Dark Beast ✔

Chapter 17: Eclipse

It's been a whole week since Sophia has been living with Lazarus and his pack. For many years, it had been only Sophia and her mom, she never had a house full with many people and different personalities. Now, in this huge manor, every day was an adventure. Lazarus and his pack were loud and hectic, definitely caused trouble and had a lot of fun doing it. She found herself surrounded by people who took her small little world and made it so vast, but she had to admit that it was a bit scary. The Iron Blood pack lived a fast-paced life full of danger and politics, a world she still wondered if she fit into. She found herself on the outside looking in.

Especially on this breezy night when everyone had gathered outside on the porch to enjoy the starry sky and dancing moon. She sat on the chair with her legs bent in front of her, as she watched the wolves run off into the woods. She still couldn't believe her own eyes as she witnessed Isaiah, Ashley, Ronin, Justin, Lazarus and the kids turn into their wolf forms. They were running through the woods, enjoying their gift which was phenomenal and special, something that she didn't have. She couldn't run as a wolf with Lazarus like Ashley did with Isaiah and Marcello did with Zeiden.

What if a wolf that was Lazarus's true mate appeared? Her stomach sank at that thought. What if his wolf needed a wolf as well? Despite the warm night, she had a chill crawl down her body and freeze her hands and feet.

A wolf shifted back and revealed Zeiden who ran up the few steps and joined her, he was beaming with excitement which was probably because of the run.

"Water?" she asked as she passed a cup to him.

"Thanks," he gladly accepted and downed the cool liquid quickly.

"How is it?" she asked him.

He tilted his head. "The water?"

She chuckled. "No," she said. "How was the run?"

Zeiden's light blue eyes flashed with a playful gleam. "Exhilarating," he answered with a smirk.

Sophia looked back on the field to the other wolves.

He put the glass down then and faced her. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She smiled at his kind eyes. "I don't know if talking about it will make it better," she believed.

"You won't know unless you try," he replied.

She drew in a shaky breath. "Can I really be considered a pack member if I'm not like you?" she asked. "I can't turn into a wolf and run with your brother. I don't know what's it's like and I will never be able to bond with Lazarus like how your kind does."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," he said, "but I know Lazarus doesn't see it like that."

"I know-" her words fell.

A silence passed as softly as the breeze did.

"When I was a kid growing up in the Petrov Pack," he started, "my father taught us to be nothing but animals raging inside a cage."

Sophia was caught off guard that Zeiden brought up his old pack.

"He controlled the doors of our cage and our prey," he continued. "He showed me that being a wolf was all about lusting for the kill and enjoying the taste of blood, and I believed him." Zeiden looked up at the wolves running across the field and howling at the moon. "Until, one day I didn't follow my father's command and couldn't kill my own family-" the pain etched in his voice ached through Sophia- "I knew that my father would punish me or maybe even kill me. I was ready for it, but then my brothers protected me." Zeiden's boyish grin appeared. "Isaiah and Lazarus stood in front of me ready to take any punishment my father had planned, even if that meant death." He looked at Sophia. "Being a wolf isn't just about the animal, it's about loyalty and trust. My brothers had my back and I always have theirs. Will you have my brother's back, Sophia?"