Chapter Twenty

Midnight warned him I was close to losing control of my wolf and shifting. He brought the knife down swiftly, cutting his palm and then mine, clasping our hands together so our blood mixed, and I became a full Pack member, the shock reverberating through my whole body.

He let go of my hand, intending to lift me and greet me officially as a full Pack member, but I could not cope and collapsed to the floor.

It was all too much for me to process; the noises exploded into my head as I became privy to the thoughts of the whole Pack all at once, and it sent Solar crazy. In a frenzied blur, she made us shift, and the Pack saw for the first time the rare, stunning russet-tipped golden wolf who would be their Luna. They fell back in shock when I lifted my head and howled, and they knew it was not a sound of joy; it was an agonised howl of pain as I  shook my head, snarling and snapping as my whole world imploded.

Lucy ran forward wanting to help me, but Solar turned on the Healer with a crazed snarl, saliva dripping from our lips, our ears went back, and our tail dipped down as we stalked toward her. The cacophony of voices in my head increased as it became clear I was about to attack Lucy, but it never happened. As I was about to leap on the defenceless Healer, the bright moon hit its zenith and a bolt of brilliant white light pinned me to the spot. The light grew brighter and brighter until it hurt the members of the watching Pack's eyes, and they had to close them or be permanently blinded. In the centre of the light, Kaiden and I stood stock still, as the light swirled around us, and just as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone, and the dais was plunged into darkness. When their tech people managed to get the lights working again, there were horrified gasps from the Pack as the tiny figure of their Luna lay naked and unconscious, crumpled to the floor. Kaiden raced to my side, kneeling beside me, he scooped me up and held me close, watching in horror as blood trickled from my hand.

‘This couldn’t be.’

He thought,

‘I had her wolf,f so why wasn’t I healing?’

The cut on his hand was virtually healed, but mine still gaped open, dripping blood across the stage as he carried me back into the Pack House and up to his room, closely followed by Lucy.   

‘What the fuck just happened out there?’

He demanded from the Healer, his body vibrating with his anger, making Lucy cower away, showing her neck in submission.

‘I, I, d, don’t know Alpha.’

She stammered as he paced between her and Dakota Midnight, refusing to let anyone near his mate as I lay unconscious.

‘Alpha, please let me treat your mate; she is bleeding.’

Lucy begged, watching the sheet turn red as I appeared to be bleeding out the gash on my palm open and angry, which was impossible; I should have been healing.

‘Go to her.’

Kaiden grunted, stepping aside so Lucy could help his mate, looking up as the door to his room opened and Minerva stepped inside.

‘Alpha’

She acknowledged him with a bow of her head. She was an elderly member of their Pack, and her mother had been half witch, half wolf. Minerva had been with the Pack since her grandfather had been Alpha. No one knew her true age, but she was the Pack Seer, able to occasionally ‘see’ situations and help the Alpha of the time resolve them. Now she turned her strange opaque eyes on the young woman lying so still on the bed.

‘Your Luna is truly blessed, Alpha.’

She said softly, walking toward the stricken woman and placing her hand on Lucy’s arm, she shook her head, indicating that the Healer step back.

‘Allow me.’

She said, placing her cool hand gently on my forehead and whispered.

‘Open your mind to me, little Luna.’

There was a loud gasp, and then Minerva was thrown across the room, violently hitting the wall, knocking her unconscious, and Lucy rushed over to check her over.

‘Minerva? Minerva? Open your eyes, are you okay?’

The Seer slowly opened her eyes and looked up at the Healer,

‘She is a very powerful Hybrid.’

The older woman turned to look at the Alpha.

‘Are you sure you are strong enough to control her Alpha?’

Kaiden drew himself up to his full six feet five inches, towering over the three women, his blue eyes almost black as Midnight came forward.

‘She is mine.’

He growled,d and the Seer nodded.

‘Then you need to claim her soon, Alpha, if you do not, the power within her will overtake you both.’

She got to her feet and walked towards the door,

‘Listen to your wolf, Kaiden, he knows what has to be done.’

Grey streaks tore across the night sky as morning rushed to chase them away and let the new day begin. I stirred, and my eyes flickered open as I  slowly came back to full consciousness and looked around me. For a brief moment, I was disoriented until my eyes fell on Kaiden. He was dozing in an armchair next to my bed.

‘What happened?’

I croaked, and he came instantly awake, jumping to his feet and coming to my side.

‘Dakota, you are awake. Thank the Goddess.’

He bent his head to brush his lips over mine, sending a jolt of pure lust straight to my core that made me tremble, and my golden eyes darkened with my desire. Kaiden noticed immediately that I was far too inexperienced to hide what I was feeling, and Midnight stirred hungrily.

‘Mate wants us.’

He growled softly, licking his lips.

‘Take mate, claim mate.’

He demanded, and Kaiden looked into my eyes, seeing my desire as I  lifted my hands tentatively and touched his face.