The morning comes earlier than expected. We leave the lake as soon as possible. No one wants to find out what else is lurking under those dark waters. I cast a last eye as I grab my backpack and swing it to my shoulder. The lake is quiet, the tall grey mountains reflecting in it in the clear morning sunshine. It looks so serene, but I cannot shake the feeling of Stella’s sad presence still hovering over the glassy surface.

We start our trudge upwards, the last leg of this journey to the peaks. An hour in, we find a small brook and break our fast. Ahead of us the mountain looms, dark and formidable. The curve of the land is steep, the path is through a thick forest, teetering on the edges of deep gullies and sharp ledges. Fog-filled clouds hang low, shrouding the mountains in a grey gloom. From where I see, only birds can fly that high. Or maybe mountain goats have a chance. Yet the wolves plod on determinedly.

Halfway up, I am already tired. The cut on my finger has dried and throbs like a maniac. I am unable to clutch at Gabe’s fur and have now slid down a couple of times, to my chagrin and Olly’s amusement. She has today mastered the art of saddle-riding and looks much more comfortable. Jeff bounds ahead with her as they both laugh and squeal in delight. The show is too much for Myra, who has lost her speed today and hangs behind us in a dull trod.

The rest of us march in quiet.

Tammy has this stoic determination in her face. The closer we get to our destination, the harder her expression becomes. Tina keeps flip flopping between utter delight and sheer fright. The ledges get steeper as we travel up. The old forest getting murkier with every passing step.

Somewhere past the noon, we break for lunch near another bumbling brook. On the way, the scouts have captured a few rabbits and while they cook, I saunter towards the brook to soak my throbbing hand.

The place is shady and quiet. I find a smooth rock to sit on and dip my hand in the frothy water when Gabe strides by my side.

“Let me see.” Gabe sits next to me, holding my injured finger up for a closer inspection. It looks much worse in the light of the day. The cut is gone dry and itchy and I have scratched the skin around making it worse. The deep crimson gash with peeling pink is on full display.

“I wish I could heal it.” Gabe sighs as he tries his luck for the third time and fails. If we were mates, it would be healed by now. As such, it gives no response to his ministrations.

I know he is miffed. His green eyes are dulled with disappointment. I should have called him last night for my help, but instead, it was Adam. In my defence, it was inadvertent. I hadn’t specifically called Adam. Yet to explain it to Gabe is an uphill task.

He is stiff this morning. Uncommunicative. I have tried to talk, but in vain.

“It’s just a little scratch, Gabe. It will be better in a day or two.”

“It’s not a little scratch!” He grunts in frustration. “Everyone can smell that blood. We must fix it before we reach the cliffs, or those vampires will go mad.”

Right. I had forgotten there will be more vampires up there. They are supposed to be allies with the wolves, but I am not exactly a wolf yet, nor have I got a chance to turn anytime soon.

If I was a proper wolf, they would have left me alone. But until then…

“Well then, let’s ask Adam.”

“No.” He grunts and stands up with a snap, quite annoyed at my suggestion. “Let me check where Hilda is. She used to work with Arome. Maybe she’d be able to help.”

I watch as he strides off to where another group of wolves is sitting. I do not know what his deal is. He wants me healed, but not by Adam. And at this moment, I do not have any other choice.

I sigh and dunk my hand in the cool running water when a shadow falls on me. It’s Adam.

He is bare waist-up, which means he has just shifted. My eyes still as I take in his form. Each time it feels new – the broad shoulders, the muscled arms. Skin once smooth but now bearing scars from numerous battles. Half face smooth, the chiselled jaw set in a stiff lock as he bears my shameless scrutiny. The rest of the warped half remains in shadows, any emotion successfully hidden with the red-black gleam.

“So this is why you were near the lake last night.” He glances at my finger, his face unamused, voice curt. “Let me heal that.”

Bending his long legs, he crouches next to me and grabs my hand. I watch quietly, as he frowns at my cut, then covers it with his large palm.

The touch is soft. Warm and gentle. His eyes flicker to mine as a tingle spreads from his hand into me. It’s the warmest of the feeling, a sensation I am getting used to. It’s his life energy he uses to heal people when a healer is not around. Yet for me, it’s much more.

I sit quietly, gazing at his face as the slow heat spreads my body. It reaches deep, not just in the cut, but to the very marrow of my bones. The wound fizzles as the skin fuses together, sealing itself. I know it’s just a slight cut, but his energy has the power to heal much worse than that.

It could have been my heart, had I been his mate. If he had chosen me to be his mate. But he hadn’t, and that has made all the difference.

A sad smile curls my face.

“Thank you.” I pull my hand back and stand up, taking a step away. “I know I never thanked you properly, but please know that I am grateful. For whatever you did the last night and every time before that. I’ll never forget.”

“It’s just my job.” He raises an eyebrow in surprise, pushing himself up to his feet. For a brief moment, our gazes lock. Something flickers behind his hooded eyes, for a tiniest of the moments, but before I could decipher it, he breaks away. Pushing a hand in his pocket, he pulls out a small bottle.

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“This is a new potion. A replacement for the earlier one. It’s much stronger than the one before. I think you’ll need it at the peaks.”

Quietly, I extend my healed hand to take it, then stand fingering it unsurely. There is nothing more to talk, yet why do I feel there are things unsaid?

"Right. I'll take your leave."

He backs off to leave when I make my mind to ask a final question.

“Urm...I wanted to talk about Tammy. If there is some way to…”

He sighs, shaking his head and running a tired hand into his hair. “If there was, I would have found it by now. And where she is going, she will need more than my help to survive.”

I nod, my face losing colour. Adam turns to leave when Gabe rushes back.

“Danny! Hilda says she’ll look at it in some time… oh!” he stops mid-sentence at the sight of Adam. My heart sinks as both brothers exchange frosty looks, then Adam strides away.

The rest of the journey is quiet. Gabe is silent. He hasn’t lashed at me but I can feel is anger. His body is stiff as he leaps over ditches and mounds with an alarming speed. His pointy ears are erect, tail whooshing with speed as we leap ahead, leaving many others behind.

I keep my eyes ahead as the cliffs draw nearer. The march slows down to a trot. The forest starts thinning and soon we enter a large clearing. Well, clearing is not the right word. We have entered a massive space teeming and bustling with people I have never seen before.

“Anadin peaks!” Tina chirps as we get down our rides and wolves start shifting back to their human forms. Soon Tammy and Myra join us along with Olly.

I squint my eyes up. The peaks are still quite high, and we are nowhere closer. But at least we are at the base of the mountain where we will set our camp.

*****

It’s a grassy meadow that stretches from one end of the mountain to the other horizontally. It’s divided into parts, each dedicated to a wolf pack. Hundreds of tents stand erect, each flashing the distinct colours of their pack. In the centre, there is a large area left open. As of now, it looks like a fanfare, set up with stalls of sizzling food, jugglers, traders and hawkers.

We walk ahead, watching in wonder. Tantalizing aromas of food wafts around us, making our mouth water. It feels like we have really arrived at the festival as the air fills with laughter and chatter.

Small paths run off the central area to the border of the meadow in all directions. It’s like a massive caravan park, with each side designated to each of the northern and central American wolf packs. The Triumvirate is not just limited to the Americas. There are people wearing robes and turbans and kaftans. I see all nationalities, races, colours and complexions. Each with distinct characteristics with one common theme binding them – they are all wolves.

"Will there be witches here?" I ask Tammy, wondering if we'll finally get to see one. I still do not know the specifics. On one side the rogues are hunting for Mrs. Bates, and on the other side there is an entire kingdom of witches sitting silently, watching the drama unfold as if it's nothing to do with them. It's unbelievable, but I haven't been able to figure it out.

"So, will there be a representative of the witch kingdom here tonight?"

"Maybe." Tammy purses her lip. "Witches are unpredictable, elusive creatures. Always the last to arrive and first to leave. We’ll only know when they are here."

Right. I do not know what to make of it, but will know for sure very soon.

“And vampires?” I ask the next, making Tammy startle.

“They do not camp here.” Her face turns a shade darker. “No one really knows where they camp, but no one complains as long as they arrive for the meetups in time.”

That’s a relief! I exhale as we walk on, taking a path off the central fanfare towards the western part of the meadow. This area is set up with the grey-green tents of SilverShadows colours. The two battalions that arrived ahead of us have set up everything ready. In the middle is the Alpha’s massive tent with a flag atop it flying proud and high. Around it are several smaller tents.

I cannot help but admire the well-organised camp. Everything looks to be ship-shape with well-spaced tents, portaloos and water fountains. Nearby, a stream flows, its clear water sparkling in the setting sun. In the golden light of the evening, the place feels magical.

As the Alpha and Luna disappear into their tent and the Beta follows the suit to enter another massive tent with his commanders, everyone starts dispersing.

Tammy pulls me in the opposite direction, where a few smaller tents line up next to a wall of trees.

“Let’s go back to the fare!” Tina chirps as we settle, I and Tammy in one tent and Tina with Myra with another. Olly does not want to share and we do not mind.

“Do we have to? I am really tired…” I try to complain, feeling achy all over, but Tammy puts her foot down.

“Yes, let’s go. It might be the last time I have some fun.”

*****

Tomorrow is the festival, when the moon goddess will appear in her full bloom. It will be a magical night with the energies of the universe converged on her shrine. Whoever finds their mate on this night at the Anadin Peaks is considered the most fortunate, as the Goddess herself has blessed their union.

I remember the detail as Tammy’s face lights with an unnatural glow. The dusk has settled and the sky is alight with a sprinkle of tiny stars. We walk back to the fair, Tina and Olly bustling ahead of us while I, Tammy and Myra bringing up a quiet rear. The moon is not up yet and Myra’s eyes keep searching for it in vain.

“I still don’t like it. It’s nothing like the usual.” She complains, sweeping her eyes over the starry sky. Tammy tuts.

“Oh, please. Stop all the gloom and doom, Myra. Let’s just have some fun.”

With a sigh, Myra falls quiet, but not before sharing a look with me. I do not know what bugs her. Maybe intuition. But I do not know if she has that power.

We reach the center to a blast of loud cheers and laughs. People are having fun and looking at the excited faces, I too start loosening. The place is glittering with festive cheer. Aromas of sizzling bacon, sausages and rare meats waft from the stalls. There are hawkers selling silken robes, shawls, and feathered hats. Some sell potions, hundreds of little bottles lining little wooden caskets. There are exotic dry fruits, candies and sweets. Tina rushes to the sweet shop while Olly stops by to look at the robes. Next to it, a woman sells colourful beaded jewellery. Hundreds of tiny crystal gleam enticingly, reflecting an array of rainbow colours.

We pass a stall where little cages of colourful exotic birds are kept for display. We stop there to as the merchant explains the characteristics of each bird.

There is a golden parakeet, and kingfisher and blue macaw, and a scarlet eagle. He even has a majestic deep-blue peacock. I watch mesmerised, as Tammy raises a finger to touch the bird when a voice calls from behind.

“Ah, Myra dear! What a coincidence. I was just coming to see you.”

We turn our heads to see a short, pudgy man rushing through the thoroughfare. A blue beret sits on his nearly bald head as a wide grin stretches his face showing a line of yellowing teeth. His small weasel eyes are stuck on Myra as he stretches his arms and pulls her close. Myra looks startled, before she too hugs him back.

It's a stiff, uneasy hug. It lasts for a bare second before Myra pulls back.

“Father.” Her smile is strained. "You are already here. I thought you were coming from LA..."

"Yes, my dear, I came directly from LA and as you can see I am already here. But you make me unhappy." He pulls back to give her an appraising look. Myra looks startled.

"Unhappy?"

“Yes. Where is that mate of yours? Why are you not with him? Come with me. I must have a word with John.”

"But...father...!"

Myra's eyes widen as he holds her hand and turns around to walk back to our tents. Confused, we glance at each other, then fall in step behind them.

***** *****