Skinned

Killian

I looked down at Valerie as she cuddled closer into my chest, her hand snaking around my waist to tug me as close as possible.

There was a soft sigh, followed by a long indulging intake of breath against my neck as she slowly fell asleep with me on the couch.

With my finger tracing delicate lines along her back, bit by bit, the crease in her eyebrows began to dissipate. I couldn’t help but wear a small smile as I brushed her hair back and rested my chin at the top of her head.

But despite the blissed out silence and the contentment to have everything I ever wanted in my arms, I was reminded that this was never going to last.

Moments like this were fleeting. I had to revel in it, because I knew that I wasn’t going to be with her for long. If I was being shadowed by the figures from my past, I couldn’t risk Valerie’s life by dragging her along with me.

The rapture that followed her presence was short lived, especially when I knew we weren’t safe just yet.

I could feel the dread looming over my head, overshadowing my smile with a look of despondency as my hands stopped moving along her skin, and I was yanked out of the blissful spell of the moment.

If wanted to make sure that Valerie, along with everyone else in the pack doesn’t get hurt at my expense, I knew I had to hand myself in, and the plaguing idea of it being inevitable left me with barely any sleep.

By the crack of dawn, I slowly pulled myself away from Valerie, careful not to shake her out of her sleep.

I silently got dressed and headed out to venture into Eli’s pack in the East.

It wasn’t enough to say that my presence was unwelcome. I couldn’t count how many snarls had been sent my way as I walked through Eli’s territory with his border patrol shadowing me.

“Alpha Killian,” Eli greeted with a smile as he welcomed my approach. He glanced at his assigned border patrols behind me and nodded his head to dismiss them.

“What brings you here alone?” Eli asked, looking around for anyone else around.

“I’m here to propose a treaty,” I said.

His smile grew wider, his interest piqued right away. He jerked his head to another direction, “Follow me.”

Eli shut the door behind him as we arrived at his office. He walked around his desk and plopped down on the leathered seat before looking up at me expectantly.

“You know, I still haven’t figured out how you managed to overthrow Azeil,” He said.

“How’d you do it?” He had a profound look of curiosity on his face, and the manner he questioned me was devoid of any intent to find fault on my side.

“I broke his neck, rendered him immobile for a short while.”

Eli’s lips twitched as he tried to hide the smirk on his face. He leaned back on his seat and wiped a hand down his face as if to steer himself clear from the joke that was Azeil’s unfortunate downfall, “It’s most deserved, I suppose.”

“Let’s go back to why you’re here; about your proposition.”

“I need your help,” I said, cutting directly to the chase, “Sooner or later, the pack will be infiltrated by outsiders. The entire parameter of our territory has picked several threats, and if I want to ensure that nobody gets hurt, I’ll need you to allow my pack more protection.”

There was a shift to Eli’s features as our conversation sunk to a more serious note, “I want to help you, but that won’t be enough because I’ll be putting my pack’s lives on the line for it. My assistance depends on what you’re willing to offer me and why I should help you with your enemies.”

“What we’re facing is a common enemy; they’re vampires,” I said, “And I can’t fight them alone, that’s why I’ll do just about anything to earn your help.”

Eli regarded me for a brief moment as if a thought had entered him. My eyebrows drew together into a frown when he stood up from his seat and reached for the full bottle of brandy to pour himself a glass.

I realized that he was already celebrating, as if he knew very well that I was going to do exactly what he wanted me to.

Eli took a swig of his drink, “There’s a conniving wolf taking refuge in the small Western pack. Apparently, he’s been in contact with Adira. She’s been feeding him information that she picked up from my pack discussions. Apparently, she was sharing something that could compromise my pack.”

“And you want me to kill him,” I said, already picking up on his intent, “Why couldn’t you do it yourself?”

“He’s Adira’s brother. I gave her my word that I wasn’t going to kill him, but I never said that I wasn’t going to have someone do it for me.” Eli gave me a cunning smile. “And it just so happens that my opportunity came right into my territory.”

“Kill him and I’ll lay down my best fighters to protect your pack. This is our deal, Killian; a life for a life.”

Valerie

I couldn’t imagine how much guilt Killian must’ve carried after he did what he had to do, he had to reach great lengths just to protect everyone in the pack.

I could remember that Killian once said something about the mitigation, and now I figured out exactly what he meant.

Killian was working with Eli to ease the extent of tragedy that was going to hit the pack, but in order to gain his cooperation, he had to do something to earn it,

Killian had no choice but to take the life from another in order to save more, allowing himself the blood red guilt to sully his hands.

He knew he was going to be taken, he was prepared, but it was in a way where he ended up with the baggage of his crime.

The ache seated deep in my sternum didn’t go unnoticed, and I settled a hand over my chest as the overwhelming sorrow for Killian washed over me.

“I did what I could to get him out of those vampires, but it just so happens that we were on the losing end. We were severely outnumbered, so Killian had to shift to get away,” Eli said, “I didn’t want to tell you this because it would have been a lot easier for you to know that he’s entirely gone.”

“You know I can’t stand back and let him stay captive by his wolf.” I shook my head.

Everything in me was already clamoring to get to him as soon as possible.

I had spent countless of nights haunted by the thought of Killian being thrown back into a cage, probed by needles and forced into numerous, harrowing tests. I just knew I couldn’t spend another knowing that he was left in the Northern mountains to fend for himself.

“Either you promise that pup a good life by staying here, or leave this pack and risk your life.” Eli looked as if he was challenging me, urging me into choosing my fate.

“You can’t bargain me out of this, Eli.”

“It’s not a bargain. I’m giving you a warning, Valerie,” Eli said, “The moment you step out of this territory, you will be my enemy.”

I met his eyes, my posture unwavering as his words failed tip me into hesitating, “If I’m doing it for Killian, I don’t care.”

“Valerie,” Reed spoke up, glaring it me. “You can’t do this, you’re safer here.”

“We both know I never belonged here in the first place,” I said.

Reed snarled. “Yeah, and what about Heath? He didn’t die just so you could run back to Killian and risk your fucking life again.”

I felt my heart sink as soon as his words grated my ears.

Taken aback, I quickly drew myself away from him to look at him dead in the eyes.

“That’s not fair,” I managed to say, unable to hide the hurt that immediately shadowed my face.

As if he realized what he had just said, he stuttered to speak his apology.

Repulsed, I couldn’t bear to hear more from him, so I immediately cut him off by turning to Eli.

“How many more trackers did you send in the Northern mountain?” I asked.

Alpha Eli’s eyes held a certain glint within them as he glanced back at Reed before gazing down at me again, “Five. They won’t hesitate to attack an intruder in their hunt.”

I couldn’t give a shit.

“I’ll sever all ties I have with this pack,” I said and shot Reed a look, “I can’t stay here anymore, not when Killian is out there.”

Like Eli knew exactly that I was going to stand my ground, he gave me a small smile, and nodded, “He’s at the eastern part of the mountains, another snowstorm will be brewing in that area.”

“Don’t let her do this.” Reed gritted the words though his teeth, giving the alpha an incredulous look.

Eli shrugged him off and approached me with a lowered voice, “I’d do it for Adira too.”

I stepped back and nodded. Stepping aside, I immediately strode over to the front door. But as I was about to throw it open, I was halted by Eli who called out my name for the last time.

I looked at him over my shoulder, my features hard with agitation.

“You should know... I might not be stopping you now, but I won’t be lenient when I find you in that mountain, Valerie,” he told me, his tone holding an eerie composure that was brimming with threatening promises. “I’m not one to spare rogues”

As soon as I was out of the cabin, I could feel my skin searing with the intent to rip apart to gave way for my wolf. My muscles were already coiling with tension as my wild clamored for release.

I barged inside my den with heaving breaths and grabbed a slouch bag that I could be able to carry as soon as I shifted.

I began to stuff warmer clothes into the bag, taking the emblem of the Moon as well.

When I got everything I needed, I looked around the den to make sure I didn’t forget anything. I strode out of the cabin and saw Reed at the distance, and his face alone was enough to tell me that he was pleading me to stay.

Ignoring him, I kept my gaze straight ahead and dropped my bag before taking several deep breaths in.

Each breath turned deeper and deeper, and I could feel the growl swell close to my throat. I rolled my shoulders and lowered the restraints that tied my wolf to the back of my mind.

She surged forward, close beneath my skin. The way she ascended was devoid of any force, making sure that I wasn’t taken off guard. She took control in a gradual manner, and before I knew it, I began to feel the full blow of the shift.

My skin tore and my bones painfully reestablished themselves, and I felt myself being tugged behind the shadow of my wild as it was finally allowed its control.

My wolf let out an annoyed growl and shook her fur, stretching her limbs as she prepared for the day worth of searching.

The air around her had changed ever since I found out that I was pregnant. She was a lot more calm, and not once had she tried to force her will over mine.

My wolf turned around to pick up the bag between her teeth before turning around to look at Reed.

For a split second I was struck with worry as she held her gaze with Reed, but I was surprised when she didn’t hold any anger over him.

No scorn,

No hostility,

No threat,

She just looked at him, her thoughts only holding a harmless wonder, and she took me off guard when she slowly lowered her head in his direction.

It was gesture meant to acknowledge him respectfully.

That alone sent his features to drop, his pleading look gone and replaced by an inward struggle.

Although it was clear he didn’t want me to leave, he briefly straightened his back and gave me a meaningful nod.

A clear message that he knew he had to let me go.

My wolf made one last stretch of her limbs before pushing forward to speed into the forest, setting herself in motion to find the only person she knew was her true home,

Killian.