I tried to pull my ankle out of his grip, but he held it still, carefully examining it. I didn’t know what I could say in response. Any wolfsbane I claimed to have in my system would’ve been flushed out by now so what else was there?"Yeah, well, you put it on me whilst there was wolfsbane in my system, jackass. Maybe that had something to do with it."Alpha Jackson considered it for a minute as his eyes flashed to mine and then back to my leg. It wasn’t like he was completely convinced, but it was a reason for something unbelievable.Whilst I was trying to come up with something else to add or distract him from asking more questions as to why my pathetic body wasn’t healing and my non-existent wolf wasn’t protecting me, Alpha Jackson scooped me up into his arms. A blush rose to my cheeks and I was speechless for a minute at the gesture. His arms were strong and warm despite the cold air as he held me closely and for a split second, I felt safe. It felt like he wouldn’t drop me and wo
"why not just leave me out there? I did try to run away." I asked, the feel of his arms all the more apparent against my body as I questioned him.Alpha Jackson looked like that was something he was questioning himself. When he first found me, I thought he might have killed me or maybe just left me to suffer until I came crawling back and he could humiliate me in front of the whole pack. Or he could've taken me to the edge of the territory line and be rid of me for good. But he had come for me, maybe to gloat at first but he came. Was he only doing this now because he felt guilty about my leg? The alpha was confusing me and I didn't like being caught unaware.Either way, he had placed this silver band on my leg and warned me of what would happen and I did it anyway hoping for the best, and as angry as I was that yet another escape plan had been thwarted, I was kind of grateful that he had come for me."Christian already told you," he mumbled, as if disappointed in himself at the code
"My Goddess," Were the first words Doctor Heath muttered as he finally took a look at my leg and held it firmly with his gloved hands, ‘all this from the anklet?’ He did his best not to touch the actual wound, but the pain still radiated for a couple of inches from my ankle.I nodded, not offering anything else other than a wince. "This is almost as bad as a silver burn, any more silver in the anklet and it might have fried your whole leg off."That was not a pleasant idea to put into my head. I had seen silver burns on my father’s body, blistered and sizzling which would leave scars even as he was healed. I may not have been as affected by silver as other wolves, but it wasn't just silver in the anklet, there was magic at play there too and I had no wolf to fight off the burns. "Will it scar?" I asked lightly, picturing the injury becoming a wild white and rough line around my ankle as another scar was added to my repertoire. Another reminder of my failure and weakness. If I had my
I blinked and there I was, a forest with trees so thick and high that I could only see the sky inky night sky above me illuminated by the full white moon. I stood in the middle of a circle surrounded by trees and the moonlight sprinkled onto me like a shower. It was beautiful.I reached a hand out to grasp at the light that would slip through my fingers, but when I lifted what I thought was my hand, a white paw came into my vision, soft and new. With a yelp that I intended to be a cry, I looked down at myself and saw that it wasn’t those stupid, vulnerable human legs that I stood on, but instead, I was supported by four powerful legs that had a strong and steady grip on the earth beneath me so that not even an earthquake could topple me. My tail wagged so fiercely that I thought I would take off like a helicopter and with a brief howl of joy I chased it, wanting to see how long it was, how fluffy it was, how perfect it was. I stumbled a little bit, not used to the new speed and weigh
Alpha Jackson had returned to the infirmary for all of five seconds to give a quick overview of my leg and to place the silver anklet on my other foot before giving thanks to the doctor and heading off again. No word to me or to ask about me, though I could hardly be surprised. The doctor didn’t make any mention of my condition either or begin to discuss my dream with the alpha. When I asked him about it, he said something about ‘doctor-patient confidentiality’, which I didn’t understand. Why wouldn't he talk to the alpha about the conditions of his pack members? Everything that happened in the New Moon pack would be reported to Fredrick from when a pup was born to when a wolf died.“I’m not surprised you’re having nightmares,” Doctor Heath said, pulling me out of my thoughts as he checked on my burns one last time before he was satisfied, “you’ve been through a lot of trauma, it’s your subconscious’s way of processing that. It isn't particularly pleasant.”I only spoke briefly about
"Yeah," I mumbled, pulling myself away from her before showing off my bandaged leg, "I didn’t manage to get very far."Annabelle looked at my ankle, her gaze quickly moving to my other one with the silver anklet. Her face contorted in a sympathetic expression like she could only imagine the pain I had gone through. I doubt she had ever witnessed a silver burn before and found myself glad for it because I wouldn't wish that upon anyone."I’m sorry you felt you had to leave.""It wasn’t your fault," I reassured her hoping it would be some kind of comfort because it was true.Annabelle had been nothing but kind and gracious towards me. She was one of two people in the pack who had tried to make me feel welcome and supported me despite the circumstances that brought me to them. She had tried to defend me against Poppy and her alpha even though I was just a rogue from a dangerous pack. She had done more for me in the few hours I had known her than anyone outside of my family had even thoug
Annabelle and I carried on walking until we got to the training grounds and by Goddess was it a sight to behold. I had seen it from a distance earlier but being face to face with it made it all the more amazing. The schooling house was just around the corner and the changing rooms were just in front of the field so people were able to change just before beginning their training. The field itself was a lush green that looked like it could run on for miles stretching into the forest, a pond somewhere close by and different pieces of equipment littered against the grass such as dumbbells and hurdles. "Why are there so many things?""Oh, some people have their own private routines, others like to work in groups but combat training and regular P.T. is done as a pack.""We didn’t have mandatory pack training," I replied, watching people begin to put away their equipment. "But we did have groups get together and not everyone was exactly willing."Annabelle gave me a sad and knowing smile b
I stumbled into Alpha Jackson before I could stop myself, landing face-first on his chest. I shoved him away after I regained my balance and glowered at the alpha. I took back everything I said about him not being an asshole. He was a prick."And why not?" I asked defensively, "Why let me come here only to tell me to fuck off?"He had the gall to look amused as he crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at me, "Did the words ‘fuck off’ come out of my mouth?" He retorted and I hated the way he seemed to be laughing at me for it. "Isn’t that what you’re doing? I can’t shift and your entire pack is here so what are you so afraid of?"There was no way that he could hate rogues this much to do this. This felt personal, for all the times I’d spoken out against him, for making him question Annabelle’s loyalty and my god damned snarky comments. He was pathetic if this was supposed to be an attempt at humiliation and punishment. I wanted to go and run with the pack anyway just to see what he w
Fredrick's POV It wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.In that dungeon, trapped like a common animal I had time to think. And in that time I thought of all the ways I could make them suffer. Make Jackson, the puny brat who barely deserved the title alpha pay, and most of all make Elise suffer ten times over.I’d planned to play nice, it wouldn’t do if the other packs saw me abuse my luna, but now I had no choice. I still needed her, her visions of the future would help me take control of the world, but I only needed her alive, not comfortable.“Alpha Fredrick, Master Caius requests your presence,” One of the filthy thralls knocked at my door, daring to order me around.I flashed my canines at the servant, but he was too drained to flinch or show any kind of emotion.I stood without doing more to acknowledge the thrall as I left the private room Caius had designated for me. I think he meant to be insulting. I was an honoured guest yet I got a ‘spare’ room and was being ordered around by a
Elise's POVWe wasted no time hurrying to the dungeons, barely letting the warrior’s words sink in as we hurried into a run. I was a luna now, their luna, I didn’t have the privilege of time to be worried or scared because now I had people to protect.I barely felt myself breathe as I ran to the dungeons where Fredrick had last been held. We entrusted Christian with keeping the pack calm as we went to investigate.All the warriors were on guard and Jackson had given orders, “Secure the grounds and gather the trackers for footprints or anything we can use to find them!”When we saw the cells, they were still locked tightly, but the three of them had gone. There were no signs of struggle against the bars or the locks, no damage to the interior walls and the smell of wolfsbane was still thick in the cells.It was like they’d just vanished.I might've believed that too if it weren't for multiple guards passed out besides the three cells, not a mark on their body but looking pale and uncom
Elise’s POVMy heart was hammering as the rope was wrapped around our wrists and I couldn’t help but stare lovingly at my mate. He was looking at me the same way and I felt like crying.This was it. This was my family. This was my home.My first encounter with Jackson had been me rejecting a pack, and now I was accepting one.“Honoured guests,” Clarissa started, “We are gathered here today, not just to join two mates together for eternity, but to welcome Elise Clares into our pack as our Luna.”Cheers erupted from the crowd and I found myself checkling, a happy tear escaping from my eye. I saw Annabelle and Christian yelling the loudest with Doctor Heath holding his mate close to him and kissing her at the top of her head.“Do you, Alpha Jakson of the Full Moon pack accept Elise Clares as your destined mate?”“I do,” Jackson said without any hesitation as his grip on my hands tightened slightly, “From the moment I met you Elise, I felt something pulling me towards you. At first, I tho
Jackson's POVI took a deep breath feeling more nervous than I’d ever felt in my entire life. I was wearing a dark blue suit with a white rose pinned to my breast pocket, my hair styled and slicked back with The Alpha’s Crown placed securely on my head and my face cleanly shaven for once. Christian had said if I didn’t shave it he was going to strap me to a chair and do it himself. As much as I trusted my Beta, I didn't exactly want slices on my chin for my wedding day.I ran a hand over the smooth skin and tried to remember the last time I’d shaved it properly instead of trimmed, I'd always found the scruffy look made me look more intimidating and I was pretty sure Elise liked it. Oh well, I could grow it back. It seemed like I was trying to think of just about anything to pass the time as I waited fro Elise and tried not to fidget like an idiot.Christian was smirking next to me and I managed to subtly jab him in the ribs.I remembered making fun of him as he waited for Annabelle du
Elise’s POVFrom the second I woke up I was pampered by Clarissa and Annabelle who seemed to be more excited than me for the Luna Ceremony, which was saying a lot considering I was jittering with nerves and excitement. I never expected to accept this kind of arrangement so quickly but it just felt like the right thing to do. I wanted this ceremony to happen, I wanted to officially be Jackson’s mate for the world to see and be the Luna of this amazing pack that I now called family.Annabelle shoved me into a large bath filled with so many bubbles, salts and essential oils that I didn’t think the smell of lilies and roses would ever leave my skin.Then they pulled me into a chair as they dried and styled my hair for what seemed like hours, not in a negative way because the two of them made me laugh as we took photos and told funny stories. They curled my hair so it fell like a wave against my back before they braided and tied it so I looked like a blonde Celtic princess.The makeup came
Jackson's POVAfter we managed to get some kind of normalcy in the pack, there was still an air of stress and anxiety. We had multiple members of Fredrick’s pack join us and made sure we kept them far away from the dungeons and monitored them sufficiently just in case anyone tried to break Fredrick and the others out.“The guards and warriors won’t be too rough with them, will they?” Elise asked the last time I saw her, clutching my arm as she watched some of the refugees being directed to their houses looking terrified.I shook my head in assurance, “No, they have strict orders to treat them carefully unless they prove to be a threat, even then they are to take them down with as much force as is necessary and take them to the dungeon.”No one had seemed to try to convince any of my guards to let them pass into the dungeon or even look that way. Instead, they looked somewhat relieved to know that their former alpha was imprisoned there. Nor did they try to fight my pack. Elise was rig
Elise's POVIt was strange walking through the dungeon, free and in charge rather than as a prisoner. I’d been held captive twice in two different dungeons and had to admit that I wasn’t a fan. Maybe that was because I hadn’t deserved it, but neither had the people who got experimented on at Fredrick’s hand. I felt no sympathy or empathy for the ex-alpha as we reached his cell.There were five guards posted in the dungeons, two to watch Fredrick, two to watch Melanie and one to watch Poppy. They all seemed serious and offered Jackson, Christian and me a bow of respect before immediately resuming their posture and attention.As we rounded to Fredrick’s cell, I had to stop and stare.He looked terrible, not the large, imposing alpha who made everyone tremble at just the mention of his name. His clothes were dirty and ripped, his hair was a greasy mess and he looked like a feral animal. I never thought it was possible to see him looking so pathetic and powerless.I noticed the large amou
Elise's POVJackson asked if I wanted to move into the Pack House before the Luna Ceremony and I accepted. But before I could do that, I wanted to go back to the house I’d lived in when I first came to the pack. Before I could move into somewhere new, I wanted to say goodbye.I hadn’t lived in that house long, but it was the first thing that was mine and held a lot of memories like first connecting with Annabelle and Christian, the movie nights with Annabelle and just a general sense of safety and security.“I can go with you if you want,” Jackson offered when I first brought up the idea. “No, thank you,” I said softly, smiling at him, “I don’t have much to move… It’s just to say goodbye.”He didn’t argue or protest, he simply gave me a kiss on the cheek before I headed off.As I walked through the pack, I couldn’t help but reminisce how everything was different now. The first time I was newly out of chains and was being escorted to my new home by Christian. Everyone looked at me war
Elise's POV It was a question we’d all been dreading and I knew that it was partially my fault. If it wasn’t for me then Fredrick would be dead in the dirt and the packs would have one less thing to worry about. But he wasn’t dead and though I knew it was the right decision I also knew that a lot of the other wolves, both in the council room or not would find it difficult to understand.“With all due respect, Luna, would you mind explaining further as to why we can’t kill him?” Doctor Heath asked me, treating me like his luna already though we hadn’t had the ceremony yet. The others might have been saying it out of respect but I knew that Doctor Heath had meant it. He had been one of my first friends when I came here and he'd helped me through so much that I could never thank him enough for it.“I know it’s hard to believe, but a long time ago my family were blessed by The Moon Goddess.”I paused, waiting for some kind of negative reaction. Encountering The Moon Goddess was rare and