“Alsh firmate alite.” The fire ball flew from my hands and exploded against the dry wood. It caught, and soon the fire was burning through the wood quickly. I fed more wood, bigger pieces into the fire, and waited for it to catch. I wanted to be sure that this was going to be burning for a while before I moved on to the next step. Once I was sure that the fire was good, I flipped back to the page I needed. I read the entire page twice before I put the book back on the ground. I pulled my mother’s necklace out of my pocket and my father’s skin. I prayed to the Moon Goddess that I was right before I tossed both in. “Ista nox luva sit nu.” I slowly repeated the word three times, and I watched as the fire flared and turned pink. I hoped that meant I was right before I sat back on my heels. Now I just had to wait. I fed the fire and watched as the necklace slowly melted away, and nearly gagged from the smell as the small bit of my father went with it. I let the fire go until I saw ever
The sun was breaking over the trees as I broke out of the forest. I didn’t realize that the burning took so long. It took the entire night. Megan’s voice sounded tired. I nodded as I ran into the pack house and up the stairs. I needed to see him for myself before I believed he was truly back to his normal self. I made it to the landing, and I was hearing the pack house wake up, but I was only focused on one thing.“Dad?” I slammed into the office and skidded to a stop. My father was there, sitting behind his desk. He looked like he was normal, but that didn’t mean he was. Ronnie was slumped in his normal chair and they both looked up to where I was panting in the doorway.“Yeah pup.” His smile made me burst into tears. “You scared the crap out of me, old man. I thought I had lost you.” I ran into his arms as he stood and he wrapped his arms around me.“I’m sorry Amy. I should have listened to you sooner. I wouldn’t have hurt you if I had.” He pulled back to look at the faded bruises
The Agora was breathtaking. The clearing looked like a natural stone quarry, if that made any sense. Rocks were staggered down toward the lower floor, like steps, and it was already filling up with the pack. There was a path that circled down the side wall of the crater until it ended at the bottom, where a chair, or should I say, a throne, waited. There was a smaller one to the side, which I could only assume it was for the Alpha and Luna. As I stepped down with my father, I could feel the truth settle in my bones. This was the birthplace of our kind. You could feel the ancient roots here wrap around you. The trees bowed outward, allowing the sun and moon to shine down on the people collected here. This was where fates were decided. My father and I reached the bottom, and he gestured me to sit in the luna’s chair and I nodded. I settled and my father walked to the floor as everyone filed in. You could see the wolves that knew the truth of this place fill with a sense of pride. And
“Because!” she snarled and rose up to glare at her parents. “You were weak. Both if you were so weak. I deserved to be a ranked wolf. I worked my ass off to become stronger, only to find myself stuck in the middle with you two.” She looked disgusted. Her parents reeled back with the hate. “We loved you.” Sheila whispered, her voice trembling.“What’s so wrong with being unranked wolf?” Someone from the stands shouted.“Yeah?” Another called down. Soon, the entire pack was riled up.“Everything!” Amanda stood and whirled on the crowd. “You are weak. Unimportant. Poor. Pathetic wolves who are happy in your pathetic, insignificant lives. I deserve to be a luna, I deserve to lead. I deserve-” She stomped her foot.“Nothing.” My voice echoed around the clearing. “You deserve nothing.” Amanda turned back to me with a glare. “Being an alpha, or luna, isn’t something we deserve. It isn’t even something we earn. We are born to lead. We are born stronger, faster, bigger than normal wolves. Not
I stood on shaky paws, and I looked down at the girl between my feet. “What are you?”“I already told you,” Nix growled out as she lowered our head to Amanda’s. “I am an alpha of this pack, and I have made my decree.” Nix lifted our muzzle to the sky and howled. The loud lone call was matched with the shifted wolves of this pack. The ones that were left bowed their heads to us. “Does anyone disagree?”“No Alpha.” The call went out, even Jay and Sheila bowing their consent. “Mom! Dad!” Amanda called out, but they turned their backs on her. As did the rest of the pack. She looked around as she stumbled to her feet. She looked back to Nix. “From this day forth, Amanda Williams will be shunned by any of this pack. She will be joined by Aurora Williams once she is caught. We do not suffer betrayers in this pack.”“You have until sundown to collect the belongings you are taking with you. You need to be off pack lands or else the warriors have permission to attack on sight.” My father walk
I was able to tackle the wolf that dove for the pup and I made quick work of it. I whirled on the family, and they cried as I walked closer and sniffed around them to make sure no one was hurt. “You’re okay. Head to the closest building and lock yourself in a room.”The mom and kid continued to cry, but the father nodded. “Thank you…Alpha…” He trailed off, and I realized these people were too scared to scent me. “I’m Nix, Amy’s wolf.” I licked my muzzle to clean off any blood so not to scare the kid. But she threw herself at me. “Amy?”“Yes. You’re safe now, Sophie. Now, do as you’re told and go. Stay safe.” The mom and dad grabbed the pup from my leg and then hustled into whoever’s house they were cornered at. I heard a few doors slam and a lock turn before I ran off towards another howl.I made my way through the pack. One call for help after another. Sometimes, I made it in time, others someone else had already beaten me to it. I was about to run to the next howl, but it was cut
The second wolf paced in front of me, looking for a way in, but I stood my ground. I wouldn’t allow myself to fall and lose these two pups. I pushed forward, so it was my voice. “Listen, you two.” I waited until I heard their breathing to catch. “Do you…think you can…do me a favour? ““Alpha Amy?” The little boy’s voice hesitated. “Is that you?”“Yeah buddy, this is my wolf. Can you do me a favour?” I struggled to stay standing on my legs, so I locked my knees and focused on getting them out of here.“Yes Alpha.”“Good boy. Can you be a strong boy of me? Can you take your sister and run?” I wanted to look back to reassure him, but I knew if I took my eyes off the wolf, it would attack.“Will you come with us?”“Of course. I’m just going to make sure you get off to safety before I follow with you parents.”“You promise?” His tiny voice made my heart break.“I promise. I’m just going to make sure you are safe.” I tried to put so much into my voice. “Now go. I’ll make sure you get to saf
“Stay with me, baby.” I heard my father’s worried whisper in the darkness. I was floating in this nothingness. There was no light, no sound, nothing except my father’s soft whispers. “Please don’t leave me. I don’t think I could go on without you. Nevermind ever facing your mother again.” I wanted to reassure him.It’s okay daddy. I made my choice.“You saved that family, even the parents. They are still touch and go, but they made it to the hospital. So you have to make it too.” His voice grew stronger, and I smiled. At least they made it.I tried to sit up, roll over or move, but I couldn’t move. I was stuck in this darkness. Is this death? Is this the afterlife we have all heard about? Where was the Goddess? Where were my wolves? We are here with you, Amy. Nix’s voice was still with me. I closed my eyes and focused inside, and they were where they have always been even when I didn’t know it. You’re here.Of course we are. Megan’s bright voice made me smile, her snout pulling int
I stomped up after him and got to my seat. “What is so funny?”Ronnie laughed harder. “You learned so much this summer pup, but there is one thing you still need to work on.” I tilted my head and he leaned over the aisle and flicked my nose. “Work on your poker face.” His chuckle broke up at his words. “Your face was priceless. Pure disgust as you texted him.”“Well…come on.” I shot him a side look, and he bent over his knees, laughing harder.“I know, but in all seriousness. He is an alpha. And most have egos bigger than a house. If you have that look on your face when he is trying to hit on you, or even talk to you. He will make your life a living hell in that pack.” Ronnie’s face fell serious. “You don’t want to offend him if you can help it.”I nodded. “You’re right.” I wiped my face and settled into my seat. “But that is
The drive to the airport was silent. I took the time to gather my feelings about going back and what had just happened. Ronnie and Lynn gave me the space I needed, which I was thankful for. My phone started buzzing non-stop as message after message came in. Confused, I opened my phone to watch the messages roll in from my mother. Finally, they stopped at the last one.Mom- Amy, for the love of the goddess, will you answer me?I messaged back.Amy- Mom? What’s going on? Why are you messaging me a million messages all at once?Mom- Amy? Finally! I’m so happy I finally got a hold of you.Amy- What’s going on? You ignored my calls and messages all summer and now you’re texting me a novel…Mom- I didn’t. Or I didn’t mean to. I thought the same thing, that you were ignoring me the entire summer, but I realized today that you were blocked. I resent
I stood at the door for a few seconds, debating between leaving him or going back in to plead to stay a little longer. But I knew once he decided he would stick to it. And right this second, his mind was made up because something was going on back home.I dropped my hand and turned away, feeling like garbage, but giving him the space he needed. He hated when I left back to the mom’s, so did I. I huffed out a breath and headed down the stairs.The pack house was eerily silent. I was so used to hearing someone run through the rooms, or the omega’s cleaning, that the silence was deafening. But I shook it off. I was being dramatic. I just didn’t want to leave. I reached the bottom floor, and I saw the two families I saved were waiting by the door with Ronnie. “What are you guys doing here?”The four little kids ran over to me and all hugged me. “We don’t want you to leave.” Ry’s voice broke out above the re
My father and Ronnie were waiting for me as I dropped in to the chair. “You okay pup?” My dad asked as my back hit the chair and I hissed again.“Yeah. Just keep forgetting it’s there.” I laughed it off, but my dad shook his head.“I meant, are you okay after saying goodbye to Cass?” I swallowed and then nodded. He watched my face closely and sighed. “Here.” He slid the book over to me, and I grabbed it and tucked it into my backpack.“It’s a good thing I don’t have to go through the airport with this. I would be called crazy for hauling a stone around with my electronics.” I shook my head as Ronnie laughed.“True. It is weird to see.” Ronnie settled back and then he and my dad shared a look.“So, are you going to show us?” My dad leaned back and quirked his head. I smiled and stood. Pulling my top over my back, but covering my front,
Five hours later, we were walking out with giant grins. “Thank you for coming in so early for us.” I kissed MJ and Neil as we left. “It was our pleasure.” MJ called out as he shut the door, and locked it behind us. “They aren’t staying open?” Cass looked back to the dark door. “Nah. They are usually closed today. They just came in for us.” I hooked my arm in hers and we walked into the bustling mall. “Where to now?” I looked down. “I wanted to get some new clothes. Now I want to get some even more. I need to show this off.” She stared down at her right arm. It was covered in a black and white version of the moon goddess with a full moon behind her, and wolves hidden in the forest around her wrist. It was gorgeous and Neil did an amazing job drawing it up on the spot. I nodded, and she stared down at the fresh ink. “How does it feel?” “It stings.” She shook her arm and then smiled. “I didn’t realize what went into doing tattoos on wolves.”&nb
“Let’s go eat.” I pulled her from my room and raced down the stairs.“Where are we going?”“I’m not telling you.” I looked back at her and grinned. “It’s a surprise, but you will love it. I promise.” I pulled her into the dining hall and we grabbed biog plates of food. I went and sat next to my exhausted father. “You okay?”“Yeah baby girl. I’m just tired. But I got it done.” He took a sip of his coffee and looked over at me. “You look excited. What’s up?”“Cass woke me up at the butt crack of dawn to get some quality time in.”“But she hijacked my plans and now I have now idea what we are doing.” Cass pointed out and I laughed.“You made the mistake of waking me up.” I leaned into the warmth of my father. “We are going to see MJ and Neil.” My dad looked over at Cass and laugh
I woke with a start, jolted up from my bed, and clutched my heaving chest. What the heck was that? I searched my room, sure that I would find the black wolf with bright blue eyes there, but I was alone.“What was that?” I dropped back to my bed and huffed out a laugh. Just remembering his voice had my skin breaking out in goosebumps. I closed my eyes and his eyes flashed in my mind. “Who are you?”There was a knock at the door and I sat up again, pushing the mysterious wolf out of my brain. I got up and looked down at my ruined sheets. “The blood.” Ugh. I shuffled to the door, wiping my eyes. I cracked it open and Cass pushed in. “Wake up.”“Cass?” I wiped my face as I turned to face the irrate Cass sitting at the end of my tossed and ruined bed. “What are you doing here?” I looked at the clock on the bed-side table. “It’s six in the morning.”“Exactly.” Sh
“Daddy…I don’t want to leave you like this.” I tried one last chance.“I know, pup. But your mom needs you.” He looked worried. “She wouldn’t have asked for you unless it wasn’t important. And she has been pretty insistent. In all the years she sent you here, she has never once acted like this. We always had this unspoken rule that we would never keep you from the other.”“I know.” I started to worry about my mother, too. “But I don’t like leaving you with this mess.”“I’ll be fine. I have Ronnie, and the rest.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me up the stairs of the pack house. “But your mother is alone. So I need you to go back and take care of her for me, since I can’t.” I stumbled as we went and he stopped and picked me up.“Dad!”“Sorry pup. I know your tired. I am too.”“Then why don’t you
My father coughed. “Okay.” He called out, and we all turned back to the room.“Anyway, I hate a few thoughts.” Ronnie’s face fell into neutral lines. “Greyson and Cass take over as the lead Gamma pair, and if Lynn is okay with it, she travels back with Amy under the guise of finding her mate.”The room grew silent. I could tell Lynn was thinking about it. “Would I be able to come back with my mate?” Her question caught me off guard.“Would you want to come back?” My father’s voice was measured.She turned to look at Greyson and Cass. “I don’t want to insult you two. You both are amazing, and you have grown so much since we started training. But you two aren’t strong enough to be the main Gamma pair.” Cass smiled and looked up at Greyson.“We aren’t insulted. We know. We are both still very young and Cass just became ranked. We l