Sarah’s jaw clenches at my words but she doesn’t say anything.But her silence makes me begin to calm down and regulate my breathing. “I am not a fool,” She finally says, watching me. “But I am tired, Lucas. It doesn’t matter to me what any of them think about me.”“But Peter is -““A friend,” She says, firmly.“But you smiled at him!” I burst out.“What?” She stares at me as if I’ve suddenly grown a second head. “You smiled at him,” I mutter, feeling a little bit like an idiot now. “Back then, in the woods.You were smiling at him.”She blinks at me, “I’m not following.”Maybe it’s just me who’s gone insane.“Never mind,” I mutter, trying to push past her but she steps in my way, blocking my path.“I don’t need your permission to smile at people,” She says, tightly.I stare at her before saying quietly, “No, you don’t.”I try to walk past her again but she grabs my upper arm, stopping me. She looks frustrated, “Why are you acting like this?!”
Before the conversation can progress much further, I hear the sounds of the soldiers returning.Along with them are Sarah’s wolves who pad over to her and rub against her in lazy motions as if in greeting. Two of them wander over and give my face a few licks before settling down at my feet. I see Sarah look in my direction and for a moment, I feel as if her face has softened when’s he sees Kayla holding on to me. But when I blink, she’s already looking away.A trick of the mind, I assure myself.Kayla pets one of the wolves and I ask, idly, “What happened to that wolf pup that you used to carry around?”She blinks before letting out a childish laugh, “He was a she. She mated with one of Sarah’s wolves and has a lot of pups of her own. She brings them to all the time in my room.”I give her a blank look, before saying softly, “Time really has flown by quickly.”“Yeah,” She snuggles into my side and I give her a fake scowl.“I’m not your personal heater, you know
Before I can stop myself, I’m already next to Sarah, ready to shift at the first sign of danger.I hear the sound again and this time it’s moving closer.A few of the soldiers, roused from their sleep by the sound of Sarah unsheathing her swords are on their feet as well.The crunching of the snow is getting louder and I move towards Kayla and Sarah, protectively. I ignore the frustrated look that Sarah sends my way. Her wolves surround us, including me, their hackles rising, their teeth bared in ferocious snarls.A tired voice comes out from the trees before a familiar looking male panther steps out, “We come in peace.”The Alpha of the Night Stalkers Panther tribe looks like he’s just walked through hell and back. There’s no trace of his usual cocky smirk on his face, weariness, grief, and anger lingering in his eyes.When he takes another step forward, I notice the limp in his leg and then I see the way his left leg is badly mangled. There’s a short woman assis
I go still at that.Worry is a sharp feeling inside of me, “What do you mean?”My eyes flicker to where Sarah is handing out some medical supplies to the injured soldiers, “She seems fine.”“It’s nothing bad,” Aliya says thoughtfully. “I mean I don’t sense anything harmful in it. It’s just strange. it’s like a barrier almost.”She narrows her eyes and when I glance at her, I can see the strain on her face, “It’s like I can’t see anything. It’s nothing that can prevent physical harm. It’s more like she’s shielding Sarah against anyone who can pry within her.”“Pry within her?”Aliya’s face is red with exertion before she lets out a breath I didn’t know she had been holding, “It’s something witches can do. Or something a Phoenix might be able to do. It allows us to look inside a living creature’s body to look for illness and health. It’s an ability that healers also have to some extent. When I meet a shifter, I know who they are because I can see their wolf. That’s how
Her words are like a shock to my system and my mind immediately assumes the worst thing. Aliya takes one look at my face, “She’s not dying.”However, my panic is beginning to set in, “How do you know? You just said you couldn’t see inside of her-““Does she look like she’s dying?” Aliya gestures towards her, dryly. “There are no signs of illness on her and if there were, the Phoenix would have healed her. No,” Her tone becomes heavier, “She’s hiding something else.”“Ask her.”Aliya gives me a disbelieving look, “You’re so sure she’s going to tell me? Whatever is going on with her, she clearly does not want anyone knowing.”I’m not surprised.The change in Sarah is definitely obvious. She is quiet and more restrained. However, to think that she’s hiding something is worrisome. If it was anything life threatening, Ezekiel would have mentioned it, if not for Sarah, then for the sake of our son.I want to go up to her and demand what’s wrong but I know exactly how
I have no answer to her question but it does make me wonder. I had never really linked Sarah’s ability to her wolf but it does make more sense.So if her wolf is dead, how is she able to use her ability?However, something else occurs to me and I point out, “Her other aspects, like healing or stamina, they’ve all reduced to the speed of a human’s. That’s why she is riding a bike rather than running with us.”Aliya doesn’t respond to that, deep in thought.The conversation is halted when one of the soldiers from the Clear Mountain Clan approaches me, “I think we’ll be able to move out tomorrow. Most of the injured soldiers have been healed and the ones with severe injures have been patched up.”I look around.Nearly everybody is resting now. I glance at Damon, “What do you think? Will your people be able to travel by the morning?”He gives me a curt nod, his face serious, “We’ll be ready,”Suddenly the atmosphere from the last two days changes and the scent o
“Me?” Sarah’s voice is so incredulous that for a moment even I doubt my words but then Aliya’s words make me a little more convinced. “It does make sense,” She say thoughtfully. “The visions change with each move you make. When you took the position of Alpha, there was a change in the visions. Till then I hadn’t seen the war about to take place. There had been a grayish blur. But because you became a catalyst of change, the Order became nervous. The when you took in Kayla, there was once a again a change int he upcoming war, a positive one. When you left the position of Alpha and lost your wolf, once again, the visions changed. I told Lucas this. I told him to bring you back. But he refused-“Sarah’s eyes shift towards me, a strange look in them and I growl, “I wasn’t going to force you to do anything, not even if it was for the greater good. You’ve gone through enough at my hands as it is.”The last part is muttered under my breath but she hears it.“And because you d
Sarah’s voice is cold as ice and I hear the acute disappointment in it. She walks from the trees, her form rigid and her eyes icy, “What exactly am I, Peter?”I see Peter freeze before a false sense of bravado fills him, “Don’t overreact, Sarah. I’m just-““Overreact?” There is a cool sense of authority in Sarah’s voice which fills me with pride. “Am I screaming?”Peter’s face stiffens and I choose to answer, almost gleeful, “No.”“Am I crying? Or throwing a fit?”When Peter doesn’t reply, she quietly asks, “Lucas?”“I don’t see any of that.”My rely makes Peter’s face twist in irritation and I add, eager to throw fuel on the fire, “I don’t think you’re overreacting.”Peter immediately glowers at me, “This has nothing to do with you. So, shut your-““I asked him,” Sarah says, coldly. “I’m disgusted by you. I called you a friend.”She takes a step forward and I see the power she exudes even without her inner wolf. It is beautiful and I’ve never been mor