Recalling the past
~
Erisa
~

"Erisa, you don't have to do this. Your job is done. Who cares about what Cole wants."

No one should care about his wants or needs. But they must care about what was at stake, all there was to lose and everything to fight for.

Erisa had to knock that into her senses as soon as Cadence told her Cole wanted to speak with her. Speak with Erin. He seemed to be in pure disbelief of their circumstances and it only led to the reason why Erisa stalked downstairs of the Fenris manor in preparation to go to the dungeons.

"I wish it was as easy as you say, Cadence, but it isn't. You know that."

Cadence released a loud and drawn-out sigh, expressing her displeasure with this.

"Fucking bullshit," Cadence swore and skipped a few steps off the stairs to jump in front of Erisa. Cadence stopped her, her black eyes demeaning enough to stop anyone in their path.

"You're not going! Who cares about what he wants? He's not getting you, this is what he wants, Erisa. He wants you and he doesn't deserve you. Not even your presence." Cadence exclaimed loudly throughout the house.

A smile painted across Erisa's lips, but it didn't stop her from side-stepping her best friend and walking to the front door that led outside.

"He wants all of you dead, why shouldn't I be on that list of his, too?" Erisa taunted cheekily and ignored the cold wind nipping at her face.

"Do I have to remind you he killed his mate? He's an Alpha but still manages to be a bitch to a vampire. He wants to stall us, wait us out and then go in for the kill. He's a predator, Erisa, can't you see that?"

Erisa saw that all too clearly, which is why her moral compass directed northeast where beneath the earth, Cole was imprisoned.

For a mere moment, she thought she was done with him and in the forefront of her mind, that was all she craved. But it wasn't realistic, it only painted a distrustful painting with a bloody paintbrush.

Lycus told them his wolves were being prepared with every passing second Cole was caged and allies of the Fenris pack were informed of the predicaments. Now all that was left was to wait it out.

Frequent updates were coming from Tristan, telling Accalia they were taking out Thrax werewolves daily on the outskirts, but there was a slow movement to get to the pack and the Alpha.

Cadence said Cole claimed to end this war if he spoke to Erin. It wasn't likely, even in his blinded lust, but it could be used to their advantage. With wolves gearing up for war, perhaps Erisa could take whatever information Cole would give.

"Dammit, now I wish Rexton had compelled him. It would have made things quicker and you wouldn't be doing this." Cadence ranted.

"Lycus said that can't happen, Rexton would have to—"

"I know." Cadence cringed and clutched the side of her neck that had no bite mark. "Lycus ended up telling me Rexton could do it, but not to the full extent. He would need human blood in his system to effectively compel an Alpha."

It caused an uncomfortable reaction for Cadence from what Erisa could see. Eyes pierced straight with a grave expression on her. Funnily enough, Cadence wasn't phased by the sight of blood, in fact, she invoked it.

It still weighed her down, Rexton biting into her neck and drinking her blood. Another reason she continued to hold Rexton at arm's length and see him for what he was, not for who he was. Whoever that may be ...

"Let's just get in there and go. Are you going to tell him your name and everything?" Cadence asked, their walk taking them closer and closer to the cellar staircase.

Would there be any harm in taking off the mask and Erisa showing Cole who she truly is? It was an Alpha, a being known for his hate toward hunters, it would have to backfire somehow.

"I don't know yet. I'll see Cole and hopefully, the prick will give us the information we need with Adriana." Erisa muttered at Cadence and came to the top of the stairs. It was darkness below, but there were slight flares of orange blazing through.

"You want me to come with you?" Cadence demanded.

"No—no, I'll be fine. He's wrapped in chains and silver."

Would that stop him? Could that stop the beast from its prey?

Cadence huffed and pushed Erisa ahead to the first step, giving her the injection of confidence she needed.

"I'll be waiting here." Cadence's words drifted away into the nightly darkness as Erisa descended downstairs.

The gritty and grimy steps became clearer as the torches set alight a glowy gleam that showed all the dirty decay of the dungeons. Erisa resisted the urge to turn back.

But she saw him, his long frame chained into a solid statue that refrained him from making certain movements. His obsidian hair was in disarray, along with every other feature of him. Skewed brows, crazed eyes and a face reaped with danger, the desire to kill.

His face fell onto Erisa like a hound thirsted for blood and his lips lifted into a chilling smile, no stray of feeling in it.

"If I wasn't chained up, I'd applaud you, Erin. A marvellous performance, spectacular." Cole praised.

For her own bleeding sake, Erisa strayed back from the cell. She couldn't read between the lines, did Cole believe her facade or did he finally see it for the truth; Erisa not being Erin at all?

"No words now?" Cole growled, scanning every inch of her, his eyes brimming with hunger. "Dressed down, no makeup ..."

"It's called an act, Cole. You might be familiar with that."

Cole's mouth fell ajar in awe, a slight chuckle escaping his lips. "I'm familiar with manipulation, actually."

Cole's head tipped upwards, his nostrils flaring and brought his grey eyes back to Erisa. "I can smell the Larren hunter on you, is she your friend?"

Erisa didn't hesitate. "My best friend."

"Ah," Cole mused and nodded his head repeatedly. "So you are a hunter."

"Not the slaying kind." Erisa countered, her voice losing all sense of flirt and warmth.

Cole caught on and watched her darkly, his lip curling up with what Erisa hoped to be disgust.

"But the seducing kind?" Cole muttered through clenched teeth.

Erisa scoffed under her breath and folded her arms over her chest. "I just had to look at you, Cole and I had your attention. I didn't even have to try."

Cole struggled against the restraints, his movement jerky and stiff. His other side was itching to get out, rip through the skin and chains. "The entire point, aye? You fooled me."

"Do you think I did it effectively?" Erisa was curious to know if he would admit defeat at the hands of hunters.

Cole laughed loudly and flung his head back, his cackles rippling through the dungeon. "You most certainly did, Moonbeam. Most certainly."

Silence swept through and Erisa's blood ran cold. It occurred to her that he may not have any intention of revealing the faintest hint of information when it came to Adriana. It reignited Erisa's dislike of him and the exact reason she took on this job.

"Are you going to stop this war now that I've come to see you?" Erisa's voice came out faulty and trembling. Weak.

Cole's jaw hardened, narrowing his eyes at her as if that was all he could concentrate on. His prey. Is that the look he gave his mate before killing her? Or an emotion more defined, loving and without a drop of loathing.

"Is your name Erin?"

Who was Erisa fooling here other than herself? A glimmer of hope quickly blew out like a candle and she gave Cole a promising look that invoked secrets and deceit. This war would carry on as would everything else he and Adriana started.

"No, it isn't."

Cole looked away from her, but it didn't stop the question from firing out of his mouth like hellfire. "Then what is it?"

Erisa jumped, her hands trembling by her sides. "Eris–Erisa. My name's Erisa."

It wasn't exactly a well-known name, but it rolled off Cole's tongue like he was all too familiar with it.

"Erisa," Cole said smokily and looked Erisa up and down. "Got a last name with that, Erisa?"

"Not for you to know."

Erisa wasn't about to open a door that couldn't be closed. She wasn't going to endanger her only surviving relative.

Cole gave her a devilish grin.

"What does Adriana want with Rexton?"

Cole lowly whistled. "Not for you to know, sweetheart."

She pried anyway. "Is it because he's a hybrid?"

That would be the only reason, but she needed more than that. Rexton and everyone around him needed more than the obvious.

"No wonder you pulled away when you kissed me–"

"Is she going to kill Rexton?"

"You were trying to distract me." Cole finished with a hiss.

Erisa's silence was the answer he needed.

"What else have you lied about?" Cole demanded, eyes flaring and mouth-baring canines, losing all sense of control. "Your life, where you're from, who you are. How many guys you've fucked, if you've been with any — hell, you look a lot different here than you did before. You probably didn't even try to kill yourself."

"I never lied about trying to hurt myself," Erisa corrected, trying to ignore every other hard-hitting jab he dodged her way. "That was true."

Cole's eyes twinkled beneath the alit torches and it was a pool of mocking amusement in its grey shallow depths. "You couldn't even succeed in that, but you did at this. Congratulations. May I recommend you dig a knife a little deeper into the skin next time?" He quipped sharply.

Erisa flinched but shook it off. Surprising herself, she stalked up to the cell and clutched the bars, narrowing her icy eyes at Cole. She stared down at him like he was nothing more than a beast, a being worth every effort of destroying. That was his only worth.

"I can free you," Erisa stated plainly and simply.

Cole's pupils dilated with curiosity and he hunched forward, eager to know more. "Will you now? What makes you think I can trust you, a hunter?"

"You trusted me when you knew me as Erin, you could trust me again."

Cole observed her through heavy-lidded eyes. "You're not Erin. This person — Erisa, is cold and timid. I can smell it on you and I don't trust you, Erisa."

Erisa took a defeated step back.

She needed to find a loophole, just as she did when she first met him. Her physical traits helped her the first time, that was what hooked and reeled Cole in. Someone who physically connected to his lost love. He never found his humanity in another since his mate died and when he did, it was a momentary sensation — a feeling to pass just as his mate did.

"You said to the others you wanted to speak to me. Why?" Erisa asked reluctantly.

"I wanted to speak to Erin. Not this, not you. You even look different." Cole seethed maliciously, bitterly.

Erisa shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and shrugged loosely. "Erin was a disguise to lure you in."

Her admittance toyed with Cole, but she didn't care, Erisa gestured to herself — who she was. The body of a person who was never without black on her, her cloaking attire that showed very little skin, her rugged combat boots most hunters wore and no traces of makeup besides black eyeliner to paint around her eyes, igniting the blue.

"This is me. My name is Erisa and I'm a hunter. My best friend is Cadence Larren, I've known her since I was a kid, and she's partly the reason I took this job. Another reason is for Accalia, she's one of the kindest people I've ever met and you attacked her — for an unprovoked reason. You come from a pack that makes Lycus Fenris look better than most. No wonder your human side looks ill, you never wear the skin. I bet this is the most you've been human." Erisa snapped and found her feet dragging her back in front of Cole, peering down at him through unsympathetic eyes.

"You," Erisa began and couldn't help the shake of anger coursing through her frame, wishing nothing but ill will on this monster. "Are another reason I decided to do this. I know what you did to your mate and it doesn't take a genius to figure out why you go for girls like me. But know this, I may look familiar to her, but I'm not her. I would never throw myself into the arms of a freak like you — I'd rather die than be with someone like you. That's who I am, this is Erisa. Not Erin."

Erisa stayed put, behind the bars and behind the wall that separated them. She didn't know who was safer, her heart beating fast enough it could rip out of her chest or Cole, whose face contorted into a whirlwind of monstrosity — a being ready to rip from the chains.

"You will pay for this, you conniving bitch!" Cole yelled. "You will pay for betraying me."

"Are you going to tell me about Adriana?"

Cole swung his head back and forth, his teeth rattling and trying to pry himself to freedom. His ears extended into pointy tips, his claws ripped his human nails off and he snarled a vicious growl. But he was stopped from turning completely as the silver chains rattled the beast back into his cage. Silver couldn't harm lycans, but it could stop the shift.

"Adriana will come for you all, so my beautiful traitor, you didn't succeed the way you think you did! You will all fucking suffer." Erisa lost Cole's interest and he struggled in his seat, metals clanging together in a discordant ring as he tried to flee with all his might.

Erisa smiled grimly at him and he roared in her face.

"There it is Cole; that monster, all charisma and cheek gone now, huh? Look who else lied, who wore a mask." Erisa snapped as she watched him struggle and fight. "We know Adriana will come, we know all this, but I know you're nothing but a liar that won't get out of here. I succeeded in that."

Erisa clapped her hands against the bars before stepping away, ready to turn her back and walk.

"Oh, don't you worry my little liar, I'll be getting out and when I do it's going to cost you something. Whether that be a limp or your soul." Cole growled, two tones of his two sides mingling as one primitive and feral voice.

Erisa whipped around and shamelessly flipped him off. "I'm not your little liar, lycan."

"All mine now and with that look you're giving me, I'd walk through hell to make it so," Cole murmured huskily and that sheer charisma bled into his vision once again, the look that made her dance with him, the games they played and words they exchanged.

"Hopefully you burn." Erisa countered and stalked to the stairs.

"Everyone around you will burn, but don't worry, Moonbeam, I'll make a point of making sure my wolves don't get to you tonight."

Erisa froze, unwillingly pivoting her body back to Cole and seeing that face again. "What do you mean by that?"

Cole laughed, his entire face reddening with pleasure and skin creasing with a sentiment of emotion.

That was all Erisa needed to know and drifted back up to the staircase, thinking in her head how the disaster was about to strike.

"No goodbye kiss, Erisa?" Cole called out to her, his voice rippling through the dungeons in a shattering wail as Erisa ran away from the Alpha of Death.

~

This is one of my favourite chapters in this entire story. You see the real versions of both Cole and Erisa after revealing their true selves.

Erisa is straight to the point and edgy, which is why I like her as a character. Cole is nothing like that, he will bend the rules, change his mind and do whatever he pleases for himself.

If Erisa still played the mask of Erin to Cole in this chapter, I imagined things would've gone a lot differently.

— Caranyx.