Mate For The Bride

Sneaky Bastard

The next morning, Agnes was at our house early. She wanted me to help prepare for the moon festival which I agreed to even though I had no part to play in it.

The blood moon only appears once in a year. When it does, all kinds of things happen. Both good and bad. Still, it was celebrated as it was one way for werewolves of various packs to come together from every corner of the city.

"The excitement for the festival this time is more than last year, do you know?"

"I noticed." I said. "Is there something different about it this time?"

Agnes nodded as we went down a steep hill. "I heard the essence of the blood moon would be as strong as it had ever been. Even people from the capital will be coming to our city which was why we needed a lot of extra help."

I nodded at that.

As we reached the chief's mansion, a sudden chill ran down my back and I froze, then took a glance behind me.

I could swear I felt someone watching me but when I looked, it was as if it was all in my head.

"Hurry up, Elora!" Agnes called as a wagon filled with bags of goods exited the mansion's gate and the bags were distributed to the people waiting around.

Agnes got two for me and when I checked the bag, I saw there were decorative items that were usually hung up on the streets to brighten up the city.

"I know just what you like." she winked and I smiled at her.

As I turned around to head back the way I came, I first checked the silver knife I usually kept under my sleeves, making sure it was intact before going up that way again.

My intuitions were usually not wrong. The feeling of being followed didn't leave me for a second. I felt eyes at the back of my head even as I worked, penetrating through my skull, leaving me uneasy and yet, each time I checked, I found no one.

Not even a shadow.

It was night very quickly. I went from one street to another, putting up lights and decorative items to lighten up the city. Resting for an hour or two and admiring my work.

To be honest, it was fun doing this.

I bought a stick of buns from a roadside stall and went to a corner to enjoy. I didn't dare move to where there were less people because I was afraid. Afraid of the eyes that had been watching me quietly. Not that it would change anything but it was a tad better at least.

I couldn't tell who it was. Whether a man or a woman. Their skills were quite good. Whoever it was could diligently keep an eye on me, knowing I was aware of it and yet, I couldn't even catch a glimpse of their shadow.

Thinking and wallowing on it filled me up with fear that when someone bumped into me, making the buns I held fall and roll on the ground, I had jumped up in fright.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am." the gentleman picked up the buns and started to dust it before handing it over to me.

He could've just left it there. He wasn't expecting that I continue eating that right?

"Thank you." I smiled, pretending to be nice and taking it back from him. My eyes caught the tattoo drawn on his wrist and I felt my fingers tremble. The buns fell from my hands once again.

With my head down, my eyes widened.

The tattoo was a drawing of a wolve's fangs and half of it's head on either side, signifying he was a part of the general's men. They found me!

That was quick.

As if he realized I had caught up, he flashed me a grin when I looked at him and suddenly brought his other hand down on me. There was a needle in them and I stepped fast to my left to avoid it, hitting him in the guts and rolling away.

He was back on his feet in a second. Benefits of having a wolf.

Of course my human speed could not be compared to his. He easily caught up, striking my shoulders so hard I fell to my knees in pain.

"The general wants to see you. Be good and come with me." his not so nice voice rang out.

"Over my dead body." I spat, retracting the knife from my sleeves and stabbing his toes or I thought I did except that I missed.

His speed was too fast for me as he stepped away and the next second, he clenched a fistful of my hair so tight I almost cried out as he dragged me to my feet.

His hand had just grabbed my neck when I noticed someone coming behind him. A familiar face.

If I remembered correctly, he was one of those guys who had taken Andrew that day.

Ardolf.

What was he doing here?

I let my gaze trail to where he had appeared from. I still couldn't find anyone but I could feel that creepy gaze still fixed on me, as if it wanted to burn holes in every part of my body so I moved my eyes a little higher and higher again and there he was, a dark figure seated with legs crossed atop a roof.

I couldn't make out his face since it was night but every cell and bones in me could recognize him.

The Devil... Cyrus.

He was the sneaky bastard who had been watching me throughout today no doubts. Only his eyes would give me such creeps.

Before my brain could process everything, Ardolf hauled that man off me and he smacked into a wall that cracked at first, but then crumbled down on top of him.

Ardolf went after him and I didn't waste a minute there as I began to run.

After the Devil had dropped us off like that that day, I knew it wasn't the end. And I was right.

He followed me everywhere today. Knowing that alone could give me sleepless nights.

I turned into several alleys, taking several corners, maneuvering my way through the streets until I was sure no one was following me before heading home.

Andrew was playing with a matches outside and my legs gave way the moment I saw him. He quickly rushed to me and carried me to my room before Mother would notice.

"What happened, Elora?" Andrew asked, checking my body for any signs of bruises.

"They found me." I breathed, closing my eyes as I leaned my back against the wall.

"H-how did they manage to find you so quick?"

"I don't know. Probably my step sister had snitched on me so they know where to look immediately."

"Step sister?" Andrew frowned. "What are you talking about?"

I remembered then that I hadn't told anybody that I had met the girls or that Elora met them. I had just possessed her body and everything was strange to me. The memories were slowly flooding my head too and I was trying my best to adapt quickly in order not to seem strange in this overly strange world. I also didn't trust anyone so I had just made up a story when they asked how I got myself hurt.

"Sorry for not telling you, Andrew. I'd meet them once." I confessed.

"And then..." Andrew fixed his gaze on me.

"They tried to know who had sneaked me out and where I now stayed but I was tight lipped so they banged my head into a wall, hoping that I died."

And she'd die. Elora died in their hands.

"So that was why I found you like that that day. Why did you lie then?"

"I didn't want you to worry." the lie came out smoothly and I sighed. "I'm really tired right now, Andrew. I just want to rest."

"Are you sure they didn't follow you here?" he had a worried look in his eyes and I nodded.

"I made sure. I know what you're worried about. If it gets worse than this, I will leave so I don't implicate you and mother."

"I never said that, Elora. You're family to us and if anything comes our way, we'll face it together."

My lips stretched, the smile reaching my eyes as I pinched his cheeks. "Quit talking like you are older than me okay?"

He stood up with a chuckle, and when he left, I laid on my back staring at the thatched roof.

I closed my eyes, about to succumb to the darkness when I heard footsteps outside my door.

Alarmed, my eyes sprung open and I laid there quietly, not wanting to give myself away as listened to the footsteps fade.

I frowned, opening my door as quietly as I could and peeping out.

It was clear. There was no one.

I had just wanted to step out when my legs kicked a box that was placed I front of my room I hadn't noticed before.

It's content emptied on the ground and something rolled a few feet away due to how hard I had kicked it.

I frowned, going out my door and staring at it with only the moon as the source of light. It was quite dark so it was hard to see until I was very close to it.

I bent toward it and when I finally saw what had just rolled out of that box, a terrifying scream crawled it's way out from my throat. I fell hard on my butt, but I couldn't even feel the pain as all I wanted was to get away from it.

It was a hand. A freaking human hand!