Blood Ties

21

The Unseen
~
Lycus
~

It was once told throughout Lycus's younger years, the bloodier the claw and sharper the edge, the more Alpha one would become.

Lycus's claws were curved at the tips, stained red from bloodshed. Gabriel's were straight and crystal clear, no dent in sight — he had not caused much damage like the others.

Cole Canus's claws were hooked and embedded with an overgrowth of crimson beneath the bed of the claws. But even then, there was a delicacy to them, lucent and transparent, despite the amount of bloodletting they have invoked.

They would have grown back by now, like normal human nails, and Lycus wondered, would they be stronger or weaker?

Would Cole's claws be strong enough to slash into silver?

"Would you like some tea, Vaela?" Accalia came to the threshold of the dining room, her tense stature leaning against the doorframe with her sleeves rolled up.

Lycus noticed she did that when being on edge. Roll up her sleeves or oftentimes, she hugged herself, splaying her arms around her middle.

He wanted to be the one she attached to, not herself.

Vaela shook her head and dabbled her long fingers nails along the wooden table, muttering, "No, Luna."

Accalia disappeared back into the kitchen and avoided Lycus's intent watch.

He couldn't help but stare at her ever since the oracle made an appearance back in the woods. As soon as Cole's name resurged, Accalia cocooned into her shell and fell into an uneasy silence that Lycus couldn't break through.

He despised it, with her stitched up back and worrying thoughts, he didn't want to lose her all over again.

Lycus requested Vaela come to the Fenris manor as the werewolves' howls had become unbearably painful and Lycus didn't want to be in the oracle's cabin with strong herbs and a watchful one-eyed crow.

He also wanted Accalia to take part in the conversation.

Lycus heard Accalia's heart thump loudly before her feet did and she came back into the dining room to take a seat.

Lycus instinctively swept his arm underneath the table and reached for her, placing his hand on her thigh and she didn't push him away.

"When you were scratched, Accalia, we retracted Cole's claws from your back," Lycus told her and levelled his eyes to her to ensure she was listening.

Accalia swallowed nervously and nodded at him.

He continued, "they were shards of his claws and Vaela wanted to look into them with her abilities, that's why she's here. She might give us the insight we need."

"For the war?" Accalia mumbled and Lycus's heart galloped at the look she gave him. Heavenly benevolence. A look he shouldn't be given because he didn't deserve it.

"For the war."

Accalia and Lycus watched as Vaela placed the fragments of the claws onto the wooden table, her eyes mystified from the pull of the moon.

"Forgive me," Vaela said serenely, face misting over with delight. "I might be all over the place as the moon is at its fullest. I keep hearing whispers in my ears, I had to come here before I lost it."

Lycus muted out the howls shattering through the forest and ignored the hallowing moonlight peeking through the window, casting them in the moonlight.

Vaela seemed to bathe in it, her nails tattering across the claws as she probed and spoke solemnly to herself.