on,” he said gently. “The stew should be ready, grab a bowl and eat. I will be back.”

Halo began to eat, allowing the group some privacy to discuss what to do about her. She considered leaving regardless of their decision, but she also felt a weird sense of belonging with them. If she left, she would feel lost.

“Hey,” she heard a soft voice. Piper had laid her hand on Halo’s shoulder in greeting. She sat beside her next to the fire.

Halo smiled in greeting since her mouth was full.

“We’ve decided to let you stay as long as you need.”

Halo swallowed. “I can’t do that,” she began, making her decision. “I could not put any of you at risk. Especially you.”

“I realize that it may be hard for anyone else to accept, but what kind of a mother would I be if I turned away someone in need?”

“A mother who cares for her child’s wellbeing,” Halo replied, and she stood. “As hard as it is for me to turn down the help, there is no way I could risk anyone here.” She realized her feeling of belonging was not worth bringing the rogues to these innocent and caring people.

“Good call,” she heard Libya remark as the rest of the group made their way to them. “Not meaning to be rude, but I do respect your decision.” She was clearly against Halo staying, and she did not blame her for it. She nodded at Libya in agreeance.

“Thank you all for the help,” Halo bowed her head in thanks. “Could I speak with you alone for a few minutes, Sess?”

“I was about to ask the same thing,” Sess replied. He grabbed her hand, to her surprise, and lead her up the river, toward a private and peaceful place.

The water was rough, loudly whooshing beside them as they sat on the soft grass a little way out. Now that Halo was fed and warm, she enjoyed the gentle breeze on her skin. She could see the trees around her vibrating with the wind.

“First of all, I just wanted to thank you for helping me out. I realize how much of a risk it was to take me back to your camp,” she began. “Secondly, I am going to trust you with some information in the hopes that you can point me in the correct direction.” She smiled softly at him, and he noticed the very faint glow of her skin.

She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Wondering if she were his mate, he stared deeply into her grey eyes, waiting for her to continue. He would be the luckiest person alive if she were his. She tilted her head in question when he reached out to take hold of her hands, but she pulled her hands away from his.

Her cheeks turned a bit pink, but she continued with her story regardless. “I’m not sure if you have heard of The Moonlight Pack, but that is the pack I am from.”

Confusion flooded his eyes. “That pack disappeared hundreds of years ago. It is thought they were slaughtered by The Darkmoon Pack.”

“That’s the thing,” she paused, “and I just learned all of this myself, but my pack was forced underground into servitude. I grew up mining underground, and I had no idea that an outside world even existed until recently.”

Sess looked away from her, deep in thought. “There had been rumours of an underground tunnel system. That’s why my brother and I are this far north; I mean, that was before we found Piper and Libya.”

“Your brother is Bayne, I take it?”

“Oh, yes, sorry. We barely had time for introductions.” Sess continued, “Piper is Bayne’s mate. Libya is Piper’s close friend. They’re basically sisters.”

“Is Libya your mate?” Halo asked, curious.

“No,” he replied instantly. “Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I would prefer if you allowed me to go with you for a time, I mean, just until you reached somewhere safe.”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that. You would be putting yourself at risk.”

He shook his head, “I am a very skilled ninja from the south.” He sounded determined, “not only could I bring you safely to your destination, but I could teach you to defend yourself and to walk in the shadows.”

Halo’s eyes widened. She had many questions, “but what is a ninja from the south doing so far north?”

“That is a long story, and I hope we have enough time to exchange history.”

“Okay, but why would you offer to go not only go with me but to teach me so many valuable skills?”

“I have a mission in the north; one that seems to line up with yours,” he cleared his throat, looking a little embarrassed. He scratched his head before continuing, “I also think we could be mates.”

“Mates? Like friends?” Halo asked.

Sess’s eyes widened. “Ahh, maybe Piper should explain mates to you.” His face was bright red, which seemed out of character. Halo laughed, unsure what the problem was, but making him flustered was sure to be something she would enjoy.

Sess’s dark eyes narrowed suddenly. He raised his hand, signalling Halo to quiet down. Halo clasped her hands over her mouth, listening carefully to what Sess seemed to pick up on. Without another word he grabbed Halo’s hand and led her across the river, skillfully helping her to walk over stones.

Once they crossed, he led her to a thick tree, helping her to climb to the top. Without her adrenaline, she seemed to be unable to access that claws she had before that made climbing easier.

After settling her down on one of the branches, he leaned in close to her, whispering. “The river will hide your scent. Do not leave until I come get you.” Then he climbed down from the tree and left her there, crossing the river back to the camp.

Damius.

After following her scent, he found that it stopped abruptly at a dried-out mud puddle. He sighed in relief, thinking she likely used the mud to hide her scent. Looking to a nearby tree, the largest in the area, he observed mud and deep scratches in its bark. His eyes widened, realizing she must have shifted. He felt a deep sense of pain, thinking her first shift had been done without his help. But, he realized, it was impossible. He did not smell her wolf, nor would it be possible for her to shift so quickly.

Ezra climbed the tree skillfully, stopping at a thick branch. “She stayed here for several hours in human form. Probably terrified to move.”

Damius growled in pain and frustration. He wanted, no, he needed to be with her.

“She continued through the trees this way,” Ezra continued to follow her trail, waiting for Damius to climb the tree.

The men followed her trail, quietly impressed by her intuitiveness.

Eventually they dropped down to a bed of leaves. “She slept here,” Damius all but growled. He was getting closer; he could feel it. His body vibrated with his need to touch her.

They continued following her scent until they reached a campfire, which had recently been snuffed out. There were brown patches on the grass, indicating there were three tents. Following up and down the river, Damius sighed in frustration. He smelled werewolves, but he also smelled rogues.

“Dead end,” Ezra chimed in.

“No,” he replied. There is only one way an entire camp could disappear without a trace, and he was staring at it. The river. It was too deep and violent to walk through it the entire way, so he knew he could follow their trail if he found the right direction to go.