my mate

Hunger had driven me and my brother deeper into the forest than we usually dared.

During winter, animals were always scarce, and even the few that remained were the most dangerous. But with a sick sister at home who needed food to recover, we had no choice but to take the risk.

My brother, Kieran, snapped his head to the side, sniffing the air.

"What do you hear—"

"Shh—" He pressed a finger to his lips to silence me. Turning back toward the direction he faced, his nose wrinkled as he sniffed again.

Since Kieran was the only one of us who carried the wolf, he was the better hunter. The only reason I followed him is because I'm a better archer.

 I unstrung my bow, aiming toward the direction Kieran was facing.

The sky was darkening, and only a few hours of daylight remained. If we found nothing soon, we'd have to return home empty-handed.

We never stayed out this late, but our sister, Sara, was sick, and her condition had forced us to take the risk.

Moving as nimbly and quietly as we could, we slipped through the trees. Chirping birds and other eerie sounds filled the forest, raising shivers along my skin.

 Hopefully an animal would cross our path, I thought, tightening my grip on the bow.

Sinking into a low crouch, I steadied my breathing as Kieran continued to test the air for any sign.

"Get ready." He glanced back at me. "Something's coming."

Bushes rustled ahead, and I drew my bow. Kieran readied himself too, his claws and fangs already elongated.

Less than a minute later, a bush pig stepped into view. It was thin and small, but it would be enough to sustain me and my siblings for days.

My mouth watered as I imagined the different ways we'd prepare the meal. How long had it been since we'd last eaten anything close to this?

I wished some part of me still felt remorse for the animal, but there was severe famine. If we didn't take it, someone else would. The animal snapped its head to the right as if sensing someone was close.

Without warning, I loosened my arrow. The animal fell instantly to the ground.

A small smile curled at my lips as I lowered the bow and rose. We started toward the animal, and as we reached it, I froze.

"What have you done?" Kieran spun to face me, his eyes wide with shock.

A shiver of fear ran down my spine. It wasn't just the bush pig that my arrow shot. I'd killed a Lycan.

The Lycan lay on the ground, half-shifted between beast and man. His black fur retreated into golden tanned skin along his ribs. One clawed hand curled into a fist from the change. The arrow jutted beneath his collarbone, dark blood welling around the shaft.

My eyes widened with horror.

I killed him. Not just any Lycan. I murdered the Lycan Prince. 

Dry leaves blew onto the lifeless Lycan's back.

Oh moon goddess. What have I done?

I looked at the body hoping this was a nightmare I would wake up from soon.

 The night was swiftly approaching, and we needed to get back in time. But we also couldn't leave him here. Lycan soldiers would come crawling through every corner searching for the Lycan Prince, and once they found his body, it would be over for us.

I could think of only one way to prevent them from descending on us like a swarm of death.

For several seconds, I couldn't breathe. I could only stare at the golden skin, the black hair scattered across his forehead, and the mark of the royal bloodline drawn on his chest 

"How fast can you run?" he questioned.

"Kieran we  can't leave the body here," I said breathlessly. "Lycan soldiers would tear through every corner of the forest searching for their prince. The moment they found his body, they would know a werewolf killed him."

"We need to hide him," I whispered.

"Rosewyn, what are you even saying? How can we hide him? You said it yourself that his soldiers would not stop until they trace his body.”

"Which is why they can't find him."

He glanced toward the body, running his fingers through his hair.

I swallowed.

An idea had already begun forming in my mind, horrible and desperate.

"There's an old hunting pit beyond the ridge. The one Grandmother used to warn us about."

His eyes widened. "You want to put the Prince in a pit?!"

"Lower your voice." My brows furrowed. "It wouldn't be forever. We only need to hide him until we figure out what to do."

"This is madness."

"Do you have a better plan?" I cocked my head. "Because leaving a dead Lycan Prince in the middle of the forest would end in bloodshed."

Without waiting for his response, I crouched beside the body and swiftly pulled the arrow.

Kieran joined me, and together, the both of us dragged the prince underneath the thickest tree, keeping away from the path we had used to reach the clearing.

At every little sound, my heart pounded heavily. I kept expecting the sound of footsteps from Lycans, their voices accusing us of murder.

By the time we reached the old hunting pit, my arms were aching.

Kieran lowered the Prince into the hollow and covered him with branches and leaves.

I stared down at him.

"We have to go," Kieran said.

Just as I started to tear my gaze away from him, I caught the slow rise of the Prince's chest, heaving upward.

"Kieran," I said, my heart quickening.

"What?"

"He's alive."

His face paled as he stared at the Prince, his eyes widening as the Lycan's chest rose again.

"We have to leave." He cursed under his breath. "Now, Rosewyn."

He grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the pit.

We ran. Faster than we'd run in years.

I weaved between the trees, pushing labored air from my nose. My mind swarmed with different thoughts. What if he recognized us?

By the time we reached the pack, we were breathing hard.

It wasn't until I bent over, hands on my knees, gasping, that I noticed Kieran's hands were empty.

"Kieran." I straightened. "Where's the bush pig?"

His brows furrowed with confusion for a second, and then his eyes grew wide. "We left it. Moon goddess, we left it at the clearing."

My stomach sank. All that—the arrow, the blood, the pit, the running—and we had nothing to show for it.

My chest squeezed with pressure as I thought of Sara's face.

"I'm going back for it," Kieran said, already turning toward the treeline.

"No." I abruptly said. "Absolutely not. We just left a half-dead Lycan Prince buried under branches close to where that pig is lying. You are not going back there."

"Rosewyn." He faced me, his jaw tight. "Sara hasn't kept a full meal down in four days."

"I know." I sighed, my eyes burning with tears.

"She needs real food, not the watered-down broth we've been feeding her."

I opened my mouth to argue, but nothing came out. He was right, and he knew it.

"The curfew is in less than two hours," I said instead, my voice lower now. "If you're not back by then—"

"I'll be back."

I studied him—the set of his shoulders, the same stubborn tilt of his chin he'd had since we were children—and felt the fight drain out of me.

"Fine." I grabbed his wrist before he could go. "But you go nowhere near that pit, do you hear me? Go straight to the clearing, get the pig, and come home. If it's gone, if you don't see it, come back immediately. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

"I mean it, Kieran. If the soldiers are already out—"

"I'll come on time," he said. "I promise."

I let go of his wrist, though my fingers didn't want to. "Be careful."

He gave me a small, tired smile, then turned and slipped back into the dark line of trees, and I was left standing at the edge of the pack lands with my heart in my throat, as I watched him disappear into the woods.

As I approached, my sister's voice fluttered out to meet me. A small, tired smile appeared on my face as I imagined her excitement at finding we'd brought dinner. Considering she'd been sustaining on empty soup, this would also help improve her health.

Kicking my boots off at the entrance, I pushed the door open with my hip.

My sister, Sara, wasn't in her sickbed.

She was against the far wall, her thin dress rucked up around her waist, a man's hands gripping her hips as he moved against her. She moaned loudly, her fingers finding the man's hair.

Slowly tipping her head back, she let the hair covering her face fall away, revealing her cheeks, flushed deep pink.

When her eyes finally peeled open and landed on me standing frozen in the doorway,  they went wide with shock.

She quickly shoved the man off her, and as he stumbled, turning to meet my gaze, a gasp tore from my lips.

My mate. Archer. With my sister?