A/N
So I've went from 500 to almost 800 reads on this story in only two days. Excuse me, how??? What happened?? I blame it all on you!!
No, but in all seriousness, I wanna thank you all so much for your comments and messages and votes! I am forever grateful and humbled! I am still shook and I don't know what else to say AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.
All right, enough of this, back to the story!
Captain, Juni out!
''Nice shot.'' Ethan says with that smile of his.
We are standing in the outset of the forest, bows in our hands. Ethan has caught me today in the backyard, with two of them in his hand, challenging me into a friendly contest. I didn't want to anger the man who wants to slaughter us all, also, I missed my old bow, I missed the power it gave me and mostly I wanted to piss Ronan off, so I agreed.
The bow was huge in my hands, unfamiliar. It was strange to hold a bow and not to trust myself that I'll shoot true.
My arrow was in the outer ring of the target now. I grimace. ''I was able to shoot better before.''
''So why are you failing now?'' Cocky bastard. I should have declined his stupid offer.
''There was no need of practicing for two years''.
It's cold outside today. Snow is crunching under my heavy boots, fog escapes my lips every time I speak. My nose catches a faint smell of smoke coming from the chimneys. Frost is holding the land in its cold embrace. For the first time in a while, I want to go back inside and curl in front of the fireplace to escape the freeze that makes my cheeks turn bright pink and my fingers numb.
''Why are you with him?'' a voice booms behind us. It's the monster, of course. I was gone from his sight for less than five minutes and now he's here, his jaw clenched, eyebrows furrowed, palms turned to fists. He snatches the bow out of my hands. Relax, I wasn't targeting you, damn.
I want to reply with something smart, but Ethan's faster. He turns to Ronan, those strange, almost red eyes focused on him, with clear mockery on his face.
''Isn't it funny how Eira darling is willing to spend her time with the so called enemy rather than her own mate? I think it says something about you, Ronan.''
Ronan doesn't even look at Ethan. His eyes are fixed on me. And those eyes hold so much anger I can't help myself but shrink a little. Is he going to punish me for this?
''Why are you with her, any way? She's my mate. I don't want you anywhere near her.'' He talks about me as I was some kind of an object. A toy for the alpha to play with. Ethan is still relaxed, unaffected by Ronan's spite, sparkles playing in his eyes.
''I find her company rather pleasant. She's not a stupid mountain of muscle as your males are and not a shallow scared girl as your other females are.'' I can't stop my lip corners from going up a little. Ronan, on the other hand, is looking like he's going to explode any second.
''How dare you to speak like that about my pack in my lands in front of me?''
Ethan only laughs at this. How can he stay so chill in front of him? He's sooo not afraid of Ronan.
''Me me me... It's always about you, Ronan, right?''
*****
''I don't want you to spend another second with him.'' Ronan says when Ethan goes to meet his two pack members. Great, my nanny is telling me what I should or should not do again. He pisses me off so much I can't contain it any longer.
''So what I am supposed to do? Run from him every time he comes close? You don't let me breathe, Ronan, I'm suffocating from your constant supervision! I can't even talk with my only friend in this pack without begging you to let me. So when someone offers me to do something that I used to love, of course I'm going to accept!''
''Eira, he's an enemy. He wants our lands!'' He's angry. And jealous. I'm so sick of this.
''Your lands, not mine.'' I spit though my gritted teeth. This place will never be mine. I will never call it home.
''Eira, if you won't stop saying this kind of shit, I swear to god, you'll spend the rest of your life locked in that room or until you know better. Don't test me.''
''I have nothing else to say, alpha.''
I walk away.
*****
''Traitor'', someone hisses in my ear when I pass by. Someone spits in my direction.
''You killed one of your own.''
''Why doesn't Ronan just end her? She's useless.''
''She should be banished from the pack.''
''She's weak, she should be an omega...''
It goes on and on and on. Their words hurt. But I let them speak nonetheless.
*****
''Well well...'' an overly sweet voice reaches my ears. ''Look who's got her leash released... I heard you even liked being in those chains, that you begged the alpha to keep you chained up like a good little bitch that you desperately want to be.''
''Mira, one more word.'' I say calmly without looking at her. I don't have the will to say something more back to her. I just keep walking.
''Or what? You think I'm afraid of you? The person who couldn't handle the pack life? Who got scared and scurried away and just in pure luck was able to kill that werewolf? Not mentioning the fact that he was your pack member.''
Oh, Mira, you are testing my patience with you.
''You are weak, Eira.'' she continues. ''Unsuitable for a pack life. You are a black sheep of the entire werewolf race. God, I wish Tyler had killed you that night you escaped... You are weak, my dear. You will be a mockery for the rest of your life!''
No, I won't be. I won't let anyone to mock me for my strength. They won't mock me for wanting my freedom.
My shift is smooth and quick, not like Mira's, but I don't jump on her first. I'll let her rage take the better of her.
Mira's almost black wolf is ready for a fight now, her shifting complete. People starts to gather, surrounding us. They want a show. Good, I'll give it to them. It's time for all of them to learn not to mess with me. A memory flashes through my eyes, but in the memory, the wolf in front of me is brown and twice as big. And, unlike then, I'm going to win this time.
My wolf is ready. Deep down, she waited for this fight to happen a long time ago. She wants the blood to be spilled. She wants to show all of them how strong she actually is.
Mira jumps on me, enraged, thirsty for blood. She wants my death. But unlike that time almost two years ago, I don't call my storms. I am calm, every step is calculated. So when she jumps, I easily dodge her, twisting my body, and jump on her back instead, clawing her neck with my teeth.
I feel my wolf's strength singing inside me, my muscles tensing, teeth sinking deeper and deeper in the flesh. The power I hold brings the feeling of freedom to me. The violence is my peace now.
Mira tries to fight back, she bites air, not being able to reach me, growling wildly, trying to escape. I don't let go. She is weak, not me. After a minute, he growls turn to whines, then to whimpers. The fight has ended before it even started.
She's miserable. I don't let go. She will learn to respect me. Everyone will.
Her blood is pooling underneath us, coloring the snow bright red. It's mesmerizing to see how soft snowflakes that started to fall from the clouds turn from white to scarlet around us. I don't let go.
''Eira, you will kill her!'' someone shouts. And still, I hold.
''You are better than this miserable bitch.'' It's Katherine. And damn, she's right.
My teeth release the flesh slowly, unwillingly. I can feel the body underneath me still moving with every shallow breath it takes. I calmly step down from her, locking my eyes with every member of the pack, daring them to come forward. I will fight every single one who dares to push me around. I won't be their ridicule.
A huge male steps in front of me. He's cocky, smirking at me like I was just a little kid. He speaks. ''I want to kill you, girl. Ronan won't let me, but I would do us all a favor if you won't be able to walk for another month or so.''
He shifts. And damn, he's almost twice as big. I'll have to be quick with him. I won't win if he jumps on me. But despite his threatening look, I am still calm. If I want to show all of them my rightful place in the pack, I must concentrate and win this battle, too. If I can show them I can fight this huge male off...
Mira's blood is dripping from my jaws, leaving a tangy taste in my mouth. I can't wait to mix it with the male's blood, too. He expects me to wait for him to attack, like with Mira. So as soon as his gray wolf turns to me, I dash towards him and clench his front leg with my teeth so hard I hear a crunch. Then, with his leg still in my teeth, I twist. The gray one whines so loud he almost drowns the sound of a shoulder being dislocated. Still, with him being disoriented from pain, I grab his back leg and shake so hard that the bones snap in this leg too.
The wolf crumbles in the snow, blood oozing from his legs, not being able to stand up. I grab his neck. I don't even start to shake it - the wolf bares it to me in submission. It's him who's weak. I was expecting so much more of a fight from him.
The battle is over. I won.
This time, no one dares to come forward. No one dares to lift their eyes at me. They won't disrespect me ever again. I won't be a runt of the pack. They will know their place.
As I walk past them, I see Ethan in the corner of my eye, with that constant smile on his face, and, to my surprise, what looks like a pride in his orange-red eyes.