Wolf’s Bane

In less than five minutes, the door of the office opened and the two gentlemen walked in.

“Hello beautiful, how was your talk?” V kissed and hugged her, as he would every time, they were separated for more than two minutes, and then walked straight to the minibar to serve four glasses of the wine that from a time before had won over his in-laws and was actually produced by their pack.

“It was… enlightening. Now I need to hear the other side of the situation and talk to your friend here.”

“Me?” Hero said distractedly.

“You, of course, who else? I would like to know your reasons for refusing her to shift.”

“Well, I’m just not doing it. With all due respect, Luna, I hoped you guys would help me get her to see some sense…”

“You wanted us to tell her that your decision is the right one?”

“Yes.”

“Not try to help you, but make sure she agrees to what you are saying?”

“Exactly, because mine is the logical choice and I’m absolutely right.”

“Oh, are you really? Damn, you’re too sure of yourself…”

“Pardon me?”

“You’re keeping your very limited point of view and don’t want to hear anybody else’s opinion? You’re not even willing to give your own reasons so we can agree or disagree…”

“Well, I can tell you, but I made up my mind already.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Then I don’t think we can help you, Mr. Wall.”

“Wh… What did you just call me?” The man who was already leading one of the largest international crime organizations, and had escalated to higher ranks so swiftly, had not even been questioned for a long while like this.

Instantly, his manners had turned rough and his eyes were now cold.

The way their conversation turned was making it look as if the paid assassin was keeping it together only because the lady – more than a foot smaller than him who stood right in front of him while looking up at his frigid face – was the mate of one of the only two people that he saw and loved as brothers in the whole wide world.

“I called you Mr. Wall because you listen and communicate as much as an actual wall does.”

The Ogre turned towards the Alpha beside him, “Bro… can you PLEASE tell your mate that I’m right?”

“You’re crazy if you think I’ll do that, BRO. I’m not gonna risk sleeping on the sofa for you… I love you but you won’t ever give me what she can…” Virgil scoffed as he sipped from his wine glass. “Besides, I agree with her.”

Hero paused then sighed loudly, his obvious impatience taking over. “Then what do you suggest we do, missy?” he asked, reverting his attention back to the Luna.

“Exactly what I just said. I offered you an opportunity to say what your reasons are, but what I’ve seen is that you’re just afraid to open up, like a puppy during a thunderstorm.”

“I AM NOT LIKE THAT IN ANY WAY!”

“No? I didn’t even hear one good reason from you… I’ll give you time. You sit in your lonely, angry corner of the sofa while us three have a relaxing chat over wine. If when we’re done and you don’t have one good, convincing reason not to help her, WE will help her. And that WE include YOU, Mr. Wall.”

And yes, Hero did sit alone on that sofa, holding and sipping from his glass, deeply annoyed by the talk and laughter that he could hear from the people sitting on the high chairs that surrounded the mini bar.

“OKAY!” H suddenly said. “FINE! I agree…”

“Excuse me?” Helena said.

“I said I agree…” he sighed once more. “I accept that I’m afraid of losing her… Alicia, I don’t want to be without you… I’ve had you for such a short time… I don’t want to try and live by myself again… I’ve lost all the people I care about, and…”

“AHEM,” loudly interrupted Virgil. “All?”

“Okay, okay… Almost all the people I care about… happy, bro?”

V smiled and went back to his drink.

“I can’t… can’t lose you… that’s why I can’t let you go through that… yet… but the Luna is right… I’ll help you… I took you from your previous life, and now I can’t just say I won’t give you a new one… it’s the least you deserve.”

Alicia got down from the high chair and ran to the sofa where her man was. She throws herself at him and started hugging him then kissing him deeply even while she smiled widely.

“Thank you, my love,” she whispered joyfully after that long passion-filled kiss. “You will NOT regret your decision, I am sure of it.”

“Whoa, are we so happy about this? I mean it, it’s really dangerous… and not done so regularly that it’s considered normal… I know too little about it, but enough to know those two things…” Hiromoto said to the smiling exultant woman in his arms, who he now helped to sit on his lap.

“That’s kind of true… I mean, it’s painful… and in some cases even severely torturous since your body will have to be rearranged on a genetic level. Your brain will change and your bones and muscles will have to shift to be stronger and more flexible… Well there will be a lot of physical changes that will happen, and I hope you have a very high tolerance for pain because you’ll feel a lot of it, for at least twelve hours. But hey, after that you’ll be one of us!” Helena smiled, as she stood up and walked closer to the hugging couple.

All the others looked at each other. V’s expression was unreadable, Hero suddenly went even paler, and Alicia got up and hugged Helena.

“I don’t mind the pain. I’m ready. I entered this whole thing with my eyes open and for my mate, I’m willing to do anything to make this whole thing work and nothing will stop me from being with him for good and forever.”

Hero upon hearing Sorah’s words and the determination in her voice could not help but feel his heart constrict and his eyes to water.

Both ladies smiled widely, in an almost celebratory manner, and then Helena spoke.

“Okay then, let’s prepare you guys now.”