Lycan's Affection

Eleanor set the tray aside as Conaan fell asleep next to her, his fingers tightening around her hand. He felt warm, but not his usual warmth. It was an unhealthy warmth, and she wondered if it was really possible for a simple fever to put him down like that.

It could have mixed with the fatigue of his latest conquest, and she decided to let it be.

She let him sleep for a while, before he finally loosened his grip. She carefully removed her hand from his, then slowly moved away from him.

Noiselessly, she let herself off the bed, then walked away to the other side. She put the sheets around him, her fingers carefully caressing his forehead so his hair was pushed back.

She then leaned forward, and placed a small kiss on his cheek. Almost reluctantly, she walked away, closing the door behind him.

Brandon was waiting by the stair case. He was armed, his eyes meeting hers as she descended the stairs.

"Are you ready?"

"Not quite. I need a few weapons. Arrows specifically."

"Are you going to wield one?"

She nodded. "I intend to."

Without a word, he led her to the armory, and watched as she picked out a large round container with arrows. She picked up a bow, then gave it to Brandon.

Brandon held it and waited as she went to change. She emerged with a riding suit, trousers that fit her body, and a shirt that accommodated the arrows. Her hair was up in a ponytail, her face devoid of any makeup.

"Let us go," she told him, and he nodded, leading her out.

The rides were ready, and Brandon had organized a few soldiers with them.

There were already a lot at the city gate, and to ensure the security here was not compromised, they left most of the guards back.

Brandon slowly rode beside Eleanor, his eyes sometimes darting to her occasionally. She had her brows furrowed, her hands rather tense.

"Are you hoping to show Conaan?"

She shook her head. "I am hoping to show myself."

Brandon nodded. "You need to show yourself and him?"

Eleanor sighed. "His Highness would have ended this ages ago. He did not because of me. I was bound by a promise to Matthew, and I will let myself take care of this mess."

Brandon stared at her for a while, his eyes thin. It made him think. Would she be down to fix the mess she did not even know about? The one she had so naively caused? Regardless of how costly he knew it to be?

"Would you do anything for His Highness?"

Eleanor met Brandon's eyes. Slowly, she nodded. "Anything."

Brandon nodded and turned away, just as they started to approach the city gate. It was a very far distance from the palace, and it was past noon by the time they started to catch a glimpse of the soldiers guarding it.

"Halt!" The head soldier guarding the city gate yelled, stopping a new caravan. It was a hoard of over hundred soldiers in black, each wearing a hood over his face, shielding their eyes away.

"Who are you? And what business do you have?"

Alexander's eyes darted under the hood, his fists clenching. He had, at the last minute decided to join his army of special assassins on the trip to the lycans, holding the hope that before anything could threaten his pack, he would be able to end his enemy.

"We are here on His Highness King Conaan's orders!" The man leading said, and Alexander gave a small sigh.

His name was Dan, the fastest werewolf assassin.

"His Highness's orders?"

"Yes. He had brought us in preparations of war with the werewolf pack Polaris."

"Is there such a thing?" The lycan soldier mused, turning to his mates. They easily outnumbered the werewolves, and they stood guard, keeping them away from entering the territory.

"How do we believe you are here on his Highness's orders?"

Dan pulled out a scroll, and handed it to the lycan. He accepted it, but without reading it, he took a step back.

"Open your faces!"

"We are special.."

"I said, open up!"

Alexander gave a small sigh. How could they be so strict? Anderson should have sent some of his people to the gate, and they would make sure their entry was smooth. But all of this interrogation was starting to suggest otherwise.

They all opened up, leaving their faces bare. The soldiers rounded them up, watching them closely, trying to sniff them out.

"You are scentless."

"It is a war tactic," Dan answered. "We are scentless, but we are indeed specially trained lycan assassins."

The other soldier read the scroll, then turned to the head soldier. "It is signed by His Highness."

"Anyone can fake a signature. Besides, I have conquered packs with His Highness and there has been no talks of specially trained assassins. Polaris is too weak a pack to.."

"Then maybe you should bring His Highness!" Alexander suddenly said, his eyes thin. "We will see what he has to say about his soldiers disobeying his orders with all the evidence at hand."

"Are you threatening me?" The head soldier countered, and Alexander tightened his grip on his sword.

"No," Dan interjected. "We only got a little defensive because we would like to meet His Highness as soon as possible."

The head guard gave a small sigh, then nodded to the others. The scroll was handed back to them, and they covered up again.

"You can go."

Alexander gave a small smile as they started to march forward, the atmosphere changing as they entered the lycan territory.

"Halt!" Brandon yelled, stopping them.

Their rides arrived in front of them, stopping their entry.

"It is Her Highness. Pay your respects."

Alexander's brows furrowed. Her Highness? Eleanor?

"Her Highness?" The head guard asked, his voice carrying the surprise he felt.

"It is Her Highness, Queen Eleanor. Pay your respects!" Brandon repeated, climbing off the ride.

"I happened to arrive just in time," Eleanor said, her eyes darting across the men on black, each with his head bowed, except for one.

Her eyes thinned. "Is this a new caravan?"

"Your Highness, they are..."

"It does not matter. I will inspect them myself."