Shifters - The King of Wolves - Book 1

CHAPTER 5 - SHEEP AMONG WOLVES

"Here, take these."

Marielle's tired eyes met mine as I gave her a few leaves of lemon balm, her daughter Tauriel was fast asleep in her lap. "You can add them to your water, it will help calm your nerves."

I repeated the phrase I'd been saying all morning to the people sitting down in the forest. Each one of them stared back at me with bags under their eyes, proof that they had slept as little as I had.

Even before the sun rose I lay awake on the soft soil of the forest. Although I barely slept a wink, closing my eyes was the last thing I was capable of. Each time I did, haunting images of the battered bodies of the skinners seemed to creep closer, leaving me wide awake again.

But it wasn't just the memory of the skinners that kept me from finding any rest. My father's condition added another layer of unease to my already troubled mind.

I glanced at his weakened body, his face still drained of colour. His eyes remained sealed shut since yesterday. I took care of him through the night as I wiped off the dirt of his face and maintained to moist his lips with a damp cloth. However, it wasn't enough. He needed proper care, which I couldn't provide for him here.

Exhaling deeply, I averted my gaze towards the Werewolves. They had deliberately positioned themselves away from the rest of us as if marking a clear boundary between their kind and ours. Not that I minded. Their separation made me feel somewhat safer and more at ease.

They were huddled together, engaging in a heated discussion that had been going on all morning. I overheard some pieces of their conversation while I was searching for the lemon balm leaves. Apparently, Leif had left in the middle of the night to go to Landsmeet on his own. He instructed them to guide us humans to Landsmeet once we're all awake and to meet him there.

Even though the extensive details of their discussion remained unknown to me, it was clear that some of the Werewolves were irritated by Leif's behaviour and questioned his decision.

I found myself oddly aware of Leif's absence. His departure stripped away the sense of security he gave me. I was suddenly reminded of the fact that I was like a sheep among wolves and it made me feel exposed and vulnerable. Or maybe I had suffered from a concussion and I was now recovering, restoring my senses to normal.

That was why I decided to search the forest for some sort of remedy to subdue the anxiety and distress I was experiencing. Or at least, an attempt to do so.

Ignoring the Werewolves, I continued my way to the next group of people.

"Morning, Esmara," Cyrus greeted me with a weary smile. He was sitting next to our friend Nadine, her red curls twisted in a messy bun. Her face lit up as she noticed me.

"Esmara!" she exclaimed, enveloping me in a hug. "How is your father? Cyrus just filled me in." 

"No change, really," I replied as she extricated herself from the embrace. "I am just hoping we reach our destination soon, so he can recover properly."

Nadine placed a reassuring hand on my arm as she noticed the crack in my voice. "I'm sure he'll pull through, he is a stubborn man."

"You're probably right." I managed to offer her a small smile, grateful for her reassurance.

"But enough about me" I continued, brushing away the stray tear that rolled down my face. "How about you? How is your family?"

"We're all managing, given the circumstances." She gestured towards her parents and younger brother who were huddled together, a short distance away. "Taking each day as it comes, I guess."