Mischief in comfort
The training circle had gone quiet, the ruins of the shadow-beast dissolving into dark mist. Erin stayed kneeling in the center, shoulders shaking, her nails digging into the dirt.
Her breaths were uneven—half sobs, half growls. The storm in her veins still raged, her vampire hunger clawing mercilessly at her chest. She pressed her hands over her ears as if she could shut it out.
“I can’t…” she whispered. “I can’t do this. It’s eating me alive.”
Lena, for once, didn’t speak immediately. She simply stood there, her presence steady and unwavering. Then she knelt slowly, her skirts pooling on the runed floor, and reached out, brushing Erin’s damp hair from her face.
“ Erin, You’re trembling.” Lena murmured. “That’s good.”
Erin blinked through tears. “Good? I’m falling apart!”
“No,” Lena said firmly, holding her gaze. “You’re still fighting. That trembling means you haven’t given in completely. It means there’s still balance left inside you. Don’t mistake breaking down for failing.”
But Erin couldn’t hold it back any longer. Tears spilled, raw and bitter. She buried her face in her palms. “Nick. Mom. Zara. what if I hurt them? I nearly lost myself today. I don’t even look like me anymore. I don’t…”
Her voice broke.
For a moment, Lena hesitated. The demon in her nature urged her to stay detached, to let Erin forge her own path through pain. But something about this girl—the way she still clung to her humanity despite her cursed blood—pulled at Lena in ways she hadn’t felt in centuries. She felt protective over her.
“You need more than my words,” Lena finally said, her tone gentler. She raised a hand, dark runes flickering across her palm. With a snap, a sigil lit up in the air—a shimmering gate of crimson light.
From it, a face appeared: Marcia.
The elemental wolf looked startled, her golden eyes widening. “Lena? What—Erin?”
Erin froze, then looked up. “M-Mom?” Her voice cracked, torn between shame and relief.
Marcia stepped closer to the portal, her expression shifting from alarm to fierce protectiveness. “Erin, what’s wrong? How are you?”
Erin’s lip trembled. “I… I can’t control it. I almost lost myself today. The hunger, the storm—everything’s too much. I’m scared, Mom. I’m so scared.”
The sight of Erin crying shattered Marcia’s composure. Her hand pressed against the glowing surface as though she could reach through. “Listen to me,Erin,” she said, her voice fierce but steady. “You are not a monster. You’re family. And I swear to you, no matter what, we’ll find a way to help you. You will never be alone in this. Be brave enough.”
Erin broke into sobs again, but softer now, as though Marcia’s words gave her something to cling to.
Lena let the connection linger, her eyes softening as she watched Erin’s trembling ease. For once, the cold and teasing demon looked almost human herself.
“You see?” Lena murmured when Marcia’s image began to fade. “You still have anchors. People who believe in you. That faith will keep you from drowning—if you let it.”
Erin wiped her eyes, breathing more evenly now. “Thank you…” she whispered, not sure if it was to Marcia or Lena.
Lena simply smiled faintly and helped her to her feet. “Come. You’ve survived worse today than you realize. And tomorrow you’ll survive even more.”
" There is still more! " Erin asked as she followed her.
The air in Lena’s realm felt quieter after the storm of Erin’s emotions. The training circle was empty now, save for the faint runes still glowing on the ground. Erin sat against a carved obsidian wall, knees pulled to her chest, her breathing finally steadying.
Lena lounged a few feet away on a cushioned chair she’d conjured, sipping lazily from a crystal goblet filled with some sparkling dark liquid that wasn’t wine. Her crimson eyes traced Erin thoughtfully.
“You know,” Lena began, breaking the silence, “while you’ve been pouring your tears into my floor, your precious Alpha has been tearing the mortal city apart looking for you.”
Erin’s head jerked up, eyes wide. “Nick…? He’s looking for me?”
Lena’s lips curved into a mischievous smile. “Oh, don’t act surprised. The poor wolf has practically turned into a mad hound, sniffing after your trail. He even growled at my name once, which—” she placed a hand dramatically over her chest—“I found both flattering and adorable.”
Erin flushed, hugging her knees tighter. “He shouldn’t… he doesn’t need to…”
“Oh, Erin,” Lena drawled, swirling her drink. “The denial is cute, but it’s getting a little old.” Her voice lowered teasingly. “You left him waiting on a rooftop with a ring, didn’t you?”
Erin stiffened, the guilt slamming into her. She dropped her gaze. “I… I had to. Henry said—” She stopped, biting her lip hard.
Lena’s eyes gleamed, but she didn’t press further—at least not yet. Instead, she leaned closer, her voice warm with that dangerous, playful lilt. “He’ll find you eventually, you know. Wolves always find what belongs to them.”
“I don’t belong to anyone,” Erin shot back quickly, though her face betrayed the turmoil beneath her words.
Lena smirked, clearly enjoying the flare of emotion. “Mmm, maybe not. But you want to belong, don’t you? That’s why you cry his name when you think no one hears you.”
Erin’s eyes flew wide in shock, her cheeks burning crimson. “I—I don’t—”
“Relax, little hybrid,” Lena chuckled, leaning back with feline grace. “Your secret’s safe with me.” She tilted her head, watching Erin squirm under her gaze. “Still I can’t wait to see his face when he realizes you’ve been hiding in my realm this whole time. He’ll probably try to kill me.”
Despite herself, Erin let out a tiny, reluctant laugh at the image—Nick storming into Lena’s elegant halls, snarling and bristling like an angry wolf.
And for a fleeting moment, the crushing weight of guilt and fear lifted.
Lena watched Erin’s reluctant laugh with satisfaction. It was the first real break in her stormclouds since the training session had left her drained and shaken. Setting her goblet aside, Lena rose and moved with languid grace, her long coat sweeping the polished floor as she approached.
Erin tensed as Lena crouched in front of her, crimson eyes narrowing as if peering right into her soul.
Lena’s lips curved into a grin, though her tone softened. “You love him. You fear him. You want to run and stay all at once. A classic mess of the heart.”
Erin’s throat tightened. “I can’t risk it. If I lose control around him again…”
Lena tilted her head, then suddenly leaned forward, so close Erin could feel the warmth of her breath at her ear. “If you lose control, he’ll hold you tighter.”
Erin’s breath caught. Her heart pounded, her cheeks burning under the weight of Lena’s words. “Why are you saying this…?”
“ because, little hybrid, I don’t like seeing you bury yourself in fear. Fear is boring. You? You’re not boring.”
Before Erin could respond, Lena snapped her fingers. A swirl of magic blossomed between them, and suddenly Erin was wrapped in a thick, plush blanket—so soft it felt like being hugged. Erin blinked, startled, as Lena draped the excess over her shoulders with mock seriousness.
“There,” Lena said, sitting beside her now. “The mighty hybrid warrior, defeated by tears, wrapped up like a doll. Much better.”
Erin couldn’t help it—she laughed again, the sound shaky but real. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And yet,” Lena said smugly, reclining against the wall with feline ease, “you’re smiling.”
For the first time that night, Erin allowed herself to relax, leaning slightly against Lena’s shoulder despite the mischief in her every word.