Rune.I couldn’t tell if the moon goddess was on my side or against me or if it was my body fighting against or for me. I had woken up to slight pain passing through my body in waves for the second day in a row. Of course, by now, I knew what it meant, but I couldn’t believe it was happening because it hadn’t happened since the first time it did and nearly killed me. I was on heat. Without thinking, I decided to go about my morning as usual, hoping that because Kane was still in park territory, I’d be fine. I wasn’t.Kimi, Marian, and I skipped the morning debrief—mainly because Soph was absent—and focused on breakfast, after which Kimi began whispering about another handbook she had found to help me further my plans to conceive. “We need to pause it for now, at least until investigations are done,” I told her and then explained that I felt horrible that we were focusing on the wrong thing at the wrong time. Minutes passed, and the pain came in stronger waves, crashing against my b
Rune.My breath got hitched in my throat at his words, widened eyes darting from left to right in shock and pain.“For the pain,” his voice was thick and unsteady. A fire of need and desire flowed through my veins, setting my entire body ablaze. My eyes fluttered closed, loving the whisper of Kane’s lips on my neck, light and intoxicating. He sniffed my scent and held me tighter as though I’d disappear if he let go, and I stayed unmoving in anticipation while Zarah purred. We would finally be one with our mate. I had almost forgotten we were in bed with wet clothes–thanks to the heat that engulfed me from the feel of his hard-on against my bum. He felt so…big.His long fingers were cool and smooth as he stroked my arm sensuously while his lips nibbled on my ear and the skin underneath it. An electric shiver ran through my spine, and from my parted lips, a light whimper escaped. His fingers tenderly traced the line of my cheekbone and jaw like he was memorizing it, and then he took hi
Kane.The moment I stepped out of her room, I knew I made the biggest mistake of my life. I should’ve sent for Chris and asked him to administer some pain relief drugs for her instead of getting involved...Fuck.I could only tame Ky for as long as I had because all we had were imaginations and dreams of our mate without intricate detail. I went ahead and fucked that up by involving myself with her in the one way I swore never to do, giving Ky leverage over me. Now we knew what she felt like–tight–what she tasted like–the best damn thing I’d ever put in my mouth–and how she looked when she found her release–flushed, erotic, and especially heavenly.She was a fucking temptress, arching her body and watching me like I was the most magnificent thing she’d ever seen. It was what drove me to go as far as I did, and it would’ve been even worse if I had not pulled myself away from her. I could still hear the sound of her raging release even hours later, and when I closed my eyes, I felt t
It was a rather joyous day after the sadness and dark cloud looming over us in Shadow Moon Pack in the past few days.The investigation for Adam, the priest, had yet to be concluded, but Kane decided it was time to ordain a new priest. His decision made me wonder if he was giving up on the case or if he had found a lead and was working on something. Since Soph was reprimanded for taking me along to the scene of the crime last time, she kept most of the information to herself and only told me what she felt I needed to know–which was almost nothing.Worst of all, I could not ask Kane about it myself because things were far too awkward between us after his generous…assistance. After much contemplation and much more regret, I made the difficult decision to halt the pursuit of an heir and avoid Kane to the best of my abilities.I thought I did not care for the pack and the people on the receiving end of all the terrible things that had been happening, but I did.I realized I was too focuse
Rune.I inched closer to Kane with caution, contemplating if following him to his room was a good call or not. I had a feeling it wasn’t, but I went with him regardless. He collapsed on the edge of his bed, and with a sigh, he raked his fingers through his hair.I was worried about him. Seeing him return, looking so tired, so done with everything and in need of rest, in addition to my conversation with Chris, tugged at a string in the pit of my stomach and made me so sad, protective even. I don’t know if it was our bond acting up, but I wanted to protect him. I felt the need to shield him from all his problems. But I couldn’t because I knew by now that he didn’t want me in that way. I could only check up on him like any other wolf would do and be on my merry way. “What do you want?” Kane’s deep voice cut through my thoughts. I cleared my throat. “Are you okay?” “What do you want?” “I want to know if you’re okay,” I retorted, and he went silent.“Chris brought this for you,” I
Rune.Caden’s words pierced my heart like a thousand silver daggers dipped in wolfsbane into every part of my body. The cut sliced deep, nearly drawing tears right there where I stood with my lips parted.“He’s kidding!” Zarah tried to assure me, but the longer I stood there watching him watch me without a trace of humor on his face, I knew he was not.“What do you mean? What did I do to the goddess?” I had been good since the day it was revealed that I was Kane’s mate, so how could I have sinned so greatly that it cost me my womb?“I am merely a messenger,” Caden pressed his lips together, then he plastered a smile on his face as though he didn’t just give me the most heartbreaking news I’d ever heard.“It is disheartening to bear such a sad vision on my first night,” Caden placed his hand on his chest with his brows slightly furrowed. I played with my fingers for lack of a better thing to do—heading up to my room to breathe and calm myself down. I desperately wanted to leave the di
Rune.I couldn't stay and not do something to at least try to protect myself, but it seemed it was the only option I had left, excluding death. Death wasn’t even an option because I still had my mother, sister and Kimi to live for, and there wolves were facing worse fates than I was, and death wasn’t an option for them. I felt horrible for even thinking about ending my life because I couldn’t have my way. Kane’s request seemed to have come from a place of trust; as if he was asking me to trust him. Honestly, I didn’t want to, but he had saved my life more times than he had threatened it, and it made me think his request was solely for my benefit and not his. Staying still and doing nothing did not include hanging out with the people I cared about. We could still have our breakfast briefings and care for each other—like we’d been doing. Staying still and doing nothing meant I had returned to being a prisoner. I couldn’t have dreams, I couldn’t be selfish, I would never become Luna.
Rune.Kane heeded the Elder's request to punish the criminal openly, but he didn’t seem too happy about it. His frown had deepened, and his stance was rigid. Something was wrong. “How should we punish him, Alpha?” Rachael’s father creased his brow. “Let’s burn him, Alpha,” Caden appeared from nowhere and said before Kane could respond. Kane scoffed and nodded. “Do what you must,” he told them. I watched as Jett leaned towards him and said something in his ear, and he nodded. “Are they really going to burn him?” I asked Soph, who bit down on her lower lip and nodded.“He’s a criminal,” Soph shrugged, but I couldn’t help but feel like something was off. Kane and Jett’s attitudes were off, Soph’s replies too were off, but I couldn’t ask her about anything yet. I made a mental note to find a way to make Soph tell me what was really going on. Guards stepped forward with jerrycans of petrol and poured it on the wolf who, up until that moment, hadn’t said anything.“Look at how quick t
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