Moonlit

Chapter Forty-Seven

It was an oddly sunny day, though the air had turned colder and Brit sat on the grass tucked into her hoodie. She kept the cabin on one side and the woods on the other as she let the sun wash over her. Her hair was tousled and eyes red with exhaustion from the night before, her face kept blank as her toes curled in the freezing grass.

The cabin door opened and closed near silently, though still detectable by wolf ears. Lynea stepped out, wet hair hanging straight around her jaw. She carried a mug in each hand which steamed a little in the lingering chill and crossed over to Brit.

"Feeling okay?" Lynea said and offered one of the mugs out to her.

Brit took the offer and stared down at it. "Just tired," she whispered.

"You did good last night," Lynea went on. She kept at Brit's side, taking a sip of her own coffee. "I know it's not easy."

"No," she murmured. "It wasn't." Brit blew on the coffee and drank from the mug slowly.

Lynea sighed, lowering her mug a little. "Look, I still remember what it was like. Not everyone can just accept it like Terra. I hated what happened to me for the first few months. But at least you have help."

One of Brit's hands pulled at the grass and she nodded. "I suppose." She looked back to the woods again and her posture drooped.

Lynea followed her gaze only to close her eyes. "Alright, kid," she murmured, opening her eyes again. "But it's a lot worse when you shut everyone out."

The older wolf grew still as a scent announced his presence and Dominic came into the clearing, duffle on his shoulder, hood drawn over his head. A low growl started in Lynea's throat at the sight of him and she stood firm at Brit's side.

Brit, though, pushed to her feet and a bit of light jumped back into her eyes. "My, that hood is fearsome," she called out. "Trying to prove a point?"

The Hunter paused a good distance away from them and lowered his hood, keeping one hand covering his bag. "Trying to keep out the cold," he stated, a simple fact.

"I could easily offer a cup of coffee," she suggested. Brit held up her own and took a sip as she casually moved closer to the Hunter before them.

Lynea took only a single step after her and paused when the Hunter met her gaze. "What are you doing here?" she said through a growl. "No one will train after a full moon."

"Then you better hope no one will attack the day after one," Dominic said and swapped his gaze to Brit, addressing her instead. "I wanted to see how you were."

Brit sauntered right up to Dominic but any hint of a smile had fallen from her face. "I'm alright," she replied. "A little sore, I suppose." Once she'd answered, Brit turned back to Lynea. "He's not going the harm me," she promised.

"Of course he won't," Lynea grumbled but still kept her gaze locked on the Hunter. A sneer snuck across her face and she tipped her chin upward. "Do you think the other Hunters would be angry if they knew you took a liking to a wolf?"

Dominic's grip tightened against his bag but he kept to where he stood. "What are you suggesting?"

Lynea shrugged and sipped at her coffee. "It's one thing to work with us and train us," she said. "But to pick favorites." She tisked at him as if scolding a child. The Hunter said nothing but his hand moved only a little, a small knife subtly sliding into his hand from his sleeve.

"It isn't like many others give him a chance," Brit muttered. She took a step back closer to Dominic without turning her gaze from Lynea. "At least I managed to give the rest of you a chance when you asked, but you can't do the same for someone you've asked to help?"

"None of us tried to kill you or your family," Lynea said sourly.

"You still disagree with your Alpha's decisions," the Hunter said. "I still have time to decide we won't help you after all. We don't want to work with a dysfunctional pack."

"I'm still not entirely convinced we need your help," Lynea muttered.

Brit threw up her free hand with an exasperated sigh. "Dysfunctional may be close to the truth, but from where I stand it seems they still need your help." She turned back to the Hunter with a scowl. "And you'd leave them-us to die? Or perhaps something worse Aaron and that other wolf have planned? It certainly gives us a reason to dislike you, if anything."

"I can't help a pack that doesn't want it," Dominic said calmly. "I don't want to work with you any more than you do with me," he added to Lynea and took a step away from Brit. "But I'd rather see this pack come out of this war alive."

Lynea snorted and looked crossly away, sipping from her to drink to excuse not replying.

Brit followed him with her gaze and then turned back to Lynea. "Whatever you feel about him, it doesn't look like you have another choice." She stepped to the side, away from them both and turned her attention to the grass.

With a scowl etched on her face, Lynea backed away but pointed a finger at the Hunter. "Don't you put any crap in her head," she said. The Hunter simply kept quiet and Lynea whisked away, making her way back to the cabin.

Brit waited until she'd gone before she turned back to the Hunter. "Would you really leave?" she questioned.

"If they don't want to work with me, we will only get in each other's way," Dominic said. "It's hard to help someone when they shut you out."

Brit frowned and stared up at him. "That seems to be the problem." She shook her and reached a hand out to his arm.

The Hunter tensed but didn't move away. "I'm glad you're alright," he said and tugged his hood back over his head, turning away from her and to the woods again.

"What, that's it?" Brit asked after him. "Now that I'm one of them it's just a quick hello and you've done your part?" She stomped through the grass, toes digging into the ground, and she grabbed at his arm.

Dominic ripped his arm away and faced her, putting distance between them again. "Your pack mate is right," he said. "I have no business here on the morning after a full moon. It can easily be seen as a threat, as this is a time when wolves are most defenseless."

She went to scoff at him, but a different sound tore through her throat instead. Brit's hand covered her mouth at the growl and the mug she held dropped into the grass. "Fine," she whispered through her fingers. Brit took a few steps away from him, shaking but with dry eyes.

The Hunter didn't make any excuses for himself and just kept quiet, the glimmer of the knife still in his hand. He tucked it away again with the increasing space between them but otherwise didn't move.

"I hope you decide to keep coming back," she said and closed her hands into fists at her side. "For the sake of...of the pack."

Half turning away, Dominic tipped his head down, his hood masking his face. "I'm never too far away," he said and fully turned his back on her again.

Welcome back those who experienced a bit of a time paradox...We hope you continue to enjoy Moonlit in order!

-Samantha and Runaja