His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 155: Southern Weres

My wolf pulled back her upper lip, snarling. Was this woman insulting me like many others had before? How did she know of me? My fur differed from the others’ of Sun and Fury, of most in the Ice and Claws, but surely, word had not spread about me to the rogues.

Kharis and Cohnal turned around, growling. Their ears flicked back, ready to attack. This she-wolf smirked and crossed her arms against her chest, looking me up and down. "Not bad... I’d love to fight sometime."

What? 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

My ears flicked back in confusion, and I looked at Kharis and Cohnal. I thought they were letting me handle this she-wolf, but as the other wolves grew closer, they appeared happy, wagging their tails yet alert while acting casually with Eryx.

My confusion must have tingled through the bond because Eryx mind linked me. ’They have been on patrol. That’s-’

"Salihn!" Kharis hissed, now in his human form. "We could have attacked you!"

The she-wolf Salihn swiped her leg out suddenly, causing Kharis to fall on his backside. He glared up at her. "Really?" Salihn scoffed. "Your defences were weak. The North must have been really soft on you little brother. Now shift back. I don’t want to see ya nasty little peepee."

Brother?! What was happening?

Kharis got up, scowling at her, covering himself there. Salihn was almost as tall as Kharis, and now that they were close together, I could see the similarities. I was about to shift into my human form, wanting to speak to the she-wolf, but her warm voice sounded in my mind, confirming we were in the same pack.

Bowing her head in respect after being scolded by Kharis, she introduced herself. ’I’m Salihn, Warrior, and the next Queen’s guardian. I take it.. that would be you, Princess.’ She grinned at me.

My wolf assessed her over, eyes glimmering a little, then dipped her head once in acknowledgement, allowing me to speak back to Salihn in the mind link. ’I hope we get along well,’ I say, feeling a little awkward.

’Besides Cohnal and Kharis, Salihn is the best of the best,’ Eryx mind linked me as he returned to us, the other wolves following behind. Eryx made the others appear small, but they weren’t—it was simply due to his imposing size.

Salihn glared at Kharis and Cohnal. "That was too easy to get to Her Highness. You’re slacking. Good thing I’m here now." She flicked her ropey hair behind her shoulder in a dramatic flourish.

She then shifted into her wolf form, shaking out some of her brown fur. There was a slice in her ear like she’d been in a fight and lost a bit of her ear, but besides that, she was similar in stature to the others.

The others joined, all dipping their heads in respect to me as they surrounded us.

’Report,’ Eryx commanded like a true Alpha in the mind link as he moved to my side again at the back of our formation.

’Rogues have been acting up but no more than normal. You returned without sending word. Good thing Faidon reached out to me,’ Salihn answered. She was on my right now, her gaze sharp and scanning our surroundings as we started to move. ’You all look exhausted, you need some fresh guards.’

Faidon. Where was he? I always assumed he was in the shadows or something. Not that there is much in the sandy horizon in the distance.

Eryx ignored Salihn’s little retort about returning without sending word. She and Kharis seemed to be similar in that regard as well. ’And Alpha King Valerius? He knows of our arrival?’

Salihn’s ears flattened a little as she looked uncomfortable. ’His Majesty has... fallen ill.’

Eryx’s head whipped over to look at Salihn, and a low growl rumbled in his chest. ’Anyone else affected?’

That was an odd response to his father falling ill. In fact, the bond didn’t signal any concern for his father’s wellbeing.

’Two others. They have already been buried, their families taken care of,’ Salihn answered, keeping a steady gaze in the distance. The others shifted uncomfortably in the formation but said nothing else.

’Eryx?’ I asked in our own mate mind link. ’Is there a sickness spreading in Sun and Fury?’

’No.’ Eryx shook his head subtly. ’I’ll explain later when it’s safer.’

𓆩:*¨༺✧ ♛ ✧༻¨*:𓆪

Salihn and the other wolves quickly made me feel welcome during our travels. At first, I was a little shy; I wasn’t used to being greeted and welcomed so nicely. Then I remembered who my mate was and who I was to become, my wolf encouraged me to be more confident in myself.

After some time, though, I didn’t need encouragement. I relaxed the longer I was with them, acting like I do with the others of the Southern Weres. I didn’t know what to expect when meeting more Weres of Sun and Fury, but it wasn’t this. I was an outsider, yet they treated me like any other, like Eryx’s mate.

Were they simply following the hierarchy and giving me respect as expected, or were they all so friendly? I would soon find out when we reach the palace. That’s where vipers usually slithered around.

Once we passed all the rocky formations of those towering dried-out canyons, the land expanded into a sea of sand. The wind was relentless, sand brushing against my face and getting stuck in my fluffy fur. I kept shedding my winter fur, something that was needed in the North.

I looked behind me and saw the trail of white fluff. It almost looked like a sprinkling of snow. It made my heart pang, yet simultaneously, I felt more at ease even under this baking sun and strange sandy land. By nightfall, we’d covered a fair distance; the outer ranks of our formation fought off a few animals and actually ended up helping one rogue who was injured.

That rogue was currently with us as we settled down by this tropical beach. Kharis kept an eye on the young pup in case he was used to ’lure’ wolf packs into a trap. While they fussed over the new addition and patrolled the area, my paws were sinking into the wet sand as I stared at the sea, listening to the waves crash softly.

"Is this what Moonhalla is like?" I ponder, shifting into my human form so I can feel the sand and water between my toes.

Eryx wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, and I melted into him as I stared at the dark seas. It was so calming here.

Eryx kissed the top of my head. "I suppose," he murmurs. Southern Weres didn’t believe in Moonhalla, they also believed in a Sun God as well as the Moon Goddess. "Isn’t Moonhalla meant to be of silver halls and rowdy men?" He chuckles.

I shrug. "Perhaps. But I always think it will be peaceful, a place of rest. The Moon Goddess wouldn’t possibly put up with rowdy men," I smirked and then sighed, my shoulders relaxing more. "This place is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Will the landscape change more?" I look up at him then.

Eryx kisses my cheek, his large body enveloping me and making me feel even tinier. I love it. ’You will see, my love.’ He spoke in our private mind link. ’Come back to the fire. The nights get cold.’

’I’m from the North,’ I remind him but let him guide me back to the others, accepting some loose-fitting clothes from Salihn and huddling by the fire, feeling the most content in my entire life, surrounded by strangers and those who had accepted me quickly from the beginning.