Page 7 of Wolf Burdened


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LUCIAN

The Guard warrior standing at the entrance to Natalie’s living room was as stiff as a statue. His black hood was pulled so low, I could only see darkness where his face was. But he was watching me. I could feel his eyes on me, and my stare didn't waver.

For all the centuries that I'd lived in this realm, I'd never seen a Kruard Guard. I was only as calm as I was because, unlike Rehema and Brian, I knew they were on our side. After all, they answered to the gods.

Still, the way they’d taken Natalie was unacceptable. My wolf raged at the very thought of the way they’d manhandled her.

What the hell happened tonight? Natalie had sent us a message that she’d smelled an infected animal in the city, but when we arrived, we found only her, a Kruard, and far too much blood on the ground.

The situation must have been bad if a Kruard was now involved. And if all the blood was any indication, there’d been quite a fight, even though violence wasn’t allowed anywhere in the Realm.

Whatever had happened, Natalie had been at the very center of it. The stench of her blood had sent my wolf into a maddened frenzy.

My fists clenched when I recalled the state she had been in.

Someone had hurt her.

“I’m a demigoddess!” Rehema yelled at the Kruard for the hundredth time. “My mother is Eir, Norse goddess of healing. I should be allowed to see Natalie, just like Rumir. At least tell us what's going on, will you? Where did you take her? Just who are you?”

Rehema was Natalie's friend, the first friend Natalie had made upon arriving in this realm. Brian, who was sitting on the sofa, was clenching and unclenching his fists despite his calm, neutral expression. He was Natalie’s relative, the son of Elinor Blackwood, who was Natalie's ancestor.

We were all on edge, and I admired his control, but like him, it was taking everything I had to not to lose it. Knowing that Rumir was heading to the tower where the gods were holding Natalie made me feel a bit better. His hotheadedness would come in handy for a change.

While the gods could refuse to give the rest of us any information, Rumir, as a god, could demand answers. After all, his—our—mate was now significantly involved.

“He won’t answer you, Rehema, and you've been yelling for ten minutes. Rumir will find her,” Brian grumbled. He sat with his head resting back against the sofa cushion, his eyes closed. “Rumir was allowed to go because his mother is an Executive of the Imperium,” I told her. “He holds more authority than you, unfortunately. But don’t worry—he'll find out what's happening and bring Natalie home."

“But who the hell are these guys?” Rehema turned away from the Guard. "I was born in this realm, and I didn’t know about this species. He’s not even wearing a bracelet like the rest of us.”

While Rehema and Brian were born in this realm and had gold bracelets used for teleportation, communication, and more, mine and Natalie's bracelets were silver to show we were souls that had been born and had died on Earth.

The Kruard wasn’t wearing either.

“That’s because they don’t need bracelets,” I told them, and Brian's eyes cracked open, one blue and one green.

I wasn't surprised that he and Rehema didn't know what the Kruard was. I only knew because the Goddess had told me about them once, a long time ago.

“Beneath that mask, there isn’t a person. And this isn’t his true form, either. He’s a native creature to this realm, not a soul. The Kruard are warriors who have lived here since the beginning.” The Kruard head tilted to the side as if he was listening, and I continued. "They are shapeshifters. Their true form is like a shadow. Beneath that mask, there is just a pair of eyes and a smoky form.”

“I didn’t know a species like this existed here,” Rehema mumbled as she turned to face the Kruard once more, pushing her straight black hair over her shoulder. She placed her hands on her hips, looking the Kruard up and down. “But why would they take Natalie?”

“They take orders from the gods, the Imperium," I answered. "They're an elite force, of sorts. The Goddess told me some time ago that because of their exceptional skills, they'd be on the frontlines if the realm was ever threatened." I paused, letting that sink in. “Unlike souls who are erased from existence when they die here, Kruards can regenerate. Only the gods or exceptionally strong supernaturals can kill them.”

"Why would the gods keep an intelligent native species a secret?" Brian asked, and I took a breath.

I’d asked myself that a few times.

"I think it’s so they can be left alone," I told him. "Their home is known only to the gods, and their lands are cloaked in secrecy. But they are warriors for the gods, ready to serve when the God realm is in danger."

“I didn’t know any of this.” Rehema sat down and shook her head.

“Neither did I," Brian admitted. “But the Gods are known for keeping secrets.”

He was right. Still, they had no right to drag Natalie away like that.

“Lucian, the wall is turning into ice.”

Fog escaped Rehema’s lips as she spoke, and I suddenly realized that I'd released my power. I stood up from where I was leaning against the wall, and sure enough, it was covered entirely in ice.

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