Darius pulled Lucky through the lonely streets, he kept his gaze forward to his destination, Clara’s house. He could hear the whispers that people made. He ignored the faces looking at him, some with curiosity, some with scorn and a few neutral.
"Who made him Alpha," he had heard some younger girl whisper.
His jaw flexed, but he kept moving. Lucky’s hooves clacked rhythmically against the stone, and the horse, perhaps sensing his rider’s tension, walked without fuss. He had grown used to the looks, but not immune to them. In some moments he felt as though he had deserved their anger.
More than ever, the sting of it rooted deep. Perhaps they were right. If he truly were the leader he claimed to be...hoped to be, then children like Clara wouldn’t be left to sleep under rotting roofs and eat scraps like animals.
The horse whinnied as they made a stop at Clara’s door. "Easy," Darius whispered.
Darius placed his hand on the horse’s head and waited for Serena, he would not be going in anymore.
Inside the house Serena squeezed Clara’s hands tightly. "Listen, if ever you need anything, please do not hesitate to write me and I will do what I can to help."
"You really mean it?" Clara asked.
Serena nodded and pushed Clara’s hair behind her ears, "I do."
"You are my princess," the young girl said.
Serena could not hold back the smile that crept onto her lips, she looked away briefly and then at the girl. "Thank you."
Clara led her to the door and twisted the rusty knob a few times before the door gave way, it was well past sunset and it was dark, save for a few houses that had lit lanterns on their outside windows.
Darius stood next to Lucky, reins in hand. The horse shifted its weight, stomping once. "Lucky’s ready to leave," he said.
Serena nodded, eyes already glassy. She turned and pulled Clara into a tight hug, arms wrapping around the girl. "This will be one of many visits from now on," she whispered. "I promise."
Clara held on a moment longer before letting go.
The woman walked away and she mounted the horse with ease, Darius pulled the reins and steered the horse around. He looked at the young girl and then raised a hand as a gesture of farewell.
And the two were off, trotting farther and farther away from the girl, Serena glanced to see Clara still standing and waving goodbye at them.
"She is still waving," Serena muttered to Darius.
The man had to strain his ears before he caught what she was saying, he himself glanced briefly and saw the girl still standing in front of the door. He huffed and kept his eyes on the road.
By some miracle he hoped they would reach the castle before Ironshade would be completely asleep. Darius did not really fancy keeping Serena out this late but she had insisted she would see Clara in their four-day window, now three.
Darius did not relent on Lucky, he kept the horse moving at a comfortable speed to reach home as soon as possible. He squinted his eyes as he rode through, a novice would not have been able to do what he was doing at the moment.
Ironshade was in his bones. He had walked it as a boy, run it as a wolf, mapped it as a leader. The routes and hidden paths were etched into him, carved there by years of wandering with his mother and endless, grueling expeditions with his father. The land shifted in seasons, but it never fooled him. Lucky, his trusted steed, was an exceptional horse and the two walked together.
He remembered arguing with his father on how easier it would be to ride themselves when in wolf forms, they were faster and even some people were as large as horses. Of course, it was childish foolishness that pushed him to think of such an absurd idea.
"We have not seen her shift," Ronan said, slithering into his thoughts like a snake.
Darius closed his eyes briefly and swallowed hard. It was such a terrible time for his insufferable wolf to come suggest ideas or mock him.
"There is no need," Darius replied swiftly, his voice echoing in the mindscape that they shared.
"Fool, you need someone to run this pack with and someone who is not defective." Googlᴇ search NoveI~Fire.net
Darius flinched at that statement and frowned, he kept his grip on the reins tight and rode on. "Are you not the one who told me she is fine?"
The man heard the wolf grumble, more like some sort of growl. "Yes, but I am impatient."
Darius squeezed the side of the horse and glanced at Serena, he could not see her face as he rode but he was satisfied. Ronan was insisting that they see her shift, as some sort of test to know if she could rule by his side... to be his Luna.
His mind went back to Clara who seemed overjoyed to confirm that both of them would be getting married. And now his wolf was bringing up such suggestions. Darius liked it as things were but maybe, just maybe, it could be better.
He remembered her screams clear as day at the temple, right there was she trying to shift? She had said she had found her wolf not so long after she brought Emmett back to the pack. The dots were there for him to connect, taunting him even.
He exhaled slowly and guided the horse down a shortcut that would lead them to another and finally connect to the main road that would lead to the castle. The grounds were alive, he heard the annoying croaking of toads and the chirping of crickets.
Darius would have to ask Serena directly about her ability to shift, or maybe lack of.
He cracked the reins and was soon met with the massive building that he called home, he exhaled slowly. What a day this had been and somehow he was not tired.
Serena was the first to get off, her landings from horses had gotten better over time. Her trip to see Clara had left her with a bittersweet feeling and she had put in mind to write the girl immediately.
"Come with me to the stables," Darius said, already moving ahead.