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I sighed, amused, and set the bowl next to me, allowing Fenris to manhandle me until we were both comfortable. I was still exhausted, and the peace he offered my wolf was priceless. He settled his chin over my shoulder, his nose tucking into my neck. I couldn't help but lean back, my eyes closing a bit as I exhaled. Fenris echoed me a moment later.
“You sound tired,” I murmured, fighting the urge to wiggle back against him. The comfort was divine, but…I didn’t want to get too used to it. After being isolated for weeks, part of me was still afraid all of this might be ripped away at any moment. And that would be so much worse.
When Fenris said nothing, I tried again. “How long will we need to wait to hear back from this Keziah person?” I asked, forcing my eyes back open. I shifted in his grip to look at him. “If there’s time, you should take a nap.”
Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded one, but I knew if I said that, Fenris would insist he stay awake to keep watch. At least I’d gotten some sleep while I was trapped. Fenris looked like he’d barely rested while searching for me.
Fenris grumbled, refusing to make eye contact. “Keziah is an alpha of one of the most stable packs on the continent and a member of the Order of the Stars. However, until we get to her pack lands in Colorado, I will not rest. If Sabine decides to meddle again, I refuse to be caught unaware.”
I sighed, but I knew that wasn’t an argument I could win. “So, I take it that means she survived her fight with your brother?” I asked quietly, watching his face for signs of emotion. “Did Lyka…is he okay?”
Fenris inhaled sharply, his expression freezing. “She was wearing him down,” he said after a moment. “I tried to intervene, and instead, I was the one who died instead of my brother. When I woke up in the temple, I realized something had happened to you.” He paused, as if he needed to remind himself I was still there. “I began my search immediately and sent Walter back to Isla Caida to see what’d become of Lyka. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get too close while he was awake. Lyka survived, but he seems to have completely reverted to his feral state. The vampires I’d posted as guards had all been killed—whether by Lyka or Sabine, I’m still unsure. Given his state, Walter suspects Lyka’s been badly injured, and I’m inclined to agree.
“And Sabine?” I prompted.
Fenris grumbled again. “There was no sign of her. I surmise Lyka managed to injure her as well, or she wouldn’t have needed to perform an emergency escape. She would’ve finished what she started.” He growled softly at the idea before shaking his head. “Since Isla Caida was compromised, I’ve relocated my brother.”
“If Walter couldn’t get close to him, how did he move Lyka?”
Fenris’s mouth twitched. “He couldn’t move him while he was awake,” he said, looking vaguely amused. “Shifters can still be tranquilized, though, and I had something prepared. Once the tranquilizer took effect, Walter was able to transport Lyka with help from the Island Hopper Pack out of Miami. Thankfully, he didn’t wake up until everything was complete, so their intervention was quite minimal.”
I chewed the inside of my lip for a second. As much as I wanted to ask more questions, I didn’t want Fenris to get any more frustrated, nor did I want Sabine to know much else if it turned out shewasstill in my head and able to listen, even passively.
“You know,” I said, “if you don’t watch your real estate habit, you’re going to own every private island on this side of the world.”
Fenris snorted, and I was sure I saw a hint of a smile. “I wouldn’t mind,” he replied. “I prefer islands. They’re isolated and remote. That often means they’re disturbed, and wilder as well. More beautiful, too.”
I couldn’t help my giggle as I relaxed back into him. I should’ve known he’d have an answer like that.
A companionable silence fell over us like another blanket, and for a while, I was content to listen to the crackle and pop of the fire that Kal had prepared. I might not have moved at all if Fenris hadn’t gotten up to feed the fire another few logs.
“Hey, how many days do we have until the next full moon over the temple in Peru?” I asked. “I…really lost track of time these past few days.”
“Five,” Fenris replied brusquely, not doing much to mask his stress. I could sense an undercurrent of dread in his tone as well.
I licked my lips. “Time is flying,” I sighed, watching as he sat back down next to me. “You know, I felt like I had a hard time really focusing when I was…in my wolf form? Is that how you say it?” When Fenris shot a glance at me, I flushed. “Look, I have no idea what I’m talking about. I don’t want to be offensive or anything.”
His expression softened. “That’s fine,” he said, shrugging. “Though most shifters would simply say ‘as a wolf,’ or whatever form they take.”
“Ah.” I gave a nod. “Well, I had a hard time focusing, and it felt like we were constantly struggling with each other, but she didn’t seem violent or bloodthirsty. If anything, she was just as nervous as the human me.” I took another breath, trying not to ramble. “What I mean to say is, I can’t imagine living with a feral animal. I struggled with her. So, you know, I can see now why some folks don’t see you as all warm and fuzzy.”
I tried to keep my tone light. I knew pity was the last thing Fenris wanted, and truthfully, I didn’t pity him. I just felt like I understood a little more about him than I had before. That was all.
When he simply watched me, I offered a small smile. “Is there anything I can do to help you deal with it right now?” I asked.
The silence stretched on, and I was beginning to think I’d overstepped when Fenris finally moved, leaning forward to kiss my forehead. “Thank you,” he said, as close to awkward as I’d ever heard him. Belatedly, I realized that empathy was probably not something extended to the Lunar Lord very often. “But right now, the only thing that will help is for you to stay out of trouble for a while.”
A breathless laugh escaped me. “A little peace and quiet sounds fine right now,” I agreed.
But before I could say anything else, adrenaline surged through my body. It felt like I’d been sucker-punched in the gut, and all the air left my lungs. I shuddered like I’d been dropped back into that cold, soulless cement cell.
As I blinked, an image flashed before my eyes like a photograph developing. It was the bear shifter we’d just met—Kal. He was sprawled out in the snow, dark red oozing around his fur as he lay still and lifeless. I opened my eyes, but the vision didn’t stop.
A figure leaned over him, pushing his head to one side before it buried its fangs in his neck. I closed my eyes to focus, but instead, I felt like I was running.Am I running?It was bizarre, like watching a flipbook with empty pages.
An intense, searing pain slammed into my back. I gasped, lurching forward as if someone had just struck me. Something bright flashed across my vision. I saw a wolf-shaped specter, but as the flash faded, so did everything else.
“Celeste?” Fenris hissed. He was gripping my arm so tight, it was beginning to hurt.
