Kaya We arrived at the packhouse late in the morning. We had spent the night hunting under the stars. We had caught a mountain lion and gorged our wolves on the animal. Both of us were so full we decided to camp amongst the trees. We had gathered sticks and started a fire as we could not fall a tree. It was a small fire and had burned out by the morning. We had to hiked back to the truck, and the drove home was long. When we pulled into the garage, Cade opened the door. We both needed a hot shower as we had been in the forest all night, and while I didn't mind being covered in dirt, it was not typical among the people in our pack. Cade took my hand. "I will have someone bring in our things. They can leave them outside our door." He said over the link. The night before, we had spent time learning more sign language. I told him it would be best if Saka and Len taught him the native language as I could not speak with him. It would help if he could hear the words. My native tongue w
Cade The day of the tournament arrived. There were fifteen packs in total that had come. As the Alphas and the Lunas came and introduced themselves to both Kaya and me, they would always linger on Kaya. I knew she would get many looks with her facial tattoo, her long black hair, and her tan skin. They all knew she was from the north, and other than the few who had interacted with her at the party at Nightshade Pack, they didn't know much about her. Nightshade Pack was not attending the tournament. They didn't want to travel when winter was on the cusp, and they already had a Luna, nor did they want any of their warriors to pair up with Annalise. I worried that many of the packs would feel the same once they met her. But there was more at stake than just finding a match for Annalise, alliances. I knew many still didn't like that our pack had made a comeback. I knew that most packs hated that we had lots of rogues and that they set them on edge. This would show them we are a pack t
Kaya I sat there as Helen finished her makeup. She had done Kimi's first and then her own, and now she was doing mine. Kimi looked so different with it on. I thought she looked pretty before, but now she looked like something mythical. Helen had insisted we get ready for the party in her quarters. She knew we knew nothing about makeup and wanted to ensure we looked perfect. She really was amazing. Without her, the whole thing would have been fundamental. I knew very little about parties or hosting people other than you need to provide them with food. Which I did. "Thank you, Helen, you are amazing; this whole thing is amazing, and the tents and everything. "I mind-linked her. "Oh, hush about that. You did help a lot, you know. You helped with colors, what food would be served, and when. You also listened when I gave advice, which is more than some people can do." "Well then, thank you for doing Kimi's makeup and my own." "Are you kidding me? I have been dying to put some makeup o
Cade When Kaya emerged from Helen and Marks's room, my jaw nearly hit the floor. Her dark blue dress hugged her body like a second skin. Her chest tattoo complemented her gown like it was an intricate necklace. Her hair was up off her shoulders, showing her delicate neck. I had never seen her with her hair up. Her makeup drew my attention to her dark brown eyes. I didn't know where to look; everything about her pulled me into her more. Her eyes traveled over my body, examining how I looked in a suit. We had matched unintentionally. My navy suit complimented her dress. I pulled her close to me, feeling her bare back. Her dress was backless. Good goodness, how was I supposed to keep my hands to myself tonight when she looked like that with so much skin exposed. I peeked at her back to see her Crescent Moon Pack tattoo on her back. It trailed up her spine. No one would know what it meant, but I did. It was there on her skin. Though she was my Luna of the shadow pack, she would alway
Kaya I watched as, one after another, men danced with Annalise. I scanned and watched the people as much as I could, as Nieva had instructed me to. Robert was attentive. Making sure I was doing alright. My friends took time dancing with one another and with me. We joked about how weird it was to dress in the clothes we wore or how some women were on full display. When I was standing next to Robert, a man approached me. His name was Howi, and he was the alpha from the Daybreak pack. I remembered meeting him earlier in the day. He was on the shorter scale of men in the room, and his features resembled those of someone from the north. But I knew of no one other than myself coming and living in the south who was from the north. He was also an alpha, so he could not be from the north. Men in the north did not lead packs; it was the women. It did not matter if they were of the alpha bloodline or not. I read his lips. "May I dance with you, Luna Kaya." I looked to Robert, mind linking
CadeThe party went so much longer than I thought it would. Kaya was so tired when we went up to bed. She didn't change; she just flopped down on the fur and fell to sleep. She didn't take off her shoes or anything. I looked at her lying in bed, her back exposed with her tattoos. I looked at the tattoo. I wanted to know if she would add more ink to represent our pack. But I didn't know how that would be possible. Now that Kaya had her wolf. She would heal, and the ink would be pulled from her skin. Kaya had told me that she got her tattoos before she turned 13 and shifted for the first time. I remember thinking they held up well as she grew. I stripped out of my clothes, down to my boxers, and crawled into bed next to her. My hands traced up her tattoo. Until I fell asleep. I woke up to the shower running. The bed was empty next to me. Kaya had gotten up and was cleaning herself. I picked up the clothes on the floor and put them in the hamper. Kaya would wash them at the end of the
KayaThe first day of the tournament went by slowly. On the second day, we would be doing an endurance challenge. Saka was to compete, and I know I should be rooting for Shadow Pack. I was now their Luna, but I was rooting for Saka. The challenge could last days. Hopefully, it would go on until either the tournament was done or whoever was the last one standing. The challenge was like the ones Cade chose for warriors. It was whoever could outrun the other. I knew Saka could go days without stopping. We had tracked together before. We didn't run the whole time, but I was sure he could have. I watched Cade's lips as he spoke. "This test is endurance. The contestants will run in human form until they no longer can or until the tournament is over. There will be no stopping for food or bathroom breaks." I looked at all of the men lined up. We were at the arena. "You will run around the arena." I looked to see everyone wearing tennis shoes, but Saka was wearing no shoes at all. He was sma
CadeI watched her go and went to find my seat. I took a deep breath. I knew where Kaya was coming from. No one should be touched if they don't want to be. I had been guilty of stealing a kiss from a few unexpected girls as a teenager. They didn't ask to be kissed, but I wanted to kiss them, so I did. But that was a foreign thing to Kaya and all of the North. It was something they would never even think of. Not to mention this guy had to grab Kimi's butt too.I understood why Kaya did what she did. She felt like her friend had been attacked. My directive should be enough. I knew this would get back to Nieva, and she would be upset and feel like I failed her again to protect her wolves. I knew I could not control other pack members. None of my pack would have done that. I had given them a directive when Kaya's friends came not to touch them unless they wanted to be touched because I knew how they lived. But, it was out of my hands regarding other packs. The only thing I could do was c
KayaI lay there in the bright light and sat up suddenly. A woman was standing next to me. She was beautiful. Her long white hair was to her feet. Her white skin had a glow. And her white eyes were looking right at me. "My daughter Kaya." I could hear her. "Yes, in here, you can hear and talk. Try it." I opened my mouth and thought about what I wanted to say. "Who are you?" It took me back to hear my voice. The women smiled. "You are in my home." I looked around. It was pure white. "I also frequent the land where all my children go when they die, you know, as the Garden, but this is actually where I live." "But who are you?" "I think you already know the answer." "You are the Goddess." "Yes I am, I am named Selen." I smiled. She had a name. "Do you know why I brought you here instead of the garden with the other wolves who died?" I just shook my head. "Well, I wanted to talk to you." "I wanted to thank you for uniting the North and the South. I always wanted you both to be friends.
CadeWe were running, and I felt it. Kaya was off the link. I tried to mind link her but she didn't respond I let out a roar that shook the trees near us. "Robert." I mind-linked. "Alpha, she is dead." "What happened?" "She, I had to cut the baby out, and she just died." I could feel his emotion over the link. What do I even do? She was gone. How had this happened? She was the strongest wolf I knew. I roared again. I was going to kill Howi, which would be long and drawn out. He had killed my mate. If she had been left alone, she would have been in a hospital. She would be in comfort snuggling our newborn. I didn't know if even the baby would survive. The north, though, was warmer now because of the season, but it would still be cold. There was still snow on the ground. I knew the rest of the pack felt that she had died, and Mark's mind linked me. "Cade." "What?" I yelled through the link while I continued to run. "I am sorry." I snapped my jaws at him. I would not hear about her. No
Kaya I landed just fine. The snow was so much deeper than I thought it would be at this time of the year. Not to mention, it was powder and not hard like ice or packed snow at all. It didn't seem natural. This had to be the Goddess's doing. She had to have made the ground better for falling into. I looked around and Saw Robert lying in the powder. I ran to him. He was lying there limp. I sniffed him. He was still breathing. He needed to be mended. I looked around frantically. There was not much around me. I saw some trees in the distance. There had to be something there. I used my snout to feel around until I felt blood on his shoulder. I used my paw to roll him and saw it went straight through. He would be okay. I didn't know why he was still asleep. They had to have given him something else besides shooting him. The wound was nasty but it could be mended. Maybe they had drugged him again while I was passed out. I tried to mind link, Cade. "Kaya, what is it?" "I was taken. I am, w
Kaya I woke up, and Robert was lounging in a chair. He looked like he had something on his mind. But he seemed like he always had stuff on his mind these days. I was sure it was because I was on bed rest. "Robert." I mind-linked him. "Can we go out to eat? You know the place by the river and eat outside. I want to go hiking, but I know I am supposed to be in bed and I don't think going out to eat counts as breaking the bed rest." "Luna, we need to stay home." My face fell. "Well, then, can I have some moose?" He nodded, and I followed him into the kitchen, where I immediately sat down. He pulled some out of the freeze, immediately put it in the sink, and turned on the water to defrost it. He sat down at the small table with me. "What is it?" I signed. He didn't respond, and I knew something was wrong. "Tell me," I commanded over the link. "Cade mind linked. Howi knows the pack is in the North. No one was there when they went to fight. Howi also knows you are not in the North and is
CadeWe had the spray made. There was so much made that everyone sprayed themselves down. Then, we decided to stagger our movement. So some left already with some deltas. Then another set went yesterday. Today, I was moving out. The people already in Howi's pack had started to set traps. When I got there, I would also set traps. It would take about two days until we were ready to set fires. It was a risk doing it in days as we could get caught. I knew Howi knew we were already coming. When he set his message, it told me he had eyes on us like we did for him. I tore through the woods, my wolf running at a steady pace. I had my bag attached to my back leg with clothes on it. We could not set the traps and fires in wolf form. But fighting we would need to do in wolf form if possible. We are more robust in that form. I ran all day. Stopping at night to rest, then getting up and running again. It was a two-day run to Daybreak pack. Howie had moved his pack to Jack's ho
CadeWe finalized everything. The plan was in motion. The woman who made the perfume had stayed behind with her mate; their oldest son had taken their youngest to the North. Both wanted to stay and fight for the pack. She had agreed to make a spay of skunk, and I, for one, was glad it was not me. I knew that was going to be a stinky job. Robert gave me a report on Kaya after they went to see the OBGYN. He had said she wanted to be left alone and was in a bad mood. But Robert gave me the rundown of what was said. I knew Kaya would be upset, and I wanted to comfort her. She should not be going through this without me. But we had a plan now. We had an idea of how to win. Once the scent was made and we could spray ourselves, we would move into position. It would be a process over days, but I was sure it would go fast once everything was in motion. But we would have to wait until the spray is ready. I hurried off to the training field. It was after lunch training session. T
Kaya Robert and I waited in the OBGYN room. The place was so different from the clinic back at Shadow Pack. I got several looks from the other women waiting. I didn't know if they were staring at me or if they were looking at Robert, who was burly. He resembled a bear. He mind-linked me. "This place is ridiculous, a bit pretentious much?" I cracked a smile. I had been thinking the same thing. I sat there playing with my fingers. "Kaya, they are calling you." I stood and Robert with me. The woman led us back, making me get on a scale and take my height. Suddenly, the woman stopped and turned to me. "I am so sorry. I didn't realize you were deaf, and here I was talking and not looking at you." I read her lips and then looked at Robert. "It is so nice that your husband here can help translate for you." I began to frantically sign that Robert was not my husband. "Oh well, you guys are not married. Not everyone has to be to have a baby. I bet you two are excited." My ange
Cade The morning came, and I waited for Kaya to mind-link me, which she did every morning when she woke up. Even before she left, I noticed that she had started to sleep in later. Growing a werewolf was a lot of work. It was no surprise to me she slept a lot. Today, I would meet with a few people, and we would strategize the best way to take out Howi. Kaya and I reviewed some ideas yesterday, and I liked her suggestion of setting a fire. But that would not be enough. I was eating breakfast with Mark, neither of us talking. In fact, no one in the packhouse was talking. I knew it was because they all missed their loved ones. Everyone, including me, was sullen. I felt Kaya's mind link me. "Cade, good morning." "Good morning, love. Did you sleep well?" "Yes, I wish you could see my toes." "What about them?" "Robert and I went to the aquarium yesterday and got pedicures after lunch. I had them paint them bright pink. It is so cute." I couldn't help but crack a smile." "Oh, and
Kaya Robert and I had met the neighbors, and I felt they already hated me. That or they just didn't understand me. Humans never did understand facial tattoos. I mind linked Cade as soon as I got up. "Cade." "Your awake." "Yeah, did I worry you?" "No, of course not. I figured you were asleep when I tried to mind-link you earlier, but Robert told me you were sleeping. He also said you are going out today." "Yeah, I was going to go out and just wander around the city." "No place in mind?" "No." Being here just a few days was already getting boring. I needed to get out of the house. "Have him take you to Sheels; you liked that place. You could also go to the zoo again or even the aquarium would be fun. Then maybe go get your feet rubbed at a nail place." "Who would rub my feet? That does not seem like a thing." "No, it is. You pay them, and they will wash and rub your feet." "Okay, I will ask Robert about all of that." "Good." "So everyone left this morning, right?" "That