by Cloe Cullen
Remus glared at Amara, but Darius stepped in between, to take Remus' focus off of Amara. "Look, Remus, let's get this established first. It's been a few days, but a lot has changed-"
"Does one of the changes involve spending your time with our enemy?"
"It does, considering she isn't anywhere close to being our enemy at the moment. Someone else has that honor."
Remus raised a brow. "What do you mean, Dare?"
Darius gingerly sat down on the ground. "Well, since we have the time, why don't we sit and talk about it?"
Remus sighed but nodded. "Sounds great to me." He stretched, arching his back and flexing his arms. "I haven't really had time to rest, so I'd love storytime." He plopped down on the ground, leaving his legs out before him.
Amara still stood, and soon Darius eyed her suspiciously. She backed away, grabbed one of their satchels nearby, and hid behind the tree.
"What's her problem?" Remus asked.
Darius chuckled. "Women aren't very fond of being naked in front of men; a trait I've noticed in both of our clans."
Remus smiled that friendly smile Darius knew and loved. "You're finally figuring that out?"
Amara finally came back around the tree, fully clothed and tossing Darius' bag at him. She curled up on the ground behind Darius, pulling her knees to her chest, and peered out at Remus.
"Alright," Darius began. "Let's start off from when I left."
So Darius began his tale, telling Remus his story since the last he saw him, of how he followed the trail of the two missing wolves, how the trail led him to Amara, how they fought the two Changelings and met Orpheus the Vampire, who swore vengeance upon them and their clans, and how Darius was caught by Pride hunters, brought to Red Rock, and sentenced to death after informing the Alpha of the Pride about the Vampire.
Remus couldn't take his eyes off of Darius, his jaw-dropping lower with every new revelation in Darius' adventure.
When Darius was finished, Remus shook his head, laughing at himself. " And here we thought you'd gone off and died...whatever you do, avoid Nyssa for as long as possible when we arrive back at Gray Creek. You wouldn't believe how distraught she was after we unilaterally decided you'd gone and gotten killed. Especially now that you have a mate."
Amara's head jerked up causing Darius to glance at her. "What do you mean mate? I haven't decided yet whether he's worthy enough for me."
Remus eyed her but shrugged. "The way he's acting around you, shielding you from me...even his scent is all over you. If that doesn't constitute a mate, I don't know what else does."
Amara's face lit on fire, and she buried herself in her arms. Darius chuckled, and Remus winked at him. "Well, either way, you really will want to avoid Gray Creek at the moment. My father isn't very keen on any more distractions coming his way."
Darius huffed. "You're calling us distractions? We're coming back to tell Ulrick about Orpheus. If anything, I'd think that would be a boon."
Faltering, Remus flexed his fists. "It's not that I'm calling either of you two a distraction, though you definitely are a distraction, but my father has had his hands full just keeping Gray Creek a safe haven for our people. The Changelings came out of nowhere, hunting and grouping up on our people. At first, we didn't know what was happening, but we quickly ushered everyone inside Gray Creek."
Darius leaned forward on the edges of his legs. "What about-"
Nodding, Remus answered before Darius could ask, as if he anticipated the question. "Yes, even your father was brought in, but more for his battle prowess than any old love my father has for yours. He's safe."
Darius leaned back, content with that answer. It had been a while since the last time he'd seen Gavriel. So much had happened, and yet he still had the same amount of questions as he did the day he left. Would Gavriel tell him the answers now? Darius guessed he would find out soon.
Remus rose to his feet. "Based on what you're telling me, though, we need to get back home pronto. No more waiting around in the Oldwood telling stories."
"We can't just walk right into Gray Creek, Remus," Darius said, motioning to her. "Our two clans share more similarities than I think any of us would like to believe, and if the Pride's reaction to me entering their territory is any indication of how the Pack will react…"
Remus placed his hands on his hips. "What is this? You know, it's bizarre to see you show this much concern for someone else, Dare. It's freaking me out a tiny bit."
"Bite me."
"No thanks, I'm good." Remus grinned. "Rest easy, I have a plan. Just follow it, and you'll both be safe, alright? Now, come on, let's get a move on."
Darius and Amara rose to follow him as he turned to walk off into the Oldwood, but Amara called out just before he started into a jog. "Why are you helping us? Why would you blindly trust Darius now that he's here with me?"
Remus looked at Amara as if that was the most absurd question in the entire world. "Because I know Dare, and I know he has good taste. Besides, I'm sure you're a decent woman...probably."
"Probably?"
"I'm Remus by the way, I just realized we never introduced ourselves. Son of Ulrick, Pack Alpha."
Amara stared back. "Amara, daughter of the Pride's Alpha."
Remus raised his brows at Darius. "You can't be serious, Dare. You wooed the daughter of the Pride Alpha?"
"He didn't woo me yet! Like I said, that's still to be decided."
"By what, exactly?"
Amara crossed her arms, shifting her feet. "He promised he'd save both clans, and me, from Orpheus and his minions, so until that happens, I'm still single."
Remus exchanged a glance with Darius, both men grinning stupidly. "Uh-huh, sure. Anyways, let's get a move on."
Remus set off into the Oldwood, and Darius and Amara went after him. Amara was red the whole way, but seeing Remus' reaction gave Darius a glimmer of hope after all. Maybe making Amara his mate would work out after all.
Chapter Fourteen: Amara
“So, here's the plan," Remus said as they trekked through the Oldwood. He turned his head to look back at Darius and Amara walking side-by-side. "You guys are right, walking right into Gray Creek is basically suicide for both of you, simply because Amara is a cat shifter."
Amara looked down, suddenly feeling guilty for her heritage, but Darius placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and smiled down at her. This sent her heart beating, and for a few moments she couldn't quite remember why she was feeling guilty in the first place.
Remus continued on, oblivious to Amara's situation. "I'll bring you guys as close as I can. You'll hide out while I go back into Gray Creek, and then I'll bring my father to you. I can't guarantee everything will go smoothly after that."
Amara glanced between Remus and Darius, both shifters now fully clothed. Shortly after they began their journey to Gray Creek, the two male shifters clothed themselves at Amara's insistence. Darius quickly threw on his leather jerkin and pants from the satchel he'd brought along, and Remus dug up a bag full of clothes from under a tree they passed. Apparently, like the Pride, the Pack regularly hid bags full of clothes all over the Oldwood, so when their shifters changed back into their human forms in the middle of the forest, they could easily find suitable garments.
"Are we sure this is the best plan?" Amara asked, looking at Darius.
"You'll be slaughtered as soon as the rest of the wolf shifters here catch your scent, and we can't have that," Remus replied. "If anything, getting you killed will certainly start a war with the Pride, and while many would relish the chance to hunt an array of cougars, the lasting effects of a war right now would be devastating."
Amara clenched her fists. "Even so, I still don't entirely trust you. I can't."
"I don't blame you. Dare is the only idiot that would try and trust someone so quickly from an enemy clan."
Darius smiled at Amara. "I guess I'm the only one who sees the beauty of the Pride."
Amara half-smiled, but turned to see Remus watching her clos
ely, so she quickly wiped away that half-smile.
The trail the group was following opened onto a dirt path through the forest, wide enough for two people two walk side-by-side. At a bend in the path, Remus stopped them next to a tallest and widest tree Amara had ever seen. Red Rock's foliage paled in comparison to that of Gray Creek's. Amara laid a hand on the trunk, feeling the inherent coolness it held, running her fingers over the crisp forest bark.
Remus backed away. "This is where you two will hide out for the time being. I might take a while to bring my father back, so just sit tight. There's a basket of fruit hidden under a pile of leaves on the other side of the tree. There's a lot, so take your time with it."
With that, Remus took off, Amara looking on as he disappeared into the dense forest. Back home, the forest was always so open and easy to peer through, but here Amara almost felt claustrophobic. She couldn't see past a single row of trees. Keeping her eyes open and ears alert, Amara waited for any sign of an ambush, but of course, none came.
How did Darius remain so calm when he crossed into Pride territory? Was he always continually watching his back, like Amara felt she had to?
"Wow, he wasn't kidding, there's a decent amount of fruit back here."
Amara turned around to find Darius missing. Moments later, his head popped out from behind the great tree.
"Come look at this!"
Darius dipped back behind the tree, and Amara slowly walked around to see him hunched over a basket. Just like Remus had said, the basket sat in a pile of leaves that Amara assumed Darius threw off. The lid was pushed off to the side, and Darius rummaged around in the container, fruit tumbling over the side in his wake. He held up a shiny, red apple, sniffed it, and took a bite, the juice flowing down his jaw.
Swallowing, he licked his lips and turned to Amara. "Don't just stand there, get over here."
Amara eyed the basket. Paranoia took over, and she shook her head. "I'm fine."
"Don't tell me, you think they're poisoned or something, right?"
Staring into Darius' dark green eyes sent shivers down Amara's spine, and before she knew it her mouth flung open to voice her concerns. "Yes...maybe. I just...I don't know Remus like you do, Darius. I'm afraid of being in your land alone."
"But you aren't alone. As long as I'm alive, you'll always have someone at your side, whether you're here or at Red Rock."
Amara's heart warmed once again. How could Darius always sound so charming at the strangest of moments?
He patted the ground next to him, grinning at Amara. "Please, join me. We have nothing but time for right now to relax anyway, and I don't know about you, but standing and constantly watching the forest doesn't seem like any way to relax."
Amara smiled and took up his offer, taking her place beside him. She shimmied close enough to where their shoulders almost touched. Darius handed her a pear, and he watched as she gingerly took a bite. To her surprise, the pear was tasty and flavorful, nothing at all like she expected.
"Not too bad, huh?" Darius said.
"Not at all."
For a few minutes, the two sat in silence while Darius stuffed his face and Amara took her time to bite off slices of a few pears and apples. Amara hadn't realized how hungry she had been. Rarely had she eaten since she first met Darius a few days prior, and she'd been too on edge to hear her stomach growl for sustenance.
When they finished eating, Darius laid back on the ground, crossing his forearms to rest his head upon. Amara did the same, though she used her satchel as a pillow instead of her arms. They both stared up at the midday sky through the treetops, watching leaves break and fall to the ground. The view was magical, serene. Amara felt at peace as she looked up, and knowing Darius lay beside her made her the moment ever so special.
"So, what do cougars do to pass the time at Red Rock?" Darius asked, nearly breaking the spell.
Amara rolled her head to the side, to see Darius' intense gaze wash over her. "We don't silently gaze up at the sky if that's what you're asking."
"Do you tell stories?"
"Stories?"
"You know what a story is, don't you?"
Amara scoffed. "I know what a story is, I'm asking what you're getting at."
Darius grinned. "Since we have nothing else to do, why don't we share stories with each other?"
Amara turned her gaze back to the treetops, watching as a single leaf swished and rotated in the air, gliding down from the sky itself. "Okay, but you go first. I want to hear about your childhood."
Darius chuckled. "Cheeky, are we? Fine, I can roll with that."
Darius cleared his throat and began his tale. "I was born close to the border, according to my father. My mother had me and then left, leaving me in my father's care. I know practically nothing about her, save that she had red hair, bright as a flame, and that was beautiful. My father used to tell me all the time about how beautiful she was."
Amara frowned. Red hair? Having red hair was a unique trait a rare few ever had. Only one in all of Red Rock had that trait. Amara thought Sarai was the only one but guessed she was wrong.
"So, I grew up without a mother. I don't know if it was because my mother left, or because she had me, or some other reason I can't seem to fathom, but Ulrick, who was my father's best friend at the time, grew to hate my father, and me, and because he had just become the Alpha at the time, his attitude towards us spread like wildfire. I practically grew up alone, after that. The way I acted was always different too. Where pups my age like to roll around and play in the mud, I liked to play while climbing in trees. Others thought I was weird...I don't blame them."
Amara's heart tugged in her chest, a wave of sorrow combing through her body. "Oh, Darius, I didn't mean to bring up old wounds…"
Darius shook his head and smiled. "Hold on, I'm still getting to the good part."
Amara eyed him sadly but allowed him to continue.
Darius looked back towards the treetops. "Luckily for me, while Ulrick threatened us from time to time, he never actually went through on his threats. Instead, in an ironic twist, I actually became close friends with his son and daughter."
"Remus and…"
"Nyssa."
"Right." Amara balled her hands into fists over her stomach. "The girl who's aiming to make you her mate."
Darius glanced at her. "How did you-"
Amara rolled her eyes. "Remus mentioned her when we first met...how she would be distraught to learn you had a mate already in mind. I kind of feel bad for her, though I've never met her."
"You feel bad because you've already made up your mind about me, haven't you?"
"What? Of course not!" Amara's burning face betrayed her. "I told you how you'll win me over."
Darius leaned over. "Really? Then what if I do this…"
In one swift motion, Darius rolled on top of Amara, the breadth of his toned, muscled figured blocking out the sunlight overhead. Amara, stunned, simply stared longingly into Darius' eyes. Dark green and glinting, his short gray hair a stark contrast, and his scent filling her mind. Amara ran her eyes over his beautifully bulging biceps. She gulped, as he smiled down at her.
He panted like a lusting hound, ready to indulge in his treat once he received permission. Amara could see his intentions clearly in his eyes, and her own image reflected back as well. Underneath him, she felt small and submissive, but she held her ground, gently raising her hands to touch his chest and abs.
It's no wonder this Nyssa girl wanted him as a mate. Darius was one of a kind; Amara knew it just by being this close to him.
"Is this what you truly want?" Amara asked, whispering. Her gaze trailed from his abs up to his handsome face. "We're not part of the same clan. It's suicide to fall for me."
"Then I guess I'm choosing suicide because I've never been surer of anything in my life."
Darius leaned down, placing his lips upon hers. Amara thought she was ready for the touch of his lips, but she found that couldn't be further from the truth. Most males
from the Pride were rough and quick and tasted of rock and sweat, but Darius was gentle, and his lips were sweet yet strong. Amara's heart thrummed as they held their kiss, her whole body trembling in delight. Amara had said over and over that she wanted to wait until Darius proved himself to her, but now all that was pointless, for, at this moment, Amara realized there was no one else she wanted to be with.
They both parted their lips naturally, both panting like animals in heat, and both grinning at each other.
"Woah! Uh, hey guys now's not exactly the time for that…"
In unison, Amara and Darius glanced to the side to spy Remus standing, looking at them. He was pointing behind him. "Look, you two need to get up now. If my father catches-"
But Remus didn't have time to finish his thought, for the hulking figure of another wolf-shifter appeared next to him. Amara knew by his scent that he wasn't just any wolf shifter. He stared down at the two, disbelief written all over his face. He sniffed the air, his expression twisting to something vile. "Again...why is this happening again?" He shouted.
Amara's eyes widened as fear rushed back to take the place of love, and both she and Darius scrambled to their feet as the wolf shifter began to shift into his wolf form.
"Father!" Remus shouted, jumping in between the massive wolf and them. "Wait! Hear me out first!"
The massive beast before her radiated an aura that made Amara's blood run cold, and she subconsciously backed away in fright. She'd never felt such a ferocious rage before. Darius backed away too, but stepped in front of her, shifting into his wolf form and tearing his clothes apart in the process. He growled low at the Alpha while Remus continued to try and keep his father at bay.
The blonde-haired wolf shifter shimmied from side to side, keeping his father from lunging at the two of them. "Enough! They bring news that is vital to our survival, stop this at once!"
Darius readied himself in front of Amara, and she watched with dread as the Alpha eyed her like a pest that needed to be squashed.
Just as the Alpha wolf began to push past his son, another wolf ran in, a gray beast like Darius, sliding to a halt beside Darius. Amara leaped back in fear, but quickly realized Darius wasn't budging, instead, he was communicating with it. The other gray wolf was a bit smaller, but when he howled at the Alpha, the Alpha stopped its movement and turned its attention off of her.
