#16 Bows and Arrows

Zale

I knew that I wasn’t fighting fair by using the matebond to tease Adira, but I just couldn’t help myself. I needed her to feel something other than irritation for me.

Her body trembled as I whispered into her ear, my lips nearly brushing against her flawless skin. I pulled away and locked eyes with her, rubbing the pad of my thumb over her cheek bone. Her wide green eyes softened slightly as they swirled with anticipation.

“Fine, I believe you.” She finally grumbled.

I chuckled at her stubbornness and pulled away, easing the tension between us.

“Do I have permission to continue my work here, oh great, mighty Archer?” I mocked her and she glared at me.

“Actually, I have something else in mind for you, Chieftain.” She replied in a snarky tone.

I knew that she was thinking up a punishment for me, but I didn’t care; the way she threw my title around sounded like some sort of sultry nickname that I just knew I’d never be able to get enough of.

She whistled and looked over my shoulder,

“Are you coming or not, watch dog?” She yelled.

When I realized she was talking to Balin, I threw my head back and laughed. Balin came running up to us with an irritated expression.

“I’m not the dog, you….” He started to say, but one look from Adira had him shutting up real quick, “Where to now, boss?” He changed his attitude.

“You’re a Bender, right?” She ignored Balin and looked at me, “I saw you using your fire during the battle.”

I couldn’t stop myself from puffing my chest out at her observations. I nodded and held out my hand, palm up. A tiny flame burst from my skin.

“Good, you’re gonna need it.” Was all she said, immediately deflating my ego.

She turned her back on us and started walking away. Balin and I were nipping at her heels like the dutiful watch dogs she accused us of being.

She led us back across the yard and towards the treeline behind the packhouse. I’ll admit, I had a brief thought that maybe she was leading us out here to kill us without witnesses, but then, about fifty yards inside the woods, the trees gave way to a large opening. Scattering around the opening were charred, smoking piles along with fresh piles of new bodies.

“After the last attack, Aidian had this field cleared out to use as a burning pit so we didn’t have to endure the smell of rotting rogues at the packhouse. I had the guards bring all their bodies here.” Adira explained, walking a few steps into the field.

Balin and I exchanged a look.

“Are you planning on adding our bodies to these piles?” Balin asked hesitantly.

Adira looked at him from over her shoulder and grinned wickedly.

“I need a match.” She shrugged innocently.

“I can help you with that.” I said, finally understanding her task for me.

I stood in the center of the field and held out my hands, sparking a fire ball from each of my palms. Strategically, I threw the flames from my hands and they set the dozen or so piles of bodies ablaze.

“Show off.” I heard Adira mumble from behind me and I smirked at her.

Her eyes went black for a second, her expression blank, before she blinked rapidly and focused on me again.

“Aidian’s awake.” She announced before turning on her heels and charging out of the woods.

Knowing my fires would never burn out of control, it was safe for Balin and I to follow after her, leaving the burning field unattended. Adira didn’t so much as glance over her shoulder once as she made her way back to the packhouse. Balin and I waited in the hallway while she entered the infirmary.

A few minutes later, she poked her head out,

“Aidian wants to see you.” She said with a frown.

I glanced at Balin who shrugged and went back to paging through the magazine he had found in a basket beside the benches we were sitting on. I sighed and stood up,

“What for?” I asked.

“How should I know?” She snapped angrily before letting the door swing shut behind her.

“You better go, man, she doesn’t seem like the patient type.” Balin snorted and I smacked him on the back of the head before following Adira.

I followed her scent down the long hallway of the hospital and into the last room on the left. Adira was leaning against the wall beside the door with her arms crossed, Alpha Aidian was sitting up in the hospital bed looking much better than the last time I saw him, and the human Luna we helped get inside the packhouse was perched on his bedside. All their eyes were fixed on me.

“Chieftain Zale, thank you for coming.” Alpha Aidian said, holding out his hand.

I crossed the room and shook his hand strongly,

“Glad to see you in better spirits, Alpha Aidian.” I replied.

“Please, just call me Aidian,” He chuckled, “Several of my men have stated that you’re responsible for fixing our security measures after the attack.”

“Just doing what I can to help.” I said,

“More than is necessary, I’d say” Aidian observed, his eyes glancing towards Adira, “Addie won’t confirm my suspicions, but I trust a fellow leader won’t lie to me.”

“I’m not understanding….” My voice trailed off as I looked between Aidian and Adira.

“Are you and my sister mates?” He asked bluntly.

“Oh, I….uh….” I stuttered, looking at Adira with wide eyes.

She sighed loudly and pushed away from the wall,

“Fine, yes, alright? We’re mates,” She confessed, her voice laced with attitude, “What of it?”

I looked between Aidian and Adira, not entirely sure how this conversation was going to go. After a minute, a slow smirk spread across Aidian’s face and he started to laugh.

“I knew it.” He said,

“What? A dragon Chieftain can’t stick around to help out a pack after a tragedy without it meaning he’s someone’s mate?” Adira asked in a snarky tone.

Aidian was still laughing as he shook his head,

“No, Addie, I’ve known for a while, so did Mom and Dad; since his ceremony, in fact.” Aidian said,

The attitude slipped from Adira’s face and her eyes widened in shock,

“Wh…what do you mean?” She stammered.

“Mom and Dad saw you wander off to the woods during his ceremony,” Aidian began, nodding towards me, “And they asked me to go after you to make sure you were okay. I saw how you two interacted. When you both came back to the party together, Mom and Dad noticed, too. Even his parents knew.”

“My parents?” I spoke for the first time.

“Oh, yeah. Your parents and ours had many talks about it.” Aidian shrugged.

I knew he was just trying to help, but I was royally pissed off by the idea that my parents knew who my mate was all along. They allowed me to go off on wild goose chases in search of her when they knew where she was all along.

“I know that look,” Aidian chuckled at me, “You’re pissed that no one told you.”

“Well….yes.” I admitted, feeling Adira’s eyes on me all the while.

“Our parents were all about destiny and fate. They knew that the Moon Goddess and Dragon Goddess had a plan for the two of you and they didn’t want to intervene.” Aidian said,

I narrowed my eyes on Aidian, but said nothing. His words were certainly ones that my parents would say, they were all about the greater plan for everyone, but it didn’t make me any less pissed. However, it wasn’t Aidian I was mad at and it wasn’t him who I needed to have a very stern conversation with.

“Anyway, thank you for your help, but I’m good now so you two can go.” Aidian said, swinging his legs around and jumping out of the hospital bed.

“You were nearly dead a few hours ago.” Adira said, eyeing her brother closely.

“And now I’m not,” He grinned, “Oh the wonders of werewolf healing.” He mocked, wiggling his fingers and toes to prove a point.

“The pack….” She continued to argue, but Aidian interrupted her,

“Will survive without you as it always has,” He smiled softly, walking up to Adira and gripping her forearms, “No offense, Addie, but you’ve been gone for nearly a decade and we’ve been doing just fine without you. Now, you’re only going to be a stone’s throw away. If we need you, you’ll be here.”

“Two weeks ago you were begging me to stay.” She said,

Aidian looked wounded,

“Ouch, low blow, sis,” He teased, “At some point, I have to grow up and handle the pack like a real Alpha.Without my baby sister hanging around.”

“Aidian….” Adira frowned, hurt flashing in her eyes.

“You’ve been fighting your whole life, Addie, it’s time to stop for a minute and enjoy it.” Aidian said, squeezing Adira’s arms before stepping away.

Aidian wrapped his arm around his Luna’s waist and pulled her close to his side, nuzzling his face into her hair. I felt a ping of jealousy pinch at my chest and I shoved it down, turning my focus back on Adira who looked stunned.

“The pack was just attacked. Twice. People died, Aidian. I’m needed here.” She snapped.

“Go home, Addie.” Aidian ignored her complaints.

Her eyes went wide and her hands clenched into fists at her side,

“I am home.”

“This hasn’t been your home in a long time, you know that. You’ve been running for so long, I don’t think you even know what a home is anymore,” Aidian replied seriously, “He’s your mate, go home with him and learn to live again.”

I could see the tension painted across Adira’s face. She was clearly pissed off, but there were a million other emotions sparkling in her dark eyes. Fear, pain, hurt, worry, confusion, sadness….

Her feelings tore me apart. I wanted to take every last drop of fear and worry away from her, but I knew that I couldn’t. She had to face her emotions head on and deal with them at her own pace. I had to have hope that eventually I would see love and happiness in those moody eyes.

“You’re an ass, you know that?” Adira’s voice startled me from my thoughts.

Aidian buried his face in his Luna’s neck to hide his laughter. Adira was glaring at him, her expression positively venomous, but Aidian didn’t seem to care. I would have to ask him how he did that because her look was definitely scaring the shit out of me.

“You’re an idiot and this pack better be praying to the Moon Goddess because their Alpha is a damn fool.” She snarled before turning on her heels and storming out of the room.

When the door swung shut, I turned my attention to Aidian. I expected him to look stunned or even pissed, I know I would be if anyone questioned my leadership, but he was still laughing.

“Good luck with her,” Aidian grinned at me, “Her defense mechanism is to make everyone else as pissed off as she is. The key is to not give her the satisfaction, eventually she’ll calm down and see reason.”

“Are you sure you’re ready for her to leave? I don’t mind staying a little while longer to help you rebuild.” I offered.

Aidian shook his head and stepped up to me,

“I meant what I said. All Addie knows is the life of a warrior and being an Alpha’s daughter. She’s never been just Addie, she’s never been just herself. It’ll take some time, but she needs this,” Aidian held out his hand between us, “Just promise me that you’ll take care of her.”

I shook his hand sternly,

“Of course I will. Whatever she needs.” I promised.

“I was a bit harsh before. Addie needed the tough love. But,” Aidian said, his face serious for a second, “This will always be her home, if she ever needs us. The Sparrow pack has been allies with your pod since you first moved here, but I’ll squash that alliance in a heartbeat if my sister ever comes here crying.”

He squeezed my hand harder before releasing it with a smile.

“You’re a good brother, Alpha. I swear, if I ever hurt her, there will be a long line of people who want me dead, starting with me.”

Aidian and I shared a nod before he went back to his mate and I left to find mine.