Chapter Nine

I hissed at the disinfectant stung the cuts that riddled my skin. Zak scowled and placed the first aid kit on the ground. We'd migrated to my place where the kid had become a bump in the doona and Llewellyn stood guard by the door. Another man had joined him, Asian just like Zak, his stoic expression was far better then Zaks poker face.

"Stay still, will you?" Zak complained as the stinging sensation made me squirm. I scowled at him, he didn't have to put up with treating his wounds. Stupid werewolf.

"How are you, Caerun?" I asked. The man was sitting on a chair in the corner, his leg elevated as he glared at it like that would make it heal faster.

"I'm okay. Wounds inflicted by our own kind always take forever to heal. I should be okay by tomorrow." He grimaced as he moved in the chair and I sighed, looking at the men surrounding me. I felt Zak place the last bandaid on the worst cut on my arm before turning around to pack up the kit. I was sitting on the bed with the boy under the blanket, curled up against my back. I hadn't agreed with it but the man beside Llewellyn had climbed up the tree and dragged the terrified child down, citing the fact we needed to get away from the area as soon as possible. He must have felt me watching him because he turned and raised an eyebrow at me.

"I'm Axius. Llewellyns Beta." He was direct and abrupt, saying what was needed and immeidiately turning back to the door. I swallowed. It didn't feel like he wanted a reply. Silence swirled around us as Zak placed the first aid kit on the counter and sighed. I grit my teeth, anticipating what he was about to say.

"What about now, Tera? Will you come with us?" He asked. I could see the tension in his shoulders as he refused to turn and look at me. There was a level of acceptance in his voice, as though he knew what my answer would be but he wanted to ask just in case. I swallowed. Were things different now? Yes. And no. Llewellyn had just killed a man and he was standing at the door, pretending like a dead body wasn't currently in the trunk of his car. Silence weighed down on us as I tried to figure out an answer. The world they were presenting to me seemed full of death and danger, I had been there before, not in that sense but I didn't want to go back. I didn't want to join them. The four walls of the place I was in was my only comfort zone and I didn't want to leave it's embrace.

"Damn it, Tera!" Zak made us all jump when he suddenly slammed his hand on the kitchen counter and swung to glare at me. I swallowed. His dark blue eyes were full of rage, no sign of his poker face anywhere. "Can't you see we're only trying to help you?" He cried, looking at me. He seemed so desperate that my heart rate rocketed.

"Don't you see that I don't trust you guys?" Zak opened his mouth but I cut him off. "Your father just killed someone and you're all standing around like it doesn't bother you!" I glared at every man in the room, who were looking at each other silently. I huffed and crossed my hands in front of my chest. "You know I can tell when you're talking about me, right? It's rude." Zak and Caerun looked surprised where as Llewellyn just seemed amused. Axius' expression didn't change.

"Of course it bothers us, Teranika. That man could have had a family, he could have had a mate who will never know why he never came home. But, this is the reality of our world. We are at war, casualties are expected. Unless, you'd have preferred I allowed the man to kill you?" Llewellyn watched me, his eyes narrowed. I gulped, the thick choker necklace itched my skin. I resisted the urge to make sure it hadn't moved. WHy did I feel like this man could see right through me?

"No." I said it as quietly as possible. "But that doesn't mean you should've killed him either." A groan echoed through the room and I looked up to find Zak leaning on the counter with his head in hand.

"We are not trying to justify killing that man! We are just trying to get you to understand the reality of our situation." I jumped to my feet, turning on him as his anger infected me.

"I understand your damn situation! Your world is at war. But mine is not! I am a human who works at a cafe and spends three quarters of her time asleep. I have nothing to offer you! I can't help in anyway so why should I go with you? I'm safe here."

"No, you are not!" Zak roared and I stumbled back a bit. He breathed deeply, running his hand through his hair. "You saw what happened when you tried to fight the wolves. You held your own pretty well but you'd tire before anyone of us would and none of your hits would last. We heal too quickly from normal wounds. Why do you think you can hold your own without us?" I grit my teeth, turning to look at the waiting expressions of the men around me. "Princess, why are you so scared?" Zak asked, almost to himself.

"I'm not scared! I just don't think I'm important enough to care about." Zak sighed, leaning his head back as he thought.

"Not important enough to care about." He whispered to himself. "That's your justification for putting, not only yourself, but the every person in this town? They're not going to forget about you, Tera. You made yourself far too interesting today." I glared at him, breathing erratically as I tried to figure out what to say. I wasn't scared. I just didn't want to go with them.

'What do you mean, putting the rest of the town in danger?" Zak sighed and rested his head in hands when Llewellyn moved and I turned to look at him.

"What happens if a human is bitten by one of us?" Llewellyn said it quietly but as the realisation hit me, all blood drained from my face. How could I be so stupid? Zak had told me only that morning. If a wolf bit a human they turned into killing machines. I'd forgotten with everything that had happened today.

"So, if they bite me..?"

"You'd kill everyone within your proximity." I gulped, staring at the faces around me as I picked at the sleeve of my jacket. Zak scrubbed at his face before looking up at me.

"Most people die after the first transformation but some humans survive several of them." Zak stared at me, his eyes dark. "If there's one thing you've proven, it's that you're as stubborn as a mule. I have no problem believing that you'd survive at least a couple transformations. Do you really want to stay and become the reason humans in this town are killed? Do you want to run the risk of being used by the other side as a killing machine until the pain of the transformation kills you?" His voice rose higher and higher as he spoke and I could see the genuine concern and desperation in his face. He wasn't pretending, I could see that. He really did care. As I looked at each of the others, I saw his expression mirrored back at me. I understood now, how naive I'd been, to think that I could hold my own without them. For some reason, I'd been targeted and that fact put a lot more people in danger then just myself. But, even as the knowledge that staying was incredibly selfish of me, every bone in my body was telling me not to go. I didn't want to leave. I didn't want things to change. What if I went and screwed everything up? What if I went and I hurt people? These were life or death odds and I wasn't used to them. I wasn't prepared for them. I just wanted to hide in my own world and pretend none of it had ever happened.

"Princess." I blinked as Zak straightened up, breaking through my thoughts. "I want to know why a woman who jumped into the middle of a wolf fight, who ran through the forest with wolves on her heels to protect a child, looks so utterly terrified at the prospect of leaving her home?" His expression softened and I interlaced my fingers in an attempt to hide how badly they were shaking. All the men were watching me as I opened my mouth. He was right. There was no longer a reason for me not to go. In fact, there was every reason to go. But still, the decision seemed terrifying to me.

"Tera. What if you don't go?" Zak muttered. I could feel a lump forming in my throat and I choked back tears as I said.

"What if I hurt you? What if I screw up somehow?" Llewellyn stepped forward and we all turned to look at him. I chewed my lip as my chin began to quiver. I refused to cry in front of them.

"What if you help us?" Llewellyn looked so certain that I paused and frowned at him. The man didn't anything, instead, he moved towards the bed and placed his hand on the bump which instantly curled away from him. I frowned, sitting back on the bed beside the child. "When you left the cafe, why is it that you became involved with us again?" I blinked at the man, resting my arm on the child as he curled into my side.

"The kid came after me." I answered, slightly confused. Llewellyn nodded, a slight spark of amusement in his eyes.

"For the two weeks we've had this boy, he has run away from every one whose tried to look after him."

"Including me." Zak interjected and I couldn't help smiling at the disgruntled look on his face when something Llewellyn said made me frowned.

"Two weeks? Why have you only had him for two weeks? And, why had no one said his name?" Caerun sighed and I jumped. I'd almost forgotten he was there.

"Two weeks ago our neighbouring pack, Rakash, didn't reply to our messages. When we went to investigate we found them all, slaughtered in their home. I found the kid hiding in a tree on the grounds. He's the only survivor we've been able to find." It was like a dark cloud fell over us and, unconsciously, I found myself pulling the little boy closer towards me.

"So, that's why he's so scared." I muttered as Llewellyn nodded.

"He's run away from every person whose tried to look after him. I don't know if it's a testament to the boys bravery but today, he ran towards you. Even if your importance is as small as helping that child open up again, I'd like you to be with us." The men around me were silent as Llewellyns words sunk in. My brain started working at a million miles an hour, trying to find any reason not to go. I had a job. I had an apartment to look after. I had some semblance of fight training. But even as every excuse occurred to me, I pushed them to the side. They seemed empty beside all the reasons I should go.

"Princess, if the kid can be brave enough to go after you despite his fear, can't you do the same for him?" I swallowed, forcing the feeling of dread in my chest down as I took in a deep breath.

"I'll go." Zak leaned back as he breathed a sigh of relief, covering his face with his hands. Caerun nodded and I bit back the need to immediately take those words back. I had to steel myself. I was doing the right thing. I had to be.

"Come on, no point staying around here anymore." Llewellyn said as he turned towards the door.