1. A Secret of Snow and Ruin

Chapter XII

Elysia Wolfe

"Don't touch him!" I yell out to the patrols. They halt in their steps, their weapons almost colliding with my naked frame. "It's better we leave him for dead." I say. He had that symbol on his back and coincidentally enough I found him near the tree, in which my mother was murdered all those years ago. Even through my caution, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was familiar to me.

"A Lady who thinks she can stand in our way? That's bold of you Lady Oberon" A snarky Epsilon named Jake or Jason says. Oberon was my married name and hearing it after such a long time made me freeze. I then look around in confusion because I didn't know who the fuck this boy thought he was talking to. Jasper looks ready to snap him half. But in an instant, I punch the boy in the face. As someone below me and rank, the disrespect wouldn't stand with me. Like expected, he falls to the ground. No other Epsilons bother to talk back.

Without falter I remain where I belong and that's in front of this naked devil man.

As I stay grounded I notice movement from behind the patrols. Moving through them was Ries. As Ries walks through the crowd, he accidentally trips over Jack who lays there with a bloody nose that he can't stop from bleeding. "Somebody get a nurse for Jake!" Ries calls out and some Epsilons hurry to carry him on a thin stretcher. As Jacob is being taken away he calls out and says, "My name is Josh Alpha!" He defends. The boy with multiple names that none of us can remember is taken away and Ries shrugs and looks up at me.

When he looks up at me, he looks pissed and ready to curse my name. "Elysia move out the way. You know our treaty with witches clearly states we can't harm them on our soil. If we leave him here to die...a war can start. I don't care where he is from"

"He has that symbol on him...Alpha Ries you know what The Onyx did to our home. They killed our Beta Maiden...my mother. Is it not wise of us to at least proceed this warlock with caution? Onyx are known for their blood and psychic magic sacrifices...they are dark witches. You have to see that this could be an ambush on its own!" I beg.

Ries looks unamused. "I'm begging you Ries. Look I know I was not your choice to be Head Delta, I get it. But as your Head Delta, I'm calling for a negotiation. Let me handle this...let me at least get answers from him because last time one of them stepped foot on our grounds...we were the ones getting murdered. Please Alpha Moonchild"

Ries seems to contemplate my words with intrigue before nodding his head. I dropped my hands and sigh in relief. For a second there I thought Ries was going to derank me back to nothing...just a Lady without a rank who needed a husband.

"Take him to the dungeon Elysia. I'm trusting you on this. If you're wrong, I won't give you the benefit of the doubt anymore. We clear?" He asks me.

"I understand Alpha" I nod. Ries and the epsilons walk away to the darkness of the forest to continue the hunt. As I am left with the warlocks body, I lift him up in my arms and get a better look at him. He was light for a human might I add. Us Lycans strength was astonishing...I could lift about the same as Cade if not more, which I think was about 5 tons. The man in my arms is a beautiful devil. Dark curls cascade down his nape and forehead. Though his skin looks to be an icy white, he looks to have a tannish brown undertone hiding under him.

As I look at him, I can't help but wonder what color his eyes could be. I'm snapped from such taunting thoughts when I hear, "Elysia...please tell me you're not actually signing up for this?" Jasper asks me. "Don't you think you need to take a step back from this. This isn't a good idea—"