Intuition

Eve soon found herself seated on the porch with her tail curled behind her. Bastian was crouched in front of her as the people slumbering in the yard began waking. Some were already watching the pair curiously.

“Come on, Evie. You have to at least try it.” He pushed the bowl back toward her.

She examined the raw hamburger meat in front of her. Eve, again, turned her nose up at it. Onyx stepped outside and was watching the scene with a small, amused smile.

“I’m an Alpha, you know. I won’t beg you.” Bastian lowered his voice.

Eve glared at him and slapped the bowl away with her paw. Her captor chuckled and rubbed his eyes, sitting on the porch.

“Just smell it. I bet it’ll be better than you think.” He placed the bowl in front of her again. “Please, Evie?”

The Luna growled at him for a moment before looking back at the raw meat. Wolves eat raw meat in the wild, this is true. But Lycans can’t be satisfied by it alone. The thought of consciously devouring so much bloody hamburger made her stomach churn.

Still, she lowered her nose and inhaled the smell. The meat was fresh from the butcher. It wasn’t until she breathed in the scent that she recognized the reason her meals had been tasting and smelling so unappetizing. They reminded her of death. Raw meat, on the other hand, smelled of life.

Eve glanced at Bastian with an unsure expression. He smiled at her and nodded eagerly. She scrunched her muzzle as she took a small bite. In place of the wave of nausea she was expecting, she felt immediately famished. In mere moments, the bowl was empty.

Bastian watched her with a look of accomplishment. Eve glanced at him bashfully before pushing the dish back toward him with her nose. He chuckled and picked it up.

“I’ll get you some more. Stay with Onyx.” Bastian gestured to the young woman on the porch swing.

He caressed Eve’s ear before walking away. Her heart tightened in her chest like she were doing something wrong. Eve tried to shake off the feeling as she turned to look at Onyx.

“Hi.” The girl greeted her quietly.

The wolf nodded to her.

“I’m sorry about Callie last night. She’s... Difficult.” Onyx stated.

Eve tilted her head intently. She had so many questions for the girl but no way to ask them. Why was she being kind? Why bother apologizing to a trophy? Why speak to Eve at all? But Bastian returned before she could get lost in thought.

Eve ate several bowls of meat before heading back upstairs. Bastian wanted to follow her but she growled at him in the doorway to her room, warding him away. Eve shifted back into her human form just as a knock fell lightly on her door.

She wrapped the robe Bastian had given her around her body before opening the threshold. Onyx stood there with a bashful expression and a towel in her hand.

“I thought you might want to take a shower.” The young woman stated.

Eve glanced around, there was no one else upstairs. She grabbed Onyx’s arm and jerked her into the room. The meat she’d eaten had made her body feel stronger, nearly strong enough to fight. The power she’d summoned on her run was still in her chest. Contained, but still threatening to explode.

Eve closed the door and pushed Onyx’s back against it. She muffled the young woman’s yelp of surprise with her palm. There were many thoughts in Eve’s mind and she didn’t know which path she should take.

If she used the girl as a hostage, this strange pack of rogues may let Eve go home. But she thought she knew better. Bastian wasn’t an Alpha. He didn’t care about his pack members. He proved that when he sent Briar into harms way last year, and many other times since. He’d even told Eve, when he was in StarLight custody, that the rogues were merely a tool for his revenge.

Onyx’s death would serve no purpose and, quite frankly, Eve loathed the idea of indiscriminate killing.

Lastly, she thought she could try to get some information from the young woman. Perhaps even befriend her. The Luna was pulled out of her thoughts by the wet, hot feeling of the girl’s tears on her hand.

The wide, innocent eyes staring at Eve were filled with absolute terror. Her wolf was fighting to get out but the presence of Eve’s power prevented it. The Luna took in the young woman’s childlike features for an instant before releasing her.

“Why are you being nice to me? What do you want from me?” Eve asked in a rough tone.

“I-I was curious.” Onyx wiped away her tears and tried to cover her fear.

“Explain.” The Luna demanded.

“I’ve never met a wolf from the mountain before. They say all of you are malicious and hate all rogues. I thought they were wrong.” She answered.

“They are.” Eve sighed and sat on the end of her bed.

Onyx looked her over. She could see her genuine anguish and frustration. The young woman eventually took a cautious step toward the Luna, then another.

“Are you okay?” She asked in a soft tone.

“No. I want to go home.” Eve shook her head and repeated the statement she kept giving Bastian.

Onyx nodded thoughtfully and the room grew quiet. Eventually, Eve stood and took the towel from her hand.

“Where’s the bathroom?” She probed.

“I’ll show you.” Onyx opened the door and led her to a room down the hall.

There was a clawfoot tub in the corner of the room and a toilet beside it with a fuzzy lid cover. There were fluffy, green, non-slip rugs covering the beige, tile floor. The light blue walls reminded Eve of a cloudless sky. There was a window above the toilet, facing the sink, that showed the back yard.

“I’m sorry but I have to come in. Alpha didn’t want you to be alone in case you pass out again.” Onyx stepped in behind her and closed the door.

“You sure it isn’t in case I try to run?” Eve scoffed and turned on the water.

“Pretty sure. If you try to run, I won’t stop you. But you’ll be jumping down there where the rest of the pack is.” She shrugged.

“You said you’ve never met a wolf from the range. You must have questions.” She dropped her robe and stepped into the hot shower.

“I have a lot of questions.” Onyx admitted.

“Okay. Then let’s play a game. Bastian taught it to me, actually.” Eve smirked to herself. “You answer one of my questions. I’ll answer one of yours. Deal?”

The young woman paused for a few seconds, absorbing the offer.

“Okay.” Onyx eventually nodded. “Deal.”