Cade The last day of the tournament was here. We were to have fights until dinner and then have a ball at the end. Kaya was wearing spandex shorts and a tight-fitting tank top. Her long black hair had been braided and kept out of her face. It was snowing outside, and I worried she would be cold. "I won't be cold; I will be moving, and it will keep me warm." She mind-linked me. When we arrived outside, Helen and Mark approached us. They looked at her, and I knew they thought today would be a long day. It was my first thought when I woke up. Almost all of the pack was there to watch the fights, except for the warriors I had stationed around for security. When we moved to where the fights were to be, I was not surprised to find both Len and Saka were shirtless and in shorts. Kimi dressed the same as Kaya, who quickly jogged to meet them. Mark turned to me. "The snow will favor them all, I bet," Helen added. "Without a doubt. They won't be slipping and sliding. If they were in their wo
Kaya I was exhausted after dinner. I had been fighting all day. I had not lost, but I was sure I had some broken ribs. Most of the opponents were more significant than me, and I had to evade being hit, or I would have had much more damage than a few broken ribs. But dodging punches and blocking was just as tiring as hitting someone. My legs were sore from the amount of kicking I had to do. All the people I fought were taller than me, and hitting them on the back of the head to knock them out meant I had to get a running start to jump. But I also had a lot of people that were slower as the snow began to pile up. Without their slow movements and sliding, I could have beaten all of them as the day wore on; I had become utterly exhausted. Luckily, the day had made the snow deeper and the fights easier. While eating, Kimi, Saka, and Len came and sat with Helen, Mark, Cade, and me. "How did your fights go?" I mind-linked Kimi. "Good, the snow made people sloppy. We didn't lose a single fi
Kaya Kimi and I got dressed for the ball again with Helen. This time, I insisted my long, straight-black hair flow down my back. The dress was not low on the back like my last one, and I wanted my hair down. Tonight would be the awards, and I knew the North would take first and second, and third would be shadow pack. I was proud of my friends. Len had won the last fight of the night, and Saka had been anything but a sore loser. He was happy Len had won. As was Kimi, and even Cade. I wore a light cream-colored dress with sheer fabric sleeves and intricate beadwork. It was not low in the back but showed off a fair amount of cleavage. My makeup was much lighter than last time. I told Helen she looked beautiful every day, but I could not put the makeup on as often as she did. Which she totally understood. The three of us really did look amazing. Cade wore a black suit that made him look all the yummier and made me think of the first night we met and I found out he was my mate. I was so
CadeI was glad everyone had left. I was concerned as I watched Annalise get in Howi's car. He smirked at Kaya as he got in. What was that about? I had no idea. I knew that Kaya felt that trepidation, too, watching them drive away. She didn't say anything, but I knew she felt it. They were the last to go; hopefully, we would never have to see them again. But Kaya was sure we would see them again. We had spent all morning saying goodbyes, and Kaya looked like she could use a nap. I myself could use one. We were up late and out of our room earlier than usual, ensuring everyone was packed. Kaya had offered to help take down the tents, and I, too, had helped. I didn't like my Pack thinking that I was above grunt work. But with all the goodbyes and long-drawn-out conversations, we had been away from the packhouse all morning. I felt like we barely had any sleep last night. We got in at four in the morning and were up again at five, ensuring everything was broken down and people were movi
CadeKaya had to be sedated for three days. She finally came out of her fit on the third day, and I sat next to her in one of the rooms on the Alpha floor. "Kaya, how are you feeling." I mind-linked her, "I am sad; that is how I feel." "Understandable." I knew she was still upset. I was curious to see if she wanted to go back to our old room or if she wanted to start fresh in our new room. "How did someone get in there? We have the heavy security doors?" "We assume the window, but we don't know for sure, and no, we don't know who did it. Only our pack knows about how important dens are." "It had to be Howi. I just know it." I nodded. It may be one of the alphas. It could have been Howi or Jack or any of them. But I still needed to find out how they would have found out about the den thing. "Do you want to move back into our room, or would you like to start in a new room?" She sat there a minute thinking. "Is the smell on our clothes out of the room?" She linked me. "Yes, I had them i
Kaya We got to the huge department store. It was so large, more significant than any building I had ever visited, maybe minus Sheilds. Cade was picking things out right and left. He got several suits, flannel, jeans, boots, I mean just everything. I had no idea there were so many things he had to replace. When we went to get my things, he was patient as I had to try everything on. I wished I had Helen here to help pick out what was in style. She always knew cute things to wear, but Cade gave good feedback. He liked many of the stuff I tried on and insisted on getting much more than I needed. He also wanted to buy me jewelry, but I had told him I was not into that. That did not stop him, though. He got me several bracelets. I didn't need the earrings as my ears were not pierced. He told me I could get them pierced if I wanted, but as of right then, I was not interested. So, thankfully, we did not get any.He looked at my bare fingers and mind-linked me. "Now, I know we are not humans
CadeKaya sat there sipping the smoothie. I knew she would like it. That was evident as she continued to sip at it. I was just glad to be getting some kind of food into her. Kaya mind linked me. "Did I hurt anyone?" "What?" "In my hysteria, did I hurt anyone?" "Nothing too bad." She looked out the window. I didn't want to tell her she had bitten the doctor severely, not to mention the scratches I had acquired, but they had healed by now. The doctor still had a faint mark of her teeth, but he was okay. I linked her, "So tomorrow you are going hunting with your friends." "I don't feel like it, Cade." "I know you don't, but it is important that you are staying busy; doing nothing will just make you worse." I was trying to be delicate, but she could not dwell on this forever. First of all, it would be impossible for her to do because she was the Luna of Shadow Pack, which meant she had obligations. Two, I knew she had a lot she wanted to accomplish, and something like this should not sto
KayaI sat there talking with my brother. We changed the topic because I didn't want to keep talking about my feelings. "Isa had the baby." I felt my mouth turn up. I was smiling. "So, do I have a niece or nephew?" "You have a niece, and do you want to know what we named her?" "Tell me." "We named her after you. Her name is Kaya." I felt a tear roll down my face, but it was not out of sadness. It was joy. I surprised myself just moments ago. I thought I would and wanted to die of the pain of losing my den, but now I was literally crying for joy. "This is such wonderful news, Quill." "I agree; I can't wait for you to meet her." "When are you blessing her." A blessing is something every child gets when they are a baby in the North. Everyone in the pack comes, lays hands on the baby, and asks the Goddess to bless the child. Then there is a big feast. "We are doing it in a few days. I wish you were able to be here for it." "Me too, but I will offer you a blessing. I will ask the Goddess
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