Moon Bound

24

Kissing danger
~
Accalia
~

Cadence hadn't come back yet and that stirred angst in the pit of Accalia's stomach.

Over the years, with hunting and killing werewolves, leaving a track of agony and burnt footprints marking the destruction the Larren family have invoked, Accalia was always worried for Cadence. Always. No matter the hour of the day, the minute passing by and the phases of the moon, Accalia sat with a fearful clutch of worry for her cousin.

It never went away.

It was like a constant pull was wedging between the ribs and chest, conjuring anxiety that couldn't subside.

It sat with Accalia even now as she ate her cereal with a rumbling tummy.

But she could understand Cadence's need to be around people like her. Even if that is the huntress by the name of Erisa Jaeger. Accalia grew up with the girl, but she wouldn't mistake it, there was a chaotic nature to Erisa.

At eleven years old, Erisa was abandoned by her spineless, pathetic bitch of a mother, (Erisa's words) and left in the care of her uncle, Franklin Jaeger, who raised Erisa in the best way he knew how with the little parental experience he had.

Accalia recalled seeing Cadence up in the late hours of the night to help the Jaeger girl; sleepless nights, missing school and not attending training to go to her aid.

Cadence had shed blood and sweat to save that girl.

Downing the remaining milk in the bowl, Accalia made her way over to the sink to wash it up when a collection of feet clambered down the hall.

Accalia's shoulders immediately tensed up when the voice of her mate resonated throughout the room and irked the hairs along her arm to spike up.

"Good morning, Accalia,"

Turning around, she offered a kind smile to Gabriel who returned it, his eyes brightening.

It didn't go unnoticed the duffel bags Gabriel and Nina had around them when they came downstairs and Accalia could only guess it was because they were going back to their pack.

They had been here for a while, a lot longer for an Alpha to leave their pack for a Beta to watch over and Accalia had heard that a pack can grow restless without their Alpha. That would always be the grandest time to pick a fight for hunters.

Nina wore a black trench coat, it falling past her feet, making her look smaller than she naturally is. In comparison to Gabriel who was six-foot, Nina looked like a tiny mouse paralleled to him. She emitted a roguish grace with her jaded eyes and mass of curly hair that bodied her brown face elegantly.

Nina seemed like the female version of Gabriel, offering kind words and wisdom. She didn't seem disgusted by Accalia's presence as a hunter, but more curious about it. Nina's bubbly and lighthearted nature was refreshing to Accalia as though it was a breath of fresh air.

Accalia tried to plaster a genuine smile without forcing it. "Are you leaving for your pack?"

Gabriel secured an arm around Nina's waist, pulling her into his side and said, "Yes, we didn't expect to be here for this long, it's best we get back."

Accalia nodded and snuck a glance at Lycus who looked roguish, giving her a lasting look that made her turn her attention back to the couple.

"It was lovely to meet you, Accalia," Gabriel claimed kindly.

Accalia doubted it, surely his kind nature didn't stretch that far in regards to a hunter. Nevertheless, Accalia held a tight-lip smile and muttered, "It was nice meeting you too, Gabriel. And you, Nina."