Page 37 of A Fate In Moonstone

“Rune.” My voice broke and before I could blink, thick furry arms wrapped around me. Not so tight that I’d break… just holding me close. Like a werewolf hug.

Something inside me flowed out, like the fear I wouldn’t be able to handle this. That Rune’s werewolf would kill me.

Searching for him in the middle of the night, a dangerous werewolf, to know if this... thing. The living, breathing draw between myself and a male I barely knew, yet recognized every inch of him. Inside and out. Fae shaped and beast.

Whatever this unyielding force was, I knew it was worth pursuing.

Rune lifted me up and placed me on his arm. My face level with his at full height.

“Uh, hi there, big guy.” I waved, and the beast rolled his eyes.

A werewolf rolled his eyes at me. If that didn’t scream Rune, then I don’t know what did.

“Well, I came out there to find you. To um... see if this side of you liked me.” It was strange talking to a werewolf. Could he even talk back?

Rune huffed and stomped his foot. The ground beside us shook and rocks from the earth shot into the air then landed in the grass. Placing my hand against his broad shoulder, I leaned over and smiled.

“You’re mine.”

He spelled you’re mine with rocks for me.

“You can control the earth in this form too. That’s fascinating.” And scary. Very scary actually. Not only did enemies need to fear his fangs, claws, strength, and body. But he could manipulate the ground while ripping you to shreds.

“I wonder if I could turn into a werewolf too. I mean we’ve touched.” I closed my eyes and focused on my core. Peeking through one eye on the skin of my arm. I wondered what I’d look like. Maybe I’d have brown fur, or would it be black like his since I absorbed Rune’s core magic.

The werewolf shook his head, his ears shifting around while he held me. He was so strong.

“It was worth a try.” I wiggled and looked down. What now?

Rune made the decision and started walking at a normal pace.

“You look handsome, by the way.” I yawned. The swaying in his arms, soft fur brushing against me, and the warmth radiating off his body soothed the tension in my body.

His gaze darted to me then focused on the trees ahead.

A body lay contorted and ripped with fresh blood in the weeds. I wanted to feel bad for Harron, but the gnawing sensations in my stomach from guilt never came. Verin’s soldiers were after me and I wasn’t sure why, but he was willing to give me up, his princess.

“This makes two attacks from Verin’s soldiers in the past month. I wonder what the urgency is.” My father was heading near the evil king’s land soon. Did he know more and hid the information from me? My mother never kept things from me unless it was important, but maybe they were both in on it.

Thoughts rolled through my head, and I couldn’t stop them.

Rune said nothing while holding me close. My fingers scratching the fur on his arm without realizing it.

Rustling leaves and sticks breaking snapped me back into reality. Grazing deer saw Rune and raced away. Come to think of it, wherever we walked, there were no owls hooting, or creatures I’d seen earlier.

As impossible as it was, the woods themselves appeared to give Rune space. Turning to look behind us, there were definitely lower branches we should have hit.

Did the trees clear a path for the beast?

A shiver raced up my spine and Rune looked me over.

“I’m okay.”

Ahead, the moonlight vanished and I had to squint to make out where Rune was taking me.

“Is that a cave?”

It was.