The North

Chapter 5

Snowflakes fell in soft dancing swirls, brightening the tones of the dark forest in white. The wheels of the cart crunched over the uneven and icy ground, rattling my bones with every jolt. What had once been a comforting sound through the day, set my teeth on edge now. How could humans enjoy travelling while making so much noise, announcing their presence to every creature for miles?

With no use of lantern to light our way, the gentle winds felt even colder in the dark, each gust stinging my skin as if a thousand needles pierced through my cloak. I shivered beneath the blanket, wiggling my toes in my boots to stave of numbness. More than once, my eyes trailed over to the Alpha riding next to the cart, remembering how warm he had been, but pride kept me from asking to return to him no matter how hard I had to clench my jaw to stop my teeth from chattering.

And we had hours of travel yet to go.

Letting out a whoosh of air, I watched the grey ploom billow in front of my face.

Farrin chuckled and turned to peer down at me from his bench. His face was red from the chill but he seemed otherwise unbothered. Raking about by his feet, he stretched over to offer me a waterskin.

“Drink. It will chase off the cold.”

Fumbling with frozen fingers, I pried at the wooden cap then resorted to using my teeth. It popped open, and my nose was immediately assaulted by a strong, burning scent.

Not water.

Alcohol.

I shook my head and tried to press the cap back in. “I do not drink.”

Had never touched a drop in fact. Not even at the pack gatherings where mead and ale were always happily shared.

Farrin scoffed. “Now is the time to start.”

Lips pursed, I stared at the bag and then looked up to see the Alpha watching me. Orange eyes glowed brightly, and a challenging smirk tilted the corner of his lips before he gruffly spoke, “I’d accept Farrin’s advice, Little Alpha. You’re beginning to turn blue and I would very much hate to return you to your family as a frozen corpse.”

Even my anger didn’t burn as brightly as I dared to glare up at the male offering sanctuary and safety. He spoke so harshly all the time. Why would anyone flock to him as a leader?

Simply because I believed he thought I’d refuse again, I tipped my head back and took a swig of liquid that scorched its way down my throat. I choked, spilling some down my chin but I forced myself to drink until the Alpha jerked his head with a frown, signalling that I’d had enough.

Wiping my mouth dry with the sleeve of my dress, I handed it back to Farrin. He winked.

“Feel better?”

My insides felt warmer for sure but my stomach wasn’t pleased, churning and threatening to bring up everything I’d eaten. Groaning, I tucked myself back into my cloak, snuggling into the hay beneath me.

“I feel a little better but a fire would-“

“Hush!”

Once more I glared at the Alpha, this time for cutting me off. Thinking it was because I’d already complained about craving the warmth of the fire this morning, I was surprised to see his attention wasn’t even on me, but the road ahead.

Farrin pulled the cart to a halt and I held my breath, watching the Alpha closely. His hand was still held up to keep us quiet, his head turning slowly towards the forest on our right, cocked slightly as if he was listening for something. I could hear nothing out of the ordinary; only the usual scuffle of nocturnal animals in the undergrowth and bats occasionally fluttering overhead.

The cart creaked loudly as Farrin shifted his weight, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see him lowering his hand to the sturdy axe next to him.

My heart began to hammer so loudly, I wondered if the two males could hear it.

Something was out there in the dark, sticking to the shadows of the trees, watching us though we could not see it. I wasn’t sure how I knew this when there were no signs of it; no sound to give it away, or tracks in the snow. But the hair on the back of my neck prickled and suddenly I had the unsettling understanding of what I was feeling. I was a hunter by nature, but now I knew exactly how it felt to be on the other end. Some preternatural instinct ingrained into me was screaming that I was now the prey.

A change in the winds and I threw my hands up to cover my nose and mouth, gagging violently. Even the horses started to fidget as the foul scent of rotting meat and old blood drifted towards us.

“I thought this area had been cleared,” the Alpha grumbled, his voice low and quiet.

“It had been. More must have found their way here,” Farrin answered. He turned and grabbed my shoulder, pushing me further down and tossing hay to cover me, not that the creatures wouldn’t be able to smell I was there. “Stay down. Do not move until we say it’s safe.”

“I can help,” I protested but Farrin's grip wouldn’t allow me to so much as lift my head.

“You would only distract us. You will stay there.” The amount of power in Alpha Hati's voice stilled me immediately.

Shifting my hood so I could peer out, I watched as he dismounted and pulled his sword from its sheath. I could hear Farrin moving on the other side too but didn’t dare risk their ire by moving to check on him.

I hated to hide. Despised it even. But I’d seen what these creatures could do.

Then I heard it. The first sign we weren’t alone.

A snapping branch sent a flurry of black birds flying from branches and I jumped at the deafening sound of beating wings and screeching caws.

“You’re in my territory,” the Alpha boomed, and I strained to hear the creature move again. “Leave now and you can keep your life!”

“More wolves,” another voice called out from the dark, but this voice sent shivers up my spine. Thick and scratchy, it held an untamed edge. “It must be my lucky day. The last one was only a pup, I am still hungry. . .”

My heart stopped. For a full second, everything did.

A pup.

My siblings and cousin were just pups.

Fear gripped me, and when a hand came down on my leg, I whimpered until I saw it was only Farrin. He held a finger up to his lips, squeezing my leg again, warning me to be quiet and still. I understood. I wasn’t to react to what the creature was using to taunt us. But what if it spoke the truth, what if it had hurt my pack?

A whoosh of air close by and my skin prickled again. It was coming closer. The stench of it nearly had me throwing up again.

“Come out and face us or run away like the rat you are,” Farrin called out.

The creature chuckled and I caught a flash of pale eyes and then a blur moving between the trees. “Is it you that smells so good? Not like the other wolves I’ve had. Sweet, so sweet, I can already taste it.”

It was cut off by a well aimed axe thrown by Farrin. The near hit sent the creature into a rage and it appeared from its hiding spot and raced towards its closest target; Alpha Hati.

I cried out without meaning too but the Alpha was ready. With an easy swing of his blade, red sprayed into the air. The creature only grinned, prodding the deep bleeding cut that bared sinew to the night air. I cringed as he licked his own blood from bonu fingers.

“You won’t be tasting anymore blood,” Alpha Hati baited, shifting his grip in his sword. “What brought you this way? Did you ignore every warning we left for your kind to stay away?”

“The smell!” The creature vibrated with irritation at our lack of understanding. It went is far as to stomp its foot in the snow. “One of you tastes divine.”

Alpha Hati chuckled. “You will not get to find out.”

His taunt worked well. The blood drinker was enraged and attacked again, raking out with sharp claws and hissing fury. Spittal flew from behind sharp teeth that were similar to the fangs of wolf shifters, if a little slimmer. More like needles than made to tear flesh from bone.

I couldn’t do anything but watch, fighting the instincts both to run, and to help. More iron scented blood tainted the air but it was over almost as quickly as it started. With a well aimed thrust, the sword sliced right through the creatures heart. It stared in disbelief, clutching the blade with blood smeared fingers before it crumpled to its knees.

Alpha Hati removed his blade to clean with a ragged cloth while Farrin stepped closer to the fallen body, nudging it with his boot. Still they both moved easy and with calm expressions while I shook and shivered where I still hid.

“They must know wolf blood doesn’t keep them sustained like human blood does, so why do they keep straying so far from the villages?”

Sitting up slowly, my stomach rolled as I took in the sight of the bloodied body. His skin was as pale as the snow around him, red blood splattered garishly in an arc. The Alpha was covered in it too, it painted the side of his face, dotted his blond hair, and splattered across his armour.

He hummed at Farrin’s statement, murmuring something to him but I only caught the last few words. “. . .not talking about my blood.”

It made Farrin frown and both males glanced back at me.

Pushing my hood down, I scrambled off the cart, my legs trembling beneath me. Maybe it was morbid fascination that made me creep over to the dead demon, like the creature who’d killed Mànas, staring into a face that would have once been human but was contorted now into a death snarl.

Anger burned through my veins and I forgot about the cold as darker instinct took control. I wanted to shift forms and tear the beast apart till there was nothing left of him. A growl built in my chest and my skin tightened as the urge to shift to fur took over with my next step.

“That’s close enough.” A strong hand gripped my arm and I glanced up at Alpha Hati. “Their blood is poisonous to your kind if ingested.”

“My kind?” I queried, my eyes raking over him. “You’re covered in it. . .”

He smirked and released my arm as Farrin climbed onto the cart again without an explanation for such strange words.

Watching the Alpha wipe blood from his skin with the same cloth he’d uses to clean his sword, I tried to unravel what he’d said. Your kind. Not our kind.

I glanced back at the body once more, hearing the echo of its scratchy voice in my head as it announced it had just tasted a pup. My stomach was back to twisting inside me and I forgot all about the Alpha's odd phrasing. We had to find my pack now.

Climbing back into the cart, I cast a wary glance around us, as if more creatures were waiting in the shadows. A rush and flash of light nearly made me jump from my skin and I watched as the body of the blood drinker was lit up, flames catching and burning his hair in whiffs of sulphur.

“We need to pick up the pace,” Alpha Hati muttered, that crease back between his eyebrows. I was glad he agreed with my own thoughts.

Farrin jerked his head in a nod and flicked the reins, grinning back at me as the cart jolted forward again. “Hold on tight.”

A muttered curse slipped past my lips and my hands flew out to grip the wooden rail to steady myself. We flew down the dirt track with Alpha Hati in the lead. Wind whipped at my hair, long strands that escaped the braid getting caught in my mouth. Settling into the corner, I kept one hand up to brace myself and watched the scenery blur.

The sky getting lighter once more signalled our second day of travelling. The forest eventually began to thin out, the road more clear ahead as deep snow slowly faded into only a light dusting across the ground. Once the sun had cleared the horizon, I raked around for the bag of food, fumbling for a piece of bread. I tore small bits off to eat carefully in fear I’d choke if the cart rocked too violently.

Would I forever be reminded of my time on the ship?

Suddenly the bread no longer appealed to me.

Closing my eyes, I tipped my head up to the wind, inhaling deeply of icy air with a tang of sea salt. We were getting closer but my nerves were not easing any. I feared what we’d find when we finally found everyone.

“Danu, mother of gods, let them be safe,” I pleaded.

When we finally began to slow down, I twisted around to kneel at Farrin’s shoulder. Ahead, I could see the coastal village I’d left what felt like weeks ago. It was already bustling with activity; a ship docked at the port with it’s sails reaching high into the sky being unloaded of cargo.

“That is the inn I left them in.” Pointing to the old stone and wood building close to the ship, I found I could no longer remain still.

Alpha Hati guided us over, dismounting quickly and passing the reins of his mount to Farrin. I was more than a little surprised when he came round to me and offered his hand. Taking it hesitantly, the warmth of him immediately thawed my frozen fingers. He frowned a little and I felt the muscles in his hand twitch.

Hadn’t Astrid warned me he would forget I would feel the cold more than he? I could only assume he was used to the biting weather.

“I will escort you inside, Farrin will remain here so we can leave quickly,” he explained, releasing me as soon as I was steady on my feet.

Grabbing my dress, I lifted it to run across the mud, avoiding sailors and nearly toppling over merchants in my eagerness to be inside the inn, to see my family.

The older female I’d spoken with to get us a room was serving food and drink to a table of finely dressed men with scents of spice and wine. They took note of my presence with leering looks that I ignored to dart after the innkeeper. Grabbing her arm with a little more force than necessary caused irritation flared in her dark eyes until she got a proper look at me and recognition dawned.

“My family-“

“Couldn’t keep paying. They left this evening past, not sure where they went.” She sniffed. “Took some food from my stores without paying too. Will you be making up for that?”

Dread settled into my bones, and I barely heard a word she said after that. Interrupting her further grievences, I snapped, “You must tell me where they went! Someone must have seen where they headed.”

Turning to face me properly, her eyes narrowed. “I will tell you once I have my payment-“ She froze, eyes widening as her gaze darted behind me. In fact, the whole tavern had gone eerily quiet.

Peering over my shoulder, I startled at how close Alpha Hati had managed to get to me without my realising. I should have noticed, heard his steps or sensed him at my back.

Orange eyes were locked onto the human female and he gently nudged me out of the way to stand before her.

“You will tell us where they went,” he said darkly. “I have taken this woman under my protection and that extends to her family.”

Woman. He spoke like the humans did, and it appeared to work. Or perhaps it was the silent threat that lingered in the smile on his lips that had her simpering her apologies. “Of course, m'lord. They took to the Northern road, but that is as much as I know.”

Alpha Hati nodded once then glanced at my open shock and jerked his head towards the door. A clear order for me to leave but it took my confused mind a moment to make my legs work.

I stared at whispering patrons who never looked away from the Alpha for more than a few moments. There was a knowledge in their expressions that told me they knew of the Alpha, but perhaps not for what he really was, and that intrigued me.

Reaching the door, I looked back over at the male to see him murmuring to the female. “I will make sure you are paid for the food they took and anything else you feel is owed to you.”

“Thank you, m’lord.” She bobbed low in a strange show of supplication. “Mightn’t I seek compensation for sheets they used that are so stained in blood, they’re of no further use to me.”

That female had no compassion, and when the Alpha bowed his head and agreed, I shook my head and stomped my way out. He was wasting too much time. We had no idea where my pack could be, if they were alright, if they’d made North or some other direction. My eyes scanned the forest as if I’d catch a glimpse of them and I knew I would not stand still for another second. Farrin called my name as I fled the port and ran into the forest with renewed determination.

Through branches that scratched at my cheek, and brambles that tore at my dress, I ran with my nose in the air to catch even the smallest scent. My thoughts spilled and turned over one another in my growing panic.

I should have done more to get money.

I should have run North to Alpha Hati quicker.

I should never have left them at all.

I’d been foolish. A foolish pup playing at Alpha and protector of the pack.

“Where are you?” I whispered to the forest, but nothing answered.

Then a branch snapped behind me.

I spun around but couldn’t see anyone, animal or otherwise, hidden amongst thick for trees. But my back prickled with the awareness of eyes on me and I could sense a silent approach.

A hand grabbed my arm and I screamed, lashing out at the body that had appeared next to me; a huge mass of shadow through tear blurred eyes. The scent of drying copper blood spiked my fear and I fought with renewed force, a sound between a growl of rage and a frustrated scream tearing from my throat.

“Hush, Little Alpha.” A rough voice demanded.

Blinking at the brown leather I was pinned against, my struggle lessened but not completely. The fingers around the tops of my arms gentled and through a shuddering breath, I caught the sweetness of honey.

Alpha Hati.

Once my body registered fully that I was in no danger, I slumped against him in exhaustion, panting and trembling. He froze, perhaps in shock, but made no move to shove me away, his hands falling from me to rest awkwardly at his sides.

“I should have stayed with them,” I said mournfully, uncaring what he thought of me in that moment. “I could have gotten them North. Or close enough to have made getting help to them easier, faster.”

The Alpha hummed, the sound thrumming through my veins. “Perhaps, perhaps not. If your father is as injured as you believe, he would not have made it. You mentioned pups too, so they can’t have gone too far. We will find them.”

I nodded, feeling the leather stick to my damp cheek, tears still falling despite his attempt at comfort. Alpha Hati shifted on his feet and I felt the heat of his hand hover over my lower back before he awkwardly patted it. The touch sent a spark over my skin, even with the fabric of my cloak and dress between us.

Jumping back from him on unsteady legs, I turned my face away with flushing cheeks. I’d made him uncomfortable, and humiliated myself. He was a stranger to me, not pack as much as he wanted me to call him Alpha, and it wasn’t right to seek comfort from him in a way reserved for pack.

I tried to straighten my shoulders and roughly wiped my face as I cleared my throat. “We would find them faster if we shifted.”

“We can leave our clothes with Farrin,” he agreed, much to my surprise. “He’ll wait on the road for us. If we don’t find them by nightfall, we will return to the port and try again tomorrow.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced myself not to ask him what would happen if we didn’t find them by the end of the next day either.