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Chapter Four
Skylar
Two hundred faces stared at me and my heart thundered in anticipation. I knew this was part of it. I knew Xander was going to share that he’d found his mate, but it was still overwhelming.
The crowd was buzzing with energy, unfazed by the cold wind and darkening sky. In fact, the shifter magic all around us was growing more electric with each passing moment. It was a full moon, which amplified shifter magic, making everything a lot more intense than it would be on any other day.
Xander leaned over to me. “You ready?”
We were surrounded by his pack and it was time to share the news. The good, and the bad. I nodded.
Xander lifted his hand and the crowd quieted almost instantly. A shudder seemed to roll through the magic, slowing the vibration to a simmer. It was an odd sensation, that many shifters all gathered at once, all sharing a similar feeling and emotion. The sense of anticipation and excitement was palpable. They were ready to run.
“Welcome, family.” Xander spread his arms wide. “That’s what we are. A family. A pack that looks out for our own.”
Mummers of agreement sounded from the gathered shifters.
“Each season, we meet to reconnect and revel in each other’s company. We take these days to slow down and appreciate the blessings in our lives. And this year is no different.”
A few whoops and cheers rose from the crowd.
Xander smiled and waited a moment for them to settle. “We will continue to celebrate all that we are grateful for, but we must also share our burdens that aren’t good news.”
It felt like the whole group had inhaled a collective breath. A bird called, and the wind rustled the trees, but otherwise, nobody spoke.
“I’m afraid I must share bad news and a dire warning on this otherwise joyous occasion,” he continued. “Lola, my dear sister, has met the final death.”
A series of gasps, and muttered words of disbelief replaced the silence. A lump rose in my throat and I looked down, away from the members of the pack. I could feel their grief, heavy and fierce. They were just as heartbroken and angry as I was. Nearby, someone was crying.
“I’m afraid it gets worse,” he said. “She was murdered and it’s been tied to the vampire queen.”
Shouts rang out and a few pack members pushed their way forward. “It’s war, then.”
“Wait,” Xander yelled. His voice was commanding and I could feel the magic in his words. He’d called on something that sent the whole pack a step back, everyone closing their mouths to listen. I’d never seen him in his element, a true alpha. It sent a rush of adrenaline through me and there was a part of me that wanted to tear his clothes off right now.
“The queen has the moon stone. We can’t act on this until we retrieve it. It’s too dangerous. We don’t think she’s learned how to use it yet, but left to her own devices, it’s a matter of time.”
“That makes it even more pressing,” a male nearby said.
“We will get the stone back and once it’s in our possession, we will take care of the queen,” Xander said.
His words sent a shiver down my spine. Soon, we would set all this right.
“But we cannot grieve tonight. The spring moon is for rebirth, new life, hope. Lola wouldn’t want us to give up our rituals. She’d want us to persevere.” Xander reached his hand toward me. I moved closer and took hold. He lifted our joined hands. “Tonight, we welcome Lola’s best friend, and my mate, to our pack.”
Cheers erupted and my cheeks heated. There was a lot of attention on me and I forced a smile. All around, I could feel hope and happiness. The pack was thrilled. But they didn’t know what I was. Would they care when they found out? What if I couldn’t shift at moon rise? Would they embrace their alpha’s new mate then?
“The moon will soon rise.” Xander called. “Tonight we run. Tomorrow we prepare to fight.”
The noise escalated. Yells and whoops and howls filled the air. It was a jubilant and contagious sort of energy sizzling around us. I smiled, for real this time, being pulled in. The fear I’d had moments ago cleared and I wanted to jump right into the chaos and join the din.
Xander pulled me closer, wrapping his arm around my waist. He leaned in. “How about we find some place quiet where we can settle in while we wait?”
“I’d like that,” I said.
The pack was dissipating and I noticed a few were already stripping their clothes as they prepared for the coming shift. I swallowed hard. Another thing I was going to have to learn to deal with. While being around naked shifters wasn’t exactly surprising, joining in was. I’d never been without clothes around someone I wasn’t prepared to get intimate with. And even that was often done in the dark to prevent me having to show my scars.
“Don’t worry.” Xander squeezed my hand. “The first shift is the hardest. It gets easier every time until you don’t even think about it anymore.”
