Ascension - Book Eight - Man x Man

Chapter 65

Entertaining the human's made us less scary, showing that we could be civilized was a necessary part of 'fitting in'. While I'd never thought about it much in my human life, having to blend in with society, now it seemed like something that was constantly in the back of my mind. 

Instinct told them that we were dangerous, I couldn't say I blamed them, a lycan had killed my entire family. Now, a sour taste lay on my tongue as I sit up in the small bed, inching out of the grasp of Darrius. Despite our own trials, Helen's attempt to off herself, Darrius's reveal that he was growing in power; we were expected to perform. 

Us and them. 

Once more, our struggles seemed to be entirely our own for life was supposed to go on just as it had before our intrusion. Humans didn't wish to talk about our issues and succumb to our need for discussion on plans and tactics, they wanted to resume normalcy. 

I might have too if I was in their shoes. 

Verando stands beside the window, I frown at the dark circles under his eyes and leave the bed in favor of coming to his side. He hadn't been to sleep yet, after the commentary and being so close to Caspian in an unknown place, I knew there was no way he would sleep. There was no space to patrol, and no safety in the overcrowded home. 

"Morning." I keep my voice low, soft. Reaching up to touch his cheek, I brush the stubble with the backs of my fingers. "Been a while since you pulled an all-nighter."

"Happens more often than you think." Stifling a yawn with his hand, his gaze never leaves the vastness set before us. Mountains bathed in deep fog, rolling through the hills and forest like plumes of heavy smoke. "The whole place smells like prey, it's driving Alpha mad." The delicious scent wafted on every breeze like a beacon, pulling us towards the woods, and making my mouth water.

I was hungry, too. We had hardly touched dinner, our wolves disgusted by the lack of a proper meal. "Fog carries the scent." I agree, "How are you feeling?" 

"Irritated. I don't know what to do with Darrius. I suppose that Legardo will be here today, I'd hope this would be a haven for him but-" Pinching the bridge of his nose, he exhales roughly and shuts his eyes. "I don't know if I can stomach leaving him here, Tyler's parents are harmless but this place is unprotectable. There are too many places to hide, at least at your castle the courtyard was cleared. The bloody woods back right up to the rear entrance of this place. It would take months to make it safe."

"Legardo will be here today," I tell him, slipping my arm around his, leaning my cheek on his bicep. "He's been here before with Helen, he will be able to deal with these people and keep the boys safe. This is what he likes to do, this is what he's good at. We are very lucky to have him." Focusing on the positives was the only way to get through this, Legardo had been a massive asset. Being a father, protecting his children and ours, was something he was passionate about. 

Even so, I could tell it hurt him. The crease in the corner of his mouth told me everything I needed to know, he was tired of leaving our children behind. "Hey. You are an incredible father. Those boys adore you." I tell him firmly, knowing that he would think back to Legardo and Tonic. 

Not wanting to talk about this anymore, he pries his gaze away from the window. "I have something I wanted to talk to you about. Something I've spent my evening thinking us while waiting for the spirits of those damned rabid lycans to crawl out of these woods." My body shudders, I don't even want to think about it, nor do I want to be out in it at night. 

 "Helen needs to submit to surrender her wolf, she and I are too close and I do not believe that I could or should harbor the entirety of Whitewind. I had.. what my younger self referred to.. as an echo. It was merely a shadow of what once was, if it's true that I do harbor Prime and we know that I have Shadowcast, we are closer now to completing the cycle than ever before."