Moon Goddess (2) Werewolf Romance

12. Born from clay - Angel

There were just a few tales that went around the packs about Nodin: that he didn't like talking very much, that he was a just leader and that he loved his mate Mei more than life itself.

Angel understood that; he understood it to that extent that it made sense that Nodin had supposed Kiril without any doubt in the fight. Mei had been part of Kiril's pack and seemingly loyal to him, and while Nodin ruled the North American pack, Mei ruled Nodin.

Now, however, after Mei had died, Nodin was only an empty shell. One should be allowed to grieve but in the current circumstance, such an attitude was dangerous for himself, his pack, and everyone else.

Angel was aware that he had to deal with it. For his pack, it was vital that Nodin stayed alive and sane.

It was freezing. Even in his wolf form, Angel found it terribly cold on Mount McKinley.

I am a summer baby, I was not born to deal with these temperatures. God damn it Nodin, why did you have to go to damn Alaska?
I guess because you wanted to avoid people and responsibilities. Can't say I can't relate.

The wind was getting harsher and Angel knew he was getting closer. He voiced a howl to call Nodin.

Nodin, come on, I am freezing. I don't even want to imagine how it is going to feel when I am in human form. Carajo, hermano! I know my love life is beyond pitiful at the moment but I might still need the crown jewels one day.

Angel howled again and after several excruciatingly long waiting moments, a gray wolf emerged from the forest.

He looked like a ghost rather than anything else; thin, shaggy, trembling slightly, and with a blood-smeared pelt.

Angel took a deep breath and turned to his human form. The temperature was just as horrible as he imagined it. He stared for a moment at Nodin expectantly but he just stared back and did nothing.

"Man. Turn already and let's go. It is freezing. I was born in a tropical country, I am not used to this."

In the end, he obeyed and voiced a long plea to the sky while his body turned. Angel was struck again by exactly how bad his shape was.

His hair had grown to lengths Angel hadn't seen before on him in the almost eighty years they had known each other and it was not black as it used to be but heavily spiked with silver.

Nodin was two hundred three years old, which meant around forty-something human years. A year ago he didn't look his age whatsoever but solid ten human years younger. Grief seemed to have accelerated time to that extent that he had the air of an old man, a terribly feeble old man.

He didn't say anything just gestured for Angel to follow him. They ran for a while and climbed up the mountain. Angel cursed under his breath every time the sharp, frozen stones cut his skin. A rough workout was okay, Michael used to like those military-style ones too, but now he was butt-ass naked at minus fifteen degrees climbing up cliffs.

Who on earth wants to be Alpha? It sucks big time.

They stopped in the end. Angel thanked the providence and let his power flow to accelerate the healing of all the acquired scraps and bruises.

"So where is the cabin?"

Nodin gestured to the entrance of a cave.

You must be kidding me.

At that point, Angel knew that the rumors that Nodin didn't leave his beast form for months weren't rumors.

After making a few steps into the cave a strange and pungent stench hit his nostrils. It began looking like a horror movie.