Red faces come back inside.

"I'm starving," Odin says as he looks at the table that hasn't been set by him yet.

"Your father will be home soon."

"Then I'm going back outside." Odin's out the door.

"Outside." Ryeson follows his brother's words, a parrot who talks after his brother.

Looking at Orva who is nursing her new pup. Eta is holding Elska who has no idea what is going on. All she's doing is sniffing the different females. Her nose has not stopped since they came into the house.

"We've heard the rumors." Orva clears her throat.

"What rumors?" Standing to pick up Eta's male who wants to crawl toward the wood stove.

"You have had an Abomination." Eta kisses Elska's cheek, laughing.

"You have?"

"It's spread throughout. There will be a confrontation with the first gathering at the Longhouse." Orva takes her male from her breast, switching sides.

"Will there?" Saying it with sharpening teeth.

"Yes, I heard my sister-in-law talking to others." Orva has no kinship to her family. It's her friends that are her kin.

"What will they do?"

"They will want to force the Alpha to give the Abomination to Nature," Eta says concerned like the Savage would ever give up Elska to Nature.

Throwing my head back, laughing. Laughing.

Tears start to come down my face. Elska starts to laugh. We all start to laugh.

"He loves Elska more than me. They have no understanding, but they will. Let them come, let them demand and let them feel my teeth and the teeth of the Alpha on their skin." The Wild within voices out her contempt for anything that will threaten what is hers.

"We will stand with you, Luna. We will stand for Elska." Eta hugs the female to her breast as if it was her own pup.

My weapons are sharpened teeth and claw.

Looking across the room, my knives are back with me. Silver made for my hand from a father who loved his daughter.

A gust of air hurtles inside as the Savage has wiggling pups in each arm. "I found starving whining pups outside." He sets them down gently as they all take their furs off. The snow is melting but it's still cold outside.

Luki is behind them, when Odin tries to take his fur off, he has to fight his Uncle who doesn't make it easy for him. He taps his hands, trips his feet. Luki slams his body down on the floor with a gentle ease.

"Stop," Odin yells, Luki gets down on all fours, "make me, Odinson." A flash of fang and Odin leaps his War upon his Uncle who wrestles him severely. If it was a real fight Odin would be torn apart, but this is just their play and only a small amount of blood spills from Odin.

"We have news," the Savage shrugs off his fur.

"What news." Elska is taken from Eta so the Savage can have his fill of his daughter.

"Finian and his brothers have been attacked by a bear." Luki laughs out loud.

"The three of them were unable to defend themselves against a bear." The Savage isn't surprised by the what he said. 

"They couldn't fight a bear?" Orva asks with a look of disbelief on her face.

"No, they are weak males. Greyson might not make it, Finian is injured badly. The Luna has lost her pup and Victoria is not expected to make it." There is not an ounce of concern in the voice of the Savage. 

"What do you mean?" Eta stands up, her knees shake.

"They cut that Abomination out with Silver," Luki growls out as he has Odin in his teeth by the nape of his neck, tossing him against the wall. The sound thuds as Odin's body drops to the ground to spring back up, he's not having fun playing now. He's flashing real Wars of white of puppy teeth. 

"What do you mean, cut that Abomination out with Silver?" Orva stands facing her Alpha.

"She was carrying a female, Alpha. No one is sure if those two will live. The Moon punishes for not following her rule. Allow no Female Alpha to live." The Savage is calm in the wake of females losing themselves to hysterical crying.

"Finian is hurt badly, they think he can't hold all the territories. His brother Thomas is trying to keep things together, with the betas of the packs. The North is starting to uprise. Challenges will start within hours. The entire hemisphere is on a brink of War. I want to go to the territory lines to show our force to them." Luki stands up, facing his brother.

"We will piss on their territory the way Finian likes to piss on everyone else." The Alpha of the Far North stands to his completed height.

"Exactly, let's let them think we even want the North." Both males laugh at that. A disgust shuffles up the spin of the Savage. He thinks anything that is not the Far North is not to be taken into consideration.

"We will call a meeting tonight. Let us march towards the territory. Let them see us because we are seeing what state they are in." Eyes darken on the Savage and his brother. 

"Odin you will march with your father." A growl is heard inside the chest of a pup. If I close my eyes, he sounds of menace.

* 

*

*

Several days later Morvared is at the front door.

"Luna Bessa, may I enter your home."

"No."

Her smile doesn't fade, because she never was wearing one to begin with.

"The healer of Finian's pack has sent a message, she needs a root that only the Far North carries. I have no way of sending it to her without your help." A package is held in her hands.

"Why not ask your Alpha?"

"Becuase he will not send help to Finian's mate. But you will."

"How do you know I will?"

"You're kind." Blue eyes watch my greens.

"Victoria needs this to heal, properly. She's bleeding, her pup needs her to live."

"Her pup is an Abomination to the Moon herself." Stating a fact that all wolves know and listen too. The Moon's commandment to all her followers. 

"Your pup is an Abomination to this pack. There is already an uprising starting underneath your nose. Do you smell the stink of it because I do." Sharp keen eyes shine out after Morvared speaks those words. 

"What do you know?"

"I know enough that when the Alpha marches on the North. The females are going to march to your front door and demand Retribution for the loss of their pups that they had to put out for Nature."

"I can't help that they were so weak in their spine not to save their own pups. They only have themselves to blame not me." Standing taller, straighter. My spine does not bend.

"They will take it out on you, they will tear Elska limb from limb." She is of a serious side that I've never seen.

"I have made friends within the pack, there will be a fight."

"You don't have the numbers to hold them off."

Thinking.

 She's right I have two weapons to face the teeth of the pack. I need more of an arsenal to face the wall of teeth coming for Elska.

"It means a lot for Victoria to be saved?" Watching her, gauging my trade in the eyes that tell this is significant to the lover of crows. 

"It does mean a lot to me."

...silence.

"I want a trade from you, Morvared."

Her smile spreads wide.

"A trade it is."

"I demand protection for the life of Elska and I will send the life-saving root to Finian."

Morvared tilts her ear, the wind rushes through the dead branches that are just beginning to bud.

"How would I protect Elska's life?"

"Morvared, you are a lover of crows, life to you isn't that precious, is it? I'm sure a few less vocal wolves in the pack are not concerning to you."

"I'm a healer, not a murderer." She looks like truth except those crows gives her truth away.

"My trade, the life for Victoria in return you help Elska live in this pack."

The air seems to have stopped its breath.

"Deal." She hands me the package, and I close the door on her face. 

Putting the package in a bag, waiting for the Savage to come home.

The phone rings.

"Hello," saying into the reciever. I've only heard this ring once.

"Luna Bessa."

"Who is this?"

"Alpha Finian."

...there is no stopping my smile.

"Alpha Finian."

The phone is taken from my hands by the Savage who is red-faced from the cold.

"Finian why are you calling?" He can hardly contain his hate for this male on the other line.

He barely listens there is no concern on his face.

"There's absolutely nothing that I want from you." He hangs the phone up.

"What did he want?"

"He wanted to make a trade, we have plant he needs for his mate to live."

"Will you give it to him?"

"Never."

Walking back out the door, Odin is already starting to butcher the kill with a knife that could do him damage if he wasn't taught properly to handle.

"Where is Luki?"

"At home."

"I need to see him, I'm taking Elska. Can you cook for me tonight?" There is no wait, he nods his head, "yes. I can cook for you tonight." The Savage's sound is the most hopeful I have heard it since I marked him. His breathing comes out faster.

"I'd like that." Shutting the back door, after my words are spoken. 

Getting a box, taking a soft white fur that Elska never used. Writing a note for Alpha Finian because a trade is always needed even if you don't know what will be traded.

This is a trade Alpha Finian.

One day I might need something that holds as much significance as this means to you.

The blanket is a gift from me to your new female, may it keep her warm until her mother can.

Bessa.

Dressing for the cold, Elska is held close to my chest.

When we get to Luki's house a flash of Silk twirls around a male body.

Stilling watching. Luki ducks seeing me.

Trying to open the door, it's locked.

"Hold on," Luki says embarrassed. When he finally does open the door, he's dressed like himself with a flash of Silk on his neck.

"What were you doing. Luki?"

"Nothing, cleaning."

"In a Silk?" tilting my head, eying him.

His head tilts down, "yes."

"I want to see it on you."

"No." he can't face me.

"Please, let me see you." Setting Elska down who is now sleeping. Getting comfortable on a chair after I shrug the fur coat off.

...he hesitates now.

"I won't tell anyone," lifting a brow.

"You won't?" He's contemplating.

"I promise I won't."

"Alright,"

When he goes into his room it's a long wait for him to come out. The door opens slowly before I hear a long breath out from him.

His hair is pulled up off his neck. The Silk is the color of a sunflower that grows in the light of the Sun.

He turns his back on me, closing the drapes of the window.

"Turn around Luki, let me see you." He does, shyly.

"You're beautiful." I mean it.

"Thank you," the Fluid rises within him. He flows around the room with a grace of a trained dancer.

Standing. Getting closer to him until I can trace the Lineage of his Heritage against the Silk. 

"Sometimes I'm jealous Luki that you are not my mate." Letting my fingers run over his chest, touching his torso.

Stepping closer to him. His breath is warm, mine is coming out faster. Looking up into his eyes, taking a step closer letting the length of Silk touch my chest.

His eyes go wide.

Touching the side of his face, letting my fingers go over his lips.

"What are you doing, Luna Bessa?"

"I'm lonely Luki?"

"You have my brother," he steps back, I follow him.

"I don't want him, anymore."

"He wants you."

"I don't care what he wants." Letting my hand drag along his arm, touching his fingers. They're not as big as his brother's but they hold substance to them.

"We are brother and sister. This could never happen, no matter how much we would want it to." Luki looks away.

"I have a mate out there," his voice is low. Quivering. There is snapping force within me as the Wild strikes my bones, gouging herself within the marrow of me.

"I know," stepping away from him.

"I feel alone, Luki. I feel that I should have someone to myself. All for myself and it's not your brother."

"I am not that male, Bessa. I am your brother, you are my sister and we are friends. Nothing more." His finger slides over my cheek, to touch my lips. He gets closer, and I step into his embrace as he holds me against his raging heart and hard cock.

"Why did you come here, Luna Bessa?"

"I need my trade, Luki."

"What will you have me do?" The tone of him seems to be hitching up, nervous. 

"I can ask anything of you, right." Looking up into his greens.

"If you want me to be with you, I can't do that."

...he swallows. Blanches his already pale skin.

"I want you to bring this package to the Northern territory for me. Finian needs it to save his mate. I want to help him and I need you to take it there."

"Does my brother know?"

"No, he doesn't know."

"He will find out it's me."

"Maybe, but I will say I ordered you."

He closes his eyes, feeling the Silk on his body, I watch his hands smooth over the material. Then his hands drag over his face, feeling his freshly shaved face.

"I'll need to go now before I change my mind. Now go. You need to leave before I kiss you goodbye, Bessa." The way he's looking at me makes me understand he might just do that.

Maybe I should ask his brother for a trade. I will forgive him if I can fuck his brother.

"You know by saving Victoria we are going against the Moon?" Luki asks the question before I'm out the front door.

"I hate the fucking bitch, she's not my Moon anymore." Closing the door realizing the package is a treason to the Moon's words, but I could never have Luki be a treason to his mate. 

"Moon Touched, it's been a long time."

"Not for you, Arber. There's a pain in your voice when you talk about her. I can hear it inside my heart." 

Echoes of footsteps are the only thing heard, his heart is paused along with his voice. He's not breathing. 

"You're a clever female, do you know that? Clever and beautiful."