Rune.Kane ended up napping on my body for nearly two hours or so. I didn't keep track of the time, and each time he moved in his sleep, my body would go stiff, thinking he would wake up, but he didn't.Jett even came looking for him an hour into his sleep, saying he had an important meeting to attend, but I was too scared to wake him up, so I said nothing and let Jett believe we were both sleeping. Everything felt surreal: Kane sleeping and holding me tight the way he did, what we’d just done, and the soreness between my legs and around my body—most of which came from my injuries.I had almost forgotten I was injured; all my senses were directed at Kane and how he easily gave me what I didn’t know I needed then.I couldn't see his face from how he laid his head on me, but I imagined he looked nothing like the strict alpha I knew him to be; he probably furrowed his brows in his sleep or had a small smile while he dreamt of something happy.When Kane stirred in his sleep for the last t
Rune.I won't lie; things feel better now that Kane marked me fully.It had been two days since Kane marked me, and even though he stole kisses here and there and touched me, it never exceeded that, but I was content with what we had, what we shared.It was late in the afternoon, after I had lunch at the cafeteria, that Jett came to me with a slight smile on his face and took the seat beside me.“How are you feeling?” he asked, keeping his eyes on my face. I blinked, confused at the small talk he was trying to form. It seemed the water here was different from the pack since Kane and Jett—the two wolves no one would ever think would be interested in small talk—appeared to have no problem coming up to me and speaking casually.“I'm fine. I feel better as my wounds have closed up,”“I’m thrilled you made it back in one piece. I’d hate to imagine what he would’ve done if you returned heavily injured or, worse, dead,” Jett shook his head, and I arched a brow at him.“What do you mean?” I a
Rune.I opted to talk to Black myself because I did not trust that Kane would do a good job since he made it obvious that he did not like Black for whatever reason.In the days that I'd been here, Kane made sure I had no interaction with Black, and so for a while, I thought Black was no longer at base until I saw him in passing while I was having lunch before Jett came up to me.Black looked surprised and confused even when I called for him and asked him to take a stroll with me a little distance away from the tents and wolves.“Is it OK for you to be out with me like this?” Black asked as we started the stroll. I raised a brow at him, trying to come up with an answer.“I mean, wolves don't just let their mates go around with single male wolves, and your mate has made it clear that I shouldn't be seen with you alone,” he added. I felt ashamed when he said the words because I didn't think he picked up on Kane’s attitude towards him.“But he’s right. Our mate will be pissed if he knows
Rune.When I stepped my feet inside the territory, a sigh of relief escaped my lips. I was finally home, away from the horrors and everything that happened in the past days, but then it dawned on me that I would learn to live with Kimi’s absence. I hadn't even gone close to the servant house or the pack house yet, and my heart already felt heavy. How would I live without her? I wondered.“Are you okay?” Black asked, and I let out a startled cry.Black had excused himself to shift at the back of a large tree, and I was so lost in thought that I didn’t realize he’d returned.I quickly turned my face, wiped the beads of tears that rolled unconsciously down my cheek, and nodded.“Are you sure? I'm certain I saw you crying, and if you're crying, it means something is wrong. Are you okay?” I met his eyes and was surprised by the concern in them. “It's just the wolf Doc killed was like a sister to me. I was the only family she had left. Then he killed her, and I didn't even have time to mou
Kane.“You were right; I shouldn't have messed with you,” Levi cried, Rubbing his palms together.Jett and I exchanged equally confused glances, and I returned my gaze to Levi with a slight tilt of my head.“Is this some sort of prank?” I asked him. I wouldn't be surprised if it was because Levi was known for making pranks. He killed multiple warrior wolves and said all manner of stupid things about me when he did. He sent letters containing the horrible things he wanted to do to every member of my pack, and now that I came to get my pound of flesh, he was apologizing instead of fighting. Typical for the coward he was known to be.“I know I was right. I'm always right, but this apology of yours is a shit show. You must pay for your crimes,” I took a threatening step towards him. “I know you were the one that had your men kidnap my mate; now that’s a crime that I won't forgive,” I folded my arms, my glare intensifying.“Your mate? Was your mate kidnapped? I know nothing about that,”
Rune.I did a little happy dance as I returned to the pack house, pleased at the progress I’d been making with amping my stamina, thanks to Black.I couldn't admit it to Soph, but he was an even better trainer than she was, and I imagined it had something to do with the fact that he'd been a rogue his entire life— so he said.The whole thing started on the second day after our return. Black came up to me and said he was a little uncomfortable that I let him stay in the territory, and he wasn't doing anything for me in return. I told him it was simply payment for accompanying me back home, and he didn't have to do anything, but he insisted on doing something for me. I had nothing better to do with my time anyway, so I let him talk me into training to get a better grip on my stamina.On our way back from the field, whispers and murmurings about Kane’s return were all I heard.Zarah let out an excited squeal, and I waved Black off as politely as possible and ran to the park house to see
Rune.I left my room after a while to my favorite thinking place that I had missed so much and thought I would never see again. As usual, the sound of water calmed me almost immediately, and a small smile settled on my face as I watched fishes jump out into the water, swimming away in their little cliques.I was furious at Kane, but I was delighted that he came back in one piece, and the war with Pearl Crest was victorious and over.I admit that I was wrong for letting Black stay in the territory despite witnessing Kane's attitude towards him, but when I told him to stay, I didn't think it would be much of a problem with Kane since he wasn’t even around.I mean, if he didn't want Black in the territory, he could have easily told me to tell him to leave instead of bringing up that I wasn't Luna. That felt like a double-edged sword wedged into my heart.After fifteen minutes of pure serenity, I returned to the pack house, where I was met with at least seven elders. I still had bad blood
Rune. The shuffling of feet and whispers of multiple voices violently pulled me out of sleep. It wouldn't have mattered if the sounds came from outside my window or my door, but the sounds came from my room.I sprang out from my bed immediately, confused as to what was going on. With raised brows, I scanned the area, taking my room in. About six omegas were walking in and walking out of my room with my belongings in their hands, each taking out something and returning to pick more.“What are you guys doing? Why are you taking my things, and where are you taking them to?” I asked with wide eyes. All six of them stopped, bowed and exchanged glances, and then one of them, a black-haired, stepped forward.“Pardon me, but we received strict instructions to move all your belongings to Alpha’s room,” she said.I repeated the words after her, trying to make sense of it.“Strict instructions from who?”“From Alpha,” I stared at her for a while, waiting for any indication that she was lying o
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