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Chapter 263: Seconded

LERRIN - Anima

As he stood over the water he was using to bathe, scrubbing his arms with the thick cloth, Lerrin felt Asta scratch at his mind, and opened to her—only a window. He and Asta had always struggled for full connection—not uncommon among unmated wolves—but additionally, Lerrin had no energy left to let her feel him. She would never mention it, but he felt her silent judgment whenever he gave in to the weakness of emotion.

It was something she\'d teased him about when they were young. And snarled at him for as they grew. An over-excited pup, she\'d called him more than once. Quivering so he might pee himself. Lerrin gritted his teeth and continued to bathe.

What went wrong? She asked in his head.

Lerrin\'s lip curled. The Cat.

Through the limited connection he sent what images he could—of Lucine\'s body, the knife, the tracks and scents.

She blinked in surprise at the images he sent as he moved from cleaning his arms to his torso, allowing the excess water to patter to the dirt and be absorbed there.

He used a knife. He was in human form? She asked.

Lerrin nodded, growling. He wasn\'t sure why, either. But that was the choice the traitor king had made.

At least she tasted his blood—a great deal of it—before she died, he sent.

Asta grunted. It weakens our position against him, that he took her life.

Lerrin let a growl rise in his throat that peaked when she turned to meet his eyes. Did she think he didn\'t know that?

She rolled her eyes. She knew he\'d had a hard day. He didn\'t have to get pissy.

"Pissy. Pissy?" Lerrin growled. "Really, Asta?"

"Got you talking, didn\'t it?" she said quietly.

Lerrin shot her a look, but snorted and went back to bathing, scrubbing the sweat and grime from his legs. With a heavy sigh he sent, What\'s the mood among the pack who were here?

Uncertainty, she replied without hesitation. They are impatient. They had hopes we would be triumphant already. The older, wiser wolves are unsurprised. But all are disappointed.

Lerrin ground his teeth. "Any scent of mutiny?"

"None."

Lerrin nodded. He had that much at least. His family had held the Alpha role for generations. There were few who wanted to challenge, and even fewer realistically capable of it.

None, actually. Though some would be tougher to defeat than others.

Then Asta put an image in his head of a group of the older females speaking together during the day and sent, with a cautious tone, They do not question your right to rule, but they want to see you as a pack leader. Not a lone wolf. They will press you to mate quickly now.

Lerrin tossed the cloth back into the water with a hiss and turned his back, snorting air from his nostrils.

They will be sorely disappointed.

He felt Asta\'s amusement through the connection, though it was a watery reflection of the grin on her face.

Laugh all you want, he muttered through the connection. Wait until they decide that you need a male to keep you in line.

The whip of anger—and fear—that shot through her was strong enough for him to feel it, and he chuckled as her grin fell from her face so quickly it looked like she\'d been stung.

Not so funny when the burr is in your fur, I guess? He sent.

She narrowed her eyes at him, but sent nothing.

Will you be leading the fists tomorrow, or staying here? She asked—a hesitancy in the sending that made him frown and turn to look at her.

Tomorrow will be for planning, now that we understand them better, he sent back slowly. I doubt I will leave the encampment, why?

It took her a moment to respond and she stepped closer to him before she did, to allow the connection to strengthen.

I know I tease you about your emotions, Lerrin, but… you have suffered great loss. It is… appropriate to rest and… honor that.

He blinked at her in surprise. "Thank you," he said softly.

Asta shrugged and struggled to meet his eyes. "If I can help, I will. We are at war, but we are still wolves. We do not stop living. If you need assistance, I\'m here."

They stared at each other a moment. Something passed behind her eyes—something nervous and soft—but Lerrin couldn\'t catch it.

He swallowed, suddenly undone by her simple kindness in a way that hadn\'t happened with anyone else that day. "Thank you," he rasped. "I… thank you."

She nodded and broke the eye-contact. "Do you have orders for tonight? Anything you need now, before you rest?"

Lerrin forced himself to take a deep breath and refocus. Running his hand through his hair he tried to think, but his mind was blank.

Just… be ready for the security council tomorrow. It will be challenging, I think, he sent. There are… mixed ideas about how best to take the Tree City—and when. I\'ll need your support in the votes. And… I will need time tomorrow to go through Lucine\'s things. If the council goes past mid-afternoon can you bring me something to pull me out? If they haven\'t made a decision by then, I\'ll need to declare it. But I don\'t want to create tensions this early if we can avoid it.

"Consider it done."

"Thank you, again, Asta. It\'s a relief to have your support. Especially now."

She nodded again, and sketched a bow, then turned for the tent-flaps.

He turned for the bed, praying he would be able to sleep, his body aching to lay down. But before he crawled in, he called her back.

"Asta?"

"Yes?" she turned just before she pushed open the tent.

He sent the question through the connection. Was there any violence in the encampment today? Anything you had to control?

She tilted her head, frowning. Nothing serious. A fight between a couple guards on their first assignment. And one battle over a female. Why?

No reason. I\'m just… aware of the tensions. Keep an eye on things. If there are days in a row that I\'m away, let me know when I return if you\'re seeing an increase in fighting among our people. We need to make sure the pressure of the situation doesn\'t eat us from the inside.

She nodded and looked like she might say something, then just nodded again and waved. "I will do that. See you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Asta."