Helga Karenina was still blushing when her maid, Helga, came back into her room, her eyes glued to the floor. She was carrying another wooden tray with rags, bandages, and two bottles. Helga was afraid of her, for the spiritual power that she possessed was a deadly one. She was also a special guest of Alpha Xavier who wanted to be treated with all the respect and courtesy that a woman appointed by Alpha as a candidate for Luna deserved, which seemed like a strange order coming from Alpha. Karenina is a hybrid and also possesses pure spiritual power. Besides, Alpha Xavier does not like humans or hybrids. So why would Alpha let this girl through his gates and into the halls of this packhouse? Helga found herself wondering again. It was none of her business who Alpha wanted to take in and who he would choose as Luna. She just hoped that the girl wouldn't be rude to her after all her kindness and gestures over the years. Helga was also careful not to offend her as she was an honored gu

Karenina She spent most of the time sleeping and resting, and when it was late afternoon, she finally woke up from her sleep. Helga was there to help her out of bed so she could go to the bathroom, though she noticed that this time her body didn't hurt as much when she moved. Could it be that the power of the wolf within her, which Xavier had helped to strengthen, was playing a role in this? She was grateful for the help of the Alpha of the Westwood Pack when she had expressed her desire to take a shower. If she was going to meet Xavier, she preferred to be clean and fresh, not wanting to irritate his sensitive nose with the smell of blood and sweat. "Can I help you take a bath, Luna?" offered Helga as she stood by the tub of warm water. Karen had a moment's thought of refusing the maid's offer, but she didn't feel strong enough to do it herself. The less pressure she put on her wounds, the better. With a sigh she finally agreed. "Sure, thanks, Helga." She watched as the woman ga

Karenina Her scent was still the scent of him he had just sensed, but no longer on the deeper level that indicated the deeper bond he desired. In just a few hours, his claim on her had vanished as if it had never existed. He no longer felt the aura of his power in her body, or the elusive radiance of the aura that the sacred moonstone released into her petite body. As she shifted uncomfortably. Several long minutes had passed since he had last moved or spoken after removing the rest of her bandages. A feeling of unease began to creep into her. Was something wrong? Hesitantly, she asked him, "Is everything all right, Xavier?" He lifted his eyes to look at her and replied calmly, "You're not completely healed." With a slightly offended tone, she said, "Of course, I may heal slower than a full-blooded werewolf, but I feel like my shoulder looks better than it did before." With great patience, he explained, "I know your body is healing quickly, but the wound on your back still shows

Maya "Come on, we're wasting time. Let's go!" shouted a man in a leather jacket under a red shirt, his face flushed with anger. "We have to go, and it's almost dawn, Rylan! We want to find Karen just as much as you do," a woman named Selene interjected, answering in a tone that was both stern and concerned at the same time. "Well, you're certainly not acting like—" he started to shout back, eager to fight, if only with words to relieve the stress and worry he felt, when he felt something bite his right ear. "Ouch! Damn little animal! Go back to your owner!" He grabbed the animal and threw it back to its owner. "You deserved it, asshole!" taunted Samuel, the owner of the small animal, which barked and narrowly avoided his outstretched hand. Running toward Mike, Samuel hid behind his shoulder and pleaded for help in a whining tone, "Save me from this cruel man. With a sigh, he stepped closer to the raging Rylan, preparing to try and mediate the situation once again, when a woman's

—A few hours later— Maya She finally found the place where she had last seen Karen, after circling around several times. The poison she had spread to escape the Alpha of the Westwood Pack had left the ground dead. It was obvious from the panting breaths and muffled words of Rylan and the others that they knew the aura of the black magic rogue had been here, and the speculation was running wild. If only they knew, she muttered. There were demands to know how and why Nathan was here. They were also increasingly worried about their missing friend, wondering if Nathan had somehow gotten to her. For the most part, she ignored or deflected their words and comments. Silence would help her avoid stumbling and getting caught in a lie or two. Karen's scent seemed to dissipate as if she had vanished, but she knew that Alpha Xavier had probably just whisked her away through the forest at top speed. By leaping to the highest branches of the trees and bouncing from one perch to another, she was