Clawed Crescent

Haelyn's POV

"So if you think that you're ready to face Alpha Roy, then I must expel that thought from your head, girl."

I hissed and snapped at him. "Don't call me girl. Not here."

He didn't seem bothered about that. But it was quite relaxing a bit to find out that someone who had saved me years ago was sitting right in front of me. Which meant that there were things he could tell me.

"So you tried to kill him that night.."

"And failed," he replied, cutting me off.

The way he said it, with much emphasis on those two words, the man was passing a message to me. He could as well have said 'keep off'.

"So you think I will fail, don't you?" I said.

"I don't think you will fail. I know that you will."

"And why is that?"

"You are young and this is one of the mistakes that young people like you make all the damn time."

"What mistake am I making now that's being made all the damn time?" I asked, playing along with his words.

"Thinking you can do anything if you put your mind to it. But in this case, it doesn't work that way."

"I see."

"You should also see that you are untrained and those men you're fighting won't take it easy on you. Most of them are better."

"You think I don't know that already?"

"One round isn't enough to put that into your head. What do you even call yourself in there?"

"Bernard," I said, deepening my voice. "What do you call yourself?"

He leaned back in his chair, hands folded across his chest, eyes looking at me. I fought the urge to smile at him. If it was a battle of words, then I'd be sure to win. "People call me Clawed Crescent."

"Why?" I asked, smiling wide. "Because of how you look?"

"A lot of people are named because of how they look so I don't see how mine is hilarious to you."

"I don't really know how a Bernard looks like though," I said.

In response, he slammed his hand on the table, and my plate jumped an inch. I pushed my chair backwards and got up, my hands posed in a fighting stance. Eyes turned towards us as the whole place grew quiet. Everyone was waiting to see what would happen.

Someone said, "Take whatever that is outside on the streets.".

"Fight is over for the little man already," someone said and the rest guffawed.

"Sit down and let me tell you a story, little Haelyn," Clawed Crescent said, relaxing again. "Your mother cane to me one night and told me that she was sacred of you both. Said she wanted a way to keep you safe if anything should happen to her."

"I had no idea my mother didn't feel safe in her own house.'

"No, you didn't. You were busy running around the gardens plucking roses and pinning them to your hair."

"What was I supposed to be doing? Picking poisons in the forest to spike my father's drink?"

He said nothing to that and went on. "I really didn't have anything to tell her other than taking you with her when she left."

"You told my mother to run away, just like you later did when you faced my father."

"That man isn't your father, Haelyn."

"It's Bernard," I corrected him for the second time. "Call me that again and I'll walk out."

"I'm not calling you that," he spat out.

"Then keep the H name out of your mouth."

He looked at my plate. "You need more?"

I nodded. Clawed called on the waiter and refilled my plate. I didn't offer any gratitude. Would have done it myself anyway.

"A man who killed your mother just because Luna Freya wanted it to happen isn't a father to you," he explained.

"You think I don't know that? Why the hell do you think I want him dead?"

"If you really want him dead, then you wouldn't attach emotional feelings. You could freeze the moment you get that chance. And Roy would take that opportunity to kill you. Calling him father is an emotional attachment."

I said nothing.

"There is still a lot you have to learn, little warrior. And that which you don't know about war and honor will get you killed."

"Well, I have survived all these years on my own, sir. And you weren't there to preach to me but I was fine. Without you, I'd still do just fine."

He watched me like a hawk as I finished my meal. Back then, I had no idea how he looked like. Was still young and scared that the face never did register to me.

"You know, I'm surprised that after all these years, Alpha Roy still hasn't found you in Silver. Why is that?"

He said nothing and I just shrugged.

The waiter came to pick the plate. I gave her money for the first meal, then pointed a finger in Cresent's direction. "He's paying for my second plate."

"Sir?" she prompted.

Clawed handed her two coins, one of which was a tip.

I got to my feet. "Nice meeting you, sir. Now I need to get out of here."

He handed me a purse filled with money. I didn't say no. "Better this than stealing from traders. If you're caught your cover's blown."

He had a point there. "Thank you."

Clawed pushed his chair backwards and walked out. I waited for a while. My thoughts were all over the place. So he'd been watching me, and he was the one who had sent those three fools to my hideout.

No wonder they knew about it. Because he probably knew I went there back when I was still young. It was uncomfortable finding out I was being watched by a man years back, even though his motives were just to keep me safe.

Wondering what else my mother had told him, I stepped out of the place and there they were.

Waiting for me.

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