Charter 73

Charter 73
Asher’s POV

The terrain was rougher than I had expected, and it only grew rougher the farther we went. We had the option to opt for a less strenuous path through the thick woods, but there was the fear that we wouldn’t reach the southern border by moonlight. So we continued, moving through rocks and crossing fast moving streams and then a large stretch of land with no trees or water, just the sun on our backs.

We were just a company of ten men, and luckily we had brought enough supplies for the trip. Damon was riding beside me, and he had been oddly quiet throughout the trip. I wasn’t up for much conversation myself. A lot was on my mind, but primarily, I was obsessed with the new information I had gotten from Alpha Nathan.

The scar. It was the key to unlocking my suspicions. If she didn’t have the scar, then I would apologise to her and finally agree that Layla was indeed gone. The question that occupied my mind now was how? How was I going to find that out? 

I turned slightly to Damon. His gaze was fixed ahead even though it was a vast emptiness that laid in front of us. His brows were furrowed in concentration. 

‘’You know the people of Crescent pack have a silly legend,’’ I began, keeping my tone very light.  ‘’There are whispers about the reincarnation of their priestess.’’

If the information shocked him, he did a good job hiding it. ‘’They have too much time on their hands,’’ he muttered.

I smirked. ‘’Perhaps. But it’s an interesting one. Don’t you want to hear it?’’ I studied his face.

‘’You are going to tell me anyway, even if I said no,’’ he said.

I laughed gently. Alpha Damon knew me too well.

‘’There are stories that your Luna was the previous priestess,’’ I blurted out. Of course, Damon knew of my past exploits with the priestess of Crescent moon.  I saw his jaw tighten before he  let out a forced humorless laughter. ‘’People will believe anything or make up things to make themselves happy. Didn’t they personally ensure she burnt in the fire?’’

I let silence stretch between us. ‘’But I heard something different and very interesting from Alpha Nathan today.’’ I tried to sound as idly as I could possibly. 

‘’What about?’’

‘’A mark,’’ I said. ‘’The priestess was cursed from birth, and she had a scar. Have you noticed any such scars? On her chest?’’

There was another stretch of silence, punctuated only by the rhythmic clops of hooves. I saw his fist tighten on the reins, but I waited for my answer.

After what seemed like forever, he exhaled harshly. ‘’I wouldn’t know, Lycan Asher.’’

My brows rose. ‘’What do you mean you wouldn’t know? Do you keep your eyes close when you lie with her-’’

‘’I haven’t,’’ he cut me short. Then he composed himself. ‘’I haven’t been intimate with my Luna.’’

Another silence stretched between us, but this one was more awkward. He hasn’t been intimate? My mind was bringing up tens of reasons on why that was possible.

‘’Are you joking, Damon?’’ I asked, finally trying my best to hide the look of amusement on my face.

‘’We should focus on the border now, Lycan Asher,’’ he said, darkness clouding his eyes. ‘’Leave me mating issues for me to sort out.’’

As much as hearing that he had not touched Layla tickled me, it also meant I was also far from getting the answers I needed. Or Damon had actually seen the scar but was lying about not mating. Both scenarios meant one of two things - the rumors were true and she was Layla or she was not attracted to him because she was not his mate.

–
It was just a few hours to midnight when we arrived at the southern border. The bare land was gone and replaced with dense forest. Trees moved like shadows of beasts, and the wind howled warnings of danger in our ears. We could see the signs of them around. They had truly been moving camp closer and closer to our territory.

‘’The reports were right,’’ Damon said, rising from inspecting paw prints. There were carcasses covered with flies and smelling of decay, evident from their hunt. The panther shifters were more barbaric and blood thirsty than all the shifters. There were tales of them clearing out a whole pack of werewolves.

And worse than the panther shifters were the werewolf hunters who trailed behind them because the panthers were very bad at covering their tracks.

‘’It seems like a whole herd,’’ I said, inspecting the broken branches and furs. I stopped suddenly. ‘’They are close.’’
We remained still, and a growl broke the silence. A low guttural growl from the left, and another behind us. Then suddenly a blur of black fur lunged out of the shadows. I barely saved Damon as the claws sliced through the air where his throat had been. The creature hit the ground, twisted, then charged towards me, exposing its teeth. 

I shitted mid motion, bones cracking, muscles stretching and my wolf surged forward with an angry growl that shook the forest. We collided and my hand grasped its neck, twisting it till it snapped.

More black furs darted towards us from all corners. Damon’s wolf joined the fight beside me, his silver coat flashing under the moonlight. He was a pretty wolf, I chuckled, slashing the neck of another panther and tossing the body aside. I didn’t see the leap on time as it headed for Damon..

‘’Damon!’’’  I yelled.

He turned too late as sharp claws raked across his side, with blood spilling down his flank. His wolf staggered, growled weakly and collapsed. I lunged, tearing the  panther from him and crushing its bones.

When the last of them fled, I shifted back and rushed to Damon’s side. He laid against a tree, half shifted on the ground, with his hand pressed over his wound.

‘’Get some water and clean clothes,’’ I yelled.

He opened his eyes and forced a smile. ‘’It was good fighting beside you, cousin.’’