by Sara Snow
“Thank you,” I replied quietly, but my gaze shifted to Seff, Mathew’s brother, who was standing by his side.
“A promising Luna, indeed,” Seff had simply said. His voice so deep, it was as if he was growling.
We bowed to each other, and then they left.
It turns out watching the Guards train is paying off.
There was a knock at my door, and my father stepped in. I tensed up.
He held his hand up. “I’m not here to argue.”
“I had no intention of arguing, either. You just . . . never come to my room,” I muttered.
He looked away as he came to a stop by the window. “You fought well tonight.” He took a deep breath. "Really well, at that. Where did you learn to do that? Have you been training with someone?"
I shook my head. “No, but I watch the Guards train sometimes.”
“Oh . . .” He inhaled deeply. “Well, I’m proud of you.”
"Who are you?" I asked quickly, and he looked at me with surprise. "Who are you, and what have you done with my father? He would have been livid about what I did tonight."
He laughed, and wrinkles appeared in his eyes indicating a genuine laugh.
How long has it been since we’ve talked like this?
“But thank you,” I said softly.
He gave me a tight-lipped smile. “I had no doubt about your strength, Elinor. You are my daughter, after all. Do you remember when you said that I know what it feels like to have our strength sizzling inside us, yearning to be let free? You were right. You experienced it tonight, the feeling of invincibility that comes with dominance. It felt intoxicating, didn’t it?”
I nodded. It really had. I had wanted everyone to see my strength, to know that I was not to be tested. Indeed, I had felt invincible.
“I see a better life for you as Luna. Being in the Werewolf Guard with that much power will be harder than you think. Other wolves of lesser strength will constantly challenge you.”
I exhaled with a sigh. “I understand. I’d have an advantage over them all.”
He nodded firmly. “Yes. You’d make a great Alpha, Elinor. I don’t doubt that. I never have.” He looked away to stare out the window. “But you’re also kind and compassionate, traits an Alpha can’t afford. You have no idea of the choices I’ve had to make as Alpha.”
“If I were ruthless and cold-hearted, would you let me become Alpha? Or even join the Guard?" I kept staring at him, but as the seconds ticked by and he continued staring out the window, I knew he wasn't going to answer me.
“There are things out there that you don’t know or understand, Elinor. Things that, even with your strength, you can’t beat. I can’t lose my only daughter.”
He turned to me, and I saw the sincerity in his eyes.
My father had never been affectionate towards me. Our arguing started when I hit my teens and felt the need to question everything. Even when I was young, we'd never really taken time to talk about our feelings.
“I understand. I do.” I stood up and walked over to my bed. “And I know there is a lot I’ve yet to learn. I realize being a Guard is a dangerous job, and you are afraid to lose me. Please try to understand what I am telling you. If you force me to be something I don’t want to be, you’ll lose me as well. I only get one life, and I don’t want to have any regrets when I get old.”
“We’ve all had to give up things we wanted to do.” His response was quick, and I blinked at the edge in his voice.
I bit down on my lip. I hadn’t thought of that. “Okay.”
“Let’s find some common ground here, okay?” He crossed the room and sat on the bed beside me. “You’re nineteen, Elinor, soon to be twenty. It’s time for you to find a mate. When you find him, there’s a good chance you won’t become Luna right away . . . unless he’s already taken the role of Alpha. I’ll allow you to try out for the Werewolf Guard if you’ll work with me and try to find your mate. If you do find him, I’ll try to convince him, whoever he is, to allow you to be a Guard for a year before you turn twenty-one.”
I thought my heart stopped beating as I stared at him. Had he really just given me his blessing to try out for the Guards? “I—I don’t know what to say. Are you serious?”
He nodded.
I jumped to my feet. “Really? I can join the Guards?”
“Well, I gave you permission to try out. Testing will begin soon, but whether or not you will be accepted is entirely up to you.”
Without even thinking about it, I rushed forward and hugged him. When I realized what I was doing, I hugged him tighter. His arms wrapped around me slowly before I pulled away.
“Thank you, thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me.” I turned to leave the room, then stopped and turned to face him. “I really appreciate you giving me a chance, Father.”
“It’s the only one you’ll get, so make it count.”
Elinor
There was only a week left for all the wolves interested in joining the Werewolf Guard to prepare. We’d be subjected to numerous tests that would evaluate our skill and knowledge. While I should have been training, I was instead rushing home after being forced to go into town to get goods from the market for dinner.
With the sun quickly setting, the night would be upon us soon, and I wanted to go hunting with Father. No doubt he’d already left with the guys while I was stuck carrying home bags of groceries.
After Father gave me his blessing to try out for the Guards, it still took two days to convince Connor to help train me. There was no way I was going to ask Darian for help, especially since I was fairly certain he would only laugh in my face.
That was two weeks ago, and even Connor said I'd learned a lot. I'd always been a fast learner, and I hoped that would pay off now. I’d be able to be in the Guards for at least a year, and I had every intention of convincing my father to extend the time when the year ended.
I hadn't been accepted yet, but I was hopeful.
Walking home, I was so caught up in my thoughts, I didn’t notice the sound of a carriage behind me. It was the strong odor of something pungent that stopped me in my tracks. When I turned around, bright yellow eyes pierced mine.
The creature jumped at me the moment I turned around and jerked the carriage, pulling it violently to the side in the process. The bag in my hand slipped between my fingers as I jumped back to avoid being bitten.
"Stop it, you beast! Or he'll kill us both!" The man driving the carriage pulled on the reins as if it was a horse. “We’re already running behind.”
Who would use an Orthros, a two-headed wild dog, in the place of a horse?
“Are you insane?” I yelled. “That thing almost took a chunk out of me! What moron is being driven around in this carriage?”
I didn’t really care who was in there. Even if it was a Council Member, I had no intention of holding my tongue. Orthros were wild creatures, unpredictable at best. Not only that, they smelled disgusting.
The head on the left that hadn't attacked me licked the ear of the one on the right as they both growled at me. The carriage door suddenly opened, and I looked at the man sitting atop the small carriage. “Well, now you’ve done it,” he hissed.
I frowned, suddenly very curious to know who was inside, but I decided to pick up my goodies from off the ground. Cursing, I turned my back to the carriage and threw my smashed tomatoes into the forest. “Great. Just great.”
“Are you hurt, child?”
I froze, a tingling sensation rolling up my spine at both the voice behind me and the fact that the person had called me a child. I turned around. The carriage door was open, but just enough to show a man sitting inside, his black cloak hiding his entire body.
With his hood pulled over his head, his face was hidden. I grew stiff, on alert as he suddenly got up and stepped out of the carriage. Just then, a new scent hit me.
“Master, we’re running . . .”
"It's fine," the man told the carriage driver. "Do you
need help?" he asked me as he bent down to pick up an apple that was still lying on the ground.
That’s when I realized what he was—a vampire. This man was a vampire. He held the apple out to me.
I took it hesitantly. “Thank you, but I’m not a child,” I corrected him as I dropped it into my bag. I had to look up at him. He was so tall and muscular. But still, I couldn't see his face, only his mouth, and the way it curved with a smirk.
“You are to me,” he answered when the Orthros barked.
“You travel with that thing to hide your scent, don’t you?”
Why was I speaking to this man, this bloodsucker, so casually? I didn't know, but considering this was the first time I'd ever met a vampire, I thought it would be best to act as calm as possible. This man was a creature I knew little about—I didn't see a fight between us ending in my favor.
“Yes,” he answered, his voice low yet deep and masculine. Something within me stirred. “Why are you walking alone? There are creatures in this forest that come at night, some strong enough to hurt a lone wolf.”
“I can take care of myself, thank you,” I replied, irritated that even vampires considered me just a little she-wolf in need of protection. “I live in the forest. Just because I’m a woman, that does not mean I can’t protect myself.”
“I never said that,” he contended, tilting his head to the side. “I can smell that you're a werewolf—pureblood, at that."
Maybe it was the mention of blood from a vampire that got me on edge. I narrowed my eyes at him, my irritation growing, especially over the fact that I still couldn’t see his face.
This man can drain me dry, and I’m worried about what he looks like? Well, from what Skye had described he doesn’t look like a Bleeder, with their gray, hairless skin. Still, he’s a vampire, a predator for even werewolves.
“Well, I should be going,” I remarked hastily as I turned to leave, suddenly all too aware of the potential danger this mysterious man represented.
“I can smell your fear, but you’re in no danger.”
I froze as those words left his lips. For some reason, they made me angry. I hated being underestimated or seen as weak. Sure, I was currently on edge—I’d never seen a vampire before—but if it came down to it, I'd fight this man with everything I had. I was no weakling.
I turned to face him when red eyes flashed from under his hood, and he lowered his head. I clenched my fists. “Have you considered that you might be the one in danger? And that smell isn’t fear, it’s your dogs.”
“Looks like I’m going to enjoy this trip after all,” he muttered under his breath. Suddenly, he turned away and climbed back into the carriage.
What the hell did that mean?
I watched as it pulled away quickly, the dog/dogs setting off on a run, and sighed.
I thought vampires had a stronger, more pungent scent. Why was his barely noticeable to me?
Maybe it was the intrigue I felt at the meeting that had distracted me from his scent. I had just met a vampire, and he’d seemed so utterly . . . normal—for a supernatural, that is.
I’d always heard that vampires were mindless, bloodthirsty creatures, yet this one spoke and came across as a well-educated man. I continued on my way home, my mind replaying the entire encounter. Still, it wasn’t likely I’d ever see that vampire again. At least, I hoped not.
Still, I had to admit, the man had made my heart flutter, and not with fear. It was excitement.
9
Elinor
It took a lot to exhaust a werewolf, but I was at my limit as I ran back to the packhouse. For the past few weeks, Connor had been pushing me, and it was starting to show. My fighting skill had vastly improved, and my body was a lot stronger from all the rigorous exercise.
It didn’t help that Connor insisted I train in a dress the entire time, not the uniform I would wear at the examination. He figured that if I learned to fight in uncomfortable clothing, it would work to my benefit. Female guards wore breeches when they were on duty, but what would they do if they were needed while off duty? Connor felt that situation was unlikely, but in his opinion, it was best to be prepared.
Men and women in the Werewolf Guard all wore uniforms spelled by witches. The tight black breeches and long sleeve tops were light and comfortable yet impenetrable to tooth or blade.
Unlike the actual Guards, those of us who would be taking part in the examination would wear a twirling rope up our sleeves. It was meant to distinguish each wolf and the pack they were from. Also, we would be given a ring similar to the one all Guards wore so that once we shifted, our uniforms would liquefy and slip into the ring, which would be hidden under a transformed wolf’s skin. After all, a Guard wouldn’t want to rip his uniform to shreds each time he transformed.
I came to a stop by the side of my house and bent forward, my hands on my knees, as I tried to catch my breath. Connor had to leave four hours ago since my father needed him. I was left to train myself, but I didn’t mind. Tomorrow would be the day I’d find out if I’d be joining the Werewolf Guards.
I made my way inside and upstairs, my legs growing weaker the higher I got. It was pretty early, but I wanted to eat, take a bath, and go to bed early. My aching joints would be as good as new tomorrow and ready for whatever the examiners threw my way.
“We have no leads as yet,” I heard Connor say from my father’s office.
I stopped walking, my ears perking up with interest.
“This is becoming more of a problem than I’d anticipated. We need to be on alert,” my father replied, the concern in his voice evident.
“I know. Darian is continuing with his investigation, but the last b . . .”
I was just about to walk past when my father noticed me. “Um, hey,” he quickly said as I peeped through the slightly opened door. “Come in, Elinor.”
“Hi, I just finished with my training,” I said as I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Connor nodded. “Good. Now the most important thing for you to do is get some sleep. You’ll have to be up early to begin your journey.”
I nodded. “I’m just going to clean up first. Ah, what’s becoming a problem? I’m sorry, I couldn’t help overhearing.”
My father waved his hand dismissively before combing his hair back. He reclined in his chair with a small smile on his lips. “Don’t worry about that. What I need you to focus on is tomorrow.” He pointed a stern finger at me. “Are you ready?”
“I most definitely am,” I affirmed, my voice a little too loud.
He laughed in response. “Good. Tomorrow you’ll make the Blackwood name proud. I’m sorry I won’t be there.”
That was high praise coming from my father. It sure wasn’t something I was used to, as you could imagine. His words threw me for a moment.
My determination solidified, and I nodded my head firmly. “That’s okay. Cyrus and Skye will be there with me. I’ll be okay.”
I turned to leave when Connor joined me at the door. “Remember to watch your rear, Elinor. That’s your biggest weakness. Once someone gets behind you, they almost always get the upper hand. Remember . . . you’ve got this.”
"Thanks, Connor, for everything."
I walked away and headed to my room, but I couldn’t help feeling that something was wrong as I did so. What was my father hiding? I shook my head. I couldn't think about that now. Once I passed the exam tomorrow and became a Guard, he wouldn't have any reason to hide things from me.
Elinor
It took us three hours to get to Ruelen, a large town just north of where I lived in Jack’s Creek. Ruelen was also only half a day’s walk or ride to the sea, so it had become a center for trade. Humans and supernaturals from all over the world came there to do business. Even though there was another town closer to the sea, Ruelen was usually busier for a completely unrelated reason—duel betting.
The sport had originated in the town years ago, and the set-up was simple. Supernaturals and humans would duel to th
e death—or close to it—with their cronies taking bets throughout. In the middle of the town stood a large red brick building that was used for just this purpose. Beyond its steel double doors was an arena used for fighting.
This was my first time in Ruelen. Since this city was known for fighting, I was saddened that I was not here to watch a fight. I’d always wanted to visit, but my father wouldn’t allow it. Today, though, the arena was being used to conduct the Werewolf Guard examination. Standing in front of the building’s double doors was a long line of werewolves, all dressed as I was.
I looked down at my arm, showing the colors of the Blackmoon Pack, before checking out the other werewolves and the rainbow of colors on their sleeves. The busy town was swarming with applicants and their family and friends. By my side, Skye began to rub her hands together with excitement.
“This is amazing,” she gushed, while Cyrus carried our bags.
We’d be staying for two nights since the examination would stretch on for two days.
“This is nothing. Duel matches are held every weekend. That’s when the town really comes alive,” Cyrus told her. “It’s definitely something to see.”
“You’ve been here before?” Skye probed a little aggressively, pinning him with a glare.
“Of course, I have,” Cyrus replied casually as we made our way through the dense crowd. "I can fly wherever I wish to go, remember?"
“Elinor!”
I heard my name echo through the crowd. I quickly spun around to find Raven, a member of my pack, waving my way. Raven’s mother, Liandra, was our pack’s midwife. While Nurse Hilary handled all of our injuries and illnesses with her herbal skills, Liandra took care of all the expectant she-wolves.
Raven's black eyes twinkled, and I smiled and waved back. Beside her were seven other members of our pack, all dressed like me. It seemed as if there were a lot of us trying out this year. While Raven looked happy to see me, I couldn’t help but notice how the others turned and walked away.