Chapter Four: Mea Lunaria

Nicholae Lykon’s POV

  “What is it Orion?”

  I ask. He doesn’t respond and whines low instead. He comes through a clearing and then I begin to smell something familiar. A scent I haven’t encountered in centuries but would never forget. A scent that has tortured me for centuries.

  The smell of Moonflower and Lavender. But something is different there’s a hint of jasmine too, something that was not part of her scent before but more importantly is the scent of blood that coming from her. No, it can’t be. It isn’t possible. We had lost all hope. And then I see her.

  A small female form with pale hair is lying on the forest floor. She doesn’t seem bigger than a teenager . Her back is turned so I can’t see her face but the moonlight streams through the forest canopy making it look like she is glowing. Her pale skin iridescent under the moon. She’s glorious, she’s gorgeous, she’s not fucking moving.

  Orion notices that and growls low, his panic taking over. He goes to her and sniffs her, trying to identify the reason she is not moving and the source of the bleeding them starts to whine. I take over and shift back to my human form and kneel next to her.

  I turn her so she is lying on her back so I can see her face and I. See. Red.

  My body trembles with rage as I scan her broken body. Her face is swollen, her eyes bruised shut with cuts lining her body.

  My vision blurs as Orion surges forward, trying to take control. It is with sheer force of will that I am able to stop him. He can’t take care of her in this state.

  I lift her head up and place it in my lap, running my hands through her hair to find it caked in blood.

  “Who did this? I growl out. My wolf taking control momentarily. I must have been projecting dominance because she whimpers in agitation.

  “Shhhh Mea Luna Amoris, you’re safe now. It will be fine.” I soothe her while running my hands through her hair.

  I scan her for more injuries by running my hands down her body then I notice her ribs are broken and my vision blurs in rage.

  “ I’ll kill whoever did this. Death will be a mercy.” I grit out.

  She stirs and flickers her swollen right eye open. My heart lurches when I see that the other eye is swollen shut. Her eyes are the same midnight blue shade from centuries ago.

  “It is you.” I whisper and brush a strand of hair away from her forehead.

  She moves her lips, a rasping sound coming from her mouth while trembling in my arms.

  “It h-hurts. Make it s-stop. H-help me, p-please.”

  Fresh fury courses through my veins at that single word but I calm down so I don’t scare her more.

  “You’re safe with me. No one would ever harm you again.” I whisper.

  I graze my fingers across her delicate jaw.

  “Who are you?” She asks.

  “Mate.” Orion growls out the word that has been resonating in my soul since I laid eyes on her. “Mine.” And I was never letting her go.

  She looks up at me, eyes blurry with pain and confusion and passes out.