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“I want to believe you. You have no idea how badly I do, but I don’t trust you anymore, Kellan. You have had so many chances to give me answers. We wouldn’t be in this position if we had the chance to be better prepared.” It hurts to say the words, but I need to be honest. I can’t just run with him, allowing him to think that because I saved his life that it means I have forgiven him. I haven’t. I don’t even know if I can.
“I understand, Eliana. The way of the wolves leaves a lot for you to long for. I can’t promise that I can change overnight, but I will prove myself worthy of you.” Kellan’s words touch me deeply, and that I do believe.
I know he has it in him. I know that people can change, but only if they want to change themselves. No one else will do it for them. And whether or not I can stand by to watch the metamorphosis of him learning how to be on a team is another story. I guess we have to survive the rest of the night first.
“That’s all I ask of you. Give me a chance,” Kellan adds, herding me with his body, getting me to navigate between two trees.
Neither of us sees the wolf coming until it’s only feet away. Kellan snarls and lunges, but the black wolf lands on top of me. I wiggle my body, rolling and kicking. Snapping my teeth. Doing whatever I can to get this fucker off me.
Kellan charges the wolf, knocking him away. Anger rushes through me. Without thinking, I give into my wild instincts to protect Kellan and lock my teeth onto the black wolf’s back leg. It growls with a shriek, trying to whip around to bite me, exposing its throat to Kellan.
He bites the wolf hard, pinning him to the ground. Something dark and fatal grabs a hold of me, and I sink my teeth into the wolf’s neck, now out for blood. I want nothing more than to kill him. It’s as if I crave murder. It’s dark and twisted and tangles around my very being, stealing whatever humanity and light and goodness I have left in me. But it takes a monster to survive Shadow Moon Island. It takes someone wild and feral to be a wolf. To accept the gift given by the lunar goddess. It takes someone vicious and strong to be a lykoswulf. To be an alpha. And I realize that’s what I want to be. I crave the power. I deserve it. Maybe that’s the reason my grandmother was able to escape the island. She knew she had a better purpose. A bigger purpose.
I just need to fight for it. I need to win.
“Stand down, princess. Release the Blackshell’s betaborne. He will be mine to destroy.” Ravi’s voice shocks sense into me, and I automatically ease away from the wolf.
Something strange comes over me, and I back off and comply. What the actual fuck? The need is unreal. It’s as if his closeness awakens a part of me that I never knew existed. The previous fight I had diminishes, and now all I can think about is how I want to give Ravi whatever he wants. Whatever he needs.
Oh fuck.
It’s the call of the alpha. Of my alpha
It’s because I submitted to him.
My wolf form decides to obey him, to fall into line. Except my mind refuses. I’m better than this. But why won’t I fight?
“Eliana, I will come back for you, but I can’t stay. Your soul bond weakens to me.” Kellan’s words stab me in the heart, sending my mind reeling. “I didn’t know that you had already had a strong enough bond to Ravi to accept your place as his omega. And it seems...he is now the new pack leader of Sunset Pointe. You won’t be able to come with me. I’m sorry I failed you. I’m sorry I was too weak to fight and you found yourself in this position. But I thank you. You saved my life, my love. I promise I will save yours.”
Growls resonate through my bones, and I turn my attention toward the forest, spotting the rest of the Sunset Pointe pack lurking and stalking their way in our direction.
“Kellan, you have to go. Go now!” I scream, my voice echoing through my mind. Because this fight with the Sunset Pointe pack isn’t over. They don’t truly know their place yet, just as I don’t know mine. They want Kellan dead. Even though I bowed to Ravi, and even though it was in exchange for Kellan’s life, I don’t trust anyone anymore. I feel safer with him away.
“Be brave, Eliana. Things will become more clear.” Kellan nudges me with his snout and spins around, darting away and into the trees. He is now packless and alone, and my soul weeps for him. I feel all over the place, my body and mind at war, yet this is only the first battle. And right now? My body wins. My wolf wins. The moon and the curse, and the Sunset Pointe pack win.
“Everyone stand down and let him go. He won’t wander far, and I need to decide whether he’s worthy of Sunset Pointe.” Ravi’s words lace around me, pulling my attention away from the last place I saw Kellan.
The wolves relax, turning their attention away from the forest and back to Ravi. I remain in my place, watching him as he watches me, and it feels as if everything fades away to where it’s just me and him and his steely gray eyes. Eyes that suddenly penetrate my soul. Eyes that capture me in a way I will never be able to escape.
“Come closer, Eliana. Let me get a good look at you to make sure you’re okay.” Ravi doesn’t move from his spot, demanding that I come to him instead.
My legs move automatically, my paws thumping the dirt with each of my steps. The wolves spread out, circling us, caging me in as if they think I’ll try to escape again. But I’m not going anywhere. It’s as if my very soul clings onto Ravi, and he’s the one that will never be able to escape me.
Ravi inhales a breath, sniffing his way from my neck and down the side of my body, inch by inch, inspecting me in my wolf form. I automatically lie on the ground and roll over, exposing my stomach to him. My body hums, a strange wave of energy crashing through me. The longer he shows me attention, the better I feel. I catch a hint of his scent, the sweet yet warm fragrance igniting something hot inside me. Fuck me. I shouldn’t be so compliant. I shouldn’t like the attention he gives me. But I can’t separate myself from the nature of my wolf or the bond I created from bowing.
“My beautiful she-wolf. I will ensure we have an incredible life together. I know you still cling to your humanity, and a part of you might resent me right now, but it won’t last forever. You will see. Now come on. The moon will set soon, and I want to take you home.” Ravi nudges me with his big head, getting me to flip back to my belly. He herds me, getting me to stroll with him until he takes the lead.
“Bring our fallen alpha. We will spend the day mourning our loss,” Ravi says, tipping his wolf head back and releasing a low howl.
He’s fucking crazy, acting as if he truly cares. He murdered Sean for power.
Ravi whips his attention and looks at me. “I didn’t kill him. He failed us as alpha and he refused to accept any other place. I did it for you. I did it for the pack. Don’t try to make me the enemy, Eliana. It’s because of me that Kellan is alive.”
He puffs a breath of air through his nostrils, turning back to the forest. I hang my head, my wolf form refusing to respond back. I give in to the call of the moon and the call of my new alpha.
Shadow Moon Island might have taken my humanity, but it hasn’t taken my strength. It hasn’t taken my will to escape.
And this isn’t the end.
