The Wolf Among Us.

Chapter 22: Cyclops Grudge.

A/N: if you have problems with my writing, please alert me. I know there are a lot of mistakes and wrong tenses and I intend to correct them after I'm done with the book. Please bear with me and thanks to those who have been holding up ever since the beginning of the novel. Enjoy!

A few hours later, we set out again. Apart from alerts on where we are and Helix's translation, the journey was quiet. I didn't know about the others but I was in a pretty fowl mode. I was mad at everyone but most of all, I was mad at myself. The fact that I had let Lily get hurt was heart wrenching. I clawed through the forest with Lily strapped on my back. I preferred to keep her close to me just in case something happened again.

"You blame yourself for your predicament? This is Life's fault! I was not really in the mood for riddles or metaphors. I also knew he was saying this to make me feel better. It was not working at all. It was afternoon when we came to a stop at a village. Rekshlaum hit his mandibles together and hissed again. "He says that we were at the middle of Brood. We are at the Torak Village.", Helix muttered. The insect man hissed and hit his jaws together again.

"Taymaks have inhabited this forest. They are one of the races that chose to seclude themselves from others. Tree faeries. Slow to anger but very smart and cunning", Joe said from behind us. "I can sense only two powerful life forces. Not much of a problem if we don't trifle with them." The shifters among us changed their forms and we entered the city.

"I suggest you keep a low profile by masking one of your sides. Not everyone has crossed paths with a werewolf slash vamp hybrid." I was the only one who stayed in my wolf form because I had to carry Lily.  I focused on suppressing my vampire side. I felt it slip all the way down till it became very faint. I now smell like a wolf with a little vamp in my blood. Some might even say I was a failed experiment.

The village was bustling with life. Literally. Everything seemed to have a mind of its own. Including the freaking plants! I almost howled when a plant told me I was stepping on one of his leaves. 

The most common houses here were tree houses. There were only a few cottages and bungalows. Apart from the tree houses, no other building had storeys. "I see an inn!", Mia squealed. We all walked to the entrance and went through the necessary processes. 

After the procedure, Mia fished out a hundred copper coins(as that is their currency) and hand it to the tree folk. The receptionist kept giving me weird looks. I didn't blame him though. Wouldn't you do the same if a large wolf was checking into your inn with a half dead person on its back? Apparently he had a no pets policy but because of the cash we payed, he was willing to let it slide. He bowed his head in thanks. A few minutes later, I was sitting on a large, oak bed and dressing Lily's wounds.

Thanks to Helix's methods, the black magic was out of her system. All she needed was rest and constant dressing. As I change her bandages, I could not help but feel guilty about everything. It was my fault she was in this predicament after all. "No it's not." I almost fell off the bed in surprise. "Lily? Thank the gods you are awake! I was worried. What in the world were you thinking when you pulled that stunt?", I spewed uncontrollably. She rolled her green eyes. "You want the truth?" I nod slowly.

"I was thinking about you. I couldn't just let you die. The truth is... Hayden Sanders, I l..." The door burst open, revealing a very rattled Joe. He had eye bags and he looked like a walking corpse. "We are leaving in five." He gave Lily an apologetic wave and shut the door. "So what were you gonna say?", I ask curiously. Her cheeks flushed and she averted her gaze down nervously. "I was gonna say I am really grateful for your help. Now go get ready, I can't have my slave laying around," Lily joked. "Again, she lies." I still didn't know the reason why she was fibbing. I just shrugged it off again. What she was really about to say, I may never know.