Obsidian Night Pack

9

"You were what! I leave and you get attacked by a vampire!" Ash had fallen back into Sander's embraces very dramatically.

"What were you even doing out in the woods so far?"

"Shifting," it wasn't a lie per se, but it definitely wasn't the full truth. I could feel the guilt sink into my stomach and twirl around as if it were making a home there. As if I would have this feeling for a while. I mentally signed, there was no way I was going to be able to keep my secret by myself. I was going to need help, not just to keep my secret, but also help on how to solve it. I had already decided that I wasn't going to tell Alaric, at least not until there was an actual solution to the problem. I wanted and needed to tell Ash. She would be there for me and there was no doubt in my mind that she would help me in any way possible to solve this shifting mystery.

"Still it's odd for a vampire to get so close to a known werewolf pack," Sander said as he helped Ash back onto her stool.

"He did say he was a nomad, that he didn't kill people he only took their blood." I looked to Sander to see him shaking his head with a concerned expression.

"I've never heard of a nomad vampire if anything I think that was a lie just to lure you closer to him."

"I can't believe you actually had a conversation with that thing! While he was trying to kill you! And where were the bor-" Ash cut herself off, at that moment I think she realized that something wasn't right about my story. Ash knew the border patrols schedule just as well as me if she really thought about it she could probably figure out that I went out into the woods when no one would be there. Not even our own warriors.

She gave me a quick look as if to say "we'll chat soon" and before Sander could comment on our small silence between us the doors to the kitchen were thrown open with a loud bang. Ash and I both jumped in our seats and turned to look. Standing in the doorway was Alaric with a furious expression on his face. His once green eyes were now turning yellow.

"A-Alaric!" I said somewhat surprised. I didn't expect to see him so soon and so angry.

"A-Alaric, what's wrong?" I questioned as I got up from the stool.

"You are supposed to be in our room resting! Why the hell are you down here?"

"Alaric I'm better, I've been resting all day. I've gotten more sleep today than I have in the past week." I tried to explain to him that I wasn't tired. If anything I was more awake than ever. However, that didn't seem to convince him. He marched right over to me and stood over me. He looked behind me though, I turned around to see what he was looking at.

"Both of you are dismissed, I'll speak with you tomorrow Sander." Ash and Sander stood up from their stools and bowed then left. Ash didn't leave without giving me a sympathetic smile before Sander wrapped his arm around her waist, urging her to walk faster. In no time at all Alaric and I were alone in the kitchen. I looked back up to him to see him already staring down at me.

"Clover you should be in bed right now, you shouldn't even be walking around." His breathing was getting faster as his eyes began to wander across me looking for more signs of being injured. Of course, I was sore, but that was nothing that medicine wouldn't be able to fix. I reached out my hand and touched Alaric's forearm. I felt the sparks light underneath my fingers and palm.

"Alaric I'm fine, It-think being with you on the ride here really helped. If anything I'll be as good as new by tomorrow."

"By tomorrow." He repeated while he leaned further into my touch. I nodded looking into his eyes fighting the blush that was creeping onto my face. I had to convince him that I was alright if he thought I was dying, which it seemed like he did, there was no way I would be able to meet with Ash in private to ask for her help.