AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Where Mios moved with elegant and precise steps, the wolves stormed in with the confidence of a pack. Violet hadn’t had much contact with shifters before. They had their own world and rules and rarely welcomed magic-wielders into it.
“Lion, you are far from your prowling lands.” The male’s voice rang deep. To judge by his growly disposition, this must be the alpha leader of this colony. He clearly wasn’t happy to see another shifter riding into his town. “Your kind haven’t been in this part of the kingdom for more than a decade…”
“I assure you, I’m not looking for trouble.”
“You brought magic-wielders with you.” The alpha’s lips peeled back, displaying teeth that contrasted against his lips. “They aren’t welcome here.”
His copper-colored eyes pinned her down like a deer under a predator’s stare. She had to battle her instant need to flee. To remind herself that she wasn’t the prey but their nightmare.
“Have they been here before?” Mios asked.
“No. But they are all the same, and when they arrive, those damn Crows are never far behind.” He spat on the ground in their general direction and crossed his arms. “State your reasons for intruding on my land.”
“Since when does a lion have to justify himself to a wolf? Our treaties allow me safe passage through your territory… and your kind receives the same courtesy when crossing mine.”
Was Mios an alpha? Violet didn’t know much about the lions and their hierarchy. Was he a prince—a king, even? A duke of sorts, or an estranged heir?
Perhaps it was time Gavin and her asked him some questions. He was one of the Lionborn, the closest thing to royalty the shifters had, and his presence alone inspired respect, even from her. But there was so much they didn’t know about him.
To judge by Gavin’s intake of breath, his hope to avoid any confrontation was running out. She almost felt sorry for him. It seemed that he’d always be surrounded by people with big mouths and stormy dispositions.
The werewolf snarled. “If you’re here, then it’s my issue.”
Mios hummed and looked around the place leisurely. Violet followed his gaze, trying to see what he saw, and now she was no longer distracted by Gavin, the picture grew clearer. She saw the battered walls, dirtied by unforgiving winters. And she saw the remnants of a battle not long past, from the shutters that hung crookedly from their windows to entire sections of roofs that were missing as though a storm had hit. Or, more likely, as though a large animal had been jumping from shop to shop, tearing everything apart in its wake.
“It seems you’ve been doing a piss-poor job of protecting your village if a Sídhe is tormenting your town, hunting in the one next door, and riling up the humans against your people. Soon, you’ll be calling for help from our laws to protect you from them.”
The man’s eyes widened. “How do you know about the Sídhe?”
“I was kidnapped by a commander of the King’s army to deliver me to Scoria’s governor. We realized their aim must have been to appease the town and serve them some retribution against our kind.”
“But… you’re a lion.”
“Well, he didn’t exactly stop to ask me what my beast was.”
The man looked around. People had begun to gather under the awnings of their buildings, staring at them. He pointed at Gavin and herself. “And what about them?”
“They helped me escape,” Mios said.
“Let’s move this conversation inside. I need you to explain to me what you know.”
Mios lifted his sharp chin and narrowed his gaze. His one-size-too-small coat barely contained his arms as they bulged inside their sleeves. “While I want to help you, wolf, don’t think for one second that you can tell me what to do. You can invite us to stay, as guests. Then I will share with you what I saw. And when I return to my homeland, I will make sure that someone from our court comes to investigate the governor.”
The other shifter glared back at Mios. To judge by the worn expressions of everyone around them, his pack must be tired of dealing with this problem as well. “And why would I care what your court may or may not do? Lions have dwindled in numbers. You have been displaced out of your crown, after you lost it to the blood-drinking creatures of the night.”
Some of the bystanders cowered behind the wooden columns of the shops, as if they feared an attack. Twenty-one shook her head, clearly sensing the tense atmosphere, and danced on the spot, spraying wet snow everywhere.
“If you say so—it must be true.” Mios smile was positively feline. “We will leave, then.”
Violet opened her mouth to protest. While she had little to offer in gold, she could at least buy herself a satisfying meal. Her stomach grumbled again, and she was sure that this time everyone around them could hear it.
“Don’t.” The alpha wolf growled, then turned back to the crowd. “Erden, come here and take our new… guests to the cabin. Bring them meals and dry clothes.” He paused, sending Mios a withering look. “Once your basic needs are met, you can amaze me with your all-encompassing knowledge of how I can save my people from war. I’ll be in the house next to yours.”
Contrary to her expectations, Mios stayed seated on top of her mare, unmoved by the condescending tone the werewolf used. The alpha wolf turned and left without another glance back. The three other males followed close behind him, but not without spitting on the ground in what was evidently a sign of them not being welcomed.
On second thought, Violet really wasn’t sure she wanted to stay here, even for one night. It seemed safer to deal with the winter storm. She would prefer to be rested if she had to fight for her life and freedom, but they were better off alive than dead.
“I don’t like this,” she said. “We should just keep going. My family’s home is not far and the Crows could be getting closer to us as we speak…”
