CHAPTER 5

The quiet after Darius's speech is worse than the noise before it.

No barks.

No moving.

I could only hear my own breathing, which was rough and uneven.

Kael is right next to me, holding my arms to keep me from falling. His touch is steady and steadying.

“Look at me,” he says in a strong voice. "Selene." Stay with me.

I raise my eyes to meet his. Their gray has turned wild and dangerous. I feel fear and anger. "What did he mean?" I whisper. It was when he said, "Moonbound."

Thorne changes back into a close person. His eyes are on the tree line, and there is blood on his shoulder. "It means trouble."

A soft voice says, "More than trouble," as Draven moves closer. He looks out at the trees as if he thinks it will talk to him again. "It means you're special."

The pack of wolves moves away from the house and forms a tight circle around it. The other pack doesn't move forward. It looks like they are waiting.

We are waiting for the go-ahead.

"Bring her inside," Kael orders. "I can walk," I reply, even though my legs are weak.

"But you won't," she says.

He takes me aside and walks me through the broken door like I don't weigh anything. The house seems to settle down around us as we walk through the door, and the lights stop flashing.

Inside feels warmer. Better safety.

Not safe enough, though.

I'm put down in the main hall by Kael. A low hum starts up again as soon as my feet hit the floor.

Draven's jaw gets tight. "The house is now hers."

My heart beats faster. "How are they bound?"

Draven finally looks at me. "It knows you are its core."

I whisper, "I didn't ask it to." Thorne replies, "No one ever does." "Power picks."

Kael quickly looks at Draven. "You knew."

Draven says, "I thought so."

"You let her walk in without knowing."

"She would have come anyway," says Draven. "The moon would have taken care of that."

I cup my hands around my head.  "Explain."  “Slowly.”

Kael sighs and puts his knees down in front of me, making eye level with me.  His voice gets softer.

"You only get one moonbound wolf birth every few generations."  They don't just lead packs by being strong; they also lead by being fair.  The land pays attention to them.  They are felt by other dogs.

I ask, "What about Darius?"

Thorne's face gets darker.  Darius wants to be in charge.  With a Moonbound Alpha, he could not be stopped.

I tell him, "He wants to use me."

Draven's eyes get brighter.  "If he can't, break you."

I feel a chill going up my spine.

The forest is moving again outside.  The attack this time isn't going to happen right away.

Thoughtful.

Kael gets straight.  "He's not going."

In the moonlight, a single figure steps out from behind the bushes as if called.

Big.  Wide. Stay calm.

I can feel him even though I'm far away.

There is pressure on my chest. It's not painful, but it feels heavy.  Demanding.

It's easy to hear his voice in the dark.

He calls out, "Selene."  "Get out."

Before my mind does, my body does.

I move forward.

Kael wraps his hand around my wrist and snaps it.  "No."

The moon gets bigger.

And this time—

It pulls. ---