Chapter Seventeen: Darius

Gray Creek had been saved. Victory, though, tasted bitter.

Darius stood by Amara as they were encircled by his fellow clansmen. Wolf shifters both in their wolf forms and human forms walked forward, shooting strange looks at Amara.

He leaned down to Amara's ear. "You think they're gonna thank us?"

Amara, unfortunately, didn't giggle or laugh, but shot him a look, as if to say this wasn't the time. Darius glanced around. No one came closer than a dozen feet away, especially since Gavriel, still in his wolf form, paced around Darius and Amara, snarling at everyone to stay away.

Gray Creek was silent, the mood completely changed. Based on every shifter's expressions, it's like they never witnessed Amara help them, or help get rid of the two Vampires. Honestly, it was actually getting under his skin.

"What?" Darius finally said. "What are you all staring at? Is it really that strange to see a cat shifter?"

Most glanced away, unable to decide on their feelings towards her, but one older man growled low. "She should not be here."

"And neither should you," Darius countered. "Those Vampires should have killed you, but they didn't, because Amara gave us the openings we needed to win the fight."

The older wolf shifter spat into the earth and crossed his arms, but otherwise, he shut up.

Amara clung to his arm as a crashing sound alerted them all. From the Oldwood by the archway, Ulrick, still in his wolf form, bounded out, his sheer weight making deep pockets where his paws landed. He padded up, panting, growling at everyone to move. He came straight up to Gavriel, Darius, and Amara, and shifted to his human form.

"I thought you were chasing after that Vampire…" Darius said.

Ulrick grunted. "We lost her trail, though I have a pack still hunting her as we speak."

Ulrick turned and looked at every shifter encircling the group. Apparently, he wasn't interested in talking about the Vampire. "Whether she was here or not we would have won eventually," he said, his voice naturally rising. "She just made it a little quicker. But either way, it doesn't matter. That shifter was right, that girl should not be here. She either leaves now, or we kill her."

Gavriel immediately snarled and tensed up, showing his fangs to Ulrick. Ulrick stared Gavriel down. Neither moved.

Darius prepared to make a break for it with Amara if things went south. Damnit, maybe this wasn't the best plan after all. The Alpha would never change his views on the other clan, it simply was too great a change to make right now for him.

"Wait!"

Startled, everyone turned to see a female shifter and her young pup rush forward; she carried her pup in her arms and he looked out at every shifter he saw with wide eyes. Darius recognized her immediately as the woman Remus left Amara in charge of.

"You…" Amara whispered next to him.

Ulrick growled in frustration. "What is it now?"

The woman shied away from Ulrick at first, but eventually grew bold enough to look him in the eyes. "Amara should not be killed, or forced to leave." This sentiment sent a wave of whispering and muttering through the crowds, with a few gasps of shock. The woman looked around. "Aye, she is a cat shifter, from across the border, and when I first met her I had the same reaction as all of you, but then she did something I never expected from a member of the Pride. She saved my son." As if to emphasize her point, the woman raised her son half a foot. "He was stuck under a home amid the fighting, and a Changeling was thrown against it. I cried out for him, and before I could finish crying out, Amara rushed forward, took down the Changeling, and stood guard, so I had time to come over and pull him out. She's kind and heroic, so please, I beg you, do not force her away!"

The woman's child began to laugh hysterically in her arms at a butterfly that landed on her hair and made the moment so much less dramatic. Ulrick glared at the woman. "As if one's woman's word is enough to change my mind."

A hand shot up from somewhere in the crowd, with shifters around moving so that the female shifter it belonged to had room to walk forward. "I saw that too...the cat shifter saving the pup. The Changeling was trying to swipe at it, and just before the worst, she leaped on it and killed it instantly. I've only had time to think of it now, but why would she do that if she were our enemy?"

"Enough," Ulrick bellowed. "What kind of fools are you? She's a cat shifter!"

"And one that fought Vampires on our behalf…" Two more shifters came forward, both male, both glaring at Ulrick. "Let her be, she's friend as far as we see her."

More and more shifters came forward with eyewitness accounts of Amara's deeds, and more voices than Darius could count began to speak about how surprising it was to find a cat shifter willing to risk her life for them.

Ulrick, though, was not having any of it. He fumed and stomped on the ground like a child. "I said enough!" He bellowed. "The next person to speak for this monster will be personally torn apart by me!"

All voices cut away, leaving an air of silence. Sweat dripped down Darius' forehead as Ulrick slowly turned to face him and Amara. Darius could feel her tremble slightly.

"Looks like it's been decided, now, make your choice cub."

"She's not going anywhere!"

Ulrick lost it. "Alright! Whoever spoke, step forward. Your death will be quick, but extremely painful!"

Shocked voices gasped as a blonde head moved into the inner circle. Ulrick lost his voice as he looked on in horror. "Remus…? What-"

Remus stood tall, glaring at his father. He spread his arms out wide. "Well, father? Are you going to kill me, or not? I spoke out against you, didn't I?"

Ulrick wouldn't budge. "Remus, stop your yapping. I cannot kill you."

"Then you won't kill Amara."

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me." Remus walked around and stood in front of both Darius and Amara. "I'm telling you to either leave her be or go through me. Which will you do, father? Let an innocent cat shifter, who helped save Gray Creek from total destruction, stay here, or will you betray us all and kill your only son?"

Ulrick appeared at a loss, unmoving and his mouth agape. Remus didn't budge, keeping eye contact with his father. Finally, his father backed down. "Fine. She can stay, but she must be watched every hour of the day. I'll leave you to deal with that, Remus."

Like a man just defeated, Ulrick ambled away, making his way towards him home. "And clean up this mess!" He shouted over his shoulder.

The crowd began to dissipate, going to pick up Changeling bodies and helping wounded. The woman that was initially under Amara's protection smiled at them, but then turned and left. Gavriel looked at Darius once and then took off into the Oldwood. Darius didn't need to ask where he was going.

Both Darius and Amara let out very audible sighs of relief as Remus turned to them. "You hear that? You're going to be under my protection now, Amara." Remus winked at Darius. "I guess you have competition now, Dare."

"And mine," Darius said. "I'd never allow anyone to harm you. Nor Remus to take you away from me."

Amara chuckled. "Please, I don't think I can handle more than one wolf after me."

Remus chuckled as well. "It appears I have another admirer, so don't fret too much, Dare."

Darius cocked his head. "What do you mean?" All of a sudden, the realization that Remus cornered one of the Vampires hit him. "Wait, what happened to that brown-haired Vampire? What was her name…"

"Bronwen," Remus said. His gaze turned serious. "Her name is Bronwen."

"So, what happened with her? Don't tell me...you let her get away?"

Remus punched Darius in the arm. "Come on, what kind of amateur do you think I am? She's locked up right now, in chains. Strangely enough, the woman just had them on her, so I put them on her and left her in charge of a slew of guards."

Darius scratched his head, trying to ponder what Remus just mentioned. "She just had chains on her? Are you serious? But, why?"

"You don't think she possibly wanted to get captured, do you?" Amara asked. She glanced between the astonished look on Darius' face and the level look Remus gave her. "Did she struggle when you captured her, Remus?"

Remus looked away, hands on his hips. "No, she didn't." He turned, and his eyes widened a little. "Nyssa…"

Looking past Remus, Darius spotted Remus' sister walking up to them, she wore a blank look, and a streak of blood covered her stomach and cheek. Upon seeing Darius, her stark blue eyes became like rivers, and her long blonde hair floated in the wind as she ran up to greet him. She barrelled into him, embracing him as she swung her arms around his torso.

"Dare!" she said, sobbing. "I...I thought you were dead!

Amara appeared stunned, but Darius just gave her a sympathetic look. "Nyssa! It's been awhile, how have you been?"

Nyssa shot him a look. "How do you think I've been? I've been worried sick about you. Ever since my idiot brother came back and told us you crossed the river...I…"

Darius patted her head. "There, there. I'm fine, see?"

She pushed away from him, wiping at her red-hot eyes. "Don't treat me like a child! I'm fine."

Remus backed away slowly. "Dare, Amara. Come meet me later tonight, I think all three of us need to have a chat with Bronwen."

Nyssa glanced at her brother. "Bronwen? Who's Bronwen?"

"Nobody, Nyssa, just go tend to father. And stay out of our business, okay?"

She stuck her tongue out at him, but Remus sighed and turned to walk away.

"Don't treat me like a child, she says…" Darius remarked.

Nyssa must have realized her folly because her face burned at Darius' comments. Her face burned even brighter when she accidentally glanced at Darius and looked below his waist. She glanced away and stammered out her voice. "Why are you still naked?"

Darius exchanged a smile with Amara, who was just trying to keep herself from giggling out loud. "Well, we haven't exactly had time to go find some extra clothes. If you haven't noticed, most everyone around here is naked or was naked just a few minutes ago. Would you do us a favor and go grab us some clothes to change into?"

Nyssa eyed him and then turned her attention to Amara as if just noticing she stood next to Darius. "I can do that...just wait here."

Nyssa took off at a sprint, disappearing into Gray Creek before their very eyes.

"She's the one who has a crush on you?" Amara asked.

"Jealous, are we?"

Amara smiled and playfully smacked his shoulder. "After she grabs us some clothes, I think I need to rest, get some sleep…" she yawned as if to prove her point.

"Right, I'll take you to my place. I think it's maybe the only place you'll be able to sleep peacefully."

"And have a lustful animal like you around? I doubt it."

Nyssa returned after a short while with garments fitting each of them. She stepped back as they both changed and relaxed into their new clothes, and thanked Nyssa. She just nodded in response. As Darius and Amara turned away to leave, Nyssa spoke up.

"Wait, Dare…"

Darius turned back, a quizzical look on his face.

Nyssa clutched her hands behind her back and leaned on one foot. "When you get a chance, can we talk? Whenever you're available after you get some rest." She looked at Amara as if she were an afterthought. "Alone."

"Well, I can try, but I can't guarantee anything. There's a lot going on right now."

"It's alright if there isn't time. I'll get to talk to you again eventually, right?" She smiled sweetly. "Just let me know."

Nyssa whirled around and waved goodbye as she left, running off. Darius watched her go, wishing he could apologize to her for not feeling the same way as she did.

Amara crossed her arms while Darius watched Nyssa, and when he turned to her, he grinned. "You're definitely jealous."

Amara just smiled. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

With that, Darius lead Amara back to his home, where the two would be able to rest after their long ordeal.