He is Ghost

Fool

The next morning, Neira met the pack at the main cabin for breakfast. They were making omelettes filled with all sorts of delicious things. River's was mostly bacon and cheese, while Alistar's was just egg with some red peppers sprinkled in. They had started without her as she had slept in, but when her feet padded up the stairs of the main cabin, she was greeted with warm faces and a steaming cup of coffee fixed just the way she liked it. 

She had slept like a rock, Shadow's form curled up beside her on the fluffy duvet. She would have slept the whole day away had it not been for her growling stomach. Shadow had disappeared shortly after she woke, off to do whatever he did when he wasn't with her. Lately, an ache had started to form in her chest when he left her side. He had been all she knew for so long. 

Alistar cracked eggs into a bowl for her omelette, and Neira tossed in every topping she could. Bacon, onion, peppers, cheese, sausage, jalapenos, celery. Her stomach growled as she tossed everything in, her coffee pressed to her lips as she did so. 

Shade wasn't in the room. She had noticed when she had shown up, but it was more apparent as she curled up in the circle chair. River and Enzo bickered between one another, and Kesler stared at a book while drinking a black cup of coffee. She cursed herself for not bringing one of her own to read. 

Through the window, Neira caught sight of Shade appearing in the tree line. His inky black coat was harsh in the cold foggy morning. He shook out his pelt, his pointed ears hitting the side of his massive head. White eyes stared vacantly ahead as he stepped out of the trees. 

From this distance, Neira could see how strange of a wolf he was. She was reminded every time she saw him. He was so different from everyone else. Even River, Enzo and Kesler all had differences that set them apart from the wolves she knew. They all had those strange taller ears, the leaner bodies, the longer taller legs. 

In one smooth stride, he went from a tall black wolf to a golden-haired man. Neira looked away as he moved naked toward the house. 

When he appeared in the doorway, a pair of black sweats covered his legs. They sat low on his hips, the sharp bones like blades interrupting her cup of coffee that she was almost finished. He moved towards the stove, bare chest tight and covered in mist and sweat. 

Alister dumped her omelette on a plate. 

Neira stood from the circle chair, bringing her cup with her to fill it up again. 

Shade was eyeing her omelette, the steam coming from it like a hypnotic charm. Neira ducked her eyes and pulled the plate out from under his hard stare. His gaze went to hers, to the empty cup. He snatched it from her fingers, filled it and put everything in it she could have wanted, along with a generous helping of whipped cream. 

His fingers placed the cup back in her open palm, and she gave him a little smile as she battled with the urge to slurp the whipped cream off the top like a whale. 

They all watched as she settled back into the circle chair, spinning this way and that before burying herself into the pile of pillows and blankets. Enzo raised an eyebrow in her direction, hiding his judgmental smile behind his own cup. 

"Any news this morning?" Kesler asked, not paying attention to Neira in the slightest. 

Shade stiffened but shrugged. He turned to face him, an omelette on his plate and a pile of fruit. Where had he gotten the fruit? "Not yet," Shade said, his tone hard as he took a seat beside Kesler on the couch. 

"You think it would be all over the news," Enzo said, his strange accent making the words sound cryptic. 

Neira swallowed a mouthful of coffee. "What should be on the news?" she asked, licking whipped cream from her lip. 

Kesler tilted his head in her direction. "There is a big meeting today in Russia," he said, not bothering to expand on the subject. 

"About what?" Neira asked, only half-listening as she shovelled a bite into her mouth. 

Shade's dark gaze met her own. "It's a crown meeting. Between Norta and Izteri." 

Neira felt something in her stomach fall into her butt. West and East. Kingdoms. 

She'd thought about it a lot this past winter, about how North and South had been abolished, about whether or not the other two governing bodies of their kind were still around. She tried to keep her breathing easy; her heart rate slow and collected. 

Shade's eyes on her were like hot pokers. 

"I didn't know they still had royals over there," Neira said quietly. She kept her face behind her cup. 

"Maybe not for long," Alistar mumbled around a mouthful of food. 

Neira gave him a funny look, but it was River who clarified. He stood from the couch, his massive frame darkening the room. "Norta and Izteri do not get along. King Silas has been trying to establish a new governing system." 

Neira's face must have shown how confused she was because River sighed from the sink and threw an apple in her direction. She caught it with her free hand. "Seriously, woman," he said exasperated. 

A cold glare fell onto Shade's face as he levelled River with his stare. "You do know she spent all winter in the woods, correct? Let alone; it's not something the wolves on this side of the planet talk about. Or did you forget that the whole topic is illegal over here?" 

He wasn't wrong. But then... 

"Where are you from?" Neira asked, her gaze on River. 

His scar pinched with his expression. "Kenya," he said with a casual shrug that didn't make him look casual at all. "Came here about three years ago now." He looked at Shade as if he couldn't remember exactly. 

Shade stood from the couch, "River is the newest addition to the pack. Enzo came here about 5 years ago from the same area. Both are technically under Izteri. Kesler and I came over a long time ago from Norta. We both lived in the capital." 

Neira's eyes fell on Allistar near the sink, "And you?" 

Allistar let out a chuckle. "Neither," he said, glancing at the frying pan. "This lot just felt pity on me and took me in a few years ago. But my mom used to say we belonged to the north before the abolishment." He paused for a moment. "Not that it matters." 

Neira stared at her cup. She had been so fucking foolish. 

If anyone of these wolves saw her back, her tattoo... they would know the old tongue. They would know who she was. 

Maybe it didn't matter, maybe they would understand...

She couldn't risk it. 

Neira downed the rest of her coffee and stood suddenly. She set her dishes in the sink and slipped out the door without another word. No one said anything as she left.