“And?” He asks lightly.

“I will accept.” I say with quiet confidence, even as the words tear my heart asunder.

My life will never be my own. Forever I will belong to the people. I could choose my path... I could be free. But how could I live with myself if I let my cousin continue treating my people as slaves? I couldn’t.

"But I need to visit Greyston first, make sure my family..." I trail off. It's been weeks since I last heard their voices. But a small what if is enough... I must try.

He nods, clapping my shoulder. He will never know how close he came to being stabbed. What is it with these two towns and their shows of physical affection?

“Boy, you carry the burdens of many on your shoulders. I will support that weight any way I can.” His eyes meet my own to ensure he conveys sincerity.

I bow my head in what I hope is a regal, princely nod. Probably looks more like a bobble head.

“I appreciate that more than you know,” I respond.

"I will provide you with an escort to Greyston. You should be able to make the city within the week. Be prepared. Oh, yes. Be prepared." There is a glimmer in his eye that reminds me of his son, as if he knows something I don't.

It puts a thread of apprehension in my gut,

"Thank you, Imperial."

He bows to me with one last parting glance before walking into the firelight of the fall celebration.

A great cheer goes up as the gathering catches sight of their leader. Laughs arise as he begins a chicken dance to the beat of the drums, flapping his arms and clucking. His cluck sounds like a dying lizard, lending fuel to the laughter of the crowd.

He gets some little ones involved who get their parents involved until the whole town of ferocious beasts is practically clucking, which is not as appealing as it sounds.

Flash joins to get close to his girl, but she pointedly ignores him.

He sniffs the air and glances my way. A grin crosses his face as he walks over, holding a hand to his cheek where a certain red-head slapped him.

“She’s beautiful.” He joins me with a love-struck sigh, following my gaze to his girl.

I laugh. “I don’t envy you that task, brother.”

“She’s worth it.”

I nod as we both watch the red-headed beauty bend down to help up a little one who had fallen during the clucking challenge. She kisses the little one's cheek and dries his tears. The lady hoists him on her back, carrying him piggy back until the little boy's tears are turned to laughter.

Flash turns bright eyes my way. “Do you think I have a chance?” His words are fueled by desperation borne of long suffering.

I almost tell him to ask someone, anyone, else. I’ve never even had a girlfriend; I have no idea how to give romantic advice. But I do know the love of my mother and her teachings on the heart. I also know what I learned watching my adopted parents and their sweet and honest love for one another. Plus, his eyes beg me to give him some form of hope. I can’t just put him off.

“She’s a tough one. But if you give your all, with her best in your heart, I have a feeling she’ll come around. Give her time. Show her love. Learn what means a lot to her and support her. Gain her trust and be there for her. That’s all anyone can do.”

That’s what my adopted parents did. They put each other’s needs before themselves and sowed truth and honesty, along with investing their time and gifts, even when it wasn't easy. Especially when it wasn't easy.

My Pa once told me you reap what you sow. If you sow selfishness, greed, and ingratitude while only focusing on your wants... you reap anger, discontent, and entitlement. But if you sow peace, truth, compassion, contentment, and unselfish love watered with encouragement... that is when you reap joy, laughter, and a genuine relationship to test the bonds of time. Theirs was the purest love I have ever seen.

But it takes two, and I hope Flash's girl is up for the challenge a relationship brings.

He clasps my shoulder much as his father did. He’s almost hopping with ill-concealed excitement, thus missing my leg that went to hook his before I jerked it back. These cats will be the death of themselves if they keep showering me with physical shows of whatever this is.

“Thanks. Means a lot. Especially coming from you.”

“Coming from me?” I say, highly confused. Do what now?

“The worlds' famous assassin who also happens to be a prince? I’m sure all the ladies are clambering after you.” He’s off before I can respond.

“You’d be surprised.” I whisper to his retreating back.

~~~

"Give that back or so help me you little—" Flash waves a finger at my retreating form, and I look back to show him a grin of fangs, almost tripping over a root.

The steak in my lips is delightfully tasty. No way am I giving it back, even if I did steal it from his very plate, even after Zephora gave me my own. Serves him right for sneaking up on me last night with powdered peppermint.

Until you've sneezed your nostrils out from such a thing, I don't want to hear it. The kid deserves whatever tricks I can reap on him from here on out.

My wolf form, as loathe as I am to admit it, is actually more accepted by the cats of this little village than my human.

Go figure.

It makes me wonder if it's me they don't like, instead of just the Shifter in me. Or perhaps it's both.

If you smiled a bit more, you'd be more approachable, the voice inside comments with a ill-concealed humor.

I shake off the voice and my thoughts, turning my intentions for tomorrow. We leave, at long last, to go after my family. I hope I'm ready for whatever we will find.

~~~

The black horse grunts as I jerk the cinch with more gusto than is perhaps necessary.

I pat his flank as he eyes me with pinned ears.

"Sorry, boy." I say, slightly breathless from the exertion of energy.

"You shouldn't be going." Heather says from a few feet behind me, and my heart gives a lurch.

I haven't been this absent minded since... I honestly don't remember when.

I grunt, much like the horse did earlier. "It's my family."

She crosses to my horse, giving him a carrot. He nibbles it from her fingers as she strokes his forehead.

"I do understand. You helped me save Shasta. But you're..."

I hear the unspoken words. Useless, weak, broken.

"I know. I gave myself time to heal before, and look," I gesture to myself: pale, drawn, and limping. "So much better than before! I'm practically healed." The outburst takes more from me than I'd like. I lay my head on the saddle of my horse. "I wish I'd never laid eyes upon your little town. Perhaps then I'd still be with my family."

"Or you'd be dead." Her eyes flash golden and her voice is soft in a deadly sort of way. I watch her warily.

My words were childish at best, but at this point, they were true. If I'd never met her, it would've meant my family would be within my sight.

And I'd most likely still be in a cage. Or worse, it's possible I would've killed my brothers and mother if I'd hit my limit and let The Beast out when I was still held in that wagon train.

I never would've recovered. Not from that. There are far worse things than torture.

I message my forehead with a thumb, trying to stave off the headache growing there. "Forgive me, Heather. I..."

She sets her hand on my arm, and I jump.

"I know. And that's why we're coming with you."

"We?" I ask, unsure what she means. The two-man escort from the Imperial is already here.

Healer Morgana steps from the folds of forest. "Didn't think I'd let ya have all the fun, eh, boy?" she cackles, and I almost smile.

Flash and ten Were I can count step from behind the healer, bags slung over their shoulders and horses at their backs.

"What makes you think we'd let a limping kit like you go on an important mission all alone? Besides, Dad wouldn't forgive me if I let you die. And I kinda have to be there to make sure you live. So, here I am!" He stretches out his hands and lifts his arms to the sky as if he is the gift of the worlds.

He stumbles as his sister, Zephora, rams her shoulder into his before marching past.

"Hey!" Flash says in indignation. "You ruined my moment."

She huffs in what some may would call amusement. I call it scary. She gives me a grim once-over before shrugging and moving to one of the shaggy ponies to put her saddlebag over the pony's rump.

Perhaps this is because of the deal I made with the Imperial, but somehow it feels like... more. Like pack. The Imperial didn't have to send his son and daughter and what I can see are seasoned fighters; the way they walk and the feline grace at which they mount the horses is undeniable, plus the ease at which they ride with the bows at their backs and the many swords and armor they wear like a second skin.

These are lethal Were, sharpened in battle and oiled in blood.

Something comes over me as I realize all these men and women are coming... for me. Because of me. Because I care about some humans, they are going to ride and fight beside me.

"Don't cry. That would ruin my image of you." Flash mock whispers as he brings his own shaggy buckskin mount beside my own.

Heather hides a grin behind her hands.

I shake my head, getting most of the emotions back into place. Most of them. A pesky warmth cradles my chest and eases some of the pain as I watch the folk around me get ready to ride.

We aren't alone anymore. That voice inside whispers with reverence.

No. No, we aren't.