Torn between Wolves & Myths (Book 2)

Liv wrapped the towel around her body as she walked out of the bathroom. She crossed the room and opened the closet. The feast won’t start until sunset, so she still had a couple of hours to kill.

“You busy, Malik?” It was still weird for her to use the link, but it also gave her a sense of security to be able to use it. After all it meant that she truly had a pack again.

“You could say that, but what’s up?” Involuntarily, she looked at the door leading to Malik’s room and focused on her hearing, knowing that she was going to regret this. The sound of wet flesh being rubbed quickly filled her ears. She immediately forced her focus to go somewhere else as she grimaced. Not that it was disgusting what he was doing, but more because she really didn’t need to hear it. Yep, she was regretting it. Not that she had done something likewise in the shower for the third time today.

“Did you actually just focus your hearing towards me?” His question suddenly came through the link.

“How did you know!?” She heard him laugh from his room.

“You were too quiet for a long time, Liv.” Okay, so her bad. “You, okay?”

“You’re not seriously asking me that while jerking yourself off.” Another chuckle came from his room. “Apologies for making you uncomfortable, Alpha.” Oh yeah, he was truly sorry about that, notice the sarcasm. She ran her hands over her face forcing herself to move on from this conversation. “Meet me out back when you are done and wear something to work out in.” She linked back.

“Should I be worried?”

“Only about the blue balls you are getting from keeping up this conversation and not finishing. I’ll meet you down stairs.” A snort came from his room. “Sure thing, Alpha.”

She quickly grabbed some leggings, a sports bra and an oversized T-shirt and quickly changed herself into it before hurrying out of her room to make sure that she didn’t hear him climax. That was something she truly didn’t need to hear. She ran down the stairs and released a breath as she walked into the Livingroom. She brushed her hair behind her ears before she made a loose braid.

“Why are you so relieved?” Fare asked as he flipped something over in a pan that was smelling dreamy. “Don’t ask.” She said as he sat down at the counter. Fare snorted and shook his head before flipping over the pancake one last time, putting it on a plate and placing it in front of her. “You’ll get used to it.”

“It’s just something that I don’t need to hear.” He chuckled again. “That I can imagine.” He placed a fork and knife next to her plate.

“Thanks.” He winked at her before turning off the stove. Liv grabbed the cutlery and started to eat one of the best pancakes she had ever tasted. Fare was busy with wiping the counter when she couldn’t hold back her curiosity about him anymore.

“You weren’t part of the pack long before the attack, were you?” He tossed the cloth in the sink, before he placed his hands on the counter, facing her. “I wasn’t. Your dad and Augo found me a couple months before the attack in the forest about a mile from the pack.”

“What happened?”

“You may have noticed that I’m not entirely like usual Ulfhednars or Lycanthropes.” That she had indeed. “I wasn’t always an Ulfhednar.” That made her stop eating. “What do you mean?”

“I was born in a pack in Iceland. My dad was an Ulfhednar and my mom a human.” The only thing she could do was stare at him with open mouth and big eyes. “Even though I was born in the pack, I was always seen as an outsider. I hated it, but there was no way for me to change my fate. At least that’s what I thought.” He said as he leaned with his elbows on the counter and looked at the window. “Before he got to Greenland, King first came to Iceland and wreaked the same havoc as in Greenland. He killed everyone, including my father, when they didn’t surrender to him. I got attacked and bitten, before I was thrown into the sea. The Denmark Strait carried me until the shore of Greenland where I woke up. I had absolutely no idea how I survived, but I had. The last thing I remember was that I was stumbling inland to find help when my wounds forced me to pass out. When I woke up for the second time I was in a bed and my wounds had been taken care off. Your dad and Augo told me that they found me and I told them my story. At first none of us thought that anything would happen, until the first full moon after I was bitten.” He closed his eyes as he looked at his hands. “Gods, that night felt like I was dying. The pain was something I had never felt before and there was nothing I could do about it.”

A haze memory came to the front in her mind. The memory of her father telling her mother that something was happening and that she needed to stay inside with Liv. The screams of someone she hadn’t known had filled the air, before something happened that had everyone shocked. It had been Fare. The human who had become an Ulfhednar.

“That is impossible.” She breathed.

“That’s what Alpha Leif and Augo also said, but it is the truth. The proof was right there the moment I was standing on four paws, instead of two legs. Once I shifted back, I had changed. I was stronger than I had ever been before. My wounds had healed and I had never felt more alive. The only explanation Doc could give us was that I had been able to turn after I was bitten was because of the fact that I was born with Ulfhednar blood and the venom in the bite, the same that causes wolves to scar, had activated my blood cells and allowed me to change. I’ve been a true Ulfhednar ever since then. Alpha Leif offered me a place in the pack and I took it. The moment the bond flowed through me, I finally felt like I belonged. Alpha Leif had always been good to me even before I shifted and even if I hadn’t turned, I would still have chosen to stay if he would have allowed me. I’m sorry that the time with him and the pack had been limited thanks to the attack, but I am glad that I once again belong to it, with his beautiful daughter as my Alpha now.”

Liv ran her hands over her face before she met his gaze again. Still not completely comprehending that she was actually looking at the first ever human who turned into an Ulfhednar. She truly didn’t know what to say right now. Everything he told her had rendered her utterly speechless. This was just another reminder that there was much she didn’t know about the world he had been living in her entire life.

“You’re cute when you’re speechless.” Fare said with a playful smirk as he stood straight again.

“Why do you call me beautiful and cute?” It was not a question she should be focusing on right now, but this was the third time he had complemented her in a way she wasn’t used to. Fare chuckled softly. “Because you are. Does it make you uncomfortable that I do?”

“Kinda. I’m not used to it.” He chuckled once more. “I don’t say it to make you uncomfortable, Alpha. I say it because it’s true. So, get used to it.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t think that you’ll be getting any favors just because you call me beautiful.” Fare faked an overdramatic shocked stance. “How could you ever think I would do that!?” She snorted and rolled her eyes at him. “Call it instinct.” Fare broke his stance and snorted as well. “Understood, Alpha.”

“I’m sorry though.” He looked at her at the change of her tone. “About what King did to you, your pack and your father.” A muscle ticked in his jaw as he also turned serious again. “You are the reason why that monster is dead. You have given me all the revenge I needed and I thank you for that.” She gave him a small smile before footsteps walking down the stairs filled the silence.

Malik walked towards them in shorts, a T-shirt and no shoes. Just like her, he was barefooted. “How are the blue balls?” She asked before she took a bite from her now cold pancake. Malik rolled his eyes at her as he walked to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. “Relieved.” She snorted as he narrowed his eyes at her before taking a sip.

“Anyway, what do you want to do?”

“Train.” She answered as she finished her pancake. “I need to do something and it has been a while since I had a proper sparring partner.” Malik nodded in understanding. “Sure thing.”

“Okay, I’m gonna watch this.” Fare said as he moved to the door. Malik and Liv looked at each other before they looked at Fare. “Why?” Malik asked with a confused gaze.

“Because I can’t wait to see her kick your ass.” He answered as he opened the door and walked outside. Liv snorted and got up before she followed Fare, only to stop in her tracks as she saw who was also outside and training a little further. A growl rose up in her throat. Rev, Ben and Devon all looked her way as they noticed her as well. The growl that had risen got loose. “Okay, so we don’t like them.” Fare said with a serious tone as he also was watching Caden’s pack.

Before she could say anything, Caden walked out of the cabin next to theirs and met her gaze. She clenched her fists as she could see his eyes turn emerald.

“Anything we need to know?” Malik asked as he came to stand on the other side of her.

“Only that I’m going to kill that motherfucker.” She snarled. Multiple growls came from Caden’s pack which were answered with Malik’s and Fare’s. A crooked smile appeared on Caden’s face before he averted his gaze and walked to Rev and Ben. She also pulled her gaze away from them as she walked down the porch steps and started to stretch.

Fare released a breath as he moved to sit down on the porch. “The fact that they are located next to us isn’t a coincidence, is it?” She looked at the pack. “What do you think?”

“You want to give Rafe a chance, but what about them?” Liv looked at Malik who was walking towards her. The male giving them a perfect opening to their plan. A sly smirk splayed ghosted over her face before she composed herself and looked at them again. Seeing that Ben was looking their way with hope shining in his eyes. “They can go fuck themselves.” The hope was blasted away by her words and she could actually see the slight hurt cross his face before he turned away from her.

Liv also turned her back towards them as she focused on Malik. “Where are you at with your strength and fighting skills?”

“The last time I, truly, fought someone was me against two Alpha’s and I came out on top. So, you do the math.” A proud smirk came over Malik’s face.

“She is going to have your ass for second breakfast dude.” Malik rolled his eyes as he looked at Fare. “Do you see me complain?”

Liv scrunched her eyebrows at the two. “Does everything need to become dirty with you two? If so, then get a room. I’ll ask one of the other guys to train with me.” Both Fare and Malik snorted at her remark. “Apologies, Alpha.”

“Uh-huh.” She said, knowing better than to believe that apology. “Let’s just fight.” Malik gave her a nod and got ready to attack. “Just one rule, no using your powers.” He said right before he pushed himself off the ground and attacked her. She blocked the swipe of his arm, evaded the other and kicked him hard against his midriff, knocking him back. “You do know that I have been trained as a mercenary in the human world, meaning I’m used to not use my powers in combat?” Malik stood up straight again.

“I knew you were trained as a mercenary and worked as one, not that you were trained to fight without your powers.”

“Bad luck for you.” She said before she motioned for him to come at her again. A challenging smirk splayed over his face before he attacked. He made a movement to swipe his arm at her again, but changed to a roundhouse kick last second. Too bad for him, that she saw it coming. She evaded his kick, turned with him so she was standing behind him. She grabbed his throat and yanked him backwards so his back was almost snapped on her raised knee. A scream left him, but he didn’t go down as she expected. He grabbed her wrists and pushed himself off the ground. Liv yelped as she fell backwards thanks to the weight. Malik landed on top of her. An “oomph” left her as she lost her grip. He turned as he held her wrists. Liv tried to pull herself free, but he had his strength on her. He wrapped his left around her arms in a lock and leaned backwards. A scream tore out of her as it felt like her arms were about to be ripped off. She wiggled her legs out from under him before kicking him with her heel in his crotch. The pain forced his grip to loosen. She pulled her arms free before grabbing his own arm and forcing him to lay on his stomach. She sat over his shoulder and pulled his outstretched arm backwards. He screamed again before he started to move underneath her. Somehow, he found the strength to push himself up on his knees, making her toppling forward and losing her grip. She rolled over the ground before he could grab her and got up. As Malik also started to stand up, she started running towards him. He yelped as she jumped on him and wrapped her legs around his throat. She used the momentum she had to swing herself down, causing Malik to launch and land on the porch steps as she landed on the ground. The sound of bones breaking filled her ears before a scream tore out of Malik. Out of breath, she looked at Malik who slowly got up and reached for his left ribs, the ones he landed on. She sat on her knees as he turned towards her and dropped back down on the steps, out of breath and clearly in pain.

“Nice move.” He spoke first as he grimaced. “Remind me to never allow you to make that move again.” He released a painful breath as he dropped his head back and held his hand on his ribs.

A chuckle left her as she placed her hands on her knees and allowed herself to regain her breath.

“You, okay?” Fare asked as he looked at Malik. “Yeah, she just broke a few of my ribs. Nothing that won’t be healed soon.” Fare snorted and looked back at her. She wiggled her eyebrows at him before she got up from the ground. Taking a step, she froze as the hairs on her arms rose at the slight sound of metal. She turned around and looked at the quiet forest.

“Alpha?”

She didn’t react to Fare. Something or someone was watching them. Waiting for something. Allowing her senses to stretch out into the woods, her hearing enhanced. The sound of a twig breaking made her eyes snap to the direction of the sound. Another sound followed; one she knew a little too well.

“Hunter!”

The sound of a gun firing almost deafened her. She flinched right before a scream filled her ears, at the same time a scream left her as she fell on the ground with something heavy on top of her.