Chapter Text
Historia stretched out her arms and legs, making herself comfortable atop the rich furs and pillows piled high upon the massive throne overlooking the rest of the great hall. The throne was carved of grey stone, and was large enough for even the largest of werewolves to comfortably rest upon in their wolf forms, as she sometimes did whenever she held council with the rest of Wind-Song pack.
Her pack.
She was an Omega, and had been Jarl of her pack ever since Erwin had stepped down several years ago. To this day she remembered how she had chosen to step into that role freely, for she had come to know and embrace her own strength and power ever since she had joined this pack. She had known that she wanted to lead them to even greater strength and prosperity, and still did. The memory of her fight against Erwin on the day of her ascension was one she would never forget. For it had been her victory against him - against the former Jarl - that proved her willingness and courage to fight for her pack.
Historia had no doubt that she would continue to lead them for countless years to come now that she had reached her mid-twenties, and her aging had slowed. It was true that it had taken time for her to truly settle into the role of Jarl - to not only learn how to lead her pack, but lead them well. That had not always been easy, yet she would never forget how she had Erwin there to advise her, along with everyone else in her pack. As the old saying went, no Jarl ever truly ruled alone.
And on this night, what she saw was yet another reminder of her success.
It warmed her heart to see so many of her pack-mates gathered in the cavernous hall carved into the base of the mountain. All those who attended the feast basked in the warmth emanating from the roaring fires and the spells infused into the stone walls, both of which shielded them winter’s frigid grasp. They feasted upon the meat roasting on the fires, and from cauldrons of hot, bubbling stew. And of course, mead flowed freely on this night, as it always did whenever there was a feast. The bright sounds of music, laughter, and joyous howls filled the air, and Historia knew that no storm could ever chill the warmth that burned in their hearts.
Her pack was almost five-hundred strong, and seeing their joy and prosperity filled her with a bright, fierce pride…
Yet the knowledge that she had grown to become the Jarl her pack deserved was not the only thing that brought Historia joy.
And as her mate’s warm, strong arms wrapped around her from behind, she knew - as always - that it never would be.
She sighed happily, closing her eyes as she allowed him to pull her back into his embrace. As she turned to face him, he rolled onto his back, and it was then that she gazed into her mate’s deep green eyes. Gods above, she had gazed into Eren’s eyes more times than she could count, yet the way they shimmered in the light of the fires never grew any less beautiful. Eren’s long, dark brown hair was tied back loosely, and his warm brown skin seemed almost luminous. As his lips curled into a warm, tender smile rested her right hand against his clean-shaven cheek.
And her eyes fluttered shut once more as she leaned forwards, and their lips met.
Historia’s heart thudded with joy at the familiar feel of Eren’s warm, soft lips pressed against her own. It was as familiar to her as his Alphan scent - a rich, spicy musk with a subtle, indeterminable aroma that was distinctly his. Her lighter, sweeter Omegan scent mingled harmoniously with his, and oh… how wonderful it was. Historia gasped softly as Eren’s hands traced gentle circles across her back beneath her cloak - one made from the glimmering white pelt of a snow bear. Eren was always so kind, so good to her, and she did not need to focus on their mating bond to know that the love they shared was real, and true.
Yet focus on it, Historia did, for how could she not, when the warmth of the bond was a soft, steady comfort deep in her soul - one signified by the matched mating marks dancing across their throats in swirls of deep, shimmering gold. Always, the bond between herself and Eren simmered with warmth and love…
Historia was safe and loved within her mate’s embrace, and in moments like these…
There was nowhere else she’d rather be.
“Missed me already, my love?” Historia said as she pulled away from the kiss only slightly, her blue eyes fluttering open. “It’s not like I was going anywhere.” She laughed lightly, her lips curling into a soft smile.
“What can I say, Historia?” Eren chuckled, with a mischievous smile. “You were right there, and you look so beautiful. How could I not want to hold you close?”
“It’s a good thing you did,” Historia replied, wrapping her arms around Eren’s neck. “Because I was just about to turn around and pull you close, and you beat me to it.”
“You know, I wouldn’t complain if you had,” Eren murmured, pressing another swift kiss to her lips. “After all, you are the moon in my sky.”
“And you, Eren, are my sun and stars,” Historia said, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose.
“And… you, my love…” Eren said, grinning slyly. “Look absolutely stunning in that white cloak.”
“Oh, do I now?” Historia asked, her voice dropping to a low whisper. “But I bet you think I’d look even more stunning out of it…” She leaned close to whisper those words in her beloved’s ear, keenly aware of how Eren trembled beneath her, his breath quickening, his embrace tightening. The night was still young, and it would be so easy for them to slip away from the feast, to brave the cold wind, snow, thunder and lightning until they were back in the warmth of their home…
“You two aren’t subtle, ya know!”
Immediately Historia looked to her left, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Eren did, too. That voice… it could only have belonged to one person. Someone who she and Eren knew very well…
Unsurprisingly, Ymir was seated casually upon the stone steps leading up to the base of the throne, a flagon of mead clutched in her right hand. The Alpha’s short black hair hung loose, and freckles dusted her cheeks. Her skin was as dark as Eren’s was, and her golden eyes shone with a boastful confidence that Historia had been familiar with for as long as they’d been friends.
And right now, Ymir looked nothing if not amused and unbearably smug - like a cat who’d caught a mouse.
“As if we would be subtle,” Historia huffed. “Everyone in the pack knows Eren and I mates, and you’re no exception.”
“No, I’m not an exception,” Ymir replied. “But there’s a difference between not being subtle, and looking like you’re both two steps away from playing ‘hide the sword’ right there on the throne. And during a feast, at that!”
“Come on, Ymir,” Historia said. “You know we’d wait until we got home before doing that.”
“I certainly do,” Ymir concurred. “But sometimes, you two act like you could use a reminder.”
“Hmmm… maybe we should head home,” Eren hummed. “After all, it’s not as if anything bad will happen at the feast without us. The worst thing that’s likely to happen is that someone will drink too much, and wake up in the morning feeling like there’s two wolves fighting inside their skull.”
Before Historia could even speak, she bolted upright, eyes widening at the voice touching her thoughts. Her pack-mate’s voice was familiar, and filled with a fierce urgency.
And in this moment, it could only mean one thing.
“Historia?” Ymir asked.
“Love? What’s wrong?” Eren inquired.
Both their gazes were filled with concern, for they had not heard the voice as she had. No one else at the feast had heard someone calling her name, if the continued normality of the proceedings was any indication.
“It’s Sasha,” Historia answered. “They and the other hunters will be back soon, and it seems they need to speak to me. Urgently, if Sasha’s thought-voice was enough of a hint.” She scrambled off the throne as she spoke, ensuring her scarf was still secured around her neck.
“Did they say why?” Eren’s eyes narrowed, his voice low and serious. He shrugged his coat on, moving to stand beside his mate. Inwardly, he hoped what he suspected had not happened, and that Sasha and the rest of the hunters returned with good news.
Though there was only one way to find out.
“No... Sasha just shouted my name with their thought-voice,” Historia answered, taking a deep breath. “So whatever it is… they must want to tell me face to face.”
“Then we should be there to greet them, so we can listen,” Ymir said firmly.
“Yes, we should,” Historia said. Not all of her pack-mates were in attendance at tonight’s feast. And all who were absent had reasons of their own for doing so.
Sasha, along with four of their pack-mates, had chosen to brave the storm on the chance that they could make a kill, or better, several. Though the pack had plenty of food stored away, this winter was still the harshest in recent memory. And under such circumstances, hunting during even the harshest of weather was a matter of survival, for they could not run the risk of their food stores running low. Not when game was scarce in the frigid northern forests, and every successful hunt helped to ensure the pack would prosper until spring.
Historia wanted to hope all was well - that all of the hunters had made kills of their own, and that nothing was amiss. But if all was truly well… then it would make no sense for Sasha to call for her with such urgency.
Something had gone wrong, perhaps horribly.
And Historia knew only moments remained before she learned what had happened.
Knowing there was no time to waste, Historia ran down the steps without looking back. The pounding footsteps behind her were all she needed to know that Eren and Ymir followed her. She weaved between the tables, fire pits, cauldrons of stew, and barrels of mead with practiced ease. And any pack-mates in her path made sure to step aside, be they in their wolf forms or their human forms. Inwardly, she was grateful for their haste, and thankful Eren and Ymir would be at her side. She could hear the myriad of voices around her, some of them confused, some worried, and all wondering what had caused their Jarl to act with such haste.
As Historia came to a halt before the massive wooden doors of the hall, her heart was pounding so wildly she almost felt as if it were about to leap into her throat. Eren came to stand at her left, and Ymir at her right, and their presence calmed her racing heart only just.
Together they watched the doors, and waited…
Until, moments later, the doors opened, and Sasha, Gabi, Connie, Colt, and Falco wearily trudged inside. Through the doors, Historia could hear the howling wind, the thunder echoing off the mountains, and the flash of lightning illuminating the heavy snowfall. It was no surprise that they all looked so exhausted, as if their legs would give out at any moment.
Any werewolf would be after a hunt in such weather, no matter how strong and swift they might be. And they were all strong warriors and skilled hunters in their own right.
And Sasha … they were one of the greatest hunters in Wind-Song pack, and had proven that long before they’d ever presented as an Alpha. In wolf form, Sasha stood at five foot-six at the shoulder, matching the height of their human form. Their fur, light brown on their back and shoulders, was caked with a heavy coating of snow.
So were the pelts of the rest of the newly returned hunters.
They were all brave, all strong, and Historia could not be prouder to call them all her pack-mates and friends.
“I’m glad you’ve all returned safely,” Historia said softly. “Was your hunt a success?”
‘It was,’ Sasha said, their thought-voice touching the minds of those gathered closest to them. ‘We split up, knowing it would give us a better chance of finding prey. Colt brought down a great elk - our only kill. We brought it back, and my parents and little sister are skinning the carcass and cutting up the meat as we speak.’
“I’m happy to hear your hunt was a success,” Historia said, as her brow furrowed with concern. “Though that doesn’t explain why you wanted to speak to me so urgently. Did you or anyone else in the pack get hurt?”
'We needed to speak to you because a thief stole part of my kill!’ Colt growled, his golden eyes narrowing. ‘Didn’t care that I’m a Beta, didn’t even care to ask my name, or say anything! All he did was shove me over, tear a chunk of meat off the carcass, and kick snow in my face as he ran for it.’ Colt’s fur, golden on his back and shoulders, and grey on his sides, legs, and belly, bristled in agitation.
“Wait, do you mean…” Historia asked, her eyes widening. “Did any of you get a good look at the thief? It couldn’t have been him, the same thief who stole from Annie’s and Mikasa’s kill four days ago… could it?”
‘Oh, we all got a good look at him, and trust me, it was,’ Gabi, a light grey Beta with reddish-brown fur on her ears and face, said with a growl of agreement. ‘He was an Alpha with pure black fur in wolf form - all scarred up and blind in one eye. So we either met the same thief, or we’re dealing with identical twins with matching scars.’
“I’d say you all had a run-in with the same thief. After all, it’s next to impossible that even identical twins would have matching scars,” Historia said, turning the information over in her mind. “And I know and trust all of you. I don’t need to ask to know you tried to catch him.”
“Of course you would,” Ymir laughed lightly. “So… did you catch the little bastard?”
“I hope you did,” Eren added. “Stealing once is one thing, but twice… At the very least, we need to know why he’s doing this.”
‘My brother called out to us right after it happened,’ Falco answered. ‘And we all joined him in his pursuit as quickly as we could. Together, we all pursued him until he ran to the end of a ravine. He really is as fast as lightning, just like Annie and Mikasa said. We never even stood a chance at catching up to him.’
Falco was an Omega, and shared his older brother’s golden eyes and gold and grey fur. Yet unlike his brother, he had a large, uneven patch of white fur on the right side of his face. He and Gabi nuzzled each other then - a small expression of the bond they shared as mates.
“But you caught him, right? All his speed wouldn’t have helped him escape once the five of you cornered him,” Historia asked. “I could see that happening if there was only one of you there, or even two. But all of you? No, you must have succeeded.” Now all that remained was to learn where they’d locked him up so she could speak to him, and hopefully get a few honest answers out of him.
‘No…’ Connie, Sasha’s Beta mate, said with a dejected whine. ‘He escaped, and… he didn't have to get past us to do it.’ In wolf form, Connie was mostly gold, with black fur on his face, paws, and legs. He was a skilled hunter as well…
And Historia knew that although Connie was many things, a liar was not one of them.
Yet even she found this hard to believe.
“How!? You can’t mean to say he climbed up the cliff to escape… can you?” That couldn’t have happened. Not in the middle of a thundersnow, when one could barely see more than a foot in front of their nose. To do that in wolf form was risky even in calm weather, but in conditions like this…
It was practically a death sentence.
‘That’s exactly what he did. When I saw him run towards the boulders at the base of the cliff without slowing, I reached out with my thought-voice, and screamed at him to stop. So did the others,’ Sasha whispered, their thought-voice wavering. ‘Yet his mind remained completely closed off. It… it was like he didn’t want to hear us at all. All we could do was watch as he bounded up the rocks… and then slowly picked his way up the ledges upon the cliffside.’
“That’s…” Ymir gasped in shock, before growling with anger. “Did… did he not realize how easily he could have slipped, and fallen to his death!?”
‘That’s the thing…’ Sasha sighed, their gaze downcast. ‘He almost did, more times than I could count. But… it almost seemed as if that didn’t matter to him, because he never stopped. Nor did he shift into his human form to climb down, or make the ascent easier. He just kept climbing, until all we could see of him through the snow was a dark spot standing at the top of the cliff.’
‘Before he ran off, of course,’ Gabi finished with a soft growl.
“At least he survived,” Eren sighed, clenching his fists. “If he’d fallen… he would have died, broken and bloody on the rocks. Why risk dying over a chunk of stolen meat?”
The only answer Eren could think of was desperation. To escape, or survive, or most likely - a combination of both. Eren didn’t know what could have happened in this Alpha’s life that had led - or perhaps, forced - him into such circumstances, where the value of food that wouldn’t last long was far greater than that of his own life. Whatever it was, it could not be good.
And it was an answer Eren hoped to gain before the end of this, if only to understand.
“Well, why don’t we find out?” Mikasa declared, standing in her human form at the front of the crowd that had inevitably gathered around them.
As Mikasa shouted, Historia turned to face the crowd. And before she could speak, other voices joined the chorus.
“I agree!” Annie said, nodding in agreement where she stood at Mikasa’s right. “He might have escaped from our pack twice, but we won’t let him escape a third time!”
“I’ll help, too!” Jean declared.
“That little thief better have a good reason for what he did!” Zeke shouted, swaying slightly.
‘And I can chase him down, too,’ Falco growled, his head and tail raised high in spite of his exhaustion. ‘Say the word, my Jarl, and I’ll run back out into the storm, and won’t rest until I find him!’ A chorus of snarls and bared fangs were all that was needed to see that Sasha, Connie, Colt, and Gabi were in full agreement with that plan.
And all around, more werewolves began to shout and howl in agreement. Alphas, Betas, Omegas, and even a few still too young to have presented volunteered, eager to lend their aid in finding the thief however they could. It warmed Historia’s heart to see their support for her, and for the health and wellbeing of their pack…
“I’m grateful you all want to help. Truly, I am,” Historia declared, raising her voice so that all gathered could hear. “But in this case, I believe it best that I deal with this myself. This Alpha - whoever he is - is desperate enough to risk his own life in order to escape from us. And I know that I’m swift enough to catch him before that happens.”
The werewolves gathered in the crowd began talking amongst themselves, and already Historia could hear their words of agreement. None of them wanted to see someone end up dead for stealing, especially when the perpetrator had never shed so much as a single drop of blood in his endeavors. The crowd began to disperse, people returning to the tables, no doubt to continue feasting.
‘Historia, are you sure you don’t want any of us to go out and search?’ Sasha asked, their thought-voice echoing through Historia’s mind. ‘I might be tired, but I can still hunt. And even if I don’t catch him, I can still try to discover where he’s hiding.’
“I’m thankful for your enthusiasm, Sasha. Yours, and everyone else’s.But for now, I want all of you to rest, and warm yourselves by the fires. You deserve all that and more, for everything you did tonight. And besides…” Historia said, turning to face them with a smile. “I do need time to figure out what my next steps are.”
With those words, Sasha, Connie, Gabi, Colt, and Falco walked around herself, Eren, and Ymir. Soon they would be able to feast, laugh, drink, and sing to their hearts’ content alongside their pack-mates. It would be so easy to do the same, and under any other circumstances, she would have.
But this news changed everything, and she would not ignore her duty to her pack.
“So… what will you do now?” Ymir asked. “Personally, I’m going to enjoy the feast for a while longer. And no one would bat an eye if either of you chose to do the same.”
“That’s a tempting idea, and on any other night, I would,” Historia said, holding Ymir’s gaze. “But I’m going to return home, and figure out how I’m going to handle this. It will take time, but… the sooner I can act, the better.”
“I understand,” Ymir said, nodding in agreement. “Máni’s light guide you.”
“And to you,” Historia replied, knowing the words as well as she knew her own heart. It was customary to invoke the moon god’s name during the night, just as it was to pray to Sól during the light of day. Such parting words were given when someone was about to undertake a difficult endeavor, or leave upon a long journey. They were meant to bestow luck upon those who heard them, and it was only fitting that one gave that same blessing in return.
She would need every bit of luck and skill she possessed, if she were to even have a chance at success.
“And to you, Ymir,” Eren answered, as Historia turned, her blue eyes meeting his. He wanted nothing more than for his mate to succeed, and so his decision was made without having to think about it.
No matter what happened, he would support Historia however she needed it.
And he knew, without words, that she would do the same for him.
With that, Eren and Historia pulled their mittens from their pockets, and put them on, before walking side by side towards the open door, and out into the blizzard. Darkness enveloped them as the door closed, and only the flash of lightning illuminated the world as they walked forwards through the deepening snow. It was as difficult to see as they’d expected, and all around them the wind howled, and thunder echoed off the mountains.
“So…” Historia said, making sure she spoke loudly enough to be heard over the wind and the thunder. “Weren’t you going to ask what my plan was?”
“I was, but I figured you’d want to wait until we get home before doing that.” Eren replied.
“Well, it’ll be slow going in a blizzard this bad, even if we shift into our wolf forms,” Historia said, grinning beneath her dark blue scarf. “So, I’d say we might as well make use of that time by discussing it now.”
“Can’t argue with that,” Eren said, nodding in agreement. “Though our pack-mates have a point. You could track that thieving Alpha down tonight. After everything he did, he’s got to be tired… slower than usual. And since you’re the swiftest hunter in the pack… that will only make it easier for you to catch him.”
“All of that is true…” Historia said, shaking her head. “But I still feel like it’s best to wait a while longer.”
“And why do you think so?” Eren asked, doing his best to understand. He had no doubt that his mate could catch this Alpha when he was at his full strength. Historia was swift, cunning, and clever - all of which were things he loved about her.
For that reason, he couldn’t help wondering why she was choosing to wait when such an opportunity was ripe for the picking.
“You’re right. I could do that. And maybe it really would be that easy,” Historia sighed. “But after hearing how risked his life to avoid getting caught… I’m worried that he’d do something even more reckless and stupid to avoid me. Even more so since I’m the Jarl of our pack, and if there’s anyone he wouldn’t want to run into…”
“It’s you,” Eren finished. “Or me, since I’m your mate. Especially after what happened tonight.”
“And that is why I want to wait a few days before chasing him down,” Historia said. “Hopefully a few days without being pursued by us or our pack-mates will shake any thoughts of reckless escape attempts out of his head. He might still be wary, true, but certainly less so that he will be tonight. And besides… it’s not like he’d know I’m the Jarl unless I say so.”
“No… he wouldn’t know that, now would he?” Eren said, smiling confidently. “Your plan is a good one, love. But our territory is large, and there’s lots of places he could hide in it, or outside of it. It might take you a long time to even catch his scent, assuming he doesn’t flee from wherever he’s hiding.”
“And that’s why I was going to ask you to come with me,” Historia replied, her eyes gleaming with confidence. “If we work together, and split up to cover more ground, that doubles our chances of catching him. When one of either sees him or catches his scent, we can say so with our thought-voices. And then… that’s when we work together to chase him down, and hopefully get some answers if we succeed. No, when we succeed.”
“I like that plan,” Eren said softly. “I just hope everything goes well.”
“So do I…” Historia replied.
It was entirely possible that everything would go wrong. That she and Eren would pursue the thief, only for him to choose death, unwilling or perhaps unable to see that neither she nor her mate meant him any harm. Or perhaps he would fight back once caught, and ultimately leave her or Eren with no choice but to end his life. In this moment, both outcomes were equally possible.
And by the gods, Historia didn’t want blood on her fangs by the time this was over.
Yet maybe this endeavor wouldn’t end with a life lost. Maybe she and Eren could convince this Alpha to speak to them, to let them help him, should he have need of it. Maybe he would leave after speaking to them, never to be seen again. Or perhaps he might even choose to remain in her pack, and come to call this place home. It was impossible to say what might happen, for not even the greatest of warriors or the wisest of elders could see all ends.
All she and Eren could do was wait, and plan…
And when the time came, she knew they would do everything in their power to ensure this ended well for them…
And for the Alpha whose name they did not know.