The roads you drive down
~
Accalia
~

The Roan pack werewolves mastered their abilities through their humanity. They didn't falter or fight against their lycan or their human forms, they had a balance.

It was led by the man walking toward the car through the throng of his pack members surrounding Accalia and Lycus.

Lycus didn't wait and got out of the car, locking the car behind him.

Lycus stalked up to Soren Roan with no hint of timidness and with unfaltering confidence, casting a glare at the wolves before him to stand down. Ever so slightly, they turned their heads away from him. 

"So much arrogance, Lycus," Accalia whispered, amazed at his nerve that didn't tweak or crack when being in front of another Alpha.

The werewolves and lycans must have smelt the human on him because they all jerked their heads to Accalia, lips curling and nostrils flaring. The rage pitted in the Roan pack members was a force to be reckoned with and Accalia almost wished to have Cadence next to her.

Accalia mindfully looked down at her lap and twirled her fingers around each other continuously as the anxiety deepened in her muscles and bones.

They wouldn't just smell the human, they would smell the hunter, the metal and blood that had managed to stick with her all these years. She couldn't forget the news that had travelled through the grapevine the recent weeks, the Alpha of Alphas being mated to a huntress.

Their senses would align with every move she made, waiting for her to strike so they could too.

Coming here was a bad idea. Lycus didn't think it through.

Foolish idiot, Accalia chastised in her head.

Lycus and Soren conversed amongst themselves and with a quick wave of the hand, Soren had his pack members scattering away from the car and dashing into the foggy forest.

Her anxiety eased up a bit, but not when Lycus unlocked the car, coming to her side of the door.

Before her hand latched onto the handle to keep him from opening it, Lycus beat her to it and opened the door wide enough for Accalia to shiver against the bitter cold.

"I don't want to be here." Accalia didn't waste her time saying.

Lycus smiled down at her, a knowing and crooked smile that she wanted to slap off.

"Lycus, you're an idiot for bringing me here — this was a bad idea! I want—want to go home." Accalia squeezed her eyes shut at that and she could feel his smile only widen.

"Where's home, Accalia?" Lycus questioned and tucked a lock of hair out of her face.

Accalia glared at him, unbuckling her seatbelt to face him and said, "Your pack is hardly a home, but the Fenris manor is."

Lycus opened that door for her even when she didn't want to be there. Every time she wanted to run and be away from him, the Fenris manor was always a place she could stay. When she was disowned by her father, Lycus offered her a place to call home even when she didn't claim it as that.

"We have to do this, Accalia. You want revenge as much as I do and Cole Canus and Zenith Thrax, they won't stop. Do you want a home to go back to? We need to protect the pack first and by making these alliances, it ensures that."

The foolish, arrogant idiot had a point.

Accalia gripped Lycus's hand tightly enough to keep them tied together and slipped out of the car. "You better not leave me alone."

Lycus winked down at her and shut the door behind her. "Wouldn't dream of it, beautiful."

The compliment singed her cheeks a faint pink and Lycus laughed airily, pulling her long coat over her shoulders. He was simply dressed in dark colours and Accalia wrapped an arm around Lycus's, amazed that he wore no winter coverings to fight against the cold.

Soren held an emotionless gaze that didn't have a spark and an expression that was bleak and blank as Accalia drew closer to him. He, like many Alphas, was towering and muscular. What he lacked was the budding pride and ravenous power hunger the others had.

"Soren, this is Accalia—"

"Larren." Soren finished for Lycus rather coldly, slanting his apathetic, glum gaze to Accalia.

Accalia reacted with an unwavering look and remained pin-straight, ensuring not only herself but the others around her she was composed in an environment such as this. 

Accalia budged further into Lycus's side, scanning the area with trained eyes. No one was around, the cabins were illuminated and the huge lake they were near rippled away silently.

She could describe this place as a ghost town. Deadly quiet and unassuming to the untrained eye.

"I'm baffled you're mated to a hunter, Lycus, quite ironic if anything," Soren said plainly and twirled on his heel, beckoning them to follow. "Come with me."

Lycus sought Accalia out with a cheeky gleam on his face and nudged her forward. "Ignore him, he's a killjoy."

They followed Soren through the misty path and the closer they came to the tiny town of cabins, the more of a city it seemed to unveil. Accalia had yet to grow familiar with the entire lands of the Fenris pack, it was gigantic in its territory and spread with so much life.

The Roan pack was more close-knit and fractioned into a town of everything a lycan and werewolf would need.

What they didn't need, however, was the presence of a hunter in their midst. Lycans and werewolves spaced out across the town, in and out of cabins, and wandered along their home comfortably.

Soren must have made direct orders to them because every single creature Accalia walked past, looked away from her and made a point of busying themselves. It didn't help after she strolled past them that she could feel their eyes on her back.

Before it could become downright insufferable, Soren took them to a jetty that went across the river and away from the pack. The waters swam right to the top of the jetty, whooshing the high tide across the planks of wood that creaked beneath their feet.

Accalia moved away from Lycus and to the edge of the jetty, leaning over to stare down at the water.

"Zenith Thrax paid me a visit a few weeks back," Soren announced after minutes of silence.

"What did he want?" Lycus wasted no time in demanding, his tone thick with suspicion.

Accalia couldn't blame Lycus. Zenith was a greedy and unpleasant Alpha, having hate for not only Accalia's kind but Lycus's as well. Whatever he did, it was always for his benefit.

His younger sister, Melina Thrax, a she-lycan hellbent on having Accalia and Cadence killed, would work her magic on making anything happen too, just as manipulative and greedy as her brother.

"An alliance, of course," Soren murmured to Lycus. "He spoke of a new beginning for all of us."

Accalia sighed raggedly, fog clouding around her face and she whipped around, watching what the two Alphas would speak of next.

"Clearly," Lycus shook his head with a grunt.

"I refused him, Lycus." Soren glanced at Accalia, looking her up and down before adverting his attention back to Lycus. "Zenith is too juvenile for my taste, full of greed and a need for control. I and my pack wouldn't work with him for that would mean to yield."

"Did he tell you he allied his pack with Cole Canus?" Accalia asked the Alpha, capturing his attention with a snap of the head, his lip curling from her mouth even opening.

Accalia ignored Soren's blatant repulsiveness, his hate for her rolled off him ever since she stepped out of the car and it wouldn't sway her.

"I—" Soren sneered at her and she thumped her hands into her large front pockets causing his sights to snap at her jerky movement. "Are you carrying weaponry, hunter?"

"I asked you a question," Accalia said softly and fiddled with the inner fabric, no weaponry on her. It was bad enough she wouldn't be welcomed here, she didn't want to be run out without a chance of an alliance.

"No, I didn't know that, now answer my question, huntress, are carrying a weapon on you?" Soren grunted, teeth-baring.

"No, I'm not, lycan. I gathered it wouldn't be a welcoming gesture when I'm trying to be here as a Luna, not as a hunter." Accalia pulled her hands out and wiggled her fingers, showing she had nothing on her.

Soren steered back and looked between Accalia and Lycus suspiciously.

"Why would Zenith be foolish enough to side with Cole?" Soren asked after a moment, collecting himself.

"Do you want the long story or the short one?" Lycus responded lazily.

"The one that makes me want to be on your side, Lycus Fenris." Soren fired back.

Accalia and Lycus shared a look, one that spoke of the madness that had circulated this past month and Accalia was the one to launch into the longer, drawn and detailed story that led them to where they were right now.

Accalia dug up every moment in time she could shovel out and by the time it reached the claws marring into her skin, Accalia swallowed the ache following through with every word:

"He scratched me because I stabbed him in the neck, but he was after us because he and Zenith want to conquer and take revenge. I'll tell you one thing about being a hunter, Soren Roan, we try to contain the threat before it can hurt others. Cole and Zenith don't want to contain anything, they want chaos and war." 

Accalia was surprised by the undivided attention she received from Soren. He didn't divert his gaze or ignore her, but paid solid attention to each word she uttered and read it through as the story fell from her lips.

Soren faintly nodded at her once she finished and faced Lycus who was slumped against the railing, watching them intently.

"You're mate is ... insightful, Lycus. She is also right, Cole is more lycan than human and Zenith is greedy. Together, they'll make quite a battle for everyone. Who's to say their need for power won't stop at you or your brother?"

"It won't," Lycus stated simply and slipped his arm around Accalia's hip, securing her to his side. "Which is why every pack needs to be prepared for the worst."

"It's not only that," Accalia piped up, frustrated, head fully loaded with a dose of information, "There will be more humans being bitten and turned. Cole already has a lot of werewolves to waste away like their lives have no meaning. On the full moon, the werewolves will be relentless, the death toll could skyrocket and the attacks could go beyond just the Fenris packs, they could extend and more humans could be turned. Some may not survive the first shift, humans will become suspicious and that's where my people will have to get involved. This has to be kept within the lycans and packs."

This information was injected into her very veins since childhood, taking in the information and never losing sight of it. Many hunters shoot to kill, the enforcers of fights and violence. They thought thoughtlessly with a weapon at their side. Cadence and Tristan fell in that category.

The others were historians and readers, utilising every wavelength of information that could be provided. Frankie and Accalia were drawn to that side of being a hunter. The side where they had to be perceptive and smart when others didn't see sense. It was the hunters who thirsted for revenge that others had to look out for.

Soren exhaled and tilted his head in curiosity at the couple. "You're not at all bothered she's a hunter, Lycus Fenris?"

Accalia felt Lycus shrug loosely at her side. "She wouldn't be by my side if I was bothered by her being a hunter."

Soren looked up to the misty skies, the blue clouds heavy with rain preparing to downpour and wash everything clean.

"I hope to the first lycan, my pack and I, that we do not regret this." Soren Roan murmured and that was enough to carve an allegiance into stone.

~

"Here's your key for the room, sir. Number four. Is there anything else we can do for you today?"

Lycus shook his head, slipping the room key into his pocket and ignoring the twirling of the hair and the ogling the young woman was making at him.

"You just catch eyes everywhere, don't you?" Accalia asked with a smile when they neared the stairs up to the motel.

After departing from the Roan pack, Lycus confirmed they would be journeying to both the Jacian and Lacuna packs first thing tomorrow morning. They were distances apart and even further from home by this point and Lycus didn't want to waste time.

After travelling to those two packs, they will backtrack to Gabriel's lands to get back home as quickly as can be done.

"Do I?"

Accalia nudged her shoulder with his, amused by him and Lycus unlocked the room they would be staying in.

The yellow light dimly lit the small and plain room. It was everything Accalia expected, nothing fancy with the yellow brick walls and murky coloured carpet. She remembered staying in motels like this growing up. Now and again, if her mother allowed it, but oftentimes, refused, would let them take part in hunts with William, their father.

In their mother's eyes, Accalia and Tristan's education was the most important thing. After Belle Larren died, then Cadence's parents, William made a point of making hunting the top priority.

"You can shower first," Lycus commented, throwing their bags on the bed and kicking off his boots.

Sealing her lips, Accalia grappled for pyjamas and slipped into the bathroom.

Taking off her coat, Accalia avoided the mirror that would reveal her knackered eyes and back holding the skin together with stitches.

She was down to her panties and shirt when the door knocked behind her and she whirled around, reaching for her towel. "Yes?"

"I have the remedy for you, can I give it to you?"

Wrapping the towel around her hips, Accalia opened the door and gestured for him to come in.

Accalia felt her shyness grow tenfold.

Lycus didn't seem to notice and came in with other products also, placing body wash and conditioner in the shower.

"I know you've been taking baths recently and Nina has been helping you when we were back home. With everything going on, the oil has been the last thing on my mind. But you just need to put a few droplets on your back and the aching should go away and it should speed up the healing process with my blood being in it." Lycus explained, holding up the red vial and placing it on the sink for her.

Lycus went to leave, Accalia catching those amber eyes darkening and she hoped she didn't regret stopping him.

"Erm, Lycus?"

Lycus paused, turning his head and his jaw ticking waiting for a response. "Yeah?"

"Nina isn't here to help me, like checking in on me and making sure I haven't torn my stitches ... can you please help me?"

The first person Accalia made eye contact with since the attack was Nina, those eyes brimming with a delightful emotion that could be described as fondness. Nina had such heart, more than Accalia saw in humans and she gave her time to Accalia when she didn't need to.

Accalia felt indebted to her, helping her bathe and change, managing her injury and assuring she was in good condition. Nina was the person Accalia didn't want to be enemies with.

Lycus leant against the doorframe and Accalia wondered if it was a mistake to ask.

"I can do that." Lycus forced out, stepping back inside the bathroom and closing the door, clasping the doorknob hard enough that it rattled.

"Are you sure? You don't have to—"

Lycus rounded on her and placed those callous hands on her hips, fingers clasping around the towel. "I want to. Are you going to be able to lift your arms? I don't want to strain you." Lycus said, pulling at the shirt which tugged her into his broad chest.

Accalia nodded, lifting her arms. Lycus came close and pulled the shirt off her quickly, without causing pain.

Nervously, she pulled the towel underneath the wire of her bra, gnawing at her inner cheek from the sudden heat emitting into the air.

Lycus busied himself by turning the shower on for her. Drenching his hand under the water for the right temperature, Accalia tried to unhook her bra in embarrassment as her fingers couldn't reach the hooks without wincing in pain.

Releasing a defeated sigh, Accalia looked at Lycus. "Could you please ..."

Lycus nodded and gently placed his fingers against her bare back, the contact making Accalia jolt.

"Thank you," Accalia whispered once the bra was unclipped and faced him, tightening the towel around her tingling body.

"Do you want me to come in with you to help with your back?" Lycus asked thickly.

Accalia swallowed, calculating his request and if she could allow herself to be so vulnerable with him. Being vulnerable, you lose control, losing control — it wasn't a trait Accalia was used to.

Lycus lost control all the time, but mainly with himself.

"Just to help me?" Accalia mumbled.

Lycus's face remained deadpan and curtly nodded. "Only that."

"You better not steal all the hot water," Accalia snapped sharply and Lycus tore his shirt off with a smug grin, revealing his muscled form.

She didn't allow her eyes to stray lower than that as he took his jeans off until he was in his boxers.

Lycus's eyes stayed on hers as she let her panties pool at her feet and he slipped his hands into hers, letting the fog cloud them as they stepped into the shower.

Ignoring the buzzing in her skull, Accalia let the water reign down on her and faced away from Lycus. The spray of the water was light and misty, the perfect degree for her scars that couldn't handle anything more.

She could feel him, that rousing heat, that warmth he tended to fill her and his chin dropping on top of her head from behind her.

"So beautiful," Lycus whispered, the wording catching onto her senses in a slick caress.

When something hard pressed against her lower back, Accalia whipped around and faced him, making sure his eyes didn't waver.

They nearly did, shifting ever so slightly and Accalia cleared her throat. "Self-control, Lycus?"

Lycus chuckled, stepping closer to her and pressing her chest against his, a wet heat mingling between them as did their breaths. "I tend to lose all sense of self-control when I'm around you, Accalia."

Accalia flushed pink, looking down and immediately tensed, the sheer size of him not what she was expecting and shifted her gaze elsewhere — anything other than Lycus and what came along with him.

His face was passive but his eyes bled with instinctive lust, pupils dilating and muscles tense. "Just wash your stitches with water, alright? Not too much."

Accalia nodded silently and Lycus picked up a loofah.

"Turn around," Lycus ordered and she listened, facing the wall.

The cloth dabbed lightly like a feathery touch against Accalia's back, with not too much pressure and with faint precision.

Lycus followed a pattern of bathing Accalia, from her arms, and shoulders, brushing against her stomach and then reaching to her long legs.

They settled in the thick silence, Lycus's hands pressing against Accalia's thighs and her breathing shallowed with rupturing nerves.

"I could devour you," Lycus's words sent a trail of heat through Accalia's core and she stilled.

A heartbeat passed, waves of silence passing through them beside the pattering waters and Accalia looked down to find Lycus peering up at her, his gaze falling nowhere else but her face.

Accalia could no longer reason with her thoughts.

"Kiss me," Accalia uttered breathlessly.

Maybe she shouldn't have opened her mouth, she should have silenced the lust-building thoughts in her head and ignored all that she craved.

But all Accalia wanted was a kiss, no more than that ...

She knew Lycus wanted more, there was always more to him, but his lips captured hers in lustful currents that both seemed sated by.

~

Sign me up to write violence and gore any day than any form of fluff or smut.

— Caranyx.