Agape

Chapter 13

The faint luminance of sun pervaded the darkness of the sky as they started their journey back home. The Werewolf army and humans kept their distance, the enmity making the air fizzle with a perpetual sense of disturbance as they walked in hushed silence and quiet murmurs. The fae brothers rumbled around Lain, perching on his shoulders as they went. Shu noticed the disgruntled gazes landing on the boy but Lain didn't care and Shu knew he wouldn't mind.

If they noticed the Alpha sticking to Shu throughout the whole way, glaring at anyone who passed a common hint, they didn't comment upon it. Shu walked with his head down, his mind already working towards the endless stream of questions that needed answers. He played with the idea of going back to Solasta though it was only a fever dream. He thought of a way to keep the rest of the werewolves — the ones who helped him, out of the way of his own fall of grace.

Haru glanced over his shoulder briefly at him, his lips barely lifting to a smile before his focus shifted to something else. The avoidance ached the most. Haru had been a constant shadow of his healing process in those past years that his absence weighed as stones.

Lui and Free were leading the human troops and didn't make any contact with the albino for his own safety. But Shu knew what he needed to do. He should cut ties, ask them to part away, feign ignorance so they might survive. It was flawed, not without its own suspicion but it was better than nothing.

So, when they finally decided to take a break, he swiftly called upon Lain and asked him to gather Max, Takeshi and lastly... Haru in secret. He stood by the end of the river they had stopped, watching the silent stream flow into the darkness of the close edged trees in the edge of his line of sight.

Lain cleared his throat, calling for his attention. Shu turned, his hands clasped behind his back as he gave them a tight-lipped smile that betrayed no feelings. Takeshi's eyes darted around before settling in its wolfish way. "You wanted to see us?"

"Yes."

Haru was leaning against a tree, watching him intently. Gone were the shifty eyes from the morning. Shu's spine chilled with the strange attention. "I have a request," Shu spoke.

Max tilted his head to the side, "Oh. And that is?"

Shu knew they had no time to waste, the disappearance of their commander might cause an uproar of the troops. Haru needed to go back soon. "I want you all to feign ignorance when we reach the borders," He said. "I want you to act like you know nothing about anything."

"Wait..." Lain frowned, "But why?"

"Because if they find out we were... are helping Shu, they'd have us impaled on the city square or worse, use us to get him back to Solasta." Haru kept his gaze levelled, "I was thinking about that too. I think that's best for all of us. I'm not ready to give up on the commandership just yet, there are things I want to change, want to understand."

Shu nodded, "I know. I don't want any of you to be the collateral damage of my mess."

Takeshi rubbed his hands over his face. "As plausible as this is, they will zero in on you if that happens."

"But I'll be within Elysian borders," Shu insisted, "It will be fine." He didn't know whether it would be fine but he was ready to take the chance but he was not ready to bring them down. "I'd be as safe as I could be."

Lain hesitated. Shu could see it in his form, the way his lips parted but no words seemed to come out. "...okay. But if something happened I'm going to say fuck it and come get you."

Shu smiled, "I'll hold onto that."

Haru righted himself and crossed his arms. He looked at his peers with a nod. "You guys go ahead, they're going to get suspicious if we all are missing. I need to discuss something with Shu, alone."