Wolf-Shifter

Dancing among the Stars 33

Chapter 34 Rose's POV

I walked back to my chambers and, as I closed the door, a voice jolted me from my thoughts. Turning around, I saw Chu'si lying on my bed. "You do know Nyesh's father is coming this afternoon?" she said.

I already knew that, so I ignored the question and went to poke at the dying fire. I heard the quick rustle of cloth and heard Chu'si's rather arrogant reply, "Aren't you going to at least acknowledge me as your princess?"

I laughed lightly and turned to her, "I am your cousin, Chu'si."

I rolled my eyes as she glared and stood, "And you are my subject as well." Chu'si then scowled when I did not reply and stormed silently out of the room.

Watching her leave, I smiled and shrugged. She didn't frighten me as much as some.

My thoughts drifted to Nyesh and I grinned, running to see if he was in his rooms.

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Out of Rose's POV

Namid walked in the woods, tasting the sweet air of winter. The snow fell gently around her and the trees guarded her as they cast great shadows. An ache filled her chest as she remembered the Lupine, the freedom and the life they had. But to drive Rakab out like that, to make him an Omega—lowest member in the pack, was not their way. It brought tears to her eyes and she hastily wiped them away and sighed heavily, "I'm not a child anymore and I have a cub of my own…" she thought, stubbornly pushing the thoughts away. "I cannot keep living like this."

"Like what?" an all-too-familiar voice said.

Namid whirled around, "Alida!" she cried, not expecting the sparrow.

Alida grinned, "I came to see you. After all, Sheeva Intre misses you."

Namid nodded, "I've missed them."

Alida took Namid's hand, "You have to come back. Rakab's a mess: He never stops drinking and he keeps muttering about suicide…" The sparrow sighed, "You just have to come back."

There was a note of pleading in her voice and Namid felt a stab of regret as she shook her head, "I can't."

"Please, Namid…" "It's the only way."

"I can't!" The she-wolf replied, hot tears pricking at her eyes.

"It's the only way you can save him from this anguish." Alida whispered, gripping onto Namid's arm tightly.

Namid met Alida's brown eyes and collapsed to her knees in sobs, "Why," Namid whispered, "Why did I do this to him?"

Alida let Namid cry for a few minutes and, as the sparrow helped her to stand again, Namid sighed, "I'll see him then." She sniffed, "I'll do it."

Alida felt pity toward the she-wolf but nodded, slowly.

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Rose smiled as Nyesh opened the door to his chambers, noticing the longing look he gave her as she entered. "Nyesh…" "You know each of our parent's would worry about us…I believe my mother's already suspected but still…"

Nyesh nodded, finishing the sentence, "Still there's a feeling there." He gestured to her, "And you know it."

Rose smiled, "I know."

Nyesh shook his head and cleared the distance between them, "Rose…" the name seemed so sweet on his tongue and left a longing in him he couldn't shake off. Her eyes shone for a moment in the early morning sun and he was caught by surprise when she backed away.

"Nyesh?" the question seemed to hang in the air and remained unanswered as Nyesh reached out to her, "Don't be afraid."

Rose turned away, trying to hide her blush, "I'm not."

"Then why are you going red in the face?" he laughed lightly at the comment. "You can show your emotion to me…you know that, Rose."

Rose then bowed her head, "I'm a weakling…"

Nyesh was taken aback, "Why say that, Rose."

The wolf-cobra suppressed a sob, "I-I'm afraid of my father…my future…another war…" "I don't want my mother to get hurt because of me!"

Nyesh placed a hand on her shoulder, "She won't. My father is her friend and…he would protect her with his life. I will do the same for you."

"Don't sacrifice your life for me, Nyesh." Rose replied, "I don't need another life lain on the line."

"I'm dong it willingly." Nyesh whispered, wrapping his arms around her and whispering in her ear. "Think of it as a rrasatoth'sevirnak"

"Sacrifice of love." Rose whispered, "Still you would die!" She buried her head in Nyesh's shoulder, voice muffled, "And I can't bear it."

The wolf-panther sighed, holding her close, "You are a strong woman and I love you." "Remember that, my dear, deadly flower."

That got Rose to smile.

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Namid walked through the forest to the Sheeva Intre camp and received a warm greeting from them. When she asked about Rakab, the group went silent and only Branwyn stood, took her arm and led her to a shadowed clearing where Rakab sat staring into the pale blue sky.

"Rak?"

The thief seemed to come from a daze and, as he turned around, Namid was surprised at the dullness in his eyes and of his blank expression. It was like he was…dead.

"Namid?" His reply was suspicious and unbelieving.

The woman stood, silently regarding her friend's appearance, Alida was right; he was a mess of a man. His face looked gray as if he hadn't eaten nor slept properly in a while and his clothes were wrinkled and ripped in some places. On his hands, the natural white scars were visible, along with various new ones across his arms and wrists that he had probably inflicted upon himself. "You are a mess." She whispered.

Rak cocked his head, "Am I now?" "Last I saw of you, you were in the garden…" he left it at that, thinking she'd fill in the holes.

Namid realized what he had seen and she closed her eyes, temper rising. When she opened her eyes, she gripped his shoulders and hugged him tightly, sobbing. "I can't watch you do this to yourself, Rak." "I just can't."

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Nyesh wanted to stay in this moment forever. He hadn't felt the joy he felt now, since Sheeva Intre taught him their ways. But this wasn't the child's joy of a game, but a man's joy of having a woman to love and to cherish. Their situation wasn't like his father and Rose's mother, it was more a quiet love and he liked it that way.

But what was the cost of their love, if not a broken heat?

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Rakab embraced her, and pushed her away, "I have something for you."

Namid saw the familiar black scarf and smiled shakily. "Keep it as a token."

Rak then took her head in his hands and kissed her so hard it hurt. Part of her screamed for her to push him away but the other half wanted time to stand still. Gods! She didn't know anymore!