His Shadow Luna

Chapter 7. The Hero Of The Day

"She is already leaving," Forrest said calmly, and Elene's stomach churned.

She may have wanted to reject him, but it was still too painful to know that he would have s*x with another woman on the day they found each other.

Ever since the Gideon fiasco, she had been waiting to meet her mate, hoping that once it happened, she would finally find happiness for herself.

Ximena stepped through the threshold. Her amber eyes flickered like candle flames as they settled on Elene, whose presence seemed to fill the room with an invisible yet palpable tension.

"Apologies," the witch giggled, "I forgot you were debriefing—"

She paused as if she had forgotten the assassin's name, although Forrest knew it was impossible.

"Aconite," He helped her out, ignoring the venom that filled her words.

"Right," Ximena forced a smile, her lips a thin line. "The hero of the day.”

"Hero?" Forrest snorted, trying to throw her off. "This whole assignment was a mess! There were no heroes! We are done here, Aconite. I'll see you at training tomorrow. Don’t disappoint me like that again."

Elene gave him a curt nod, holding her head low and cursing inwardly at her situation as she left the couple alone.

As Elene's scent faded from the room, Ximena felt her composure slipping like sand through fingers.

Forrest leaned against his desk, arms folded across his chest, an eyebrow arched in silent question. Although his stance conveyed ease, his eyes held a sharpness that cut through the witch's playful pretence.

"What was that just now?" he asked.

"I forgot she was there." She shrugged and sauntered closer, stopping mere inches away from him. "Why is there blood on your shirt?"

Because we'd rather end this torture now than sleep with you! Hades tried to take the control back, but Forrest suppressed him.

"I had to help her with her wounds," Forrest replied, his voice nonchalant as if none of this was a big deal.

"Why? We have healers for that!" Ximena attempted to appear indifferent as well, but he could sense her displeasure, which prompted him to take an aggressive stance to throw her off.

"Because I had no time to take that girl to healers while everyone around me betrays my trust and disregards my orders! So what if she was bleeding? She is a shifter. She will heal regardless, and I needed the information immediately. Besides, a few drops of the potion and—"

"You gave her my potion?" Ximena gasped, and he regretted sharing this immediately.

"I gave her my potion," Forrest corrected. "Didn't you make it for me as a present? And stop changing the subject!"

The witch relaxed her shoulders. This was the Forrest she was used to dealing with. Grumpy and stressed.

"You are so tense," she cooed, running her fingers up his chest. "I can help with that."

"I think you’ve helped enough for one day," he cut her off, walking to the other side of the desk to put an obstacle between them. "Xime, I have a lot of work to do."

"What did that girl tell you?"

"What was she even doing out there?" He quickly leapt into another attack. "She barely arrived and was thrown straight into action."

"And you care— why exactly?" Ximena sat on the edge of his desk and leaned forward, closing the distance between them until she could see the specks of green in his hazel eyes.

"Why?" he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Are you kidding me? This is the most crucial moment in my career, and you ask me why I care when nothing is going according to my plan? You know that I took the Firstborn under my wing to prevent them from working for any other Alpha Convocation members, and yet that's exactly what happened. Someone in here shared classified information, and you ask me why I care?"

Ximena bit back a retort that bubbled up in her mouth.

"We couldn't exactly say no when that order arrived. You know that. It wouldn't have changed anything even if you were here," she said quietly.

"Except, I would have been in control of how it was handled.” the General insisted.

Her jaw tightened at his accusatory tone. "I will find out who was behind it, Forrest. You will get a name very soon."

She was ready to leave, seeing that he wasn't in the mood for anything else, when she noticed something gleaming on the floor.

"Is that—" she gasped and picked her medallion up, glaring at Forrest questioningly.

"You lost it again?" she seethed.

"The chain broke," he stretched his hand to get it back.

"I sealed it," she was reluctant to return the trinket.

"Still broken." He opened his laptop, signalling his readiness to resume work, thus concluding their meeting, but this only prompted the woman to stride around the desk in his direction.

"No worries, I can use a spell, and the chain will be unbreakable."

"That sounds like a good way to strangle or decapitate me," he caught her hand before she could do anything. " I think I know what to do."

"Do you?" Ximena quirked her brow up.

"Yes," he smiled. I'll keep it right here, in a safe place."

Forrest opened his drawer and dropped the medallion there, closing it shut.

"Now, I am sure I will not lose it."

"But it's—" Ximena started to object but, meeting his stern gaze, stopped herself. She exhaled sharply through her nostrils and prepared to leave once again. The General was clearly angry, and it was best to wait it out. In fact, she questioned why she came here that fast, knowing his temper.

"The Alpha Convocation will need a full report," Forrest reminded her, and she nodded. However, he wasn't done. "I want to see it before it's sent."

"Of course," the witch nodded. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

***

Elene moved through the shadow-draped corridors of the Cathedral, her thoughts drowning in a storm of emotions. She needed to find Aconite's room to get a much-needed break from all this madness, a safe place to catch a breath.

She wondered if Morgan ever made it to the West or the North, and knew she needed a better plan of action than the one Forrest suggested.

Mate or not, she couldn't trust him.

As she turned a corner, she nearly collided with Amir, one of the four people whose names she actually knew.

"Well, if it isn't the hero of the day," he teased, leaning against the stone wall with a casualness that belied his keen eyes.

Elene bristled at his tone but masked her irritation with a tight smile. "Amir," she acknowledged, her voice calm. "I'm not in the mood for games."

He pushed off from the cold stones and moved closer, his interest piqued by her frosty reception. "Come now, we both know you love a good chase. All killers do. It’s in our blood," he said, his voice a low purr that might have charmed another. "And nights here can get cold and lonely."

"Speaking from experience?" Elene couldn't help but retort, which she immediately regretted, seeing his facial features hardened instantly. "Besides, that’s not a good chase by my standards. Not to mention that I am exhausted," she added, aiming to diffuse the strain.

"I saw your wounds." Amir furrowed his brows. "Do you need me to take you to the healers?"

"No, thanks. The General already took care of that," she sighed and noticed him peering at her with increased curiosity.

"The General took care of your wounds?" he repeated slowly and the Princess cursed at herself for letting that slip. She was not good at this game.

"Only to keep me alive so he could give me hell for all your failures." She moved into the shadows to hide as much of her face as possible, but not before he got a look at her scars. It was funny how a few cuts could change one's appearance and make a pretty princess unrecognisable. Now, it seemed that all he could stare at were the bloody lines on her face.

"Did he leave your scars as a punishment?" the Firstborn asked, his jaw clenching. He stretched his hand to touch them, but she slapped it away.

"Yes and no," Elene lied. "That Northern b***h seemed to have some kind of poison on her claws, and I can't heal them properly. Romero said that this is my punishment for now."

They remained standing like that for a few seconds.

"You know, I have a very good ointment in my bedroom." Amir tried that seductive smile of his again.

"You know what, I have an even better ointment in my bedroom. And that includes a very comfortable bed." She mirrored his tone, causing his grin to widen.

"I hear you," he said and took a few steps, opening a wooden door right next to them. "Since you are inviting me, I happen to have some liquor with me to help us— ahem —relax. After you, my lady."

Elene glanced inside and noticed a suitcase and a few unopened boxes, indicating that this was probably Aconite's room. Her eyes went back to the Firstborn, realising he didn’t just happen to be there. He was waiting for her all this time.

Slowly, she walked inside, stopping to restrict Amir from the entrance.

"Oh dear, that wasn't an invitation," she sneered. "I am going to use that ointment and the bed alone. But thank you for the liquor."

She took the flask he was waving from his hands and took a small sip, making it look like a big gulp to him. Then, she closed the door and leaned against it in case he tried to get inside anyway, preparing herself for a fight just in case. Who knew what the rules here were? And were there any in the first place?

Soon, she heard the sound of receding steps and breathed out in relief.

Whatever it was, Amir was waiting for her right in front of her door. Which meant she’d already attracted more attention than she needed.

The space was stark and functional — a small room, one bed, a desk, a small wooden wardrobe and a door which probably led to a private bathroom. It looked so cold and held no personal touches whatsoever. This was normal since Aconite was new here, so after Elene locked the door and blocked it with a chair, she inspected the assassin's belongings.

In truth, there wasn't much to inspect. Aconite mostly owned weapons and practical black clothes. Some were too revealing for Elene's liking, but she knew she had to play her part for the next few days.

Her whole body ached as she noticed a tall standing mirror in the corner of the room. Slowly, she walked towards it, afraid to see herself for the first time since the helicopter explosion.

Her reflection scared her, causing her lips to tremble in shock. No wonder they didn't recognise her. She wouldn't recognise herself either. Half of her face was distorted because of the long, deep cuts, and the other half was covered in dirt and scratches. Her hair had lost its shine and looked a mess.

Bia tried to reassure her, and Elene agreed. It was definitely for the best for now.

You've been through a lot, her wolf continued. Take a hot shower, find some clean clothes and try to get some rest.

Yeah, Elene agreed and pushed open the second door entering the smallest bathroom she had ever seen in her life. The shower cabin was so narrow she could barely fit inside and yet… she was grateful it was there and she didn’t have to share it with anyone.

The Princess dropped the blood-soaked clothes to the floor and let the hot water cascade over her body, washing away the grime and blood from the day's altercations. She tried not to think of her mate; Morgan was the one she needed to think about.

It was unclear whether the girl had made it to the border, but one thing was for sure — she did not let the Southerners discover her. Otherwise, people here would be talking about it.

Elene changed into an oversized black shirt she found in one of the bags and tried to get some much-needed sleep. Unfortunately, her body still had too much adrenaline coursing through it. Each time someone passed her door, she instinctively grew her claws, ready to defend herself.

Finally, Elene gave up on trying to sleep and took out Aconite's file, studying each page as if her life depended on it. All the details of each of the assassin's assignments were there, including descriptions of her uncanny ability to manipulate shadows.

She had to admit that the woman was impressive, and it was a miracle that Elene managed to kill her at all. The words blurred together as the adrenaline was finally wearing off. She blinked rapidly, forcing herself to focus. There were reports of Aconite's past movements, communications, contacts she used to work with, and a few future missions which would go unfulfilled, thanks to her death.

Elene frowned. She only had a short window before they realised Aconite was gone for good and had been replaced by an impostor. She had to be gone before then.

The Princess read everything she could about the assassin she had to impersonate. She thought about how powerful she’d felt when she wielded Aconite's shadows in the forest. She had only felt this powerful when she accepted Fenrir's call during the Battle of Avalanche, and he made her wolf stronger. However, disappointment soon followed when everyone else began to discover special powers, and she was left with nothing.

Bia, what do you think happened back there? How did I use the shadows? she asked.

I am not sure, the wolf responded. Maybe it awakened under all the stress? Can you wield shadows now?

Let’s find out! Elene was determined to give it a go.

She found an old candle and some matches on one of the empty shelves and used them, switching off the light in the room. Then, with only that tiny source of light in the room, she tried calling the shadows, bending them, and ordering them like she did before.

Only to be left disappointed again. Thankfully, Bia commented nothing, sensing her distress.

Angry, Elene blew out the candle and laid back, closing her eyes. Her thoughts drifted to Forrest, remembering how it felt when their hands touched. Tears stung her, especially in the wounded eye, so she did not let them spill. This wasn't her home. She had to remain strong until this was over. She could cry later…

***

The morning greeted her with sun rays streaming through the only window in the room and a loud banging on her door.

It took Elene a few seconds to realise where she was and that everything that had happened to her wasn't just a bad dream.

"What the hell are you doing in there?" she heard Amir's voice. "You have already missed breakfast and are late for the morning training! You will make me look bad before the General!"

"I am almost done!" Elene yelled, frantically searching for clothes that would fit her. Unfortunately, she and Aconite weren't the same size, and all the assassin's clothes were too big for her.

Ultimately, Elene chose black combat pants with a belt she used to hold everything in place, a black t-shirt that looked oversized, and a black hoodie to cover the healthy side of her face.

About that, Bia muttered in her mind. I am sorry, I tried to stop the healing, but—

What do you mean? Elene gasped and looked in the mirror. She froze because it was a complete disaster.

Her face was completely healed.

Elene's heart raced as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The scars that should have marred her face, the proof of her recent battle, had vanished overnight. The healing gifts of her lineage were normally a blessing, but today, being a royal lycan seemed like a curse.

"s**t!" she swore under her breath.

"Aconite, open the door!" Amir insisted.

If he saw her like this… If anyone saw her like this, she would be dead.

"I'll meet you there!" she yelled again. "I have— girl issues. So, unless you came with a large box of tampons—"

Loud swearing ensued.

"If you think that will work as an excuse here," the guy grunted, "think again. Training commences in ten."

The sound of receding steps brought her temporary relief, allowing her heart to stop racing. She had just won herself more time.

We can't leave it like this, she said to Bia.

I know, the wolf agreed.

There is only one thing we can do to not to get caught, Elene admitted.

I know— Bia hated it as much as she did, but… there was no choice.

She opened the bag full of Aconite's weapons and pulled out a thin dagger, which was perfect for her needs.

Put a piece of fabric into your mouth, Bia suggested. You can’t scream in here. Someone will hear and—

She did not need to finish that sentence. Elene obeyed without questioning it.

The Princess returned to the mirror and bit down on the red scarf from the night before. Then, with a grimace of determination etched onto her face, Elene pressed the cold blade against her forehead and drew it across her skin, down to her cheek and over her eye.

Pain surged through her, and a dull scream suppressed by the scarf followed, blood welling up in the red line that mirrored one of three Aconite gave her yesterday.

Bia tried to take away as much pain as possible, but Elene's knees still buckled.

However, it wasn't finished. She had to go on.

The second cut was more challenging to inflict, because she already knew how it felt, but the third… the third was pure agony. Tears unwillingly sprayed, the salt in them making the cuts hurt more. Elene’s arms trembled but she still pressed the dagger deep into her eyebrow and made the final cut.

When someone knocked on her door again, Elene's back was covered with beads of sweat, and her breathing was ragged.

"Aconite, this is not funny!" She recognised the voice as Issa's, the girl who had found her along with Amir the day before. "We are all going to be in trouble because of you, and apparently, the General is going to be there today! Speed up!"

"I am done!" Elene soaked the excess blood with the scarf and wrapped it around her neck, covering the untouched side of her face. Then, not thinking twice, she cut a few more strands of her golden hair to make the fringe thicker, adding a few longer strands to frame her face and cover it more.

A quick assessment confirmed that, once again, she barely resembled her royal self now. The cuts stung with the bite of reality, grounding her in the role she had to play.

When Elene walked out of the room, she discovered Issa had already left. It took her several minutes to locate the training area on her own. Fortunately, she spotted a pair in black attire, their outfits adorned with weapons, standing beside an open exit that appeared to lead to the training grounds. Noises of metal clashing and guttural roars emanated from beyond the entry.

The chill of the training grounds seeped into Elene's bones as she walked into what looked like a stadium with a large round arena in the centre. Her every step echoed the pounding of her heart as she saw the Firstborn warriors in their natural habitat.

Eyes flicked towards her as she entered, some curious, others wary. Elene's gaze swept across the assembly of assassins, all honing their deadly crafts with relentless precision. If these people knew who she was, it would take them mere seconds to kill her for real this time.

From the corner of her eye, Elene noticed Forrest was already there. Their eyes locked just momentarily before he turned away from her as if she meant nothing. She hated herself for the rush of excitement that rippled through her just from that little contact. It was pathetic, and she did her best to divert her attention elsewhere.

"Look who decided to grace us with her presence," Issa snorted, her words slithered through the air, laced with venom.

Elene moved closer, keeping her expression neutral beneath the scarf. "Wouldn't miss it," she replied, matching Issa's tone with feigned nonchalance.

Issa stood right next to Amir, the two clearly trained together. They both looked at her like predators sizing up their prey.

"Some say you're after my spot," Amir called her out loud enough for everyone to hear. Everyone around them stopped fighting and looked in their direction.

This wasn't a question or a statement; Elene recognised a threat when she heard one.

She tensed but kept her features schooled into indifference. "And some say the moon is made of cheese," she quipped back, injecting just enough scorn into her voice to sell her disinterest.

A ripple of chuckles spread through the gathered assassins, the tension momentarily eased by the exchange. Amir's smile didn't falter, but his eyes had a hard glint—a promise of retribution for this public challenge to his authority.

Issa placed a hand on his shoulder, and he leaned down to listen as she whispered something in his ear.

Elene didn't like it.

"Ladies," Forrest's stern voice interjected, "if you are done with your breakfast small talk, I want to see you practising your skills!"

"Of course, General!" Amir sneered. "As the squad leader, I would like to lead by example."

Elene liked the sound of this even less.

"I challenge Aconite to combat!"