Wolf Queen - Book 1 of The Nightfall Series

Nine

Birds chirped in happy song as the sun rose over the horizon. The valley slowly filling with light as the sun of a new day crested the top. It was silent, many of the packs had yet to rise from their beds, unaware of the strategic training and planning that they were about to undertake.

Adelaide continued to gaze forward in silence as she watched the morning rise, the last remnants of the moon had long since passed. She'd watched her eye slowly disappear beneath the hills and light fill the sky. Sleep was always hard to come by since the pack wars. Too many memories, too many opportunities for visions to cloud her mind.

Her den was deep within the temple, away from prying eyes. Her only solace in a place where she was constantly on show. She was cocooned within the embrace of the Goddess and her protection while she slept but it still was not enough to keep the memories at bay. None knew the exact location of her den, except her father and Leonidas. Her privacy was important.

She had ventured outside during the night, sat on the top step against the side of the temple doorway. She had watched the night sky, pondering all things.

None had bothered her, simply dipped a head in greeting and passed on.

Her father took up his old room within the temple but she could not bring herself to go within. Scents of the past brought too much pain, pulled the madness forward. The temptation to give in was tantalising to her beast. But she could not leave her father unguarded.

It had been a peaceful night of watching the stars, but her mind was anything but at peace. She knew what she had to do, what was to come within a few hours. The plan of the Goddess was already in motion, going against her would cost them the fight that was ahead.

As her Conduit it was her duty, her life, to follow the path set before her.

Rustling to her right made her focus her attention to the trees at the edge of the temple clearing. The male had attempted to be stealthy in his approach, but she had watched him since his departure from Leonidas's den. The den sat directly Infront of the temple but set deeply within the trees. His heat signature more prominent against the rest had given him away. She could sense him getting closer and closer with every step he had taken.

She knew why he had come.

"Leonidas was foolish to send you, male." She addressed him, calmly.

Her gaze never wavered from the male before her, she watched him tense slightly as he gained his footing. He approached cautiously, keeping his distance. A smart move. Her unpredictability was what made her a fine warrior and protector.

His nervousness fermented the air around him.

Her sheer power was what made her the predator at the top of the food chain.

When she did not speak again, he moved towards the steps and sat carefully at the bottom, his long legs stretched out as he looked down at the stone below him. He sat just off centre of her vision; her beast prowled her mind in annoyance at the disturbance. The morning sun highlighted the ragged scars that covered his back as they peeked out of the top of his t-shirt, the love of his father, and she watched his shoulders automatically slump under the presence her gaze.

Adelaide sighed as a few moments passed. He had been taught submission all his life, therefore he would not ask the questions he wanted the answers too. She didn't need him to voice them, however. The thoughts running through his head were easy to guess.

But the answers weren't hers to give.

"I cannot give you the answers you seek." She told him.

He tensed further, hands clenching between his bent knees as he took a deep breath. He had not expected her to speak. She supposed many of the juveniles thought her to be impenetrable. Her dominance kept them away. She was untouchable.