Chapter 5

The wolf takes over quickly, and I’m glad. It might be what saves me, because I can hear the voices behind me trying to figure out what’s just happened.

“Moon Caster!?”

“What do you mean, Moon Caster?”

“I’m telling you, she did magic in our tent! She’s been lying about who she is this whole time!”

That’s definitely not true. I’ve never deceived the pack! That’s the greatest crime a wolf can commit. I’d never, ever do it.

And I’m not a Moon Caster. I can’t be. Because I know what Moon Casters are. They’re an evil sect. They only care about themselves—about gaining power. They were so desperate for power that they overused their moon magic and pulled the moon out of its orbit.

They’re the reason almost all the humans are dead. They’re the reason my mother, who died trying to give birth, is dead. Everything that’s wrong in our world—Moon Casters are to blame for it.

No. I’m not one of them. It’s insane. I can’t be.

But then, what happened back there?

Because Kaely is right. Wolves don’t use moon magic. And I don’t have any other explanation for how I found myself hovering off the ground the way I did.

I can hear the steady beat of running wolves behind me now. They’ve decided to give chase.

But I’m fast.

Hunting me isn’t going to be like hunting a Moon Caster who’s been languishing in chains for months.

Still, I can’t help picturing Kaely as he killed our Moon Caster—the glee he took in it, the blood on his lips and teeth.

Will he be the same when he tears my throat out? Will he even feel a moment’s remorse?

Probably not.

He really believes what he said about me being a Moon Caster. And if I thought he was a Moon Caster, I would hunt him down and kill him with no remorse. I wouldn’t care that he was Kaely, the hottest guy in our pack, the only one I’ve ever really dreamed of mating with.

It would change everything.

I’m sure it’s changed everything for him. They’ll kill me if they catch me.

I run harder, even though my wolf wants to return to Kaely. Even in this immense danger, I am still craving his body.

Fucking mate bond.

It’s five miles back to the edge of the city—or what used to be the city. Now it’s more like a pile of ruins. Still, I know I’ll be harder to track here than I would in the forest.

Of course, the city comes with its own dangers—dangers like the Ravagers. But at least they aren’t hunting for me.

I have a good lead on my pack, but I’m not going to be able to keep running forever. The important thing now is to get to a place of safety—somewhere I can hunker down and hide. Somewhere they won’t find me.

The city is full of places like that. Hollowed-out buildings that used to be homes and businesses before everything went to hell. Places that have sat empty for decades, completely useless in the modern world.

I see a large building out of the corner of my eye and take a sharp right turn toward it. This is what I want. There will be places to hide in here. Even if they do search the building, I might have a chance at concealing myself.

The building turns out to be a store, and one of the panes of glass at the front is broken. I sprint inside and tear down an aisle, not really registering what kind of store it is. It doesn’t matter. The point is—does it have somewhere I can hide?

I catch a whiff of an overpowering scent and turn toward it. I don’t know what it is, but anything that will cover my scent is promising.

And—yes. There it is. An aisle of scented candles. Perfect.

I resume my human form because it will be harder to catch the smell of me that way, and crawl into the narrow gap between two racks of candles.

This had better work, because if they catch me here, I won’t really be able to fight. I’m wedged in too tightly. Still, I think this is my best chance. I don’t think I’ll be found.

“Search in here!”

My body grows tense.

That’s Bruce’s voice. And I hear the alpha mandate in it.

If he orders me out, I’m going to have to go. I won’t be able to resist him.

I hear the sound of people tearing up the store, throwing things to the ground.

“Bring her to me if you find her,” Kaely said. “That bitch almost had me. I want to be the one to kill her.”

It’s not enough for him to see me dead. He actually wants to be the one to spill my blood.

Fuck, he hates me so much already.

Well, I don’t care. I hate him too. I hate him for running me out of the pack, naked and afraid as I am.

But also, those terrible words he said—

I reject you as my mate.

He can’t officially reject me. Not after Bruce has bonded us. The alpha bond is there for life.

I can feel it even now. I’m aching to crawl out of my hiding place, to go to him. My mind is feeding me lies—surely we can work this out!

No. Shut up. We can’t work it out.

But it takes every ounce of strength I have to resist the urge. My body is still crying out for his. Even now, I want him. Even among everything else I’m feeling, the sorrow at not having gotten a taste of his body is overwhelming.

I crave him as much as I hate him.

Then Bruce speaks.

“Lyra? Are you in here?”

I clap a hand over my mouth. If they hear me breathing, it’ll be over.

“Lyra,” Bruce says, “come out. We just want to talk to you.”

I feel his words like a hook behind my navel, pulling me forward, forcing me to obey.