All Chapters of The Wolf Star: A Rejected Mates Story: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

[CW - This chapter involves animal body horror. Please be safe while reading.]Peggy stared at the tree, feeling the cold biting at her skin. There was a tree. It was tall, and the top of it was above the low clouds. A sinking feeling filled her. She tried to breathe in, checking the smell, maybe out of paranoia…With the wind, there was no way she could smell anything.“Peggy?” Mikael said, having shifted back, putting a hand on her shoulder.“... Tree…” Peggy said. Mikael frowned and followed her eyeline.“... Huh. Yeah. I didn’t think that they would grow up here,” he said. “We need to go-”“I had a dream,” she said, shaking from the cold and fear. “The queen… She told me to be wary of the trees…”“The queen?” Mikael asked.“Come on! We need to go!” Archer shouted, already sitting on Heather’s back.“... He’s right,” Mikael murmured. “And surely it’s better for us to get going rather than staring at it, right?”“... I guess…” Peggy said. Mikael nodded and helped Peggy onto Heather’

The tree sped toward them. Peggy’s eyes were fixed on it. Her breath was coming in short gasps as she saw this… this thing inching closer and closer toward them. That clicking noise. It sent shockwaves through her chest. It made her feel sick. It-Before she could ruminate much more, the white wolf dove down into a hole, and the others followed after her.Peggy coughed and gasped as the air warmed around her. Her lungs, unused to warm air, protested. Mikael rubbed her back as he looked around.“It won’t come down here?” Mikael asked.“No,” the wolf said softly. “It has no eyes; it relies on its sense of heat perception and vibrations. It won’t be able to sense us down here, and frankly, it will take it a few feet before it realizes we’ve disappeared.”“Where even are we?” Peggy asked between breaths, looking around. The space they were in appeared to be some kind of a tunnel. The walls seemed to be made of limestone or chalk, or some other calcified rock… And yet, it was stable enough

[CW - Discussions and representations of marital abuse, including rape, but nothing graphic “on screen”. Please stay safe while reading.]Without thinking, Ariadne pressed her hands over Peggy’s mouth.“You can’t tell Archer.”Peggy frowned at her, completely confused.“I mean it. North isn’t Archer's, he…” Ariadne’s voice trailed off. She swallowed hard. Around her and Peggy, the ground started to turn from white, cloud-like material into dark grey and black material, like storm clouds.“He’s Kurnich’s,” she whispered. Peggy’s eyebrows shot up. “He makes me… Every month… Even though I’m still re

[CW- Scenes of unreality and some psychological horror. Please take care of yourself while reading.]The group had been stuck underground for a couple of days while Astrea gathered her strength so she could guide them across the mountains. Archer had spent most of his time pacing and mumbling about Ariadne, but even Nieve had said it would be a good idea to wait for Astrea. It was also giving Eli time to re-up on magic. Peggy had spent most of the time keeping warm at the fire. She couldn’t get thoughts of North and what he had said out of her mind. He was just a kid, a baby. But the words he said…He was already manipulative. She chewed her thumbnail as she thought about it.“You’re not telling us something,” Mikael said softly to Peggy as he plopped next to her. She shook her head.

The group raced across the ice and snow. Luna kept them on track, pulling the reins to adjust the direction they were going in. Peggy shields her eyes, the snow coming down harder now they were in motion. Mikael wraps his arms around her tightly, keeping her safe as they rattle over the terrain.Peggy glances around. The trees are out at the edge of her vision. She can just about see the edges of the root systems. Occasionally, they whizz past something small and dark. Rabbits are still around. Still watching. Still calm.Peggy leans into Mikael, anxious, but warm in his arms. Despite herself and the situation, her eyes feel heavy.“Keep me awake!” she calls up to Mikael. He looks down at her, surprised.“The wind isn’t keeping you awake?!”