Chapter 8
863words
Several wolves spar in pairs while others navigate training obstacles.
Kieran stands in the center, shirtless despite the chill, demonstrating a defensive move to a young female wolf.
The bandages I applied yesterday are gone, the wounds already healing faster than they should. My salve must have worked.
He spots me hovering at the edge of the clearing and says something to the young wolf before approaching.
"Morning," he says, grabbing a towel to wipe sweat from his face. "Sleep well?"
"Better than you, apparently." I nod toward the training session. "Should you be doing that with those wounds?"
A hint of a smile touches his lips. "Worried about me?"
"About your stitches," I correct, though we both know it's not entirely true.
"They're holding." He pulls on a shirt, wincing slightly. "Nora gave you the herbs?"
I nod. "What exactly is this ritual?"
"Walk with me." He leads me away from the training wolves toward a path that skirts the edge of the forest. "The forced bond creates a connection between you and Marcus. It allows him to sense your emotions, your general location."
"I know that part."
"Breaking it requires severing that connection completely." His expression turns serious. "It's not just physical. The ritual targets the spiritual link."
"Will it hurt him?" I can't keep the hopeful note from my voice.
"Yes." Kieran doesn't sugarcoat it. "The bond goes both ways. When it breaks, he'll feel it as acutely as you do."
"Good."
Kieran glances at me. "The herbs are for purification. Tonight you'll bathe in them, then meditate focusing on your wolf. Tomorrow night, the same. The final night, the night of the full moon, we perform the ritual."
"We?"
"You need an alpha's power to break another alpha's bond." He stops walking, turning to face me. "I'll channel the moon's energy through the pack bond to sever his claim."
"Will it work even though I'm not part of your pack?"
"You're under my protection. That creates a temporary connection." He hesitates. "It would be stronger if you were pack, but this should be enough."
I absorb this information, trying to ignore the flutter in my chest at the thought of forming even a temporary connection with Kieran. "What do you get out of this?"
He looks surprised by the question. "What do you mean?"
"This puts your pack at risk. Makes an enemy of another alpha. There must be something you want in return."
Kieran studies me for a long moment. "Not everything has a price, Selene."
"In my experience, it does."
"Then you've been around the wrong wolves." He starts walking again. "Marcus violated pack law by forcing a bond. He kidnapped a member of my pack. Those actions demand response."
"So it's about justice?"
"Partly." He glances at me. "It's also about doing what's right."
We walk in silence for a while, the sounds of the training yard fading behind us. Birds call in the trees, and somewhere in the distance, a wolf howls.
"What happens after?" I ask finally. "If the ritual works?"
"You'll be free of him. Free to go wherever you want."
The thought should be exhilarating. Instead, it leaves me feeling strangely hollow. "And if I wanted to stay?"
Kieran stops walking again. "Are you asking to join the pack?"
"I'm asking if it's an option."
"It's always been an option." His voice is quiet. "Your sister is already pack. You would be welcome."
Before I can respond, a howl cuts through the air. Not the casual communication from before, but an urgent warning. Kieran tenses, head turning toward the sound.
"What is it?" I ask.
"Trouble." He's already moving, heading back toward the house at a fast clip. "Stay close."
We find the pack in chaos, wolves rushing to defensive positions. Nora meets us at the edge of the clearing.
"Six Silver Lake wolves crossed the south border," she reports. "They attacked a patrol. Two of ours are injured."
Kieran's face hardens. "How badly?"
"Not life-threatening, but they'll be out of commission for a few days."
"And the Silver Lake wolves?"
"Retreated after the attack. It was a hit and run."
"Testing our defenses," Kieran growls. "Gather the sentinels. Double the patrols."
As Nora hurries off, Kieran turns to me. "This changes things. The ritual may need to happen sooner."
"You said it had to be the full moon."
"Ideally, yes. But if Marcus is escalating..." He runs a hand through his hair, a rare show of frustration. "We might not have a choice."
"What are the risks? Of doing it early?"
"It could be incomplete. The bond might weaken but not break entirely." His eyes meet mine. "Or it could work but cause you more pain than necessary."
"I can handle pain."
I've said these words twice now, and Kieran notices the pattern.
His expression clouds, his jaw tightening as his eyes search mine. The concern there makes me look away first.
A young wolf approaches, breathing hard. "Alpha, they left something at the border."
Kieran's expression darkens. "Show me."
