The lycan grabbed Cora with a strength much like an undercurrent –- once ensnared, there to was no leaving. His hands were rough on her skin and he breathed in her scent at the nape of her neck, his fellow lycans sniffing the ambient air for her coveted smell. Despite a stiff body and chilled feet from the river, Cora managed to take steady breathes that were laced of leather and dirt from the lycan.

A few of the villagers let out a terrified gasp as wolves appeared next to the lycans, and they were so large she could easily hear one lick its lips. She wondered if they were merely wolves, as they were smaller than what lycans were supposed to be. The way they stood there, as if commanded, reinforced how much power these lycans had.

The lycan pulled back and eyed her with dark irises, and she dare not try and guess the color in such low light, although she caught the subtle changes in his expression from selfishness, to awe, to curiosity.

Raising his hand to her face, she braced herself for anything that might happen, only for him to grab her chin with his free hand. The lycan held her face so she had to face him. He spoke, revealing that his canines were slightly wider and sharper than the rest of his teeth. "So...do they change every day? Your eyes?"

Her lips twitched with angst as if she forgot to speak.

She imagined Grimshaw, the lycan they originally fled from, speaking in the same, wistful tone if he got to meet her like this. Avoiding Steigen Pack, and Grimshaw as their Alpha, was the most important thing to her. Aside from Ben's safety.

Her voice faltered, despite how much she wanted to exude strength. "Yes. Yes they change colors."

A greedy impatience overcame his eyes. He growled, "Do you understand how rare that is? And just who you are?"

"Yes."

He frowned, looking her over before rolling his glare to Hilda. "So, this is where the missing Omnari Ruby has been? The search for her has gone on for more than two decades. All the packs have been searching high and low for her."

Hilda, with a collective calm that strengthened Cora's resolve, said, "I know. That's why I hid her."

A few of the lycans behind fidgeted and whispered things underneath their breath. Even a few humans that stood nearby to give them light with torches made sounds of disapproval. Lyonel even stepped forward, "We sincerely apologize, Magna. We had no idea--"

The lycan held up his free hand, gripping Cora's arm harder with the other, to which she winced as he spoke to Hilda. "Do you realize what betrayal that is? The leaf on Dagma's tree was never going to fall unless she died. Did you plan to let her grow old like this? She is ours. Not yours to hide away."

Hilda's expression remained flat and and she quipped back, "Grimshaw Steigen wanted her. I assume he still does. He has since she was born. It was to protect her from him."

The sound of concerned murmurs buzzed louder from the corralling lycans, while the one in front of Cora considered Hilda's words.

He looked back down at Cora, and she tried her best to conceal a wince from his grip. She refused to show them weakness if she could help it. He raised a knowing brow. "So, you come to save your brother? Planned to offer yourself for his life? I can't imagine why else you'd reveal yourself now, of all times."

She had expected him to respond about Grimshaw, and yet he coolly moved past it. She didn't have much time to consider what that meant, as he let go of her of her arm and she curiously looked at his hand as he dropped it.

He spoke somewhere between a growl and a statement of satisfaction, not bothering to let her respond — "I accept your offer."

At his consent, she swore all the wolves eyed Cora, as if they knew their master was pleased with her offering. And he's not even the Alpha...or else he'd have a bar tattooed around his neck.

Another lycan spoke up, his voice cracking as he spoke, "No, you cannot—"

A tall, adjacent blonde grabbed the protestor by the shoulder and said, "Shut it. Your injury is minor compared to her now."

The protesting lycan cradled an arm and glared at Cora, his eyes turning amber. The one that had grabbed Cora in the first place turned around and scolded, "Nailan...you forget yourself. We are only in this mess because of you. Now silence, or I will give you a matching scar that you gave the boy."

Nailan looked as if he truly might challenge the threat, but the silence spoke louder than any lecture Cora could receive about their hierarchies – the one in front, the one that addressed Cora, clearly led them. Two other lycans escorted Nailan away, while the leader faced Cora once more. "I suppose I should introduce myself, at this point. My name is Oren of the Ashmore Clan. Do you have any more family?"

"Family?" she asked. She had none, so it wasn't necessarily important to clarify, but the question still took her off guard. This lycan moved on from topics so unnaturally.

"It is tradition that the family of a Ruby, let alone an Omnari Ruby, to come with you. Your brother will come, and any more if they wish. The witch will join us, of course, to answer for her crimes."

Cora locked eyes with Hilda with a deeply held breath, not having considered this, and yet, Cora was not surprised by the comment once uttered. How had she overlooked that Hilda wouldn't avoid punishment for being the one to hide Cora?

But Hilda stood strong, and gave Cora a single, slow nod.

With a clenched jaw, Cora looked back up at Oren, a gentle gust of wind pulling at her dress, dropping one of his dark blonde hairs into his eyes. "Will my brother be harmed like Hilda? Will he face any trials? He must be granted amnesty."

Oren's eyes narrowed, and he spoke slowly, "As long as he doesn't pull a silver dagger on any of us for the forseeable future, the boy will be spared."

Cora knew then that she didn't trust this lycan, despite his promise. He was so quick to forgive Ben and to change topics; he lost any and all validity in her eyes.

Hilda had always told Cora that lycans only respected power in another, and as long as she had none, there was nothing truly holding him accountable.

Except for my blood. Hopefully he's smart enough to know that killing my brother would render me entirely uncooperative.

She lowered her gaze. Should she fight for Ben to remain in Kamas? What if the lycans, wherever she was going, were too dangerous for him? How long would it be before she could fight for him herself?

Finally, she muttered, "He can hardly travel."

Without missing a beat, Oren replied, "Roman can help with his wounds."

"Roman?" she asked, glancing back up at him and then behind him to the dozen or so lycans that remained, watching, waiting.

"Roman is my brother, and a decent healer. He has salves your humans do not, perhaps even your witch would pale in comparison to what we have."

Cora looked at Hilda once more, who stood with a straightened back and squared shoulders. But all Cora could see was the woman whose hair was more gray than amber now, her laugh lines deeper than ten years ago, and she liked a spoonful of honey in her morning tea.

Hilda was family, not just some witch to bargain with, and Cora furrowed her brows, frowning as her nose twitched.

Hilda, as perceptive as always, seemed to read Cora's mind as she said, "Heal the boy, Oren of the Ashmores, and tend to Cora's needs. As long as you do those things, I will go without hindrance."

Oren ran one of his hands through his hair, which seemed greased enough to mostly remain slicked back. His tone was laced with a calloused warning that Cora didn't like. "If you go, witch, and you do anything that we don't like, we will kill the boy. Do you understand?"

Cora breathed heavier, disliking this lycan more and more with each word that he spoke.

There was no wavering in Hilda's determination. "As I said, lycan, I will go without hindrance."

Oren said something in their language, and the remaining lycans acted quickly, moving forward in different directions. Oren gave Cora a nudge and guided her back to her brother as she carefully stepped through the stream, happy to be on dry land and out of the cold water. She realized Oren would probably not leave her side until they were at least on the move. If even then.

As they walked on the muddy river bank towards Ben, with about two dozen humans watching on, Cora quietly asked, "Can I go home, please? To gather a few things?"

Oren's apathetic tone returned. "No, and don't ask for more. I am already extending leniency with the witch. I cannot let any of you return to her dwelling, where her affects are."

Cora rolled her eyes and sucked her bottom lip to her teeth, flaring her nostrils in anger. Oren let her kneel by Ben, who was still lost in a deep sleep but breathing strongly. She wanted to cry once more as she stared at his bandaged face, hating how marred it was. There was no way he'd easily recover from this, emotionally and physically.

And now I have to take him with me to the lycans...he is going to be so delirious when he wakes up, and I don't have anything to comfort him with.

She wanted to punch the dirt, angry that she hadn't thought to bring any of their belongings with her. How could she just leave their home without gathering a bag? There were so many things that Ben would want.

Macie was no longer around, and it was just the woman from earlier kneeling next to him. She eyed Cora with pity and said, "I gave him more of the dreamer's root. He, well, he woke up for a moment" —she leaned in and whispered, but Cora knew Oren could hear— "I didn't want him to be mouthy. For his safety. Poor boy is in pain, and harsh words are often said in such states."

Cora closed her eyes for a long minute after nodding, and gripped Ben's hand and held it. It was warm, and not nearly as roughened as Oren's. I am so sorry, Ben. You're going to wake up, and everything will be wrong.

Cora opened her eyes and squeezed Ben's hand as she looked at the woman who watched Ben in silence. Cora asked, "Can I ask a favor?"

"Of course. Your Ben saved my Macie," the woman said, glancing behind Cora to eye Oren. A flicker of fear crossed her eyes, but it was replaced with a steadfast determination, much like Hilda's.

Cora didn't care what Oren had to say of the request that she was about to ask. If he didn't like what she was asking, he could tell her so himself.

Cora's lips drooped downward in heavy emotion. "There is a book of recipes on the countertop that I want. Also, two pendants in a wooden box in the largest bedroom, on top of a table by the only window. It has two pendants in there. Can you get those three things, and find a way to send them to wherever I am? Or at least hold onto them, in case the cabin gets raided or ruined?"

"Of course."

Cora gave a nod and tucked her dark, loose hair behind her ear. "The pendants are the most important. My grandfather was a blacksmith and made them for my parents as a wedding gift. Ben likes to wear one from time to time."

The woman's eyes hardened, and she bowed her head. "My name is Lemiah, by the way. And I will gather them for you."

After thanking Lemiah, Cora helped them ready the delirious Ben, wearing an expression of dread and sorrow as she did so. They put him in a cart to be carried by a horse that they borrowed from the village, while Hilda and Cora rode on their own horses.

With Oren at her side the entire time, she wasn't free to do much other than follow orders. And at times, she did so with her head held high, having always prepared herself for this very moment. But realizing she'd never get to say goodbye to her home, or that Ben wasn't even fully conscious...

She had debated on getting Oren to agree to leave Ben behind in Kamas. Surely, Lemiah would look after him, at least until his wounds had healed. But Cora's gut told her to take her brother, as leaving Ben meant he was more vulnerable. There was nothing stopping one of these lycans from sneaking back into the village to finish off what they had started. If I mate this Alpha, I can ask for Ben to be given freedom, and return home if he wants. Yes, he can heal with me, and then I can figure out what to do with him.

With the half-filled moon hardly giving any light, Cora found her way on top of a horse as one of the villagers lit the area with a torch. The saddle was hard and cold, and the horse was white in body while covered in black speckles. It was an old horse named Jeb, which Oren had commented would be useful in preventing her from riding off. Or at least, she wouldn't get very far if she tried.

Hilda didn't speak to her the entire time, but managed to give Cora a warm, comforting look that steeled her whenever their gazes connected.

Wearing a jacket and a pair of boots that wasn't her own, per Oren's request as some from the village lent her their clothes, she looked down from her horse to eye Ben, who lie in the cart on a bed of hay. Lemiah had brought him a blanket to cover him for the night.

Provisions and canteens were placed in the cart and it ate at Cora that there was plenty of room to bring more effects from home, yet she wasn't allowed to even send a villager for her goods.

At least Oren hadn't made a comment when Cora requested the three items from Lemiah.

I can't read Oren, and I hate that. Are they all like that?

Will my Alpha be like that? She frowned when she realized he might not even speak the human language. The Ashmore's were known translators, whereas many lycans never learned the language of human, which was why they frequented the human village for commerce and communication.

Oren and the others turned into lycans, the darkness of night shrouding their transformation. The one named Roman sat at the head of the carriage to guide the horse that carried Ben as they were off to Reiger Pack, wasting no time.

Wolves ran alongside them, but not close enough to spook the horses. Cora would glance over her shoulder periodically to see that at least five or six wolves trailed them in the distance, their glowing eyes signaling their presence.

They were surrounded.

Finally, Hilda quietly spoke her first words to Cora since arriving at the river, which was sometimes hard to hear over the rickety wooden cart.

Hilda asked, "Are you alright? How are you right now?"

Cora, of course, had many things she wanted to say, but none of them would be appropriate within lycan earshot. So she settled with, "There's so much room to take our belongings, and yet it remains empty."

Hilda gave a sound of agreeance, but then said, "At least Ben is one of the things from home to come with us. I don't trust him alone."

Cora looked at Hilda, nearly crying for how grateful she was for the her. For how much Cora was worried about what was going to happen, and for how angry she was that this all went so horrible. Hilda gave her a sense of comfort that a mother, or grandmother, would.

In Cora's mind, she'd always go to the lycans completely on her own volition, wholly ready to become one of them. But she eyed the aged witch, terrified not only for Ben, but for Hilda's life. Cora asked, "Are you alright?"

Hilda gave Cora a knowing smile and said, "You worry so much, my dear. Your whole life has been about protecting your identity, and tonight has been quite the debacle, so I understand your uncertainties. But let your identity spread now, Cora. It's what I have been protecting, and guiding, you for for your entire life. Own who you are, rather than worry. "

With that, Cora cried. She didn't sob, but just let the tears out and once the salty stream formed on her cheeks the tears flowed. She was grateful that the one named Roman didn't say a word.

Hilda eventually added, "Let it out while the wolves run. Don't let them see you weak once we get there, do you understand?"

Cora sniffed and wiped her nose, nodding.

The witch added, "Your mother died with a resounding might and a hum in her voice, only focused on her love for your brother and you, all while her life slowly faded. You have that same strength in you, Cora Gabris. Never forget it."