Enchanting deception

Worst decision

Tase smiled and pat Adalinda's head. She looked expectantly at him, ready to pack for the journey. Tase leaned a little so their eyes would be at the same hight.

- I really appreciate that you want to help us, but I don't want you to come this time.

- But... I can help. - Ada said and Tase smiled a bit sadly at her.

- I'd prefer if you wait for us to come back and make us something delicious for dinner! We will be definitely starving! - Ada pouted but nodded obediently.

- Fine... - Tase hugged her slightly.

- Great! Thanks! But we won't leave today, it might take a few more days for Timon to fully recover. - Tase said and Timon coughed gently.

- Actually... I'm all healed. It would be the best to leave tomorrow early morning.

*- He is right Tase... I don't want to wait further with the funerals either. - Titan said and Tase's stomach curled up. The image of their fallen Pack members and families being eaten up by wild animals suddenly made him want to leave immediately. Adalinda noticed his discomfort and walked in the house. A few minutes later when she came out with a tray of three mugs, she noticed Tim, who tired to cheer Tase up. She set the tray next to Tase and took a seat by his side. Ada gently poked his side and whispered.

- Is he in love with you? - she asked while they watched Timon drawing a heart in the snow with his footprints.

- Not at all... He is just a mayor Jackass. - Tase said at the verge of laughing. Timon was like another older brother for him. And although the images they are going see the next day will be worse than he imagined, at least Tim is going to be there.

- TASE! LOOK! - Timon screamed and showed at their initials in the snow heart. Tase buried his face in his palms when Ada asked.

- Are you sure? - Timon noticed Ada and she smile on his face faded a little, but a sweet scent hit his nose.

- What is that? - he asked pointing at the tray. Ada picked it up and walked to Timon in the thick snow. She was so short compared to them, that the snow reached till the top of her ankles.

- I made some hot chocolate! It is good to warm up both the soul and the body! - she said and Tim scoffed. He looked behind Ada and when he saw that Tase was lost in his thoughts, Tim asked in a low voice.

- Do you really think that something so childish will help now? He lost his whole family! We are going to burry their probably already rotting bodies! - Adalinda's lavender eyes shined at Timon who stumbled back a bit in surprise. Ada hissed between her teeth.

- At least none of you heard the death cries of your families while they were burned alive by their most trusted friends! - Tim looked at the girl and noticed that her canines were slightly sharper than a human's , just like theirs.

- What the hell are you?! - Timon asked again and Ada grabber a mug handing to him.

- I'm Adalinda. - that's all she said and skipped happily to the still distracted Tase. She handed the other mug to him in an innocent childish way and Tase thanked with a big smile.

- Have you felt that? - Timon asked and Ace barked in their minds.

"- Yes...

- What do you think?

" - She is fascinating! I'm curious! - Timon growled and took a sip of the hot chocolate. A smile spread on his face. At least she is really a great cook.

The morning came faster than any of them expected. Adalinda Packed some light sandwiches for the boys and when they left Tase felt an urge to give her a peck on her cheek. Ada blushed and said.

- Come back soon!

- We will, and after that, you are coming home with me and Timon! - Tase said and Adalinda finally agreed.

- Will we see the sea?! - she asked excitedly.

- Yes! Everything you are curious about! - Tase said with a bright smile. With happy plans about the future, his heart was a bit lighter than before.

- Thanks! See you later! - Ada said she got on her tip-toes and, returned shyly the peck on the cheek. Tase blushed and turned away quickly before she would notice. They left and as they got further and further away from the house, Tase's discomfort grew. Timon noticed his relentlessness.

- Hey dude! I know this is not the best task. But we own them this much. - Tase looked into his best friend's eyes.

- I have no problem with this Tim. But I do feel bad for leaving her alone. - Timon rolled his eyes.

- She had been alone for a while, she is going to be okay for a few hours. Also, you told her not to come. - Tase stopped and Tim halted when he noticed the anger in the eyes of his Alpha.

- Timon, she is barely twelve years old. Goddess knows what she saw when she lost her family! I've decided to protect her from now on, so... - his glance softened.

- As long as I'm alive, Ada will only see beautiful things and experience happiness. She had enough of suffering and loneliness for her entire life. I don't care if you don't like her, or if you disapprove my decision, but respect her. If not for other things, but at least for saving our lives. - Timon felt a little humiliated. He remembered what Adalinda told him the day before about death cries and knew that Tase was right.

- Let's go quickly, before the ground freezes even more. - Tase said and Tim followed him.

- It won't be easy to dug the ground up with this cold. - Tim said. Soon they've arrived and both of their jaws dropped. Apart from a big clearing next to the ruins of their home everything was frozen. But that clearing... It looked like a piece of spring in the middle of the cruelest winter storm. Even flowers bloom here and there.

- Am I dreaming? - Tim asked and Tase chuckled.

- Only if I'm asleep as well...

- Maybe the Moon Goddess had some mercy on us. Let's go before our luck expires! - Tim said and they walked down the hill. They've started to identify the bodies and dug the graves. What was even more surprising to them was the state of the bodies. Apart from the wounds and the frozen blood on the clothes, it was as if they had all been just asleep. Both Timon and Tase first sought out their own decoys among the fallen and, supporting each other, buried them all. The pain and loss they must have felt was negligible, but Tase's soul was filled with anger. After finding his brothers, Tase prayed that their souls would be together and at peace. Or so he vowed as he dug his family's grave with his bare hands, that he would find the one who did this and avenge them. For some strange reason, they were both at peace. Their task was made easier by the spring glade, and the flowers growing there were perfect for the fresh mounds. It was getting dark by the time they had buried everyone. Timon even carved headstones. They took one last look, for the last time, at the place that had once been their home, was now just a graveyard. Inside was everyone they had ever known and loved. Tase sighed and looked up at the sky. At that moment, great flakes of snow fell, giving a bizarrely comforting end to the day. On the way back, Tase turned to Timon and said.

- I'm glad we left Adalinda at the house. - Tim stretched his aching body and nodded slightly.

- You were right. This was even too much for us.

- I'm happy that you haven't find your mate yet. - Tase said and Timon's eyes widened.

- How does this come to today's events? - he asked and Tase smiled. His smile was composed and a lot more mature than the last night. Tase grew up during that day and Timon felt it too. The reckless, crazy boy, who only wanted to be like his brothers was gone. In his stead, there was a young man, ready to conquer the world and bring them justice.

- If you had already found your mate, I know I would have had to dig one more grave today, and I would have lost one more brother. - Tim understood his words. For a werewolf to loose their mates, was equal to death itself. They usually gone crazy or rouge after loosing their mates, and suicide usually followed the loss. To change the topic Tim chuckled.

- I wonder what the little lady prepared for dinner! I'm starving! - as soon as Timon mentioned Adalinda, Tase's face lightened a little and Tim knew, that his and Ace's feeling were right. Ada might be Tase's mate. As they approached the house Tase's eyes widened and Titan howled in his head.

*- FIRE! - he immediately shifted to arrive faster but what he saw, was something he couldn't be prepared for. Timon soon stopped next to him.

- Holly s**t! - he said as the flames ate up the house. The thick dark smoke, billowed towards the night sky. And the ashes that flew, were mixed with freshly fallen snowflakes. Tase shifted back and ran towards the house.

- ADA! - he screamed from the top of his lungs. Timon ran after him to stop him from entering into the burning building when he heard loud growls from behind them. The same wolves that attacked him previously were snarling at them.

- TASE WE MUST GO! - Timon screamed.

- WE MUST SAVE HER! - Tase shouted and the roof of the house crumbled down burying everything under. Both of their eyes widened and Tim pushed Tase.

- RUN!

- I WON'T LEAVE HER! - Tase shouted and Tim grabbed his shoulders.

- SHE IS GONE TASE! WE HAVE TO RUN FOR OUR LIVES! - Tase's eyes were filled with pain and anger. He shifted back but instead of running away, he stormed at their attackers. He snapped two of their necks instantly and managed to injure the other two. He grabbed one of the attackers and shifted back into his human form. He held the bear sized wolf with one hand and shouted at him.

- SHIFT! - the wolf obeyed and Tase squeezed his throat more.

- Why did you do this?! - Tase asked growling and trembling from anger.

- You will never find her! - the wolf said laughing and Tase tortured him more.

- Where. Is. She?! - he asked one last time and his opponent tried to speak, but suddenly his eyes rolled back and he died. Tase released the lifeless body and turned to Timon. He was covered in blood and the flames from the burning house painted him like an otherworldly warrior.

- They took Ada.