𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖 | 𝟏𝟖+

xxxi. besieged.

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‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐒. The alpha refuses to speak of his contact with the blight, but to her surprise, doesn't seem to catch any evidence of it that's visible to her eyes. Perhaps he doesn't have it and his survival is a pure miracle. Either way, if fate writes his story with an unfortunate plot, then his upcoming death will be slow and monotonous.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎They fly until the trees change into the coniferous spires of Tabrien, not even bothering to rest on their journey. Elowen's wings ache from Morrow's refusal to take a break, but it's not like she's going to let him continue onward alone. They're bound now. Entwined. Her blood mixed with his own.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎She keeps her distance from him as they fly, but lets her voice fill the space between them.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"How are you feeling?" she asks. It's a question that she asks frequently, knowing full well she won't receive an answer.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎His meadowed eyes avoid her own, although the black irises of his wolf linger in the shadows of his features. They left the border of Pailon with him on the brink of one of his shifts, but it never broke the threshold. The odd time, Elowen can catch his limbs snapping and his growls increase in volume, but fortunately for her, Morrow still remains Morrow.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎He only clenches his jaw, refusing to answer.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎She reaches a hand down their matebond, only to be pierced by steel spikes. He doesn't want her to intrude, nor does he want her to unravel the secrets woven into his thoughts. Only, she is bonded to him as he wears his mate's mark on his neck in a reverent tattoo.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎She reaches down again, grasping onto strands of his chaotic thoughts, only to have him cave and say it aloud.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"I'm worried about Ronyn," he growls as he slows his pace to fly alongside her.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"And why's that?"

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"You really wanna fucking know now, do you?" he hisses. He's not impressed with her timely intrusion, but there's no point in hiding the truth when she'll find out the answers on her own.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Elowen winces at his sharp words, but chooses to keep her voice soft. "I know this might seem absurd to you, but a part of me does care what will happen with you, and with Ronyn, and the rest of the pack."

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"He can be quick tempered at times," Morrow admits, gravelled, "and he thinks with his heart and not his fucking head."

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Elowen flashes a smile as a way to calm him. It doesn't work. "That's not always a bad thing."

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"If I die and Ronyn takes my position as alpha, then..." he shakes his head. "An alpha doesn't have time to think with his heart. The pack comes first."