River crouched low, snarling at alert. Her hand instinctively flew to the dagger strapped to her thigh, muscles coiled and ready to strike. But before she could act, Sofia's hand hooked down on her shoulder in a firm but calming pressure."Hold on, River," Sofia hissed, shaking her head disapprovingly. "It's alright. We are in the midst of friends. This is one of ours."The figure stepped into the moonlight, revealing a sturdy man with a thick beard and a wary glint in his eyes. He wore worn t-shirt and a pair of knee boots and carried a hefty axe strapped to his back.River relaxed slightly, lowering her hand from the dagger but keeping a cautious eye on the newcomer. "Apologies," she mumbled.Gonzalo complemented her actions by offering a sheepish grin to the man. "Sorry for the jumpiness, we weren't expecting company. Or perhaps, the companies we've been experiencing these days have left us feeling jumpy.”The man chuckled and waved his hands dismissively. "No worries," he boomed.
A gush of dumbfounded silence swept over the room. River stood tall, feeling the weight of their confused and pitiful gaze heavy on her. They were wrong. She had no idea why she grew so protective when Echo was being judged wrongly. Perhaps, it was just her pain for also judging Echo wrongly for over seven years herself. It was because she had been too blinded by fury and revenge that she could not consider the fact that perhaps, it was a rogue throwing stones and toying with her and her sister’s memories.How couldn't she have figured it wasn't the real Echo? That the real Echo had been murdered? The betrayer whom she had loathed for years had been herself. She was the betrayer. She had betrayed Echo. Would her ghost ever forgive her?As she looked in front of her, looking at the responsibilities her parents and sister had left for her, River’s heart was overfilled with protectiveness. These were her people, even if they didn't recognize her yet. She had to convince them, for their
That... was what she wanted. It was what she would stand for. She would be the kindest Alpha Ironclaw pack had ever witnessed. An older man with a long beard interjected. "A bloodless takeover, River? Sounds like a fairytale."River was about to voice her opposition when Sofia beat her to it. "It doesn't have to be," She threw in, slamming her fists on the table. "We need a way to reveal the truth to the pack warriors, to show them they've been serving a false Alpha all along. Once they see it, I'm sure River’s notion of no bloodshed would work out just fine. As a matter of fact, it reduces our burdens and makes our fight easier. Imagine having the entire pack of warriors on our side. This… will open the eyes of the rest of our people!”Old Thomas, the seasoned hunter, leaned forward in support as he added. "That's brilliant! But how? We can't exactly stroll into the pack house and announce the Alpha's a fake without proof."Sofia her finger on the map. "Proof," she mused. "We need
Gonzalo ~~ Watching River stand up for herself, taking the lead, and proving everyone wrong was something he had not anticipated. That woman had a way of taking him off guard. He had never been so proud of something that passionately his whole life. He was glad that they had come to an agreement with the rest of the resistance. At this rate, their chances of winning had climbed higher. One thing he was worried about was River’s identity as a witch. He knew she wasn't ready to reveal that part of her yet, but he was scared it might hinder everything they had worked for at the end of the day. However, it was better to worry about the future later and enjoy the present. Speaking of enjoying the present… He heaved a sigh of relief at the sight of the sleeping Rain. The way her chest rose and fell so peacefully tugged at his heartstrings. He yearned to shield her from all the woes of the world and put up a sign on her forehead that said, ‘She is Alpha Gonzalo’s Daughter, Do Not Tamp
“So you have been able to do as far as to notice her vicious spirit, huh?” River croaked, face scrunched up in a frown that caught him off-guard.Gonzalo was about to gently push the door open but her suggestive tone caused him to halt “Hm?” He inquired with confusion.“Yes.” River was rolling her eyes now. “I can see the admiration and respect you have in your eyes every time you look at her. Not to mention the cordial relationship you two seem to share.”Laughing in this case would have put him in a lot of trouble but seeing River being so cute about him and Sofia was peak. “Hm… someone sounds jealous.” He teased.“Seriously, Gonzalo? Are you telling me I have a cause to be jealous of?” “Of course, not. Sofia and I are just friends, nothing more… perhaps, less. I've only known her for a few days and we share a common ground – which is to conquer the rogues. Sofia wants justice for her husband, I want justice for my pack. Trust me, River. There is really nothing to be wary of.” He s
“Oh, God!” River paced around, panting heavily, her neck swiveling left and right in search of her daughter. “I told her to stay put!” That little rebel never listened. She had other things to worry about other than a stubborn daughter. She, however, could make a wild guess where she was. Running through the dark hallways, she prayed with every fiber of her being that no one in the mansion got to her daughter before she did. Otherwise, she’d get them both in trouble again. For five years, she had been paying her debt to Lord Draven. She could still remember that miserable night when her whole world fell apart. Lord Draven had brought her here to his home where his whole family lived to help with the cleaning of the old and rusty mansion that they had just moved into. She was supposed to clean for a few days and be given her freedom until she owed him something bigger. She could still remember…. . . FIVE YEARS AGO River bounced on her feet as nervousness ran through he
The hug, though initiated by River, felt oddly one-sided. Gonzalo stiffened as they made contact. She could feel his hesitation and was suddenly regretful that she had jumped on him like that.Perhaps, that wasn’t the most practical welcoming gesture. But then again, in her defense, this was her betrothed. There should be nothing practical between them.His arms hovered awkwardly before settling lightly on her back. It felt like a polite pat, not the warm embrace she yearned for or had envisioned.River had, however, read articles about Gonzalo McGruff. From what she read, just as the last syllable of his last name read – he was a gruff man.Perhaps, that was the reason behind his cautious reaction to her embrace.Either way, the fresh rain scent that clung to him made her hair stand on end. This man, though way older than her, would be hers very soon, and he was cool as hell!"Gonzalo! It's been forever!" She exclaimed, pulling back from the embrace and beaming at him. He nodded. “Ri
The drive back to the Ironclaw pack was filled with an awkward silence. River, who was quite the chatterbox, tried her best to fill the quietness with stories about her plans for the restaurant she wanted to establish at Gonzalo’s pack. She aimed for the productive topics, to at least, allow him to see how resourceful she could be.Yet, only disappointments were met with her efforts.Gonzalo remained mostly unresponsive. His gaze was fixed on the road ahead unwaveringly. His silence chewed at River, making her second-guess everything she'd said.However, every now and then when River would steal a glance at him, she’d forget all about her doubts after getting captivated by the sharp angles of his jaw and the way his brow furrowed in concentration.Finally, the iron gates of the Ironclaw pack slid open when they arrived, revealing a sprawling network of wooden cabins cradled amidst tall pines. As they pulled up to the central building, River spotted a familiar figure standing outside, d