AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The white wolf outside the archive building. After seeing the white wolf that was the Moon Spirit, I just assumed they were one and the same.
‘Obviously not,’my wolf growled mentally and physically.
The wolf opposite us lurched to its feet then looked to its left. The snap of a twig made our ears twitch in that direction as adrenaline pumped into our bloodstream.
Another snap and the white wolf retreated several feet then looked from the direction the sound came from back to us. My wolf cocked her head, trying to figure out what she was so upset about.
I turned my attention to whatever was coming through the trees that spooked the other wolf so badly. My wolf bared her teeth, her fur standing up in an effort to make herself look bigger. Claws and teeth were ready.
Leaves began to rustle as the white wolf retreated farther into the darkness of the surrounding forest.
My heart stuttered, and for a moment, I wondered if I should back away as well, but my hesitation made that impossible.
Chapter Twenty
Rylan
I could feel her like a beacon shining for all the lost to see, but I was the one lost, and she was the only thing that I had to find. Leaving the cage had been a blur of activity and discussions. I hadn’t found anything in Faela’s cell that was worth mentioning. It had felt like all the other pits, but the presence of that ageless wolf was concerning. My wolf was convinced it had been the Moon Spirit, but I wasn’t so sure. It was the only explanation that made sense.
Shaking my cousin had been easy enough. He looked wrung out from the day spent in that place. A lesser wolf would have found it exhausting, and judging by the circles under my cousin’s eyes, he was feeling the fatigue. I tried not to judge, but my wolf and I were way more dominant than he was.
Clearly.
Finally alone, I could turn my full attention to finding Pearl. I had promised to find her, and the separation had given us time to cool off. I was still upset, who wouldn’t be, but now I was anxious to find out why she had been there in the first place.
Following a hunch, I reached out with my mind through the pack bond, seeking out my mate. Her presence through the pack was muted, almost like there was a block between her and the rest. I’d never felt anything like that before. Pearl surprised me around every corner.
My wolf pushed the pack aside and instead pulled me to a connection I hadn’t noticed before. It was bright and almost silvery, like the marks on Pearl’s arm.
Was this the beginning of a mate bond?
It had to be. There was no other explanation.
My mind clamped on to the bond and let it lead me forward. I started walking, following an invisible path through the trees. For a second, I doubted the bond, doubted that that was what this was, until I heard a howl.
I froze, and my heart leapt in my chest. On a level that I wasn’t aware of, I recognized that voice. It was the voice of our mate. A long, soulful sound, full of so many emotions. Pain, hope, determination, and heartache. It was a melody of the past few years, and it made me want to run to her, but I stopped myself.
She might not need space right now, but I did. The earlier anger was still there. I wanted to know what she was doing, but I was man enough to know that I couldn’t force it out of her. She didn’t trust me enough to tell me her plans, and I had to respect that, even though I hated it.
In a perfect world, we would be together with no secrets or hidden agendas, but I knew that life didn’t work like that. I just hoped that Pearl was willing to give me, us, a chance.
I walked through the trees, feeling the bond move when Pearl did. I tucked my hands into my pockets, trying to enjoy the leisurely stroll through the dark forest with only moonlight to guide me.
The wind blew through the trees, bringing forest scents to my nose, and my thoughts turned to how I’d been able to make Pearl’s scent disappear. The journal had explained the ability that had been awoken with just one night spent with his mate. I couldn’t believe that our short intimacy in the restricted section had opened the door to this new power.
Lust for more power filled my mind, but I shoved it to the side. This craving was our race’s biggest issue. I knew deep down that the Moon Spirit did not condone our need for power. That wasn’t what we’d been created to do, though the true reason for our existence eluded me.
I turned my attention back to the task at hand and found that I’d passed Pearl’s home without realizing it. I touched the barely-there bond and found that my quarry was close.
I took my time walking through the trees, purposefully stepping on fallen twigs to alert her of my approach. My mind came up with several scenarios I might face when I met up with Pearl; they ranged from good to terrible. I had no idea how she would react to my presence after the cage, but I couldn’t allow the space any longer. I needed her like my body needed air.
It felt like it took an eternity for me to walk into the clearing when, in reality, it was only a few seconds.
Clouds shifted, letting moonlight shine through, illuminating the clearing and making the white fur of the wolf glow in the darkness. Dark eyes met my own, and my breath caught in my chest at the wolf’s magnificence.
So goddamn beautiful.
I wasn’t expecting a warm welcome from Pearl or her wolf, but when she trotted forward, ears pointed in my direction, I realized I wasn’t ready for this reaction either.
