And There Were Wolves

forty nine | so i can save them for a rainy day

A/N

Thank you so so much for the well wishes and prayers for my mum. This one is for you.

I'm taking pictures in my mind / So I can save them for a rainy day

Stay beautiful

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"Ah, of course, whenever there's Evan Albright, there's always his loyal protector Griffin too," greeted Ryker with a light, friendly tone. He appeared to be familiar with both wolves. "I need to speak with your Alpha."

Griffin, a man of tanned skin and dark curly hair, scorned. "Yeah, right? Our alpha doesn't meet just anyone. Wait for the next pack leaders' meeting to meet him."

"I'm afraid we don't have the luxury of time." Ryker let go of my hand and shoved his hands inside the pocket of his black leather jacket, but he still kept me close. "More like your mate Eros does not."

At the mention of Eros' name, both members of the Erebus growled. Clearly, they were aware of Eros' disappearance, so at least Adelina hadn't messed with their heads. I couldn't tell what Evan was saying considering he was in his wolf form, but even with his growl, Griffin's words were audible. "What did you do to him?! We've been looking for him. I don't care if they consider it as an act of war or breaking a hundred-year-old treaty, but if you or your pack members did anything to him, I'll tear you apart." Even with his growl, Griffin's words were audible in his wolf form.

"It's not us. We did nothing to him," I quickly said before Griffin decided that the best course of action was to turn into a giant wolf and eat us whole. "But a sorceress did."

"Witch? Who? What nonsense is this? No witch dares to mess with us! They know we will bring havoc right at their front door." Griffin narrowed his eyes, then his head tilted towards Evan as if he was listening, and it took me a split second to realize that they were communicating through the mind link. "How did you know?" asked Griffin after a while. "If a witch truly did something to Eros, why would she tell you?" Then his frown slowly dissipated as he came up with a new theory. "Right. Maybe you asked them to do that. After all, your pack is the filthy scum who offered protection for the Eastern witches."

His logic actually made perfect sense. "Let's just say that I'm good at persuading people." I wanted to keep the whole thing about Alana a secret. It was nobody's business what happened in the North. "Ryker — Alpha Ryker," I quickly corrected, "and I had something to confirm with the sorceress. I know something was wrong with Eros, so I asked her."

"You've met Eros?" Griffin's face was filled with disbelief. "Where? We've scoured every place and we couldn't find him."

"In the Center. District 8," I answered. Chills went down my spine as my mind recalled how Eros had been that day. "He was acting weird."

Griffin and Evan momentarily glanced at each other before focusing their eyes back on me. "Weird how?"

I must admit, being stared at by a giant wolf was a bit strange. Getting over my nervousness, I swallowed hard. Even now, it's not easy to say. I'd known Eros for over ten years. Even though I knew it was not his own doing, it still hurt when he'd stared at me with a blank look that one would use on a stranger — with zero remembrance — and said that he didn't know me. "He doesn't recognize me."

"Are you one of the girls he had one nightstand with?" Griffin laughed mockingly. "Why should he—" Griffin turned to Evan, his eyes widened. His head whipped back to me and the shock was apparent on his face. "You're that girl. The one Eros was sent to watch and protect."