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Chapter 5

Chase stares at me for several moments opening and closing his mouth not making a sound. I just sit there tracing the wood grains on the table. Eventually he finds his voice again and after letting out a loud sigh asks, "Why would he want to kill you just for being born?"

I shrug, "I don't really know, something about a prediction, or a promise, or something that my grandfather made before I was born. Never have learned what it was all about."

He stares at me with raised eyebrows, "Why haven't you tried to find out more about it, if I was in your shoes I would have done all I could to find out why someone was trying to kill me."

I stop tracing the wood grains as a few memories that I have fought to keep buried bubble to the surface. "Well I kind of left home before that was explained to me and it was before Agerex made his first attempt on my life."

He nods like he understands, "So you didn't know he wanted to kill you till you left home, but why not just go back and ask when he tried the first time?"

I go back to tracing the grains as I stare at my finger going over them. "I couldn't go back."

When I don't continue he asks, "Why couldn't you go back?"

I swallow and look up at him, "My dad and I had a... disagreement then I left."

"What kind of a disagreement?"

I look him in the eyes as in my mind I relive the last moments I spent with my dad. "The kind of disagreement that I don't want to talk about."

There must have been a bit more of an edge to my voice than I intended because Chase stiffened a bit at my words before speaking. "I'm sorry, I was just a bit curious is all."

I let out a low sigh, "No, I'm sorry. I was a bit sharp, it's just that it is a sensitive subject, even after all these years. You were just being caring and curious. I would be the same way in your shoes."

Silence grows between the two of us as we sit at the table each of us thinking about what the other has said. I look at Chase and study his face for a moment taking in his features admiring the pattern of his fur. The more I look at him the more I find to admire in him. Not everyone would have taken in a bleeding near death creature like me.

Part of me can't help but wonder though if there isn't some other motive he may have for saving my life. It wouldn't have been the first time that someone has tried to use me for their own personal gain. I need to keep alert for any kind of treachery. But there is still a kindness in his eyes that I have not seen in a long time.

His eyes are such a warm amber color filled with kindness. As he looks at me I can't help but... He looks at me?

I jump slightly realizing that I have been caught staring at him so much and quickly look away causing Chase to laugh softly. When he finishes laughing he says softly, "Enjoying what you were looking at?"

I feel my face heat up as I blush under my fur a bit. Thankfully with my black fur it's hidden, not that a non demon would notice anyway, but still. Clearing my throat softly, "Sorry didn't mean to stare. Was just wondering why you helped me?"

He shrugs and answers my question with a question, "Do I really need a reason to help someone other than they needed help?"

I look down at the table and trace another wood grain with my claw before responding, "The last time I was helped by someone when I was hurt they tried to make me a slave along with another wolf. In the end we managed to escape."

Chase takes a deep breath before saying quietly, "I'm sorry to hear that Eb."

I give a small shrug, "It wasn't all bad. Because of that event I learned a few tricks, made a new powerful friend, one who owes me a favor I intend to collect on one day when I need it."

Looking up towards his face I notice Chase is giving me an appraising look as though judging me in a new light. I raise an eyebrow silently asking him what the look is for. As though able to read my mind he asks, "Why would you hold someone to a debt if you were both kept in enslavement and escaped?"

I chuckle, "Well we may have both been enslaved at the time but WE didn't escape. I escaped and freed him in the process. As a result he owes me either his life or something of equal value."

He leans back in his chair and crosses his arm as he keeps studying me before asking, "Why would you hold someone to a debt like that?"

I look Chase square in the eyes. Unlike most people his gaze doesn't drop after a short time of looking into my eyes. Instead he holds my gaze and returns it just as steadily. Eventually I let out a small sigh, "For people like me the lines between being a good and decent person and the ones with being cruel and manipulative can become blurred. Especially for those of my descent."

Now it is his turn to raise an eyebrow, "You mean people related to your father's side of the family?"

I snort a bit impatiently feeling my blood warm a bit as it sometimes does. With a tone of arrogance mixed with a feeling of superiority I say coldly, "Of course that's who I mean. Why should I be limiting myself with such moral absolutes as good and evil? For those like me to be around lesser people can be confining."

As soon as the words leave my lips I know that I have struck a deep blow at chase and remorse hits me hard and I shrink in on myself saying quietly, "I am sorry Chase. I didn't mean to say that. It just slipped out."

His eyes are wide as he is taken aback by my sudden attitude and change of mood. For a moment he just sits there looking at me before he says in a soft measured voice, "It seems there are more secrets that you are holding onto than what you have already shared."

He gets up and moves to leave the kitchen. When he is at the door reaching to open it I say in a small voice that even I can barely hear, "Secrets and lies, deception and hiding. That's what my life has been about. Hiding who I really am from people who would genuinely try and help me. On the run from the only living family I have. All the secrecy has become so much a part of who I am that sometimes its hard remembering who I really am and not falling into the trap of becoming something that I'm not and corrupting what good there is in me."

Chase stops at the door and I can feel his gaze turned back on me as I remain where I am seated. I am so absorbed in my self pity at that moment that when I feel his hand on my shoulder I jump. With a calm voice he says, "We all have our burdens we carry Eb. But no one can carry all their problems alone all the time. That's why we make friends and close bonds with others. To share our burdens. As a group we are far stronger than any one individual can be. Even if that individual is able to become a very large dragon like creature."

I chuckle a bit at his last statement and look up at him to see a warm smile on his face. He jerks his head towards the door, "Why don't we go out and you can meet a few of the others. They may start thinking things if we hang out in here too much longer."

I get to my feet grabbing my sword and pack as we both head out of the kitchen together.

............

I follow Chase out the door lost in thought. Why did I let that slip out, how could I have let that slip out? He thinks differently of me now I know he does. I am so stupid I should have kept a tighter lid on those feelings. They aren't mine how could I have let them get out.

Moving with Chase absentmindedly I don't notice when he stops and speaks to me till he grabs me by the arm, "Eb, I want you to meet my beta and best friend Richard."

I snap out of my internal berating and look at the wolf that he is indicating. Richard is a tall wolf with deep brown and red fur. His eyes shine a bright yellow as he takes in my appearance. In his eyes I can see, or at least think I see, that he is judging me and deciding just how much of a threat I am to his alpha and pack.

Richard holds out a paw to me saying, "Hello there, pleasure to meet you Eb."

Cautiously I lift my own paw and shake his. When our paws touch I feel a surge of something race down my spine. Something about this wolf sets me on edge. I don't know what it is, but for some reason I feel like he and I will have a complicated future.

This isn't the first time I have had this feeling, over the years I have felt it before when I meet someone that I will be dealing with in an important event. Sometimes it's good sometimes it's bad. But all times it has been important. But what about Richard could be so important that it makes me feel that something connects us?

He smiles at me warmly as he lets go of my paw and gestures towards a white female wolf that just walked up to stand beside him, "Eb this is my wife Jasmine."

She is a few inches than he is solid white with soft grey eyes. All in all she is a rather beautiful person. I bow my head to her showing respect as I greet her, "Hello Jasmine. Pleasure to meet you."

She looks at me with curiosity in her eyes as she takes me in. I can't see any judgment or fear in her eyes, or any emotion for that matter except curiosity. For a moment she studies me her head tilted to the side just a little before she reaches out a paw and touches the side of my face. The same feeling when her husband touched me races down my spine again. What is it with these two that is so important?

After a moment she lowers her hand and says in a kind voice, "You have many secrets don't you Ebony. Don't worry you're not the only one who has secrets and gifts."

I raise an eyebrow and look at Chase and Richard who chuckle before Richard responds, "My wife has a gift for seeing what bothers others. Sometimes it sets people on edge when they first meet."

I smile at Jasmine before replying, "That's quite alright, I'm used to people being on edge around me."

She looks up at me, "Yes you are aren't you."

Without another word she moves over to her husband and wraps her arms around him and leans against his side. As she moves by me I catch her scent but there is something else just below the surface of it. It seems that I'm not the only one with a secret around here. I wonder if she even knows she has it yet. Only one way to find out.

I look at Richard and ask, "How long have you two been together?"

He looks down at Jasmine and smiles, "A little over three years now."

After taking a glance around the room I ask my second question already knowing the answer, "Any kids yet?"

He shakes his head, "No but we have been talking about it."

I smile mischievously, "Thought not, there's no sign of cubs running around here."

Jasmine catches my eye and in that look I see her understand take shape before she asks, "How did you know I was pregnant Ebony?"

Richard and Chase both look at her with stunned looks on their face as I just shrug answering her, "Your scent is starting to change, and it's very subtle, barely noticeable to even the best noses."

Chase and Richard are both still staring at Jasmine as though I don't exist so I decide shutting up is a good idea. Eventually Richard asks, "When were you going to tell me we were going to have a child?"

She looks up at him smiling, "I just found out myself and was coming to tell you. But I noticed that Ebony figured it out first."

At her words Chase turns and looks at me, "How did you figure it out so fast?"

I shrug, "Like I said her scent is changing. I just have a really good nose for such things."

He looks at me with an uncertain look and motions for us to move off while the couple begins their own celebration. I am led down a short wall till Chase opens a door and we step outside onto a snow covered porch. The cold hits me like a wall as my breath instantly becomes visible.

He crunches a few steps through the snow then turns and looks at me and in his eyes there is a calculating expression. For a moment he just stands there looking at me before he says, "Were you going to ask her flat out if she was pregnant and possibly cause her and Richard, my best friend a great deal of embarrassment?"

I cross my arms and look at him defiantly, "I had no intention of causing them harm of any sort. I knew at once she was pregnant so I had no need to ask if she was. I was simply curious if there were other children around here which I doubted because of the lack evidence to their presence."

He takes a deep breath and lets it out in a huff that forms a cloud in front of him that slowly drifts away. For a moment silence grows between us before he smiles and says, "Having you around is going to be interesting isn't it."

I shrug and give him a half smile, "Life isn't worth living if it isn't interesting at least part of the time now is it?"