Chapter 17By evening of the third day, every single person was hale and hearty and everything went back to normal in Sacred Moon Pack. The New Knight healers insisted on leaving that same evening, but Laurel decided against it, she simply didn't see any reason why they should leave in the night when they could take time to rest in her home. So she ordered for an even bigger feast than anyone they had had since they came to be prepared for them, and the celebration went on and on in the castle. It was nearing full moon, and soon there would be more to celebrate. Early the next morning, the New Knight healers were ready to return to their pack. Laurel sent them back with two of her own guards to convey her appreciation to Earl, even though she knew he did not deserve it. Even after they left, the celebration among her people continued, even outside the walls of the castle. By evening of that same day, the two guards she had sent with the healers returned. According to them, Earl’s re
Chapter 18Earl was right, the marriage was really going to take place the next day. How he had done it, Laurel could not tell, but the celebration began the moment he left Sacred Moon. There was no time for even Kristen and Laurel to have a talk about what was happening, all roads led to Sacred Moon Castle. Even the people from New Knight flocked in in their numbers. Laurel was too shocked to speak, the twelve elders of the pack assembled in the castle that evening to discuss the long awaited union. It looked like they had all already accepted Earl even before she made the official presentation of her chosen partner to the council which was customary. They didn't need her to present him, and if she was being sincere, she didn't even want to present him to anybody as her husband. But what could she say? The council had already decided, and even when she joined them that afternoon in the courtroom, they were discussing the marriage rites. Laurel was perplexed and genuinely disoriente
The Alpha's Pact 19The official day couldn't be slower for Laurel, after spending the previous night in the company of some women who bored her with talks about her new role and responsibilities beside her husband, she had to spend another agonizing day almost being spoon fed and nearly forced to nap. The women from yesterday refused to come prepare her after seeing her in her wolf form, so this time, more women were sent for her. Kristen was told to wait outside the door and Laurel made sure she could always sense her sister's presence. That being done, there was no cause for the nervous glances of the women and their scared thoughts. Laurel would discuss occasionally with Kristen by reading each other's thoughts, other times she would just lie down and try to really sleep. By evening of the bonding ceremony, a fresh set of women came in with the traditional attires for a royal wedding. From the feathers to the beads and the make up and adornment, which Laurel did not find necessa
Chapter 20Laurel found herself standing beside Earl, her newly bonded husband, amidst the jubilant crowd. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and celebration, but beneath her forced smile, questions and uncertainties still plagued her mind. As the night progressed, she couldn’t help but feel the weight of her new role as Luna, the mate of the Alpha.‘Good heavens, I can’t believe that this magnificent mountain of threat before me is now mine.’ She thought carefully, wishing more than anything that she could run into the forest and hide from all this, but she kept that thought to herself and tried to keep her countenance under control throughout the walk back to the castle. She couldn’t do that even if she tried, not when she was walking beside this mighty alpha whose eyes were already looking her over possessively.Earl, sensing her inner turmoil, gently squeezed her hand, offering a silent reassurance. She glanced at him, his mesmerizing golden eyes reflecting both pride and te
Chapter 21 “Say something!” Laurel prompted Earl angrily. He had not said or done anything since the arrival of these men and his silence was no longer sitting well with her, especially since the giant man’s grip on her sister was getting tighter by the minute. She could see his hand pressing tightly against Kristen’s mouth, so much that her eyes were already bulging from their sockets. “Lambert,” Earl began tentatively, his eyes not leaving Laurel’s face. “I have imagined this meeting everyday since the first day I received your note.” Lambert was relieved to hear him say something, for he hated Earl’s silence. He loved to know his enemy’s next move, and he hated silence, especially Earl’s silence. He had fought and conquered many territories, and oftentimes, he did so by knowing his opponent’s next move. But In this case, his enemy was a man of few words, which was one reason he hated physical confrontations with Earl Malory. He preferred to strike from a distance, to leave trai
Chapter 22He let her go only when they were safely inside the castle, the elders were there, clearly unscathed and sound. The first thing Earl did the moment he saw them was to check if they were completely, and much to his relief, they were. A good number of the pack had returned already, having sensed trouble. But a few were still wounded, and a few taken, from both packs. Lambert was not stupid, he had taken his hostages before confronting his adversary. And as unsuspecting as they were, they had been easy targets. Only two wolves were recorded dead, but a good number of Lambert’s rogues had met their death at the hands of the wolves. The celebration halted, but now, every single pack member of both New Knight and Sacred Moon had a common interest, to protect the Alpha and his Luna. Laurel found it annoying that she was not allowed to leave Earl’s side even for a second. And yet, his men still wouldn’t let her be, and even her own people looked at her with concern and fear regis
Chapter 23An endless sea of blackness was all that met her eyes. That darkness, broken only by the soft glow of the moon, only that the moon was split in two halves. She watched as the two equal halves, both with jagged edges facing each other, hung in the sky, both maintaining a great distance apart. The two halves drifted slowly towards each other, occasionally even moving together, Laurel imagined their intention was to come together and become whole. She nearly laughed at the irony of that in her own life, come together and become whole? She had come together with a man, yes. But had they become whole? Hell no. Instead she saw clearly now that they were going to be plagued by several things, several people and her new husband’s Earl’s psychic brother was now out to haunt her. And in Earl’s words, he would not rest until he had her. Long after he left, Laurel stood staring into space, she sat nervously on the edge of the bed, fidgeting with the hem of her dress. Her sister stood
Chapter 24Seeing Earl enter the hall, Gregg looked quizzically at him. Earl saw his silly grin and frowned at his friend."And how is our new wife?" Gregg demanded. "Is she burning with impatience for her bonding night?"Earl turned to Gregg with a renewed frown. "She is probably burning with impatience to stick a sword in my heart.""I must admit she might consider it, though she does a good job at hiding it, she sure has the spirit." said Gregg "Spirit and beauty." Earl noted dreamily. "It will take some taming but you will bend her to your will in time, don't fear." Gregg poked him in the ribs, "And stop smiling like a lost sheep! Wait, don't tell me you kissed her!"With a swift move, Earl shrugged his friend's hands off his own shoulders and glanced across the hall to where most of their men stood, there were maids patrolling the hall going about their business too. He glared at Gregg and eyed him cautiously, "I don't appreciate you saying such things! I'm not that… loose, and