In Sekreta I Trust

**Artemis**

I left her to sleep, we spoke for a few more hours but I could see she was tired. Her arrival has added to my ever-growing list of questions.

The biggest one on the list is for Calder, why would he never mention to us that he had met Salvi? Ryan and I had said her name countless times and it’s not as if it is a particularly common one.

**We should be careful Arti, there must be a reason that he’s hiding this from everyone. It’s not as if we can go barging in there demanding answers**

Aria chimes in, the voice of reason. Truth be told I had every intention of heading there right now to call him out but she is right what good would it do for anyone.

Although this is at the top of my list, it is not at the top of everyone else’s, after all, we are still waiting for an attack and my gut says it’ll be sooner rather than later.

Deciding to store these questions away, for now, I head back to my room. I have neglected Ryan long enough and our relationship is not exactly stable right now.

I have to tell him what she has said, I have to get his view on things we may not see eye to eye but his opinion matters to me, as much as he may not feel that way.

As soon as I step inside our room the smell of hazelnuts and coffee fills my senses, Ryan is sitting in a chair by the window. He has yet to notice I’ve come in, his head is stuck in a book.

I observe him for a few moments, the familiar feeling of butterflies fills my stomach. Since I have been back I’ve struggled with this side of our connection, I know he’s giving me space but I also know how hard it must be for him.

So far I have rejected almost every attempt at affection beyond simply kissing, I know him and his needs, what I am offering him currently is far from fulfilling.

He would never say this to me, after all, he has nothing but respect for me but being with someone in the ways we have, it becomes like second nature to know what they are feeling.

*” Are you going to stand and stare at me all night or are you going to come and sit?”*

His soft voice resonates in me, it’s like someone has lit a small fire and I’m heating up from the inside out.

“Sorry, I don't want to disturb you.”

*” You didn’t, I was waiting for you to come back. I was hoping we could catch up”*

As I walk over to him the heat rises, sitting down in the chair beside him our eyes meet.

*” I bought you up some food, I figured you wouldn’t have eaten”*

“Thank you. I don’t know what I have done to deserve you Ryan”

As I say those words I grab his hand in my own.

“I mean it, Ryan, I’m not just talking about the food but everything. These last few months have been emotional and we have fought and struggles but I need you to know how I feel”

*” Arti, please don’t. “*

“Don’t what?”

*” Don’t tell me how you feel. Everything between us has been a blur. I know this will be hard to hear but we don’t need to hear it from you we need to feel it “*

I go to speak but he puts his hand up to stop me.

*” I know you’re not ready and that’s fine, I would never push you but I want you to know that I will wait for as long as it takes. I’ll be here for you always. I have been thinking about it. I cannot even begin to understand what your feeling, frankly it's all weird to me but I support you in everything you do”*

I can feel tears forming in my eyes.

“You’re so amazing”

As the words leave my lips do the tears fall from my eyes.

*” Hey hey... Come on don’t cry”*

He moves from his chair and kneels in front of me, holding both my hands in his.

*” Why don’t you eat up and then we can talk about Sekreta”*

He wipes the tears from my face and grabs the food from the table. Hours have passed since Sekreta arrived, the sun is about to go down again and staring at the food my stomach calls out to be fed.

I eat in silence as Ryan pulls me out some fresh clothes, I don’t know what has made him do a 180 on his feelings but I am not complaining, his support is all I need.

A short while later I’m fed, changed and being handed a cup of tea.

*” So what did she say ?”*

He sits down again in the seat opposite me once more and waits for me to begin. As if someone has pulled the plug I let everything out.

I tell him about Calder and about how she was feeling about Salvi, how she didn’t feel safe. He listens intently to every word without speaking, letting me unload all of this on him.

Like a release of pressure is exhilarating, I feel as though the heaviness in my heart has been lifted as I share my feelings with him. I share every emotion with him, everything I have been keeping to myself for the past few months.

“So now you know everything I do”


He relaxes back in his chair but doesn’t speak.

“I’m sorry I unloaded all of that on you, I shouldn’t have”

*” It’s not that”*

“You were quiet so I just thought…”

*” I just can’t believe you have been feeling all of that and I left you to it I added to it”*

“It’s not your fault you didn’t know, heck I didn’t even really realise”

*” Well you can bet that I’m going to do whatever it takes to help you Artemis, the mood goddess paired us together for a reason. I’ll be damned if I leave you to face this alone”*

I want to shout out loud. I'm so happy, he has no idea how much it means to me that he is on my side in all of this now.

I get up from my seat and sit on his lap, staring deeply into his eyes. There was no expectation there, he meant what he said before.

He will wait for as long as I need but right now that need has been awoken so I plant a kiss firmly on his lips, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck.

Our embrace is broken by a mind link to all pack members.

*Wolves at the tree line.All pack members to their designated stations*

Sigurds voice rings in our ears, Ryan and I exchange a short glance before the two of us move. It doesn’t matter how tired I am, or how much we could all do without this.

As we run to the front to meet up with everyone else I can see people walking outside of the shield Selene has put up, they are far away from us but it’s her.

A few dead wolves lie on this side, they must have gotten through before it went up. Calder’s warriors have made short work of them.

Salvi is pacing occasionally putting her hand up to the invisible wall unable to cross it as she stares at her dead.

“That’s Her, That’s Salvi. Sekreta wasn’t playing us when she said she would be coming”


It’s a bit of a relief, although she's here earlier than we thought she didn’t lie.

**” That’s still to be determined Arti at the point we still have her sister in the house. Who knows if that is to protect us or to double-cross us”**

“Always so sceptical Selene. It’s the Luna in you”

**” I wish I could say your faith in people is the Luna in you “**

Her snipe was unnecessary, she’s still mad and she’s not afraid to show it or to let it out. I bite my tongue and don’t dignify her with a response.

Looking around, Ryan, Sigurd and Calder are locked in conversation but Cynthia is nowhere to be found.

“Where is Cynthia, Selene?”

**” She has a baby now. She's is with the young and the sick, or did you forget you have nephew when you were so absorbed in Sekreta “**

“Will you cut the shit Selene, were about to be attacked and your so consumed with needing to be the centre of attention its like your 15 years old all over again”

She turns to face me visible mad, he eyes beginning to glow a soft deep purple.

*” You have no right to speak to me this way”*

“Actually I do Selene, you have no right to put yourself on such a high pedestal”

We are face to face neither one of us back down and truth be told I have no worries about putting her on her ass, I know she thinks I can but if she comes to then shes is about to get a hell of a shock.

*” Will the of you cut it out this is about whose dick is bigger now put them away”*

The soft sound of Cynthia’s voice comes from behind us.

*” If I have to watch the two of you fight each other while the rest of us protect the pack, I’ll take over as Luna”*

She pushes between the two of us her last words holding a hint of playful seriousness. Neither of us says anything but we follow her as she walks towards the other three.

There is the heated conversation as the three of them decide the best course of action, It feels as if I am being watched. It is like a burning sensation in my neck.

Turning around to see the line of wolves, Salvi stood in one spot, her eyes focused on me. We lock eyes, Aria starts stirring inside me desperate to get out and get to her.

I break my gaze and rejoin the conversation, Calder and Ryan seem to think we should just lift the barrier and face them head-on but Salvi is more calculated than that.

“We can’t, she has more tricks up her sleeve than we know. It might look as if it is only a few of them but I bet there is more, besides I have seen the way she fights she can match anyone she comes across.”

**” So what do you suggest we do Artemis, I mean after all she is here because of you”**


*” She is here because of us Selene and you know it. Artemis is right, we should only lift the barrier when we are sure”*

“I agree and I think we should try bringing out Sekreta, I think we should watch the reaction of both of these sisters when they see one another”

**” You want to put her in the line of fire ?”**

“You don’t trust her and I don’t trust Salvi, what better way to see their motives than to put them face to face”


*” She has a point. Sel If Sekreta doesn’t seem shocked or worried or concerned even then we know she is part of this plan. “*

**” And what of the sister what sort of reaction are we expecting from her”**

“I suppose we want her to think that we have stolen Sekreta and taken her prisoner. We want her to get mad the same way that you did when you found me, Selene”


I maybe shouldn’t have used her as an example but she has to understand, I know in my gut Sekreta is not lying but I need the two of them to believe it too, and this is the only way I can see of doing that without inviting her in.

**” And what if she is lying to Artemis, what then ?”**

She is pressuring me to make a choice. I know it, she’s forcing me to give her what she wants. The only problem is I’m so sure of Sekreta that it won’t happen.

“Then you can kill her for all she has done Selene”

Cynthia gasps and Selene eyes me, to see if I will break. Even the boys seem sceptical all of them looking at me.

“I’m serious if she is lying then we kill her and then we kill Salvi. Unless we show what we are capable of people like them will never stop coming”