Silver Memory 6

Night had fallen again. From this bedroom's window, nothing could be heard from the outside. As if the world had fallen silent in a moment of peace. The wind was the only making sounds and even the snow remained still.

A few knocks greeted the door before it opened.

"Come down, it is time for dinner. Our people cook deliciously, I bet you will like their cooking."

Tilting my head to one side, I wondered why he was being so nice. Beta Leo looked at me for a bit and then nodded. I nodded back and walked to him. He walked behind me as I led my feet towards the kitchen. When I got there I saw not only women cooking and attending to those at the table, but men as well. Some were muscular and others were less fit. But it seemed that none of them minded.

How odd. Most of the packs I had come across before my time as a rogue, were more patriarchal. Although, some time has passed since I personally ventured close enough to know a pack's order.

Leo saw me looking at the kitchen weirdly, " Here it is expected that everybody helps at anything. No matter their rank or gender."

I nodded silently at him and continued my walk. Reaching the kitchen, I looked around more closely and saw a child close to the stove. They are going to burn themselves. Is no one watching this child? Walking rapidly, I pulled the child away by the arm. "Don't get too close or you will burn yourself." The child nodded and pointed at the plate beside the stove. I grabbed it and told him, "Ok. Got it, now tell me where you are going to sit." The child nodded with a shy smile and led me outside. There were small tables of different colors for children. The child led me to a pink table, where there was a small girl. "Here?" The child nodded and sat while I placed his plate on the table. He quickly started chatting away with the girl.

I turned around to head back inside and grab a plate for myself. Walking back into the kitchen, there were fewer people in here than the first time I had walked through here. Quickly, I served myself and made a beeline towards the front door. Reaching the outside, I looked for an empty spot in the snow to eat. There was a fire in the center for the children to warm up with. Maybe I shouldn't sit there. Ch I decided to find a table that had no one. It was a child-size table but I could reach while sitting on the snow-covered grass.

I could see from here all the children including Liam and Erin. They were sitting on the pink table that I had set the other child at. They were talking excitedly of well...whatever 8-year-olds found funny.

He was right, the food was delicious. Eating enthusiastically, I finished my plate in less than 10 minutes. Gosh, I had been hungry. Finding food was no trouble but eating such delicious homemade food was something different.

Looking around, I noticed that the children were still eating. I got up and dusted myself off. I looked around and smelled the air. My eyes widened. Outsider. Someone is inside the lands. Slowly, I walked to the children and said, "Hey, tonight all of you are lucky. The adults have a big bucket of ice cream. So go for it before the adults find it and finish it." The children got out of their seats quickly and entered the house. I looked around to check if any children remained outside. None. Good.

I made my way towards where the scent came from. I ended up a bit far from the packhouse and into the entrance of the woods. Behind some trees, a person was behind the shadows. She was human. Why was a human here? Unless...Looking more closely, she was carrying weapons. A huntress. A growl escapes my chest. Another growl accompanied mine from the back. At my side now stood Beta Leo. But he seemed to relax as soon as he saw her. But he still gazed at her intently.

"Stand down. She is an informer of ours."

That didn't calm me down completely but I stood my ground. Then out of nowhere, Alpha Aleandro appeared.

Shaking my head, I turned to head back but it seemed they had another thing on their mind.

"This is Christina. She is our inside in the hunters' area. She keeps us informed of any changes." Christina nodded and held out her hand, but I didn't take it. I don't know her nor did I want to. Hunters weren't known for their trustworthiness. This woman is unpredictable as an ally.

I nodded instead. Didn't say a word nor looked her way.

"Christina, you can go rest." She nodded and walked away, but not before she threw me one last look. Scoffing, I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Come, both of you," Alpha Aleandro said. Beta Leo nodded and followed.

"Silver.."

"Yes, Yes. Going."

I walked behind them and into his office again. Alpha Aleandro sat at his chair and indicated for us to sit as well. Cortuous this one, wasn't he?

Beta Leo continued to talk about some financial matters with him. Alpha Aleandro seemed to understand all that was said and made comments of his own to which Beta Leo talked about. If anyone were to come in here, like a human, this would look like a business talk.

"Silver."

Hearing my name being called, I turned to them and waited to go on. But they just stared intently. "What is it?" They looked at each other and nodded their heads. "We were discussing the recent invasions that have been going on with other packs. It seems that some hunters have been grouping up together and attacking packs." I looked at Beta Leo and then at his Alpha, "How organized have they been when attacking?"

Alpha Aleandro answered this time, "In whole, they have been more organized as ever before. As we know, hunters can be trouble when they attacked a wolf or a pair. But more than 10 hunters have grouped up and attacked 3 packs so far. None of them were successful. But injuries and a few fatalities were caused due to the attacks." I nodded, "If none of their attacks have been successful then why do you worry?"

"Because even if their attacks have failed, humans, holistically may not be much different from other species. But their greed and selfishness sometimes surpass any other. Even then, humans are complex creatures. They will risk anything in order to get what they want. We can't take the chance that these hunters will come back with more formidable tactics that could cause more harm. Even if we are stronger, it is not in my will nor my wish to underestimate humans."

Such words from an Alpha. But he wasn't wrong. Humans may be physically weaker but they are not to be underestimated at any time.

In response, I nodded, "So what are you going to do Alpha?" Alpha Leandro looked at me intensely. His eyes directly stared down at mine with fierceness. Confused at his stare, I tilted my head in an indication that I needed more than his stare to comprehend. I don't read minds, Alpha dear.

"You have roamed, for many years, freely without an alliance to a pack. Therefore, you, more than any of us, have had more contact with hunters and others out there. Any information you can provide us from you..adventures, would be helpful. Christina may be employed by our pack, but I am not foolish to completely trust her either. But, we mustn't act foolishly. So far she has done as asked and I trust that for some time more she will continue to do so. "

I nodded at Alpha Aleandro and said, "I will give you any information from my time as a rogue. Use it as you please. For the Christina matter, do you have others watching her when she roams out these lands into hunter territory?"

Nodding, Beta Leo responded, "Yes, without her knowing, we do have others watching her. As well as other informants that trust us as we do them. "

Standing from his chair, Alpha Aleandro dismissed Beta Leo. Only Alpha Aleandro and I remained in the room. I remained seated. I wasn't going to move at all unless he kicked me out. The chair was so damn comfortable. Gosh, it couldn't even be a chair more like soft cushioned sofas.

"Silver."

I turned my head to look at him, "Hmm?"

"Come here," he said, pointing to a corner in the room where a big sofa was positioned in front of a tiny fireplace. No. I have no idea what he is planning but this isn't going to be it.

"No. I am perfectly fine where I am."

"Silver...we need to talk about certain matters involving us."

Realization dawned on me. That matter. Oh, how interesting. Nodding, I skipped towards the large sofa and plopped down. "So, what's up?" Shaking his head, he came and sat down as well. He kept a short distance as if to give me space. His head facing down, like he was contemplating. Then a quiet question came out his mouth, "Who are you, Silver?"

"You know who I am. You just called my name, Alpha Aleandro."

He shook his head and looked at me. I stood up quickly and turn to leave. No.

"Silver." I stopped. "Come here."

I shook my head. "You already know who I am. I have nothing else to tell you."

"Silver," he said more strongly. I looked back at him and immediately turn back. I shook my head one last time and carried on. I got to the door and held my hand at the handle. "Seria inimaginable pensar que algun dia me conocieras."

I hurried away from there and headed out the pack house. Beta Leo was at the edge of the clearing, almost close to where we had been when Christina had arrive here. I walked quickly his way and asked, "Is there a lake nearby here?"

"Yes. It is in that direction," his hand pointing at my left into the trees, " you should continue straight and you should come across it, but it may be __"

I didn't let him finish. Immediately I ran in that direction. Trees grazed my shoulders as I ran without stopping. Then I saw the frozen lake.

My shoulders slumped. I sat down in the snow and looked up to the sky. Then I looked around me and saw a small frozen waterfall. I looked around one more time and saw a small cave. I got up again and headed towards the cave. I carefully stepped on the ice and entered the cave. Once I entered, I saw on the roof of the cave an opening that looked up towards the night sky. I felt my eyes close and my mouth open to let out a melody. My mind went foggy and my head raised to the sky. I couldn't make out what was happening, I just knew that the melodies felt right in my mouth. The night passed slowly and the surrounding sounds quieted down as my own melody rang in the air.

I couldn't hear anything but the melodies that came from me. My legs grew weak with the cold, but I couldn't bear to move as I listened to the melody. Then my legs collapsed underneath me and my bottom hit the snow-covered floor. My breaths slowed down and my body grew cold. My eyes opened only a little bit and at that moment my whole body fell down into the snow. My eyes looked up and saw snow falling. My mind told me to move. I had to move.

The familiar pain started at my legs, grew from there to my upper body, and slowly died down as my mouth closed. Then, my eyes grew tired as I looked up to the sky. The moon no longer visible as my body grew colder with the snow. My eyes grew heavier as I succumbed to the exhaustion.

The only thought in my mind had been his face. Such an expression on him, I would have never thought to see on him. This man was domineering and yet that sad smile gave him a melancholic beauty so blinding and so terrifying.