18- The Secrets of Eldoria
POV Lunara Grimwald:
I was one step away from losing control and killing that bitch. But I wouldn't lose my head. I was going to leave, and I needed to keep my hands clean if I wanted them to trust me. At the first opportunity, I would get the hell out of that place.
"What an immense pleasure to meet you," I said, smiling broadly. "Are all the people in the pack so polite?" I asked, addressing Lyris.
The she-wolf laughed, amused by my sharp response. I heard Thalira growl and it gave me immense satisfaction.
"Only a few are as polite as Thalira," Lyris replied, earning points with me.
"Gee..." I joked.
Edric pulled the girl away, planting a kiss on the side of her head while keeping his eyes on me. I hid my hands behind my back and clenched them into fists so hard that I felt the burning sensation of skin breaking under my sharp nails.
"Come, Thalira. I have some things to take care of, and I want good company," he murmured, dragging her with him.
She shot me a sidelong glance before leaning on her tiptoes and brushing her lips against his. Then, they turned on their heels and walked away down the stone path until they disappeared from our sight.
I didn't realize I had been staring at the spot where they disappeared. Nor did I notice the burning in my palms. I only registered that something was wrong when I felt Lyris's subtle touch on my shoulder.
"It's because of the recent mating," she whispered, pushing me and forcing me to walk. "You'll feel like this for a few days, until your body gets used to his mark."
"It's strange that I hate him so much, but I'm dying of jealousy at the same time," I confessed. "They are such contradictory feelings that they confuse me."
She nodded, sympathetic to my situation.
"Edric is like this because of his fiancée."
"Fiancée?" My voice came out strangled.
"He became like this after the death of Catalina, the female he loved. So, don't take any of his idiotic attitudes to heart, no matter how imbecilic they may be."
God, was it not enough to have to live with him being an asshole? Did I also have to compete with a dead female? No, this was definitely not the life I had planned for myself.
"How did she die?" I asked, more curious than I wanted to admit.
Lyris shook her head.
"I'm sorry, but it's not my story to tell. Perhaps Edric will talk to you about it at some point, when he feels ready."
I agreed, letting out an exasperated sigh. The situation was even worse.
With Alessio, I imagined I would have pups, a perfect house, and the wedding of my dreams, where I would be his only love and he would be mine. A fairy-tale marriage, like in the romance novels I loved to read.
Although I had had the best night's sleep in months, because of the feeling of security the village and Edric brought me, this was not what I wanted. Not at all.
To be despised and humiliated just for existing, just for being who I was. I had to run away, I had to find a way to leave and find my sister as soon as possible.
The pack was much larger than I had imagined.
Edric commanded a huge village, and he did so with mastery. I also understood why Elowen and I hadn’t discovered anything about them since we arrived in the country—they barely left the village. Edric had built a city in the middle of the forest, capable of supplying everything his pack needed. A school for the pups, electricity, and plumbing. There were places to buy food, like small markets. And the vast majority of food was produced by them. There were also shops with some clothing pieces. When necessary, some wolves went to the city to get supplies.
It was a small, modern, and cozy town, surrounded by trees and nature.
And all the pack’s income came from timber export. They dealt with the sale and shipment of logs to other countries, which was a very profitable business.
By this point, they already knew about me. And those who didn’t, had heard something. It was obvious by the way they followed me with their eyes as we walked through the village, while Lyris showed me every detail. They didn’t trust me, but they seemed to respect me in some way. Maybe because I was tied to their alpha, or maybe it was simply their culture. I couldn’t say for sure, but I had liked it.
"Edric cares about product quality, customer satisfaction, and environmental sustainability, as well as being very efficient in operational stages. That’s why he’s successful in his business."
I bit the inside of my cheeks, feeling a strange sensation. I had liked the place. I could live there with my sister—if it were under other circumstances. I would love to be part of a pack like that, so modern and… light.
"I still don’t know the name of the pack," I confessed, while observing the houses that made up the village, all built with stone and wood.
Lyris pulled her braided black hair back.
"Eldoria, that’s the name of our pack." She nudged my shoulder playfully. "By the way, that’s the name of your mated wolf: Edric Eldoria."
I huffed.
"Thanks for the information."
As much as I didn’t want to admit it, it had been important for me to know a little more about him. Edric saw me as an intruder, a problem he couldn’t solve, so when he wasn’t treating me with disdain, he was fucking me.
"How far is the city from the village?"
Lyris shot me a serious look.
"Why are you so eager to escape, Lunara?"
"It’s just curiosity."
She shook her head.
"No, it’s not. You really do seem interested in the village, the pack, and how things work, but I can also see that you’re interested in how to get out of here." She rubbed her neck. "Look, I know Edric isn’t the best company in the world. He’s stubborn, spoiled, and arrogant. But… you were lost and alone in the forest, in the middle of a heat you couldn’t control. We are trusting you, showing you how our pack works, even though we know absolutely nothing about you—where you came from, which pack you belonged to, and most importantly, why you were alone. Who were you running from? Wolves don’t just wander alone, unless they are traitors."
My hands started to tremble. I rubbed my palms against my dirty dress and looked away toward the village, gazing at it from the top of the small rise of land where we stood.
"I’m sorry, but… I can’t say anything. It’s not just my secret," I whispered, my voice barely audible.