Torn between Wolves & Myths (Book 2)

Liv sat on the porch of the cabin as she looked at the silent and fog covered forest. It was early dawn. The sky was slowly starting to get lighter, but she was the only one awake. Not even the forest had woken up yet. Liv wrapped her blanket around her a little more as she kept her gaze on the silent trees.

After they had gotten to the cabin, Nessa had been inside getting everything ready, along with another woman from Caden’s pack. Apparently, his Cabin was the one next to hers and the two were joined together as well. It wasn’t even a surprise that they had given them the cabin next to Caden’s as everything that was happening was to piss her off to no end.

Nessa had barely looked at her and when she tried to apologize Liv had just walked away. She thoroughly had it with everyone apologizing to her and she just didn’t want to hear anyone say the words to her anymore. She had heard Nessa say that the closet in the master bedroom was filled with clothes her size and that there was an adjoining bathroom and bedroom. Malik had claimed that one instantly. Claiming that he wasn’t going to allow her to be unprotected from now on. Like she hadn’t been on her own for her entire life already. True she was now an Alpha, but that didn’t change who she was. She was still a Moonblood who had been tortured and abused her entire life, had to become a mercenary in the human world and block her wolf for eight years to stay away from King and his goons, then helped an Alpha kill her tormentor. She wasn’t weak or someone who couldn’t take care of herself, but she couldn’t deny the warm feeling that spread through her chest at the thought of her pack actually wanting to protect her. Something that she had never had in her life.

After a long and hot shower, she had changed into red pajama pants and a black tank top, before she walked into her pack watching a soccer game on tv. It was so weird for her to actually realize that they bound themselves to her and that they would do anything for her. They had for her father, but there has never been a female Alpha before, as far as she can recall. Humans weren’t allowed to have the title and any Moonblood that was mated to an Alpha didn’t become the mated female Alpha, also called Luna, they just became their mate, but now, since she is not a mated female, she isn’t a Luna but an actual Alpha. Even with that knowledge, they all took the oath, without any second thought. This was loyalty of the highest kind and she knew that it wasn’t just to her but also to her father. He had always been loved by his pack and now it was her turn to lead what was left of them and any who wish to join her pack.

When she had walked into the room, they had bowed their head towards her, causing her to immediately say that they didn’t have to do that every time they saw her. She had sat down and watched the game with them. Allowing the tenseness to bleed away and just be. She knew that she still needed to have a conversation with them about what the hell happened when she was either in King’s pack or in the human world, but that conversation could wait till another moment.

She still couldn’t believe that they were alive. Rafe may be untrustworthy, but he did save her pack and she was grateful for that. If only she had known sooner...

No, she wasn’t going to allow herself to go down that drain. It was a trap and would change nothing. The past cannot be changed, it can only be used to learn from. And she did. They probably all have.

“What are you doing out here?” Malik’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts, making her look at him as he sat down on the porch next to her with nothing more but some sweatpants on. “Thinking.” She answered as he leaned his arms on his raised knees. “About?” A sigh left her as she looked at the forest again.

“What happened to you that day?” She asked eventually as she met his gaze again.

“Do you really want to know?”

“No,” Wrapping the blanket a little bit more around her. “But I haven’t seen you since that day, your thirteenth birthday. I need to know what happened to you.” Malik gave her a grave smile. “You actually remembered it being my birthday.” She gave him a small smile as well, before Malik sighed and looked at the forest. “We smelled them before they actually attacked. My dad pushed me inside of the closet, gave me some potion to hide my scent and told me to stay quiet. He had barely closed the closet doors before our door broke down and my dad was attacked. I didn’t know how long I sat there listening to the growls and yelps of both of the wolves, but it felt like an eternity. My dad didn’t survive the attack. I heard him die.” Liv closed her eyes as she dropped her head. She knew all too well what that felt like.

“The wolf searched the house before he left. I was too afraid to leave the closet. The sounds outside were very slow to die down and when Alpha Leif died, I had to bite my lips bloody to stop myself from screaming at the severed pack bond. I heard you scream as well.” She looked back up to meet his gaze. “I stayed in the closet until the night had passed. The quiet around me was louder than any sound I have ever heard, and I was deadly afraid to make a sound and disrupting it. Afraid that there were still wolves out there waiting to see if there were any survivors. I didn’t know how when it happened, but somewhere along the line I fell asleep, until the doors of the closet were pulled open and Rafe and his pack found me. They helped me burn my father and grief, before they took me and the others here.” Silence unfolded as they both looked at the forest. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, Malik.” Their gazes met. “I’m sorry you had to go through so much more, Liv.” He countered. She gave him a sad smile as she looked at him; truly looked at him.

He hadn’t changed that much. He may have grown up, but she could still see the boy he was in his eyes and smile. Malik had been the only other child there. He had been one of the lucky ones who had been born as a wolf when his mother was human. Thanks to the fact that she had been a daughter of a Ulfhednar from another pack or something like that. Thing’s weren’t so fortunate for them though as his mother had died in childbirth. Humans aren’t made to deliver a supernatural and she hadn’t survived it. Liv’s mother had taken care of him and when Liv was old enough to walk and understand everything, they became good friends, even though they had an age difference.

“Should I be worried that you’re staring?” Liv smiled as she shook her head. “I just can hardly believe that you’re actually here and alive. This all just seems unreal.” He nodded in understanding. “You’ll get used to it, Alpha.” He said with a wink. “I’m here for you and you can call on me whenever you need me, just like the old days.” He added with a genuine smile.

“Thanks, Malik.” He bumped his shoulder against hers as he got up from the porch. “No problem, Liv. I’m just glad you are back and that our pack is back together with their rightful Alpha.” He said as he bowed his head.

“I am too. I just need to process everything.”

“I’ll leave you too it then. If you need me just holler.” She gave him a grateful smile. She loved the familiar feeling she got from him. It made her feel not so lost and alone like usual. “Thanks.” He squeezed her shoulder and walked back inside.

The door closed behind her and she was once again alone with her thoughts. Malik had always been her friend, so it wasn’t weird for them to treat each other like they always had. Somehow it made this whole situation easier. Malik had always been her partner in crime and she knew that the moment they met again, he was once again.

“He’s a keeper.” The slight smile on her face was wiped clean off as his voice filled her ears. “You can just tell that he is the guy who will do anything for you if you ask him.” She didn’t react to him. All she did was trying to ignore him and not point out that he was sounding like a jealous wolf. Giving in to him was not going to help her. “Ignoring me isn’t going to help you, Moonblood.” But he was making it very hard for her. “I have all the time in the world.” Her hands clenched around her blanket. “Leave.” She snarled through gritted teeth. A breathy chuckle came from him as he walked closer to her. She knew she just lost, but she needed him to leave.

“No, you’d miss me.” He whispered close to her ear. She jumped up and grabbed his throat before pushing him against the door. She stepped a little closer to him as the smirk was still on his face. “I made you a promise that I’m going to kill you, are you really that stupid to provoke me up to the point where I will rip your throat out where you stand?”

“If you were truly going to kill me, you would have already done it.” He said as the smirk disappeared from his face and something genuine replaced it. “Don’t flatter yourself, wolf.”

“Answer me this then, if you wanted to kill me, why haven’t you ripped out my throat already?”

“Because you still have answers I need.” She answered truthfully. “The only reason why you’re not dead, is because you still have some value. Once that is gone, you will lose your throat before you can say stop.” He narrowed his eyes a little at her.

Liv pulled her hand away, but didn’t step back yet. Her body was going haywire once more, but she held everything in check, but she knew that as soon as he’s gone, she was going to have to take care of herself at least two times. The urge was getting too strong already, but she stood by her word. She will not let him touch her like that again. Thanks to the fact that the human and wolf are working together again, she was better at keeping her emotions and body in check.

“Leave.” She snarled again before she took a few steps back.

“You’re stronger.”

“Yes, I am. I’m no longer blocking the wolf, so I’m not the same match for you I was before.” A weird look came over his face as he took a step away from the door and closer to her. It was like he was not entirely sure about something. “You may have stopped blocking your wolf, but your scent isn’t how it’s supposed to be. You need to shift and allow the wolf to get used to the fact that it’s allowed to run again.”

“What the fuck gives you any right to tell me what to do?” She said as the wolf rose inside of her. “What I do isn’t any of your fucking business, now leave before I make you.”

“I’m not telling you what to do, Moonblood. If that was the case you would be on your hands and knees as I remind you what it feels like to be free of that urge.” A growl came from her at the reminder she didn’t need right now. His eyes turned green as a growl escaped him as well. A shiver ran down her spine, but not from fear, it was from pleasure and it made her hate him even more right now.

The smirk returned to his face as he took a whiff. “You may hide how you truly react to me, but that fucking delicious aroused scent of yours is something you cannot hide, Moonblood.”

“Then take a good whiff because it will be the only thing you’re getting from me, wolf. Now leave me the fuck alone!” She snarled as she got up into his face, not backing down from his stare.

“Watch your back, Moonblood. You have more than just Lycaon to worry about.” His voice was low and soft, so soft she barely heard it, before he walked away from her.

Did he just warn her?

“What’s going on?” Malik asked as he walked out of the cabin once more. He looked at Caden’s retreating form before he looked back at her and raised his eyebrows. “You, okay?”

She released a long sigh before running her hands over her face and brushing her hair behind her ears. “Fine. I’m going for a walk.” She said before she walked down the porch steps.

“You want some company, before you attract every wolf that is as close to losing themselves to the urge as you are?” She turned back towards him. “Your scent is strong, Liv.”

“Gee, I didn’t know that yet, thanks for letting me know.” She said sarcastically, before running her hands over her face again. Her body felt like it was going to burst apart if she didn’t get relieve soon. She hated- absolutely hated- that the Alpha asshole had such an effect on her.

“I didn’t mean anything by it.” Malik said as he held his hands up. A sigh left her as she started to pace. “I know, I just...”

“Need release.” Malik finished for her. “Go take care of yourself, but please be careful.” He said as he nodded to the forest. She raised her eyebrows at him as she stopped pacing. “I know you don’t need my permission, but I could smell you both from inside the cabin.” Both? She really didn’t pay attention to Caden’s scent, only how pissed she was at him. “If someone finds you and forces himself on you, just yell and I’ll be there before you know it.”

“If someone does find me, I’ll rip his throat out before he could grab his dick.” She corrected, causing Malik to snort. “But thanks for looking out for me.”

“What else is a pack for?” He said with a wink before he walked back inside and closed the door. She released another sigh before she turned towards the slowly waking forest and started running.

When she was far enough from the cabins and made sure that there was no one around, she sat down with her back against a tree, which was partly covered with bushes hiding her from view. With a sigh she dropped her head against the tree as she went with her hand in her pants and panties. Closing her eyes, she started to stroke herself, working towards the first release of the day.

§

“Look who’s back!”

Liv stopped in the door opening as she looked at Malik and Fare, the one who had been the first to take the oath. “Did you have fun?” Fare wiggled his eyebrows as he leaned with his elbows on the counter and took a sip of his water. Liv rolled her eyes as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. “Loads.” She walked towards them as both Malik and Fare chuckled. She washed her hands before she also grabbed a water bottle. “I thought that girls were usually the ones who gossip.” She said as she walked to stand next to Malik, who she gave a pointed look before taking a sip.

Ulfhednars and Lycanthropes alike didn’t see sex as a taboo. They were open and honest about it and, apparently, the Ulfhednars didn’t care if they had public sex either. That was something that she didn’t see happening with Lycanthropes, unless their urge got too bad. So, it wasn’t surprising that Fare called her out on it and the conversation she had with Malik before about needing release.

“Yep, that’s why Malik is doing it.”

“Dude!” Liv snorted and water sprayed a little out of her mouth before she swallowed and laughed. Malik glared at Fare who had a big and challenging smile on his face.

She didn’t know Fare very well. The only thing that she could remember was the fact that he wasn’t an original pack member and joined the pack not long before the attack. He also had a roughness over him that most wolves didn’t have. Like he had more human features than is usual. She didn’t know why that stood out though. He wasn’t ugly, not in a long shot. His ginger hair was long and his thick braid reached the middle of his back. The two sides of his head were shaved and also showed some tattoos that joined in his neck. His green eyes were almost as green as the emerald ones the Ulfhednars get when their wolf comes to the surface, and they were truly beautiful. He didn’t have the muscle that Caden and Malik had, he was leaner, but he wasn’t weak because of it. He probably could still drop any who comes in his way on their ass. He just wasn’t a usual apparition of a Lycanthrope or Ulfhednar.

“The only girl around here is you.” Malik countered as he pulled her out of her thoughts.

“No, the only g-”

“Don’t you dare call me girl.” Liv said as she pointed her finger towards him. “Apologies, the only female here is our gorgeous Alpha.” He corrected before he winked at her. Liv made a face. “Don’t make me puke.” Both Malik and Fare chuckled at her face.

“Anyway, Malik only told me where you were because your scent actually woke me up.” Liv swallowed her water as she met his gaze. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s completely fine, it’s just something I’m not used to. Smelling an aroused woman is something totally different from smelling an aroused Moonblood. It’s not like we have many female wolves around here so it took me a bit by surprise as I had never scented it before.” Liv turned the cap on the bottle as she placed it on the counter and looked at it. “You probably will never smell it from anyone else but me.”

Fare and Malik looked at each other as they noticed the tone in her voice. “I’m sorry, Alpha.” Dawn’s scream filled her ears again. Liv closed her eyes as she placed her hands on the counter and willed it away.

“Liv?” Malik placed a hand on her shoulder, but she didn’t react to it. She kept hearing Dawn’s scream, no matter how hard she tried to will it away.

“Your half-sister?” Her eyes snapped open as she met Malik’s gaze. He gave her a pitiful smile. “Alphas Caden and Ben reported that King’s daughter Dawn was your half-sister.”

“I heard her die.” She said with a small voice. “I tried to get to her, Psophis she said that I could save her. And I would have, if I had been on time.” A tear rolled down her cheek. She immediately wiped it away before she took a few steps away from the two and looked out of the window, trying very hard not to break down.

“Don’t put that blame on yourself, Liv.” Malik said. “You are not responsible for the curse that killed her and all the others. You are not to blame for her death.”

“Am I not?” She asked as she turned around. “Every Moonblood died except Psophis and me. Why did that curse affect every one of our kind besides us two? What was the reason to kill them anyway!?”

“We cannot answer those questions, because we don’t know the answers.” Fare said a little grim. “Then who does?!” Her voice raised a little. Liv took a deep breath to calm herself.

“The Alphas do.” Malik answered. “They know more than we do about this, and Rafe knows even more than the other Alphas do.” Of course, Rafe had all the answers.

She ran her hands through her hair as she walked to the couch and sat down. Fare and Malik followed her shortly after, but they didn’t speak. Neither did she. She needed the quietness to calm her mind. There was no use to think about Dawn and that dreadful day right now. She needed a plan to get the answers she needs, but she had a feeling that marching into the packhouse and demanding answers wasn’t going to help her. No, she needed to do this with calculated moves. Taking a deep breath, she leaned with her elbows on her knees as she looked at the dark tv. Calculated moves, meant that she was going to put on a show for everyone outside of her pack. Rafe asked if they could start over. It was the perfect opening she needed. The only thing she needed to do was making everyone believe that she was willing to try a new start. Given how she reacted to his proposal, it was going to be a challenge to sell it, but not impossible. Except for when it comes to Augo. He was the only one who might see through her façade.

A growl almost escaped her as she thought about him. Even though it didn’t get out, a question did.

“Did you guys know about what Rafe did to me?”

“No.” Malik said with a growl, causing her to look up at him. “Augo had been the one we followed before you. We believed that he was like us, but as soon as we heard him say what they did to you and that you were locked up in a room, we shut him out.”

“Like you?” She asked with a frowning gaze. “Wary of Rafe, Pyry and Stef.” The latter probably being the name of braid. “When they saved us, they seemed like wolves we could trust. When he announced he was Leif’s half-brother, something changed though. There was something off as soon as we heard who he was.”

“It was like an alarm went off in our heads, screaming danger.” Fare added.

Malik nodded before he met her gaze again. Well, that didn’t sound familiar at all.

“Augo must have felt it as well, but he didn’t heed the inner warning.”

“He was on the edge of death when Rafe saved him. I think he thought he owed everything to Rafe and would follow him because of it.” Malik spoke with a sigh. “Over the years, Augo changed into the male he is now and he has never been the same before.” That was something she also knew. The old Augo would have never agreed with a plan involving her abduction, drugging and imprisonment. “We started to lose him more and more and five weeks ago, he betrayed us all, including you.” That he did. The Augo she knew was truly gone then. In his place was now someone she didn’t know. She released a sigh before she rubbed her hands together.

“How long did you know that I was alive?” She asked next. “I get that you couldn’t have traced me when I escaped King and blocked my wolf to live in the human world, but before that, you could have found me and my mother.”

Their gazes turned hard before Fare got up and walked to the window. “Another reason why we casted Augo out.” He spoke before he turned towards her again. “Was because he kept the fact that you were alive from us until a couple of months ago when King captured you again.” The color drained from her face. “What?”

“Augo knew from the beginning that you were alive, but he claims that Rafe didn’t want us to know because he was afraid that we would get ourselves killed for going after you.” Malik added with venom in his voice. Realization hit her then and there. Liv got up from the couch as looked at Malik. “Augo didn’t tell you, his own pack, something important about one of their own, because another Alpha didn’t want you to know?” He gave her a single nod. A stab went through her chest and she swore she could hear the wolf inside of her howl. A tear rolled down her cheek. Now it made sense why Rafe reacted when she used her power on Augo; now everything he did and told her, it all made sense.

“He left the pack and joined Rafe’s.” She said as she reached for her chest. They didn’t need to confirm anything, as she already knew it to be true. It wasn’t unusual for a wolf to join another pack, but the fact that it was Augo, her former beta, the one who helped to raise her, her friend, made the whole situation unbearable for her.

“I’m sorry, Alpha.” She shook her head at the apology from Fare. “No, don’t be, this isn’t on you. Augo made this decision, not any of you.”

“Augo didn’t take the oath until we shut him out, Alpha. We are partly responsible.”

“No, he kept secrets from you and listened to Rafe before you shut him out. He had already made his choice.” She said as she met Malik’s gaze, who gave her a nod in understanding.

Liv took a deep breath as she steadied herself. The sting would be there for a while, but she had more pressing matters now and she wasn’t going to wallow in a choice someone else made. No matter how much it hurt her.

“I need the answers the other Alphas, including Rafe, have, and I am going to get them from them, but I’m going to need help.” Her voice was steady as she wiped the tear from her cheek. “You don’t need to ask for our help, Alpha. You already have it. Just say what you want us to do and we will do it.” Fare said as he walked a bit closer to her.

“I’m going to accept his proposal to start over.”

“Liv, Rafe cannot be trusted.” Malik spoke up as he got up from the chair. “I know, that’s why all of us are going to show our acting talents.” The two looked at each other before they focused on her. “I’m going to act like I want us to start over and that I want to help them if they help me in return. I know that they will never tell me everything, but this gives us a chance to get into their circles and find out more. Barging in and demanding answers won’t help our case.” A sly smirk splayed over their faces as they caught on what she was saying. “Oh, this is going to be fun.” Fare said.

“We need to make it convincible, even for Augo so we will only use the link to talk to each other about our true plans. That way no one will suspect anything even when we are alone. I know they will send wolves to spy on us.” The two gave her a nod.

“Where do we start?” One of the other three asked as he and the other two walked into the living room.

“I’m guessing there will be another feast tonight?” She asked as she looked at them. Fare nodded. “We will start by showing up and having fun. I will tell Rafe that I accept his proposal if he will help me in turn. Once he accepts the play starts. We go at it one Alpha at a time starting with Pyry.” Her pack nodded in agreement. “Sounds like a plan.”

“What about Ben and Caden?” She met Malik’s gaze.

“Ben won’t be a problem, leave Caden to me.”