Weres

45. Cold Shoulders

Iosif glanced outside the window, his eyes falling on the new faces and imprinting them into his memory. Werewolves from Oakheart and Eastbourne had come to help Marshville's pack in keeping things checked with the lycans. 

Most of the Marshville's wolves were returning home, leaving things in the hands of their fellow packs. The whole arrangement had been drafted by Nicholas, Eden's father.

Iosif could see that the arrival of the foreign wolves had set restlessness among the lycans. But he couldn't do much. He needed to work with these packs to put an end to his brother's devious schemes.

"Iosif!" Jared called, breaking inside the dimly lit room with heavy steps. "What the fuck is going on?!" He shouted, his grey eyes mirrored a mixture of anger and fear.

The knight exhaled heavily hearing the lycan's alarmed voice.

He turned around. "You don't have to worry. They are just here to take the place of the warriors who are now returning home. No one's here to harm you. They'll provide you protection against my brother."

"We don't need there fucking protection!" Jared growled. "Why don't these wolves leave us alone?!"

"Maybe, you should've thought about this before attacking their pack and abducting their Alpha's mate." Iosif retorted, irritated.

"It was Odis—"

"I know, you did it all because of Odis." The knight sighed, walking away from the window. "But what's done is done. We need them. Odis was barely holding against Dimitri, and now after his death you all are more vulnerable. These werewolves are now our only chance for survival."

Jared's intimidating stance faltered. He looked at Iosif with a troubled face. "Damien is influencing others. More than half of the lycans want to leave. They don't want any part in this war." His jaw tightened. "If it goes on like this, soon they'll lash out on the wolves to get out of here."

"That will not be the wise decision from their side. The pack can easily defeat the lycans now."

"I know." Jared agreed gruffly. "And it will cause bloodshed. All lycans will have to face the consequences, even those who are still on our side."

Iosif nodded.

"You have to stop this Iosif." Jared's tone lowered to plead. "Alpha Eden trusts you because of Marley. You have to make him understand the situation here. It can't go on like this, even more so when Dimitri can send his bloodsuckers back."

Iosif threw a weak glare at Jared for the use of offensive word against his species, though he agreed with him. "You're right, however, don't worry about Dimitri for now. Odis was his prime target since all of the clan's strength came from him. 

"As far as I know, my brother will not like to deplete his resources when he needs them for another more important target."

"His next target are wolves." Jared concluded.

"These weres better prepare themselves."

********

"You're mad?" Eden asked, peeking at Marley from the corner of his eye. They were driving back home from school. Throughout the way, Marley had mumbled only two or three words in reply to Eden's big monologues.