Page 20 of The Hidden Guardian
“Renall and Zev have much to discuss, but let’s have a seat at the table. I’m sure you have many questions.” Lupe guides me over to two chairs in the center of the table. The one closest to the apples and pears. “Help yourself to anything you’d like. Onai, my daughter, has quite an affinity for gardening, we can’t eat them fast enough.”
We take a seat next to each other, “A ‘few questions’ is the understatement of the century. I feel like I haven’t spoken to another human in ages.”
She nods, her dark braid touching her lap as she sits. My eyes gravitate to her red bite marks again. Lupe sits up straighter, angling her neck toward me. These markings are a source of pride for them. “It’s been a while since we’ve had an outsider join our ranks who didn’t actively seek us out.”
“Why is that?” I ask, grabbing an apple from the bowl in front of us.
“Well, that is a story for a later time.” She sighs. “Why don’t you ask some of your questions and I will try my best to answer them all.”
“Okay, where do I even start?” I shake my head, taking a bite of the apple. “Well, what is this place?”
“This is Luna Cavern, we are the Protector Clan that currently consists of 150 right now, including wolves, Guardians, and pups. Zev is the clan Alpha, and I am his mate. Although, it seems that even with the more we create, more of our group is picked off by the human demons.” She takes a deep breath before beginning what I assume will be a long story. A younger girl with two long black braids and tan skin like Lupe’s places another plate of fruit down in front of us. She meets my eyes and smiles before leaving. “That is where we come in. We are Guardians. A race created to protect nature and the wolves. You and your brother must have been raised not knowing our customs; it will be a slow, painful process, but I’m sure you will adapt.”
“How exactly are we supposed to protect wolves from anything?”
“Well, we have our own little protective gifts.” She nods at me. I think back to the tree in the forest. “Wolves are like human men, only worse.” She rolls her eyes before sighing. “They are stubborn, reckless, and downright scary sometimes. It’s our job to reel them back in and make sure our secret stays that way. Plus, we spend most of the time getting them out of the trouble they have caused themselves.”
“Like when I saved him from the bear trap?” I ask, taking another bite of the apple.
“I haven’t heard about all of your adventures, but I suspect so. The protective call of a Guardian to her wolf defies nature. It’s a gift and a curse. You’re connected with someone so completely it’s exhilarating. But on the other hand, you can’t seem to ever escape their feelings, fears, and not to mention the constant worry for them.”
The apple freezes in my throat and I swallow. “What you’re describing … It’s how I felt about my brother before he … you don’t think that …?”
The question hangs in the air between us.
“I’m sorry to hear about your brother. I cannot speak to your bond, but I can tell you that fierce overprotectiveness and overwhelming heartache could possibly be indicators that you might have been his Guardian. Renall didn’t feel the pull of the heartcall until a few weeks ago when he petitioned Zev to go find you. If you were Renall’s Guardian this whole time, he would have felt the pull when you turned eighteen.”
“So … it’s true.” I sob, the apple falls from my hand. “I failed my brother. I didn’t protect him like I was supposed to.” I’ve never felt more anger toward my Mother. She left us without sharing the knowledge of what we are. If I had known, I could have practiced or sought out a pack and protected him. Colton would still be alive today if it weren’t for me.
“I see where your thoughts are taking you, there is no way you could have protected him not knowing your powers or our ways.” Lupe pulls me into a cold embrace. Her scent is a mixture of lemon and lilacs. “Some of our trained Guardians have fallen at the hands of these human demons. They have destroyed almost half of our numbers, as you can tell by looking around. Once the demons have their sights on you, it’s rare you survive. If Renall didn’t find you, if you didn’t leave your home, make no mistake, you would have suffered the same fate as your brother.”
At the sound of his name, my eyes drift to the shadowy alcove in the corner. Renall is standing there with Zev talking beside him. But his eyes are on me, studying me. Zev points into the darkness behind them. Renall offers me a small nod before disappearing to talk to his Alpha.
ChapterFourteen
RENALL
My eyes adapt to the darkness of the room in seconds as Zev leads me over to the chairs on the balcony overlooking Luna Lake. It’s quiet today as I lean over the stone railing, the only sounds emanating from it are the bubbling of the waves and the rustling of the trees below. The golden glow from the sacred tree illuminates the gardens and warm lake below. I haven’t been away from the cavern for this long in centuries, but I always miss it. Rawe-tum would love this view. My jaw clenches. I have to physically stop myself from walking back to her. Rawe-tum is safe with Lupe. It’s only been a few weeks since she called me, but already her claws have sunk into me and taken purchase.
“This one has got a hold on you.” Zev eyes me suspiciously.
“It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before,” I whisper, my knuckles growing white against the stone balcony.
“True Guardians are rare; you should count yourself lucky you found something like me and Lupe.”
“This is different, I’ve never seen you like this with Lupe. I can’t stop myself from answering her heartcall. I feel her sorrow as closely as if it were my own. It’s never been like this before with ...”
“Lupe and I are soulbonded. We are as close as wolf and Guardian can get.” His voice raises defensively.
“And yet, would you have left the cave to rescue her? Would you have the power to disobey an Alpha order?” I turn to face him. Something is different with this bond, something special about me and Rawe-tum.
“No, and you shouldn’t have either,” Zev snaps, his eyes narrowing. There’s no more time for pleasantries. I’m unleashing the true Alpha side of my dearest friend.
“That’s what I’m telling you, Zev, I couldn’t stop myself. I couldn’tnotanswer her call.”
“There is always willpower one must have. Will you always bend to her beck and call?”
“Always,” I respond without hesitation. “Rawe-tum holds my heart in hers, even if she doesn’t feel it yet. Once the pain of losing her loved one subsides, she will be able to hear how her heart beats for me now. I’ve heard it. We beat in tune and share one heart now.”
