007

Laia

Zia wasn’t entirely wrong when she said I was going to love it here. It’s been… peaceful. And aside from the fact that I am on the same footing as an indentured laborer in this pack, my own pack sacrificed me, my mate sent me away, and I have no idea what’s happening with Liam, I feel… better than I expected.

It hasn’t even been a week yet, but Zia has been a constant, bubbly presence in my life, keeping the loneliness at bay.. We’re in the kitchen, and she’s teaching me how to bake Moon Cakes to be handed out to the children on Sunday, and the sneak bites some of the adults make too... In her own words.

“Okay, Laia, not too much flour,” Zia says, nudging my hand away from the bowl. “You’ll make them stiff as rocks.”

I roll my eyes, trying to keep my lips from splitting into too wide of a grin. “Well, excuse me, I thought the goal was to keep the dough from sticking.”

She grins, shaking her head. “It’s not cement, girl. Just dust the surface lightly, like this.” She sprinkles the flour with practiced flicks, almost like snow falling. “Now, roll it out evenly… not like you’re trying to kill it.”

I press the rolling pin down too hard, and the dough squeaks against the board. Zia bursts into giggles like a freaking schoolgirl.

“Congratulations,” she teases, “you’ve just murdered a perfectly innocent Moon Cake.”

“Hey, it’s my first time,” I shoot back, trying not to laugh. “Don’t expect miracles.”

Zia gently shifts the pan closer. “Now, place them here one by one. Careful, not clumped together. They need space to breathe.”

I follow her lead, arranging the little dough rounds. “Like this?”

She leans in, squints dramatically, then nods. “Not bad, apprentice. You might survive here after all.”

“Remind me your name, girl.” I recognize the voice to be Selara.

Oh well. I never actually pictured her walking out of that temple.

Her eyes land on me, questioning, as if I need to prove myself just by existing.

“Laia,” I mouth back.

She gives a quick nod. “Good. I need you to run to the warriors’ quarters and tell Seris I need to speak with her. Real quick.”

Before I can even open my mouth, she’s already gone.

I turn back to Zia, who immediately bursts into laughter.

“That’s just how she’s wired. Like a ghost, here one second, gone the next.”

My brow furrows. “I don’t even know who Seris is.”

Zia leans against the cabinet like she’s about to give me a full-blown lecture. She takes the rolling pin gently from my hands.

“Seris…” She sighs, almost dragging the name out. “There’s a lot you need to know about her, but that’ll have to wait until after your little errand. For now, blonde hair, about your height, blue eyes, and trust me, she’s impossible to miss. Everybody knows Seris. Look for the most beautiful she-wolf among the warriors.”

I stare at Zia, my floury hands frozen mid air. Is she actually sighing right now with her hand on her throat? I shut my mouth, dust off my hands on the kitchen towel, and hurry away from this disaster of a scene.

The warriors’ quarter is huge and finding it only takes me a few wrong turns. My eyes scan for any hint of blonde hair.

And yes, Zia wasn’t wrong. She’s impossible to miss.

I take a step toward her…

Damon. She’s laughing at something he just said, her hand brushing against his arm, fingers lingering a little too long. And Goddess help me, I hate to admit it, but she’s stunning. A beauty that demands attention.

My chest tightens. My heart clenches so hard it’s like I can’t breathe. For a moment, it feels like it stops altogether.

They’re standing together as boxes are unloaded, Damon looking over the supplies. And for the first time ever, I see him this relaxed… this free.

Her hand trails across his chest, almost seductively but not quite. No. Definitely not his sister. Then she leans in, whispers something, and drifts off toward a man I assume is in charge of the supplies.

I can’t move. My feet feel cemented to the ground. The last time I felt this way was when Cael forced me to say I was mateless.

Gray eyes find mine. Damon. He doesn’t say a word, he never does. It’s always been like this. And the sooner I stop feeding my foolish brain with the idea that he ever will, the better for me.

Cold. Unreadable. Still dangerously enchanting.

I tear my gaze away, forcing my legs to move, and finally walk toward her, Seris.

I clear my throat and straighten my shoulders trying to match her height. “Uh… the High Priestess, Selara, she asked me to tell you she needs to see you. Immediately.”

“Step back.” Her tone is harsh. “Don’t you ever, in your pathetic life, get that close to me again,” she spits, eyes narrowing with pure disdain. “I don’t need you infecting me with your wretched existence.”

Maybe this is the “a lot” Zia warned me about. She’s polite to the man, all charming with Damon… Oh well, I guess I just met Lysander 2.0.

I step back, giving her space, while she slips right back into her conversation with the man, probably wrapping things up.

My eyes dart around, restless, searching for anything that looks like a phone. I need to call Liam. I need to hear his voice, just to know he’s okay.

Before I can think of anything stupid, Seris is already behind me. My gaze flicks to Damon, his gray eyes follow us, watching as we leave.

“Let’s go.”

I trail two steps behind her, my jaw tight.

“I heard you’re Mateless,” she says suddenly, her breath even while I am almost panting.

“Yes.” My reply is harsher than it should be. I swallow hard.

“That makes two of us…”

She pauses, then tilts her head. “Have you ever wondered what it feels like to experience the mate bond?”

I frown. I can’t tell where she’s going with this. “No. I haven’t.” I lie smoothly, ignoring the feeling of the pain-pleasure of the red string of fate tying itself around Cael, jerking on my insides. A bird makes a piercing noise flying over the cliffs. The sea is dark today, almost restless.

She rolls her eyes. “Oh well, I asked my sweet Damon when he got his mate… He said he couldn’t explain it. And honestly, I’m curious. I shouldn’t even be asking you, though, you’re just another dumb Crescent Pack girl.”

Her insult barely registers. Only one sentence rings in my ears.

Damon has a mate…

Damon has a mate…

Damon has a mate!

“Oh, and a fair warning.” Her voice is strict, unlike Lysandra’s usual molasses . “Plenty of desperate she-wolves who come into this pack always try to get Damon’s attention. As if their cunts are some magical balm on his wounds. Consider this me extending my warning to you… stay away.”

I almost laugh in her face. What actually makes her think Damon would ever be interested in someone like me? Besides, I’ve got one goal here, to fetch the Moon Relic, or any other useful information for Lysandra, and get back to my brother.