AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I pulled her in close to me. I needed to feel the heat of her body and the strength of her wolf against my body. I watched as my most trusted and longest friend seemed to hesitate near me, and I hated that something was wrong with him and he wouldn’t tell me what.
“Colton, unless any of the scouts have come back, we need to enjoy the freedoms we have. I will address the council in two days’ time. Tonight we enjoy our pack finding their Luna.”
He nodded to me and gave me a half-hearted smile.
“Make sure you deserve her, Dev. You almost lost her a second time because you don’t seem to know how to put her above the needs of the pack.”
I frowned.
Kiara was talking to some of the wolves welcoming her, and I was glad.
“You have no idea what it’s like, Colton. Your duties to me have never been as heavy as mine to this pack.”
He hung his head.
“Just don’t jeopardize your mate again, alpha.”
The weight of reality tamped down my joy. On the outside I smiled and rejoiced and on the inside? I battled with the demons of my past and the choices I’ve always had to make to the pack. What if I had chosen differently the night I’d seen her in the forest, instead of abandoning her because of duty? I’d try to tell myself over and over that I couldn’t have known any differently, but at the same time. I should have.
Colton clapped my shoulder.
“Be in the moment, Devon.”
He had to know his words cut deep. He knew me so well, and I didn’t want to admit that maybe he would have been a better match for Kiara. Too bad that wasn’t the plan.
I shrugged him off and looked around at the pack. Even the new Cripple Creek Wolves, for the most part, were mixed in. The night was just beginning and out in the clearing, the spark of the start of the bonfire was finally catching.
Kiara turned her gaze to me, looking up at me in question. I smiled at her and anyone around us.
“There will be no runs tonight. The bonfire will be the one tradition we respect tonight. That and the midnight howl. Keep your loved ones safe.”
Colton flashed me an approving glance.
“I would agree. Now, shall we go do as you have asked the pack to do?”
He smiled and this time I saw a bit of the friend I grew up with. Fuck if we could both be broken.
Brother, what would I do without you?
I didn’t need to have him answer. We parted our ways and went to ensure this new pack would be okay. Duty to my pack meant I would remove any infectious wolves if I needed to.
But for once, that didn’t seem to be the issue. Although I was ready for something to happen. My wolf sensing that maybe not everything was unicorns and rainbows just yet, we were still taking a deep breath. For tonight, things were okay, and I should not only show my pack, but my mate.
There had never been a moment where I questioned myself, but Colton’s words echoed in my mind. He was right. I couldn’t ever endanger her again. If not for her own good, but for mine. I wouldn’t survive her loss.
Everyone was dressed in their best for this. One reason to truly celebrate. As I passed each of the members of my pack, I took only a second to acknowledge them.
Kiara had followed Sarah out into the field, and now I needed to find her. Colton’s words were going to haunt me. I needed to protect her. I needed to be with her always. How had they gotten out of here so quickly? She was here, and the closer I got to a nearly raging bonfire, her pull was stronger.
Younger wolves were already giving into their more carnal needs to find companionship. The older we grew, the more the drive for a mate hit each and every one of us. Without it, you spend your time trying to simply curb the craving, and running through forests and trainings could only do so much.
I saw several members rounding up smaller pups for bed. There were plenty of elders that would watch our next generation. All together; this was our world. Our present, past, and future. We all had a future. There was an echo of knowledge that perhaps the problems around us were all because packs felt a lack of options and I’d never felt that, not on a global scale.
I spotted the object of my desire, the warmth to my frigid soul, and my wolf took over the remainder of the thoughts.
“Mate, there you are.”
She smiled at me from a quick glance and continued talking to several of the females of the pack.
