"Mate?" Orene said, looking at Leo with enlarged hazel eyes, which then returned to me. "Well, I'll be d*mned. It's a pleasure to meet you both, and we're so happy to have you. Come with me, you have to meet Gwenna. She's been driving me crazy waiting for you to return." We followed Orene through the living room, which perfectly fit two long sectionals and a floor-to-ceiling bookcase, into the central kitchen. Behind the black cabinet double island stood a shorter woman with short, straight blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that flickered upwards upon hearing our footsteps approaching. Her red stained lips revealed her pure white teeth and canines as she smiled upon seeing Orene and then Leo."Leo, you finally made it," she beamed, stepping around the counter to greet him with a friendly hug. My wolf growled suddenly in my chest at their contact, and I had to take a few breaths to regain control over her. "Hey, Gwenna," Leo stated, finally letting go. "There's some people I'd l
By the time we returned to Leo's house, it was already getting dark and there was a light haze streaking across the sky as it transformed from dusk to pure night. The visit into town went better than expected, and most of the pack members I conversed with were honest and open about their grief. In speaking with them, I learned of their day-to-day routines and how overall management was handled in Bloodmoon. Although Ronan's reign was comparably different from my father's, it was clear to see that he was just as respected, only in a different manner. A lot of the shifters noted how he wasn't afraid to use force when necessary in order to protect those who resided on his territory, earning him superiority over nearby packs. However, it was evident in their descriptions that his disappearance after Lyndra's death had impacted them the most. Many were quick to compliment Leo and Erylis' quick rise to the challenge and despite the latter's humble response, they shared their appreciation
My mind was a swirl of pleasure and lust. I automatically stood from my seat and Leo's hands found their way to my waist. He took a step closer, not breaking our contact, and pushed the cake out of the way before lifting me up onto the island. My hands slid up through his hair and he situated himself between my dangling legs. The passion I was feeling was unlike anything I had ever experienced in any other relationship—it was intense and electric, and nothing seemed more right than what we were doing right there. Leo's tongue licked the outline of my lips, and I parted them with keen approval. Within seconds, he deepened the kiss, eliciting a small moan from me. He smiled against my mouth and only further pressed himself closer to me. I didn't even think it was entirely possible, but he somehow made it. I felt like my body was on fire; I was ready to do whatever he asked, however he asked. He was the Alpha after all. If only our younger selves could see us now.Leo must've been
The sound of a tire screeching woke me the next morning. I opened my eyes, feeling as if I had only slept for a few minutes, and by the look of my disgruntled bedsheets, I knew why. That dream—it was the most realistic and immersive I had had in a while. And similar to my previous one, I had absolutely no idea what it meant. I could still hear the voice coming from the cave, begging me to enter. It chilled me, and I pulled the blankets up to my chest in a weak attempt to warm myself. Just then, a knock was at my door. "Come in," I called out. My heart fluttered at the possibility of it being Leo and I secretly prayed that it was, until I saw Malissa sheepishly peek her head in."Morning," she said, opening the door more so she could enter."Hey," I smiled as I stretched. "Erylis and Leo are downstairs with Gwenna and Orene. I guess Gwenna made breakfast for everyone and asked for us to join them," Malissa noted, still lingering by the door. "Alright. I'll be down in a minut
The rest of the day went off without a hitch. The school, much like the rest of Bloodmoon, was very sleek in its appearance; however, it was the pups and staff that truly made the institution come alive. They all seemed so happy, and when I asked further about what they thought of Leo's transformation, it was resounding praise. No one could talk higher of him; even the children were eager to share their memories of Leo visiting last. I beamed at the thought, but it was soon replaced with a feeling of guilt. It had only been a matter of days, but I was quick to realize how soon I had judged Leo. He had come a long way since I had seen him last, and from the looks of it, changed into the Alpha that the Bloodmoon pack needed in a time of immeasurable grief and loss. That was no easy feat, and it was time I started recognizing that. Once we completed our day at the school, Gwenna and I returned to Leo's house to find three pairs of familiar shoes at the doorway. "Oh, looks like per
It started where it left off. Only this time, I was inside the cave. I was standing at the end of it, a giant rock wall directly in front of me. My body was trembling with fear and the voice from before was a faint whisper on my neck. I held a torch—where I had gotten it, I had no idea. I walked closer to the wall; the light shone off of it and reflected off a slab of mud-brick.My breath caught in my throat. Whatever this was, it was what I'd been looking for. Emotions swirled inside of me—despair, heartbreak, guilt, and most of all, absolute joy. I set down the torch and felt the cool material underneath my hands as I pushed off the top of the tomb. It fell onto the ground with a loud clang. The breeze from the motion wafted upwards. I grabbed the torch and shone it down into the coffin. Lying in the hands of a skeleton was the solution to everything. It was the amulet.***My eyes opened to find that it was already the following morning. I rubbed my eyes—the dreams were only ge
I sucked in a deep breath. "Mal…where'd that come from?" "I-It was in the…the clock. I-I don't know."I got up and took it from her. It was heavier than I anticipated, and the minute my hand touched it, I could sense the power buried deep inside, just like my father had said he could even from the base of the cave."I need to talk to Leo," I said."Right now?" Malissa asked, clearly taken aback by my swiftness. "Right now," I repeated. I shoved the amulet in my pocket and proceeded down the stairs quickly. I knew Leo had pressing matters in town, but this was something that couldn't wait. He'd want to know. He needed to know.Just as I hit the bottom landing, the front door opened and in walked Leo and Erylis followed by Orene and Gwenna. Her giggle echoed off the walls as they entered, and closed the door behind them. "I couldn't believe it. Christiana was ready to tear her fur out. I've never seen her so flustered before. It was pure chaos." Her titter then transitioned i
Four days had passed since Erylis and Orene had left for the Azure Mountains. Leo had given them the journal with directions of how to get there and the three of them had discussed a plan on how to return the amulet safely. Everything looked like it was going to work out. However, Leo's decision still weighed heavy on my mind. We spoke here and there but there was a distance between us. Malissa was concerned about Erylis' leave, reasonably so. Although, despite her fears, she still provided me with a sense of comfort. Gwenna, on the other hand, was irate over Orene going. She said it had something to do with the danger he was walking into, but I had a feeling it was something bigger. Once Leo spoke to her though, it seemed like she had calmed down for the most part. We had expected them back two days ago; according to Leo's map, it was only a day's journey. The longer they were gone, the more he grew restless. He tried to bury himself in his duties, presumably to keep his mind off