Heart of Stone (Part III)

III. Chapter 20 | Part 1 - Stone

[^^ Young CH!! ^^]

Song: "The Way" by Zack Hemsey

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She stared at him, her eyes growing larger as his words filled her mind.

He needed her to understand. And the only way for that was to explain everything.

[You've seen my brand. My mark of disgrace. Brandings are all the same and made on the back with silver. Fur will not grow there, so even in our lycan forms, other packs will see the brand of an exile. Not only that, but word travels fast about exiles. Everyone in North America and Europe knows who I am. Wherever I go, I will be met with hostility. I cannot even enter Europe without prior invitation.]

He rubbed her arms, even though he was the one who needed the reassurance.

[This is the truth; the real reason we came to America. We were forced out. We had to start over. We had no other choice. No one would take in an exile. Once an exile, always an exile.]

He swallowed, lowering his gaze. [This is my biggest burden and shame to carry. Everyone in this pack carries it because of me. Other packs avoid us because of me. We built this together. This pack. This territory. This home. We came here with nothing but the clothes on our backs. Everyone who lives under this roof... They're all I have. And they gave up everything to stay by my side. I owe them my life. I will die for them, and I know they would do the same for me, and each other.]

He continued to rub her arms as she listened quietly. [That is why Alpha Eramis and Luna Elena were so hard on me. Not only was it because you are human, but they know my past. They know of my mistakes. They had to keep me in line.]

"How?" she asked in a breathy whisper. It was all she could manage from the jumble of thoughts and questions whirling around in her head as she tried to understand what he was saying.

"How, what?"

"How... did this all happen?"

He debated telling her. Would she understand?

Swallowing, he risked meeting her gaze and asked, [Can I show you?]

[What?]

[With my memories. Can I show you why I was exiled?]

She took a shaky breath as her thoughts tumbled over each other. Her eyes lingered on his, studying them and the tension in his face before she agreed.

Reaching up with both hands, he brushed her tangled hair back behind her ears with his fingers and pulled her forehead to his and pushed his memories onto her.

.

Darkness surrounded them as a much younger version of himself trudged through the slushy streets of a muddy little town. The moon was blanketed in clouds as a few snowflakes tumbled carelessly to the earth. The only light came from the tavern, where loud drunken voices continued to bark out into the night.

He pulled his cloak tighter around him in an attempt to cover his fingers numbed by the cold. A sack hung over his shoulder from the tannery.

His companions, a younger, leaner Gunner and the Beta of their pack likewise carried sacks of tanned and dyed hides, threads and needles for clothing to be made. Their breaths puffed out of their mouths in curling wisps to avoid inhaling the smoke that seeped from between cracks and doors in the buildings around them in an effort to keep the residents warm for the night.

[We should have come earlier,] Gunner mentally said.

[Darkness sets in earlier this time of year,] the Beta reminded him. [The sooner we get out of here, the warmer we will be.]