Shifters - The King of Wolves - Book 1

CHAPTER 40 - WISDOM AND BRAVERY

"Can we stop this nonsense now?!" I puffed in irritation, my voice echoing louder than intended. 

I was seated on a fallen log, my patience wearing thin. Around me, the shifters were engaged in various activities. Some were sparring, their grunts and impacts of their blows echoing through the forest. Others were eating, their laughter and chatter almost overpowering the noise from those in combat. 

A few of them turned their attention towards me after hearing my outburst, their eyes widening in surprise as they glanced back and forth between me and Egon, who was seated next to me. It was as if they were anxiously anticipating his response. I could feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment from all the attention, but Egon's ridiculous behaviour had pushed my patience to its limit.

Egon glanced up from the cup in his hands, his eyebrow arched in fake surprise. He was well aware of what was bothering me. His gaze met mine, and I could see the glint of amusement in his eyes.

A few days ago, during one of our stops, Egon had unexpectedly slapped the food from my hands. I had questioned his strange behaviour for so long that he had eventually confessed that ever since my poisoning, he had been tasting my food before I could eat it.

However, not only had Egon taken it upon himself to taste my meals, but Leif and Rolf had also dutifully taken over this role in his absence.

It was a kind gesture, and I understood his motive. However, it had become an obsession, one that had now escalated to the point where I couldn't even drink a drop of water from a river in the middle of an unfamiliar forest without him tasting it first. It was absurd!

"The person who poisoned me is dead," I said, trying to sound firm. As if he didn't know that, he had killed Silas with his own hands!

Egon shrugged nonchalantly. "There could always be others. Look at what happened in Blackbridge. I didn't do enough to protect the pack."

I knew that Egon was still deeply troubled by the incident in Blackbridge, where his pack members had suffered from poison. He had trained them well to fight in their human forms, but he said that his lack of vigilance had put them at risk.

He had told me he could detect poison, but it required him to maintain an intense focus with each and every meal. Something he had apparently been doing with my food for weeks. It was a touching gesture, but it was becoming a little too excessive.

"I thought the whole point of Mano Vala was to prevent this sort of thing from happening again," I said, attempting to reason with him.

"That's true," Egon replied. "But I'm not willing to take any chances."

This stubborn man was driving me up the wall! I sighed deeply. "Egon, I know you want to protect me, and it's incredibly sweet. But honestly, isn't this a bit much? No one is going to poison a river in the middle of nowhere."

He looked at me thoughtfully, considering my words for a moment before he lowered the cup with a sigh. "Perhaps you're right." He handed me the cup of water, a sheepish smile on his face. "I suppose I am being a bit too concerned."

"Maybe just a bit," I murmured as I took a sip of my water. 

"I just can't bear the thought of seeing you in the same condition you were back in Nebelwald ever again. I would never forgive myself," he admitted, the uncertainty evident in his voice. "I've let my guard down a bit lately, and I want to ensure we don't end up in the same situation again."

I reached out and touched his hand. "Egon, what happened in Nebelwald was beyond your control. We didn't even know each other back then. How could you have known someone would try to poison me?"