Finally the time has come for them to leave for Clan BloodBane. Alpha Jaden has welcomed both of them in his clan and is sending one of his sons to escort them. He will reach here by nightfall and they will start journeying early in the morning tomorrow. Niya is still not convinced that she should go or not, especially after the events that happened two nights prior. She has not seen the hooded woman again but every night she has the gut feeling of being watched. Like someone is trying to keep tabs about her movements. Whoever she was, she felt otherworldly, ancient and she could have killed Niya easily. At least that is what makes sense. The fact that she didn’t attack her or try to kill her makes no sense at all. What if she doesn’t want Niya to leave? If those are the savages threatening to attack our clan, then no one will survive. Father can be ruthless and powerful but even he would avert his eyes from such scenes, such savagery. No one blessed by Moon Mother is capable of
Niya is almost to her cottage when she notices a low growl coming from the shadows of the high bushes. She stops dead on her track unable to move and contemplates transforming. What was that? She slides her legs to a fighting stance and waits for the hidden beast to come out. It is unlikely that anyone from outside will be inside the clan boundary undetected by the wolves patrolling, but time is different now and after the visit to the old Crone Niya is on edge jumping over every shadow lurking. She didn’t have to wait any longer as the bushes part to reveal a huge gray wolf prowling out. Niya’s resolve weakens a little bit as she assesses her opponent. The male-wolf has the structure and demeanor of an Alpha and the confidence to walk out like this is visible through his strong build. Niya looks into his eyes trying to figure out who he is. He is not from Winterfrost clan; he doesn’t look like one of hers. She doesn’t think anymore and transforms quickly. In the very next moment s
Herald is fuming inside sitting in his study. After the awkward failed ending to the welcoming of Chase, he has been really angry with Niya. How on the earth did he think that she is going to be civilized in the presence of a guest of such caliber? Since childhood Niya has hated everything pretty. She is not going to fall for his looks. Maybe she can be swayed by any of Jaden’s other two sons. Herald rubs his temple and tries to ease the furrows deepening on his forehead. The night is still young and there is time left to mend what has been left at a sour note. That is why he is waiting for someone and if she doesn’t show up quickly, Herald will lose it. Niya walks up to the study and this is the first time she is hesitating to face her father. She can take his anger, but never disappointment. She has insulted the prince, twice she has injured his fragile pride and though she is smug about it, she knows it is not the way to welcome guests. Reluctantly she creaks open the door and
“Am I interrupting a moment?” Vivian strolls in slowly, playing with a stray strand of hair with her long fingers. “NO!” They both speak up at the same time and then look at each other. So much for starting again on a good note. “What are you doing here?” Niya asks Vivi. “Well, I can ask you the same question.” Niya goes silent trying to come up with a fitting reply. Chase knows that she would die but admit to anyone that she came here to apologize. “She came here to ask about the time of our departure.” Chase gives the reply. Niya’s head snaps up at him. Did he just lie? But why is he covering up for her? Is she so easy to read? “What a coincidence! I came here to ask the same thing. So at what time Niya?” Vivi asks. “What? Oh.. umm 5 in the morning was what he said.” Vivi shifts her attention to Chase and he nods once. “Okay then. Come on Niya, let the prince sleep. He must be tired. Tomorrow will be a long day. Good night Prince.” She bends her head and gives him
Deep in the jungle, a woman is chased by an invisible enemy. Her mortal legs ache as she tries to pump them faster. She knows that her attacker is toying with her, letting her purposefully get away. Every now and then she can hear him cackling. Her lungs burn with the exertion but still she keeps running frantically, trying to get a way out of the woods. Suddenly the wolf jumps out of nowhere and tackles her down on the ground. The woman screams and begs, writhing under the claws but sees only her death in his yellow eyes. “Please let me go!!! Please!!!” The woman begs breathlessly, tears streaming down without a stop. The wolf recoils his neck back for a moment and then sinks his teeth swiftly on her neck. Warm blood pools around her head staining his teeth and once again the forest goes silent. Back in Clan WinterFrost, after a restless night Niya splashes cold water on her face. Her eyes look bruised and tired from fighting the tears lying on the bed. She is leaving and alth
Walking through the woods is not a foreign feeling except that they usually come to the deeper parts only when hunting at night times. Werewolves are all subjects of Moon Mother; she is the source of their power and is the inspiration of their transformation. Most wolves hated the fact that they had to shape shift and take human form. They used to think that it’s a curse put upon them by Moon Mother after the Lycaon called Sammael betrayed her and rallied against her. Moon mother knew of his plans and turned all the Lycaons to Werewolves, who would have to accept both their human form and wolf form in order to survive. Turning into a wolf was made a choice but then again when a werewolf got tired, dried off his or her energy that is when the beast would hide behind the soft skin of mortals. It is crazy to think anyone could try to kill the Moon Mother; she is the goddess supreme and wiser than everyone. She cannot make mistakes! Niya has heard many legends that the uprisings did
When he first saw Niya, Chase knew that she was going to be trouble, but this was just beyond trouble. She is the embodiment of madness and now she is making him mad. This part of the woods is notorious for untimely deaths in the past few years. Even before that, werewolves on the road especially when alone would have most likely taken the long path to avoid this trail during night times. He decided to take this path because this is a shortcut and they are not alone. Of course he assumed that these females were aware of the dangers when one gets lost in these woods away from the pack. He was wrong. At least the older one did the right thing by coming to them and not following her sister. “Niya!!” Donny screams tension etched on his face. Vivian also looks distraught and kind of hopeless. Chase tries to focus on the scent, tries to remember what she felt like but he can’t. That is strange, because he picks up scents pretty quickly. He is about to ask Vivian when a feminine scream
It’s almost midnight when they finally reach the outpost to Clan BloodBane. The moonlight has guided their path and the rest of the path has been uneventful. Two wolves welcome them inside the lone building which looks like a rundown compilation of bricks from outside but is pretty clean and comfortable inside. Exhaustion settles like a heavy stone on Niya’s bones and she swiftly runs into the shower. She needs to change her clothes stained with blood and wear something suitable for her ‘royal friends’. “Vivi, there is one more washroom here. If you want you can go first.” Donny calls her from the adjacent room while Chase is outside talking with his clansmen. When he finally comes in he flops down on one of the cots laid out on the ground, tired and irritated by everything that happened and is going to happen. Although it was his strategy back at the scene, he is not accustomed to being ordered around. Then there are the questions of the threat running loose in the woods. Who d