Kane. “Will you let me?” she craned her neck and furrowed her brows. She did a thing with her eyes where it seemed she was using them to pull me into a deep, dark hole. I couldn't let her, so I forced my eyes back on my half-filled plate. Which was more torture because it played over and over in my mind, along with her addressing me with my name and not my title. I have to say, I couldn’t remember the last time that anyone referred to me with just my given name. It almost felt foreign, but I liked it. I hate to admit it, but I liked the sound of my name on her lips, even though she said it as though she was unsure if she could call me that or not. “I know you dont want me as a mate; it’s been clear since the first day you brought me here. But I want a chance to feel like I’m not imprisoned here,” I bit down on my jaw at her words. She was not imprisoned–in the grand scheme of things, she wasn’t. She was free to do whatever she wanted except leave the territory. But I said nothing to
Rune.A little wailing jolted me out of my slumber, and my heart clenched painfully. I dropped my legs from my bed and ran out of the room quickly, with barely any time to catch my breath. For some reason, my entire body hurt, especially the lower part. The other part felt heavy, as though a weight collapsed on my body. I sighed. The hallway was dark, with a sliver of moonlight slipping in through the one window at the end of the hallway. I passed it without stopping to stare at it, which was unlike me. I always stopped to stare at the sky, but there was no time. The wailing increased. "I'm on my way, My darling; please stop crying," I whispered because I knew he could hear me. The wailing did not stop despite my plea, and I suspected it would take more than just a few words to calm him. I increased my pace, which cussing Kane in my mind. It was his fault the room was a great distance away from ours. I pushed the door open and jumped to fetch my son in my arms. His beautiful eye
Rune.I knew not to expect Kane to bed beside me when I woke up, but I couldn’t help the little stinging in my heart at his absence. I felt a little sad that he always woke up early to avoid speaking about the night before. There was no way I could get him to talk with me if he kept avoiding me. He did not see it impotant to have any kind of conversation with me, and it was kind of disappointing, but it was too early to give up.Kimi had been waiting outside my door smiling when I stepped out for breakfast. There was no point asking what was so amusing since she was Kimi; everything was funny to her. “How was your night?” She asked, searching my face. “I had a bad dream, but I don’t remember it,” I shrugged as we descended the stairs. “Really?” The smile was wiped away from her face and replaced with pure surprise. “Yes, really. Why?” She shook her head and pressed her lips. “What’s going on, Kimi?” She halted and sighed. “Well, rumors are flying about the pack house that Alpha
Rune. Rachael's pale face burned a bright that lightened up my spirit. I was still very much sad about the death of Adam, the priest, but I was a little happy. However, my happiness was short-lived when Kane appeared behind Rachael, a scowl sitting on his otherwise attractive face– no, his face. I did not want to, but I could not help but stare at him. He was tall and straight, like a towering spruce, with massive shoulders filling his black shirt and muscles rippling under his shirt that caused my pulse to quicken. I sucked in a sharp breath. I had no doubt he heard. My nose twitched as his intoxicating smell filled my nostrils, announcing that he stood before me. "What is going on here? What happened?" at the sound of Kane's voice behind her, Rachael turned to face him with her hand on the side of her face I had slapped. "Alpha," she cried and sunk to her knees. I watched her in awe. I knew she was a bad person, but I never knew she was an actress. She sucked in a breath that le
Rune. I just knew there was no way I was more attracted to Kane than the bond we shared allowed. He had shown me countless times that he did not like me, care for me in any way, or trust me. He had done all he could to show that I was nothing more than what he thought I was, a blemish to him, and I had no claim to becoming Luna.At least he didn't scold me in the presence of everyone, which I'm sure Rachael would've loved. I realized what I felt for him was merely gratitude for saving my life multiple times and nothing more, which set me back in my plan for a few days.Kane and I fell back into our usual state of not speaking to each other since that afternoon, and it felt like all the moments we shared in his room and mine were just a fraction of my imagination. He returned to his usual brooding and scowling self while I spent my days and nights with Soph and Marian. Kimi was too busy with training during the day and too tired during the night to hang out with us, and honestly, I
Rune.I took a deep breath and raised my hand to knock on Kane’s door. My nerves were all over the place, and a sickening feeling of rejection loomed over my head from the living room to Kane’s office door. Then I knocked.“Who is it?” Came his thunderous voice. I gulped hard and bit down on my lips quickly before clearing my throat.“It’s Rune,” there was a pause, then a subtle “Come in,” as though he was begging me not to hear him or respond. I pushed the heavy doors open and let myself in with a fake smile I had practiced plastered on my face. He raised his head from the book in his hand with a brow raised as though trying to figure out why I was in his office with a smile. I sucked in a breath. The light bulb bronzed his face, and he looked almost unreal. His square jaw tensed visibly as his fingers clamped over the book. He was a handsome beast, and he knew it. “Dinner is ready,” his brows stayed arched, “Please join me for dinner,” I kept a slight smile on my lips when all
Kane.Insane. I was going insane. The intoxicating smell of her lingered in the air, in my nose, on my skin. I should’ve never gone close to her. I should’ve returned to my room– if the place did not already smell like her. I couldn't escape from it, her need for me. I balled my fists tightly above my head as cold water came down my back in a steady flow from the shower head to help calm my arousal. It wasn’t working.I shut my eyes. It was a mistake because the world dimmed around the edges, and all I could see was my mate staring up at me with those magnificent brown orbs clouded in sexual haze. I shut my eyes tighter, hoping that I could see her even clearer, and wrap my arms around her slim waist, then pull her even closer to me so all I’d see, smell, and think was her, hoping that I could raise her chin, and kiss her so hard she loses her breath like I should’ve done, instead of pushing her away like a coward. I had never been a coward. I released my fists and brought my finger
Rune.Soph, Marian, and Kimi’s voices danced in the distance around my ears, like background music, while I fixed my attention on the memory of last night, of myself in Kane’s arms. I had been in his arms several times, but last night was different. I sensed an urgency in his to claim me, but unfortunately, he was the king of self-restraint. I had raised myself even higher on my tiptoes, leaning most of my weight on his large body, but his hands stopped me from closing what little distance separated us. I sighed for the millionth time since I woke up. For some reason, I couldn’t get the image of our bodies pressed against each other with the cold night wind passing between us in an attempt to cool my rising temperature, out of my mind. We didn’t kiss, in the literal sense of the word. Kane’s lips had only brushed slightly against mine before he withdrew himself from me, placed a hand over his nose as he scanned the area, then he pulled me back into the pack house before disappearing
Rune. I stilled as I watched Kane fall to his knees, covered in his blood and others, and more flashes of my dream engulfed me.But things were supposed to be different. We changed our fate, he was supposed to save me and take me back with him to our territory, so why?I looked up to the sky, and the full moon stared back at me, but the more I stared at it, the more I felt as though it was coming to me. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain all over my body, and cracks as though my bones were breaking. “Zarah! What is happening?” I yelled out, but Zarah remained silent. I didn’t know what was happening until my claws began to lengthen, and white fur emerged from my skin, coating my entire body. “We are shifting,” Zarah finally said, “and I will end this!” She added and I watched as she lunged at Black, growling dangerously at him. “Rune!” He called out, but Zarah wasted no time in biting off one of his limbs, giving him no choice but to shift. We ran around the pack in search of my fathe
Rune. Black had arrived shortly after to show me to my room, claiming I’d have more time to talk with my father at dinner because he wanted me to rest since I was pregnant.I didn’t want to leave my father, but I was grateful for the solitude the room provided because I could finally think. I replayed everything my father said to me, picking out the most. My father was innocent, and he knew where my mother and sister were kept, which meant we had to be careful if we didn’t want to be caught. When my father said Black planned to kill him and force me to stay with him, I believed him instantly, because a person who could conceal his real identity to carry out various plans was dangerous and was capable of doing plenty of damage. Before we parted, my father had told me to find a way to contact Kane because he was the only one who could save us, but I doubted I had such skill. I had never initiated a mind link with Kane when we were in the same territory, talk more of doing so while
Rune. Black had suggested we visit my father, claiming that it would help me make a better decision; the decision to go to him. I was so confused, and numb that I couldn’t even cry or scream, instead, I sat stiffly on Black’s back, laying out my thoughts and thinking about what my next course of action would be. It was then I recalled my dream. My dream had some truths to it, like how I’d seen my father with Black, and some Elders, while the entire Shadow Moon pack was wiped away. “I know you’ve missed your father, so I knew this would warm your heart,” I heard Black say, but I was not bothered by him. I didn’t know what was happening, but I knew I couldn’t do anything until I heard all the sides of the story, the most important side being my father’s.Black ran for a while and stopped at the border of territory nearly thirty minutes later. My brows knitted in confusion as I recalled that the nearest pack to Shadow Moon pack was Pearl Crest, and if I was right then that meant Bla
Rune. I woke to the gentle warmth of sunlight filtering through the small window of the cabin. Blinking away sleep, I stretched and sat up, realizing I was still in Black's cabin. The events of last night came rushing back to me—the unexpected reunion with Black, the cozy cabin, the little talk we had. However, when I noticed the sun shining brightly, I realized I had slept in and Black did not bother to wake me.Frowning, I slipped out of bed and padded to the door, intending to find Black and ask him to let me leave. To my surprise, he was nowhere to be found. A sense of unease settled in my chest as I searched the cabin, finding only silence and emptiness.Resigned, I located a pen and paper on a nearby table and hastily scribbled a note:Black,I appreciate your hospitality, if you’re reading this it means I’ve gone. I’ll see you some other time.Rune.I folded the note and placed it on the kitchen counter, intending to leave immediately. But as I approached the door, I realized
Kane. The night air was thick with tension as I returned to Shadow Moon Pack after my secret mission. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale silver glow over the familiar grounds that now felt haunted by the feeling that something was wrong, but I deduced that it was my finding that made me feel that way. My mind raced with the revelations from my short trip to Pearl Crest, where I found they were the ones behind the charms and wolfsbane plaguing my territory. On my way home, I had made plans of what I would do and how to go about ending that pack and everyone in it for good, but upon entering the pack house, I found Soph, Jett, and Kimi gathered in the living room, their expressions somber and troubled. My eyes swept over them, dread pooling in my stomach. “What is going on?” I demanded, my voice low and urgent.No one spoke for a tense moment, their silence deafening. "Where is Rune?" I repeated, my voice rising with each word.Jett shifted uncomfortably, avoiding my gaze
Rune. “Black?”The cool evening air whispered through the dense trees as I stared at Black, my senses on high alert. Scanty rays of sunlight filtered through the branches, casting shadows on the forest floor. It was unusual to find anyone out here, let alone Black. He stood before me, tall and imposing, a smile in his eyes. "What are you doing here?"His smile widened, his eyes a mixture of relief and uncertainty. "I wanted to see you, Rune. I... I wasn't sure how, but then you appeared, as though the goddess herself guided you to me.""In Shadow Moon territory?" I raised an eyebrow, eyeing him warily.He nodded solemnly. "Yes. I had to see you."“What are you doing here though?” he asked, his eyes traveling up and down my body. I shifted uncomfortably in my tank top and black shorts. I ran out of the pack house without thinking and ended up leaving in such little clothing."I... I came out for some air," I stammered, feeling foolish.His gaze lingered on me, his expression unreada
Rune. A sigh escaped my lips when I no longer felt Kane’s presence in the pack; a dreadful feeling of emptiness settled in immediately, as though it was waiting for his departure. However, I had to wipe the sadness from my face when I headed downstairs nearly two hours later, taking note of the omega’s cleaning the pack house instead. Kane was away on a mission and I had a mission of my own; to track down the wolf sending those notes to me, and to make sure no one could tell Kane was gone.“Good morning,” An Omega greeted, making her way up the stairs.“Are you going up to clean my room?” I asked her, and she turned, long black hair swaying behind her before she nodded.“Don’t bother. Alpha is still sleeping,” I told her, pulling off the best nonchalant attitude I could muster so she wouldn’t suspect me, and thankfully she didn’t.Everything was going well, and no one came to ask if they could clean the room again, but it seemed our luck ran out when a group of elders came to seek K
Kane. “I hate to say it but her dreams bother me,” I said with a deep breath, “Especially when it shouldn’t,” I added, running my fingers through my hair.“Does it bother you because you think it could happen or because she’s the one who had those dreams?” Jett asked with a raised brow, and I frowned at him. We were lodged in his house, an hour after I had put my mate to bed. He had opted to drink, but I was more worried about the pack and Rune’s dream to indulge him, and now he was just trying to get on my nerves.“Are you crazy?” “Not quite,” he replied with a little laugh and I shook my head before I turned serious.“On a more serious note, I think I’ll have to visit the Fay soon, to hear more about this dream my mate had. I think we’re missing something very important here,” A sigh escaped my lips at the same time Jett nodded, taking a sip out of his alcohol right after.“If you’re making plans to see her, then that means you accept her? I thought you’d turn to your precious pri
Rune. “Talk to me,” Kane inched closer, staring intently at me. “I don’t know how accurate I am, or if this will mean anything to you, but I had a bad dream that the pack was set on fire, and a lot of wolves died.”My words were met with silence and Kane’s head hung low.“Did you hear me?” I tilted my head to search his face. “Fire you say?”I nodded. “I’m sure Soph has told you about the charms we found in the pack?” I nodded, patiently waiting for him to explain to me the relationship between the two things. “I’m forced to believe there’s a new pack targeting us, and they work closely with witches.”The seriousness of his words settled in and I found myself sitting up straight, my hands in his.“But what do you believe?”“I believe Pearlcrest is behind it. I mean it makes no sense that it’s a new pack because all the leads are somehow connected to Pearlcrest but yet, I’m being told something entirely different.”“Soph told me they are the ones with sightings of more charms?”H