Finding You, Again
Again 10 - Ice Cold

Lui buttoned the coat carefully, the thick snow in the yard made her guess how cold the temperature was outside. While Duke is already outside the cabin, preparing to transform.

They would return to Manor by running as wolves.

"I'm ready" Lui walked out of the cottage, and locked the door.

A less necessary act actually. Because no one would dare to enter the cabin with the scent of Alpha every corner.

After all, the Duke will soon know if anyone gets into the cabin in two seconds.

With the accompaniment of a sigh Duke called his wolf.

Lui no longer blinked at the sight. He felt nothing but astonishment, after his memories returned.

His stupidity hung before his eyes, given his fear of yesterday first. His attitude is ridiculous.

"Bee, come! Are you daydreaming" Duke gave a soft header on Lui's cheek, because she didn't move at all.

With jolt. Lui woke up from her daydream.

"What?...... Come on, yeah of course. We have to get going"

Stuttering Lui stepped up the Duke's hairy back. Without wasting any time, the dark wolf ran over the snow.

Inside his head, Duke laughed at Lui's surprised face, which of course he thought remained charming.

"Did you daydream about our activities last night Bee?"

The duke really wished he could say that, at least he could see again the reddened face of Lui, who became his favorite.

"I don't think about the events of last night" Lui exclaimed in annoyance, she took the trouble of trying to get rid of those memories in order to concentrate on something else. But Duke called it lightly.

A second later the Duke's steps stopped abruptly. Lui had to grip the Duke's fur tightly, to prevent him from being thrown.

"What's Pace? Is something coming?"

Lui looked around in panic.

"Bee, can you hear me?"

The Duke said carefully, very much hoping that Lui's words just now were not his wild dream that had suddenly materialized.

"Of course you can, what do you mean?"

Lui lowered her body toward the Duke's head, and then gasped loudly,

"I can hear you Pace!!" shaken surprised. While closing his mouth. He had just heard Duke's voice in his head!

This was impossible, Lui's inner being was now filled with confusion.

"I heard you so clearly Bee, this is not impossible" 

The duke also heard what was in Lui's head.

It's stunning! The Duke lowered his body so that Lui could come down.

Lui stood still with her hands shut her mouth.

"You can also hear....."

Lui could not continue her sentence, but her finger pointed towards the head, as a gesture if the Duke also heard what was in his head.

"Yes Bee, I heard it too" 

Duke's excitement overcomes the feeling of wonder and whatever follows it.

Lui who was unprepared for the emotional attack from Duke, squeezed her chest, as her feelings warmed up all of a sudden.

"You're... happy" Lui stammered, but managed to translate the feelings that invaded her.

"Yes, I'm really happy Bee. I can speak freely with you as a wolf. Of course I'm happy". 

The Duke bent his head against Lui's forehead, and rewarded her with a small lick in the lips.

If you can of course Duke would like to****** those lips right now. With this, he did not have to bother to signal anymore.

"Pace!" Lui exclaimed in warning, as the shadow of Duke's desire to kiss her was imprinted vividly in Lui's mind.

Not to mention after that, Duke clearly replayed the scene of the incident last night, with admirable details.

"Face!!' Lui exclaimed louder, covering her already extremely flushed face.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I should have tried to block it. Waita minute!" 

The Duke laughed heartily at Lui's reaction, but he immediately controlled his mind, by recalling the war plans.

It was very effective to divert the mind. Lui lowered her hand, her eyes still closed. He was listening to how the Duke's mind laid out Abel's plan.

It was better, Lui inner with relief.

"Sorry, again" Duke said half-heartedly, as he actually enjoyed Lui's reaction greatly.

Lui could only roll the eyeballs hearing that thought.

The duke lowered his body again and Lui jumped up.

"Tell me about the war again" said Lui, seeing the explanation in Duke's head turned out to be more interesting, than hearing the story.

The Duke approved the request instantly, as his feet spurred at full speed back towards the Manor.

\~\~\~\~\~\~\~IlI\~\~\~\~\~\~

The duke stopped in the front room of the Manor and lowered Lui there, other than the guard warrior and omega, the Manor looked desolate.

But from his sharp ears, the Duke could hear a voice from the field west of Manor. They must be training as usual.

"Wait a minute!" Duke entered the room to take off his transformation, and put on a shirt.

Lui nodded obediently, while getting used to receiving the respect of one of the omega that walked out of the Manor.

He still doesn't like that rigid manners, but he'll learn. Lui gave the omega a friendly smile and a good morning greeting.

The Omega was slightly surprised at the warm greeting of his new Zhena, but then smiled happily.

Zhena Eluira looked just as friendly as Zhena Myra, and it was a joyous thing for them. The bad-natured Zhena, would only make their lives as omega suffer greatly.

So with a big smile on his back, the omega walked out to continue his work. While Lui really hope he does not contain any mistakes, because his first day as Zhena has officially started.

"Come, we should meet Sorrel, there are some things I should ask him" Duke said as he pulled him towards the field.

Alright, Lui replied inwardly.

"Bee, I won't be able to hear your voice in a human figure" Duke reminded, smiling amusedly.

He saw how Lui just passed by without a sound.

"Ah. Of course" Lui confirmed Duke's remark while chuckling. It would only happen to a creature like Sorrel.

The field was crowded as usual. Several werewolves were training with Roan and El, with Sorrel and Aygul as spectators.

Seeing the Duke's arrival, Aygul immediately stood up to him, with a big smile.

"The Duke? I thought you'd lock Lui up for a few days. Are you so unwell that you don't enjoy your honeymoon?" Aygul greeted him on the sidelines, with a tone of astonishment made up.

Aygul had kissed her arrival since a few minutes ago, impossible to be surprised.

"One more joke about my s*x life, then your dream of a wolf fight will soon be realized" Duke said, which even made Aygul's smile wider.

"Really temping" he said as he rubbed his hands excitedly.

"Bee, introduce. This is Aygul Sepehr. Alpha from Badira's pack" Duke introduced them in an official tone.

Lui recognizes Aygul's face from Duke's memories, knowing that Duke likes Aygul. His fierce attitude was just a joke between friends.

"Eluira Delmora.eh.I mean Eluira Theobald" Lui stuttered considering her new name, she had to get used to it.

Aygul laughed at the Duke who had now frowned, hearing Lui's mistake.

"It is nice to meet you Zhena Eluira, my wife is already very eager to get acquainted with you" Aygul greeted her warmly after his laughter subsided.

"It's a pity that Myra has been taking her to the salon since morning" she continued.

"I'm also happy to meet you Alpha Sepehr, and I would also be happy if I could meet your wife"

This time Lui brought herself with impeccable manners.

Maybe Lui didn't like any such manners. But for years in Charlie's iron-fisted upbringing, he was actually very shrewd in his diplomacy manners.

"There is no need to do excessive respect to him, Bee" Duke said in a whispering pose in Lui's ear, but with the usual volume of voice, so that Aygul could hear very clearly.

Aygul immediately smiled as he nodded in agreement, "Duke is right Lui, and after all I already feel very familiar with you. We've never met, but I've heard your name probably hundreds of times these days"

"Ah. I also knew you from Duke's memory. He has so many memories of you" Lui explained, not to be outdone.

Aygul immediately stepped closer to Lui with interest.

"You see me? in head?" he pointed at Duke. Lui nodded.

"How am I in his memory? Whether he likes me" Aygul asked without pause, making Lui nod back without much thought.

"I'm not!!" The duke nodded fiercely, seeing Lui nod.

But Aygul was already laughing satisfied to see Lui's answer. "Oh. I like your wife Duke, she's so innocent"

Exasperated at Aygul's behavior, the Duke pulled Lui away. According to Duke, being close to Aygul will make him contract an abnormal disease.

Three people walked from the direction of the field approaching the two of them, it was Roan, El and Sorrel.

"I'll follow Arana to the salon" Aygul immediately said goodbye when he saw the three figures approaching, he sprinted a little out of the Manor neighborhood.

Now Lui's attention has been sidetracked by Sorrel who still feels magical in her eyes. How is such a creature his great-grandfather?

"It's nice to see you guys together. This sight made me very happy" Sorrel greeted Lui with a wave of his hand.

The duke only snorted hearing Sorrel's words.

"I'm glad to finally see you standing on both legs, Lui" Roan hugged Lui warmly and rubbed her back gently.

"Thank you" Lui returned the sincere embrace happily.

El certainly did not try to hug Lui, as there was a chance that the Duke would kill her.

So he just nodded with a big smile at Lui, who Lui also replied with a nod and a happy laugh.

"How about we talk on the porch? I left my drink there. I know you guys want an explanation" Sorrel suddenly replied.

Without waiting for the other's approval, Sorrel started walking.

They eventually followed him towards a small terrace beside Manor, which was directly adjacent to the park which was now covered in thick snow.

"You mean 'you can hear'" the Duke corrected Sorrel's words earlier, which Sorrel only greeted with a smile by Sorrel.

"Oh.. " Lui exclaimed as he remembered the Duke's story, where Sorrel could read minds.

Lui really wished she hadn't thought of anything strange from now on.

"Don't worry Lui, your mind is the most innocent thought I've ever read" Sorrel now stroked Lui's shoulders gently.

It could be seen Sorrel cared deeply about Lui, putting aside the fact they had only met a few days ago. Oscar said the right thing, when calling Sorrel never distinguishes the imperfect and ordinary elves.

While Lui could only grimace at Sorrel's words, bewildered at not knowing it was a compliment or not.

Because his speech is like saying if Lui's mind is very 'simple'.

"That's Lui's compliment, you're really an innocent and sweet creature" Sorrel smiled as he sat down, reaching for his cup filled with milk.

"Thank you" Lui lowered her head at the mall, while sitting next to Duke.

Roan and El follow them, without trite grabbing a snack from the table. Strenuous exercise makes them hungry.

"Is Dihyan in the library?" ask Duke. If it's not around Sorrel, it usually means he's in the library.

"No, he's back at Apolline. His strength has recovered and is strong enough to go back there" Sorrel replied.

"You're not coming?" ask the Duke again, expectantly.

Sorrel again chuckled "And left you with a million unanswered questions? Come on-I know you still have questions for me" he said, filled with a triumphant tone.

The Duke who had no clever rebuttal, could only snort in annoyance.

"Insignia Lui is different because you gave her Duke" Sorrel said after sipping a small sip of her drink.

He answered the main question that was in the Duke's head. Lui frowned confusedly, but decided to listen further before asking.

"Insignia on your chest, is a sign of Lui's attachment to you. Because it's blue with a black pattern. He marked you with the power of an elf, for his black complexion was of course due to his strength being mixed with Alpha Blackmoon's blood"

"While it was on Lui's body, you gave it to her as a sign of Zhena Blackmoon. Of course it will be black, the blue pattern appears because of the Elf blood on his body. That red circle was the final binding spell for Lui's body to receive her Elf blood with the help of your Alpha blood. Magic is difficult, but it works" Sorrel explained at length.

"I could hear Duke when he was a wolf" Lui said the thing that intrigued him the most.

Roan spouted out a bit of his tea in surprise, which immediately made El give him a reproachful look.

"You what?" Roan `asked in wonder.

"I can already guess that it will happen, therefore I will have to wait for Lui to remember the Duke whole, before tying you up with that spell yesterday. I'm not sure Lui will be able to bear the burden of that memory if you connect with the mindlink all of a sudden"

Sorrel poured the warm milk into his cup again.

Very neat, Duke bathed. He admits Sorrel mastered witchcraft at an expert level far from Alva.

"Oh thank you for the compliment" Sorrel looked down with an embarrassed face, made up.

The Duke snorted bitterly, aware Sorrel heard the words in his head.

"One of your flaws, you're so annoying!" said the Duke blatantly.

El looked at the Duke in horror as he had just insulted an Elf King.

But Sorrel was laughing even harder now.

"Don't worry Eldred, if Lui was the most innocent thought I've ever read, then Duke is the most honest thought I've ever encountered. I like it" Sorrel said, making El misbehave.

The one-way conversation Sorrel had was not his favorite either.

One omega ran over to their table and then looked down deeply before the Duke.

"The Elders want to meet Alpha" his great-grandson in a slightly quivering voice.

"What else do they want?" Duke sighed lazily.

"Certainly curious about how the outcome of the meeting was. Uncle Rex didn't have time to return here, after you told him to postpone the handover to me. And Aunt Myra was very busy entertaining guests" she explained, seeing Duke wanting to protest.

And very well know what objection the Duke will throw.

"All right..." Duke got up from the chair lazily.

" Ehmm..." He looked doubtfully at the entourage that would be left accompanying Lui, an eccentric Elf and a slightly psychopathic siewolf.

Not a fun choice.

"Oww. don't worry too much like that Duke, Lui will be fine with us" Sorrel smiled reassuringly, who was responded coldly by the Duke.

But El was already clucking as a sign the time was already very urgent.

"Go Pace, I'll be fine" Lui calmed the Duke with a soft elbow of her hand.

Lui was already used to Duke's overprotective attitude. For Lui, this is an old song.

Hearing Lui's words, the Duke finally got up and walked into the Manor.

"Fiiuh... His paranoid nature grew even more crazily as it turned out" Roan chewed on the biscuits in front of him anxiously looking at Duke.

"With everything he has experienced before, I will not be surprised" Sorrel said in an understanding tone.

The things he read from Duke's mind were mostly not very pleasant.

"And you lady!" Sorrel pointed at Roan with his thin finger.

"Lack off swearing in your head, I know exactly what you're trying to hide. Believe me, I won't say anything to anyone" he continued, frowning.

Roan's voice must have been very loud heard by him.

Lui looked at Roan with an interested face now. What's Roan hiding?.

Roan's face turned red hearing Sorrel's words. And it was surprising, unlike Lui, Roan's face usually only blushed when he was angry.

But at this moment it was clear Roan was bearing the shame that Sorrel was reading his mind.

"Don't say anything to Duke" Roan pleaded with a slight threatening tone to Lui.

Lui finally nodded even though she did not know, how to arrange for Duke not to see this incident when later transformed.

Mindlink was Lui's favorite thing of all that happened to her.

It's like using a phone without taking it anywhere. With Lui almost always forgetting her phone, mindlink is a practicality like no other.

But a few seconds later a strange sight occurred in front of him. More bizarre than Sorrel's whereabouts, Sorrel pulls the phone from inside his cloak and answers the phone without having to attach it to his ear or activate the loudspeaker feature.

He just held it in front of his face.

"Abel?" Sorrel answered, and then listened carefully to the voice that Abel had made.

Lui could not catch the words coming out from there, but Roan nodded in understanding.

A few minutes later, Lui could only gape at the strange sight. He could never imagine the fusion between an Elf and a cell phone, or rather how an Elf needed a cell phone.

Sorrel finished the call and then stood up.

"Where's Duke having his meeting?"

Roan replied with his index finger pointing towards the large door of Manor. "Camberspace Assembly, the most advanced part of Manor".

Sorrel nodded and gave a polite smile to Roan as a thank you. Then look at Lui.

"I need a cell phone because Abel's hundreds of kilos from here. My ability will not be able to achieve it" Sorrel said kindly answering the astonishment that was in Lui's head.

"Ooh..." Lui pursed her lips. Sorrel smiled before finally saying goodbye and walked towards Manor.

"Is your family so unique?" Roan looked at Sorrel who had moved away while shaking his head.

"Perhaps, but they're all good" Lui said.

According to Lui, Oscar can be said to be a little strange as well. He's too perfect. Handsome with an intelligent brain, and also a good nature. Such a combination cannot be owned by only one person.

As arranged, Arana and Kamaria appeared while walking slowly from the gate of Manor.

Roan snorted in annoyance. He doesn't mind Arana, but Kamaria is bad news.

El had to repeatedly warn Roan not to be rude, because after all, Kamaria was an Alpha candidate.

"Where is Aunt Myra and your husband?" roan asked Arana.

"Myra was in a hurry to enter the Manor for some reason. As for Aygul, he returned to the field" replied Arana with impatient eyes looking at the figure of Lui who had been curious all along.

"Arana, this is Eluira Theobald, Zhena of Blackmoon. And Lui, this is Arana, Zhena Badira" Roan ended Arana's curiosity with that introduction.

Lui got up and reached out politely, but Arana instead pulled the hand, and hugged it tightly while exclaiming happily.

"Oh, I'm so happy to finally meet you. Since the first time Duke said he was married to a human, I can't wait to see you. Now it's even better because it turns out you're a descendant of elves. I'm getting curious. And I really like the smell of your coffee and chocolate"

Arana said the sentence very excitedly, leaving Lui confused. But Arana's enthusiasm is contagious, with Lui smiling broadly to welcome the hug.

"I'm also happy to meet you Arana, I hope we can be friends" after Arana took off her arms,

Lui was finally able to answer that magical introduction.

He knew his relationship with Duke was practically taboo, especially considering Faust's reaction when they became acquainted.

And now she meets someone who responds positively to their relationship, making her happy.

About the aroma of coffee and chocolate, Lui who lost her memory will be confused, but now she knows exactly what is meant by Arana. Duke has told her that a hundred times.

Kamaria moved forward looking at Lui more closely. He was obviously very astonished, why would Duke choose a petite Zhena like Lui. Lui's appearance did not impress her.

"And this is Beta Kamaria of Levana" Roan continued the introduction lazily.

"It's nice to meet you Beta Kamaria, I'm Eluira Theobald" Lui reached out and hoped for a more normal welcome.

But of course not!

Kamaria paid no heed to Lui's hand. He looked at Lui with narrowed eyes, then sniffed the air trying to smell her.

Kamaria was assessing what was inside Lui, so the Duke was interested in her. He was also looking for a scent that Arana had been fussing about. But he only smelled ordinary humans, there was no scent of elves like Sorrel nor coffee and chocolate.

"You won't be able to smell anything, because you're a normal werewolf. Arana is a Dyad, his nose is sharper, although not as big as Duke's" Roan explained.

He was irritated to see how Lui lowered her hand in disappointment, as Kamaria did not welcome him.

Arana nodded confirming Roan's explanation. The ability of Dyad's nose increases sharply to be able to recognize the scent of the creature with more specific.

Werewolves used to have sharper noses than humans, but would not recognize creatures with smells like Duke, Arana or Aygul. As a Dyad descendant the Duke's nose ability, also exceeded the two of them.

"I don't understand about Dyad's nonsense, which I obviously questioned Duke's taste in choosing Zhena" A cynical smile rang on Kamaria's lips as he said that.

"Heh.... So you mean\, Duke should choose j*l*ng like you? Don't dream!!" It's Roan's patience.

Hearing Roan's words, Lui finally understood the situation thoroughly.

The memory of Kamaria wasn't very significant in the Duke's head, but a shadow of how the Duke felt troubled by Kamaria's existence, made sense.

"Watch your mouth!!"

Kamaria glared sharply at Roan, and almost instantly Roan wanted to jump at Kamaria.

But Lui's hand prevented it.

"And why should Duke's taste be questioned?" Quietly Lui asked.

He was of course offended to hear Kamaria's words, but Lui wasn't as easily carried away by emotions as Roan.

"He could choose the strongest siewolf so that his descendants would become the most mighty werewolf, but he didn't. He instead chose a human" His eyes looked at Lui lightly.

"Tabards to you, I'm not human" Lui replied kindly.

"Haah.you are a creature called the imperfect. Don't tell me you're proud of that flaw?"

Kamaria asked Dihyan about Lui yesterday. And Dihyan happily explained without knowing the purpose Kamaria asked.

"Yes, I'm proud. It was that imperfection that made Duke bound to me. Too bad you're so perfect that Duke isn't interested at all, even though you've been trying so hard"

Lui replied in a friendly tone, which was even more painful.

Arana snorted withholding laughter hearing Lui's reply, while Roan folded his hands in the chest in satisfaction.

"He just never met me. I think the story would be different if he met me first" Kamaria began to raise the volume of her voice, as Lui teased her arrogance.

"What's?... Ha.ha.ha" Lui laughed amusedly.

"I'm sorry, but your assumptions are ridiculous. What makes you feel more like me?"

"That's very clear, isn't it? First you're so short!"

Kamaria heated up hearing Lui's laughter, she no longer cared what the consequences of her confrontation with Lui were.

"Not to mention your standard of beauty is very ordinary" she added, and now Lui's smile is almost gone.

"If the Duke wants perfect beauty, then he will choose Roan before you. I'm sorry, I think Roan is much prettier than you" Lui replied coldly.

Roan glared at Lui, as the parable she spoke made her nauseous. But Roan wouldn't argue with him at the moment.

"Heh... She was nothing more than a ball of feathers with a loud, empty voice" Kamaria snorted sinisterly while giving a disdainful look at Roan.

"Pull your words s*nd*l!!" Roan lunged at the table and moved forward toward him.

But Lui, who had also descended and walked towards Kamaria, made Roan stop from crashing into Kamaria. She was worried, Lui was accidentally injured, if she fought Kamaria.

"You've gone too far!! I appreciate your honesty but you're too much!!"

Lui who had lost her temper, her tone had turned cold.

She appreciates Kamaria for being forthright about her feelings for the Duke, but Roan's actions in her insults have exceeded her limits. Lui couldn't let it go.

Roan gaped upon hearing Lui's rebuke. This was the first time, he saw Lui getting angry. He thought it was a little creepy, much different from his usual self.

And now Roan was starting to feel strange, because suddenly he felt the atmosphere around the park became colder.

"I'm just telling you the facts! She's just a girl with an empty brain"

Kamaria pointed at Roan who had already caught up standing near Lui.

"ENOUGH!!"

Before Roan could return the insults, Lui yelled angrily at Kamaria.

He could be patient in accepting the insults directed at him, but Roan had nothing to do with the matter. Kamaria's indiscriminate insults put his patience to an end.

"I'm sorry to Roan right now!" Lui said that sentence in a very low tone.

And again Roan felt a cold air piercing his skin, to the point that his romantics rose alerting.

And Arana was experiencing the same thing, she looked at both of her hands in confusion. Werewolves shouldn't feel cold.

"No way!!" rebut Kamaria stubbornly.

"I apologize to Roan right now!!" repeat Lui louder, and the scenery around the park instantly changes.

The cold air blew fiercely, and very slowly the snow that was on the ground rose as if gravity no longer bound it with the ground. Snow grains of various sizes floated around them.

A small snowstorm has struck the park.

Lui was unaware of all that, as her attention was only focused on Kamaria.

The three siewolves who were there were wide-eyed at the sudden change of scenery.

In the next instant, a blue mist slowly began to appear around Lui. The fog crept in all directions, spreading a chill that made the werewolves shiver for the first time.

"L..Lui..." Roan tried to warn her by shaking Lui's shoulder.

But his hand shook so violently that it took a little while to reach it.

It was also the first time, Roan regretted that he only wore summer shirts and pants.

The shock produced nothing, as Lui did not respond.

In horror Roan saw how Lui's blue eyes seemed to shine dangerously. He had no doubt that Lui had summoned this storm, somehow.

Consciousness has far left Lui.

His mind that focused on Kamaria, suddenly empty as the blue fog emerged from his body.

His eyes were no longer focused, as if he was looking at the scene that was happening in front of him from the glass box. Very close but not touched.

Arana tried to move her body because the cold made her muscles stiff, she could barely move her body now.

Kamaria's state was much worse, his legs had numbness, and quickly the chill that gripped him reached half of his body. He can't move his body at all right now.

He tried to call his wolf, because now Lui's body in front of him, emitted even more blue light. He interpreted the sign as a threatening danger.

"Lui...!!!"

Sorrel's cry broke the cold storm, in one jump he landed in front of Lui. His hand closed Lui's eyes, then said a line that Roan did not understand.

Lui's body that stood stiffly slowly softened, collapsing in Sorrel's arms.

As Lui's eyes closed, the cold blue fog disappeared instantly. And the air slowly returned to normal, the flying snow fell to the ground.

Kamaria fell to his knees, after trying to move his stiff leg muscles, as did Roan and Arana.

"What's going on?" The Duke arrived at the park a few seconds after Sorrel.

He was talking to the Elders as well as Sorrel, who wanted to explain more details about the situation of the troops, when Sorrel suddenly muttered Lui's name, and ran out of the room.

As soon as he saw Sorrel's anxious face, Duke immediately followed him out. And now he stared at the strange sight, which was three werewolves who were exhausted and Lui who fainted in Sorrel's arms.

The Elders who were also following Duke ran out, could only look at each other in confusion, even Myra could not comment.

He only saw how the Duke swiftly raised Lui's body, and brought her in.

"You learned something valuable today, Miss"

Sorrel said kindly to Kamaria who was still sitting on the snow.

"Never deliberately provoke ellf, even if he is an imperfect as you called him" he continued with a smile, but the tone of the threat sounded very real in Kamaria's ears.

His body shivered again even though the blue fog had completely disappeared.

Still with a friendly smile, Sorrel then followed Duke inside the Manor.