The wind and the rain were whistling and it seemed that because of the bad weather, the rest of the forest was keeping in. The night was still early but no sounds could be heard except for the raging of the storm. Two shadowy figures were slightly hidden by the trees, in front of a small cave situated on the stonewalls along the eastern borders.
“Why don't you want to challenge Alpha Aaron? He might be stronger but your own father would support you!” She was shouting in anger. Not caring that anyone could hear her for she was confident that the storm was keeping them safe from any listening ears, not to mention that the guards of the eastern borders were sleeping soundly in their sleeping quarters after drinking some water laced with a tranquilizer, strong enough to put down two adult wolves.
“Are you insane? My father is his Beta! He can’t go against his Alpha…our Alpha!”
“Oh, please. You are just a wimp! He won’
“Still no sign of her?” Elyon asked Fredo—the leader of the group that was watching the eastern borders. Larissa laced their water supply with some tranquilizer but he didn’t drink any of it for Elyon gave him a heads up. However, he allowed the other wolves for Larissa not to doubt anything. Elyon had been telling them that Larissa was being more unstable these days. She had been calling Elyon saying strange things, pushing him to start a rebellion against Alpha Aaron—her own father!“No. It was just the two of us and we can’t cover a large area in this storm.” He wiped his face clumsily as he stood under a tree to protect himself from the blasting of the rain. “I told the others to be more watchful.”“That’s good. Even though the security had tightened since Eon stayed at the mining ground, we should not be too careful.” He strained his ears to the sounds around them but he couldn’t c
Before the break of dawn, Eon, Briare, and Lina were all awake. They were in the kitchen drinking coffee. None of them were talking.Lina scooted next to Eon as if she was cold and needed some warmth despite wearing two layers of clothing. “It’s going to be fine.” He said on top of her head, his arms circled around her waist, pulling her into his lap. “We are just going to talk to my father today. The ritual won’t be until the day after tomorrow.”It was Briare who wanted to do the ritual on that day but he wanted to talk to Alpha Aaron today, hence, they were all huddled in the kitchen so early in the morning to travel on foot. No car or any other kind of vehicle can enter the Deep Forest. It was Lina’s first time going there as well. She pulled the zipper of her hoodie, covering her neck, for Eon told her that the forest can be cold especially for her.“Your father is waiting for us?” Briare speaks after be
Eon brought them to a tree house. Or what seemed to be a tree house because the tree house was just an entrance because they had to enter another door and crossed a garden and entered a metal gate covered with some vines that if you don’t know where the gate was, you’ll never find it. Also, it seemed that for the gate to be opened, you had to have the password to it. In Eon’s case, the gate asked for his thumbmark. A camera also swirred and focused on their faces before the metal gate swung open with a loud thud. Lina realized how thick and heavy the metal gate was with how loud the noise it produced when it opened. “Is your father hiding from the government or something?” She whispered, gripping Eon’s arm. Eon chuckled. “This world is different from what you think, Lina. The security of the Alpha is everything to a pack.” He slid her hand off his arm and held her instead. Lina didn’t reply because she remembered the security that they had to pass thr
“That’s how the ritual goes.” Masaya—the healer of the pack explained to them. “It wasn’t too complicated and it won’t be too intrusive,” she smiled reassuringly at Lina.Lina nodded. It does seem easy. All she has to do is drink some medicine that the healer will prepare. The medicine would bring her to a dream-like state where Masaya would help her look for her wolf.“I need to see all the ingredients that you’re going to give her,” Briare said in a serious tone of voice.She snapped her head to look at her uncle. Since they’ve arrived, Briare has remained quiet and just listened to the explanation of the healer. She was a bit bothered that Briare's tone of voice sounded harsh.“We apologize. But the medicine that we use to do this ritual is something that is considered as an important secret of our pack.”Briare looked at Alpha Aaron. “You must also underst
They were sitting down side by side, soaking their feet on the stream as they ate some watermelon. The birds were singing gaily, jumping on the tree branches. Lina felt sleepy from listening to their voices or maybe it was because she ate so many watermelons her stomach feels like bursting. “I still can't understand how things are…”She broke the silence between them. Eon didn’t answer but took her hands to his. “There are still many unanswered questions but one thing is for sure, you are a she-wolf—a guardian.” She scrunched up her nose. “I don’t understand what is so special about being a guardian.” “From the story that I heard when I was young, a guardian can be a substitute for someone’s Luna.” He looked at Lina and watched her expression carefully. He doesn’t want her to misunderstand the bond between them. It’s one of the reasons why he didn’t tell her this story. He doesn't want her to think that she was being used as a substitute for Elara.
“Do you remember Elara? The girl that you saw in my wallet?”‘How can I forget?’ She thought to herself but held her tongue. She doesn’t want to say something that she would regret. And she’s quite sure that any words that would come out of her mouth right now, is something that she will end up asking for an apology later on.“She’s my Luna. I guess you already knew that since you asked Larissa.” He watched the dilemma dance in Lina’s eyes. He could clearly see that she had a lot of questions but she chose to be mute. “She’s buried here,” he gently said, pointing to the mold of soil, covered with grass under the tree.A soft gush of wind blew and Lina was transfixed. Her eyes glazed over to Eon then painfully followed Eon’s finger and it seemed like the world stopped spinning on its axis. The wind whistles in the distance, shaking the branches of the tree. She looked up and scoff
The wind blows and whistles. And once more the leaves of the tree fell around them like confetti, but this time, Lina felt that the tree was congratulating them as it gently swayed in the soft breeze of the wind. “You chose me?” Eon dropped a chaste kiss on her lips. “Yes,” he answered. “For always and forever.” Lina’s chin trembled as she stared at Eon’s eyes staring deeply straight to her soul, soothing all the insecurities and doubts that she had in her heart. “I chose you, two.” She laughed a bit shakily. The love word was being avoided but she felt that it wasn’t the word they need to hear today. The arms that were circling her frame, the eyes that were staring right back at her, and those lips that were about to descend into her waiting lips were more than enough. Eon, bringing her and introducing her to Elara—his Luna is more than enough. The rest, they could slowly uncover them as they go through their life together. A sudden thrill ca
Eon listened to the howling and looked at Lina. “It’s time for us to leave.” “Who was howling?” She didn’t wait for Eon to get up. She was wiping her arms when Eon pulled her to face him. “What?” Her brows creased. “You can hear that?” The surprise in his voice was evident. It’s the first time that Lina heard a howling. She heard them before but couldn’t recognize them. She used to think that it was just a random wild animal in the forest. “Yes. Why?” She stared at Eon for a moment before understanding dawned upon her. “I can recognize it,” her voice was full of excitement. “I can now!” She pulled Eon’s sleeve and tugged it as if he couldn't hear her and needed to get his full attention. He reached for her head and caressed her hair. “Yes, you can now.” Her grin was so big and wide. She was about to jump on Eon’s arms when he said. “I have to shift because we are going to meet Briare halfway and then we are on the way home.” “W
Lina woke up from the feeling of warm water gently splashing on her skin. When she opened her eyes, she saw Eon in deep concentration, washing her naked body in the tub. She looked to her right and noticed that they were in their own cabin. “Hey, welcome back.” He grinned, caressing her cheek. “What happened?” She asked in confusion. Eon had the audacity to smirk and arch his brow. “Well, sweetheart, I could remind you what exactly had happened,” he said in the soft tone of voice, flicking her nipple that was peeking on the water. “What a jerk!” She cupped some water in her hands and threw it to Eon’s face to wipe the smug expression on it. “You were asking,” he chuckled, wiping the water off his face as he stood up and started removing his clothes and without a word stepped inside the tub with her. He took the other end, opposite from her. He had his knees bent but his legs were wide open. Lina swallowed, and the thought of crawling in between his legs, to settle in the comfort
The murky water of the swamp rippled and then became calm again as if nothing had happened. The silver moon was high in the night sky and the gentle breeze blew as they all stood at the bank, watching the swamp in silence.The wedding bouquet that Lina threw in the water could no longer be seen in the dark. She stepped closer to Eon’s side who automatically opened his arm to enfold her.“Eon, Lina, we have to go. Thank you for inviting us to your wedding.” Briare’s voice broke the silence between them.“Thank you for coming for such short notice,” Eon replied, extending his hand for a handshake then realized that Lina was like a small chick under his right arm, that he had to move to his left and again offered his hand for a shake to Briare. “Hope to still see you at Luna,” he added.Briare smiled at Eon’s invitation but in his eyes was sadness that Eon could not help but wonder what this man had been
“Lina Baptiste, today, I want to take you as my wife,” Eon said, kneeling in front of her.She gasped, covering her agape mouth with her hands as she stared at the kneeling Eon in disbelief. She lifted her gaze away from Eon for a few minutes and glanced at Elyon, Edina, and Ehann. They were all smiling at them, standing a few feet away from them.“I-I don’t know what to say. I couldn’t believe that you’re going to pull this kind of shit!” She slapped Eon’s shoulder as her eyes looked around the familiar path to the cliff that was decorated with white flowers. She wondered when Eon prepared all of it.“Baby, please, say yes and hurry because we are running after the sunset,” he laughed in amusement with the disbelief on Lina’s face.“Okay!” She laughed. She handed Eon her right hand then her left. She was confused about which hand to give.Eon took her left hand and slipp
“Holy shit! You’re getting married!”Elyon won’t stop grinning as if he was the one getting married.Eon scoffed but an equally wide grin was on his face. “Ask Edina to come because just as I’ve said…if you’re even listening, you jerk! Lina needs another woman to be her maid of honor and since you’re already my best man, your mate would be just perfect.”Elyon's glee was abruptly wiped off his face. “Dude, this mate thing…is quite—” He cocked his head to the side because he was lost for words and helplessly stared at Eon. “Was it really this hard?”Eon glanced at Ehann before returning his gaze to Elyon. “If you’re asking if it was really that hard to breathe without her next to you…then the answer is yes.” He laughed. “You’re screwed big time since it includes always wanting to be inside her.”Ehann, who was
Surveying the waffles, the scrambled eggs, and the fresh fruit on the breakfast tray that Eon put down on the bed, she glanced up at him in wonder.“How did you make this breakfast?”He smirked. “You don’t have confidence in your husband that I can give you whatever you want?”Lina rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue at him for two things. Because of how overbearing he was with a smug look on his face to be able to catch her in surprise with her breakfast request, served in bed and the second factor was him, calling himself her husband.It does tickle her fancy. She definitely likes the sound of it. ‘Her husband.’ However, they aren’t married and they haven’t talked about marriage at all. They talked about children but a wedding was a topic that they haven’t touched. She didn’t know if it was avoided or just that they didn’t think about it. Thus, now that Eon is calling himself her
When Lina came out of the bathroom, Alpha Aaron was no longer in the cabin. “Where is your father?” She asked, scanning the room. She came out of the bathroom wearing lounge pants and a sweater. She had no idea whose clothes she was wearing but they were comfortable. The perfect wear for the cold mountain night. “He had to leave because the Alpha of Lykanthos was caught and brought here.” “Oh,” she said with a sharp intake of breath. “You aren’t going to—” She had no idea what Eon should or could do. He shook his head and opened his arms and she strolled inside them and pressed her cheek on her chest. “We are just guests here. Whatever business they have, they will settle them on their own. Besides, why would I want to meet another egoistic Alpha when I have a beautiful woman in my arms?” He whispered over her head, rubbing her back. The slow movement of his large palm, rubbing her back in a small circle is giving her soft feelings. Sh
When Eon returned to the small receiving area of the cabin, Alpha Aaron was quietly drinking his tea. If he didn’t know that the Deep Forest pack was attacked and his father’s pack successfully defended his pack and his position as an Alpha, he would have been able to draw a strong alliance with the two packs in his borders, and a successful Turning ceremony. Eon would not know that his father was bone-tired. That he was just keeping it together but he had to take care of a lot of things and be able to make a sensible decision for the well-being of all the wolves of the Deep Forest pack. He has never been so amazed and admired his father than today.And now, he had to make another hard decision. He had to give a punishment to his own daughter.Eon took the only chair left on the table and without a word poured himself a cup of tea.“Lina won’t sit with us?”Eon met his father’s eyes. “No. I’d rather not.&rdq
“When are you going to tell her about Larissa?” Ehann nodded in Lina’s direction, who was talking with Alpha Tomas.“Later…”He said with a sigh. It’s something that he doesn’t want to discuss with Lina as much as possible. She doesn’t want to tell Lina what will happen to Larissa after she was known to conspire with the pack that attacked the Deep Forest pack, resulting in some members of the pack being heavily injured and one dying.Larissa, together with his two half-brothers were confirmed to connive with the Lykanthos pack to attack the Deep Forest pack. Her two brothers were killed by Laurence with the help of the wolves from the Rising Sun pack. Larissa was caught escaping with the Alpha of the Lykanthos pack but the coward Alpha of the Lykanthos used her as a trap and escaped on his own. Larissa is not held prisoner in one of the secret dungeons of the Deep Forest.And it’s something that she do
After the chaotic mess that happened at the end of the Turning ceremony where Elyon jumped down from the viewing deck, claiming the unmoving new she-wolf, Edina while the rest of the young wolves were scattered all over Deep Forest and the adults who were tasked to follow the new wolves. After Eon and Ehann had a really good laugh because their premonition of Elyon having a mate twenty years his junior just happened. All the while the two were splitting their sides with laughter, she just watched them in amusement. It’s another side of Eon that she had witnessed. And in a few moments that she was watching Eon laughing at his friend's supposed misfortune, she had a glance of what Eon was like as a teen with his friends. When they finally stopped laughing, they all went down from the viewing deck because they were the only ones left. “Where did the other go?” “At the after party of course,” Eon grinned. “Are we going there too?” He cares