Unedited
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To ensure a heated mated session didn't occur between Olivia and Brett, and to save the sanity of the pack who were in the tea house, we decided to go shopping.
We both needed something for the party on Saturday, and Kaden definitely mentioned that it was quite a formal event, despite being a barbecue. I also wanted to see the more commercial area of the pack where most of the humans reside.
As much as I love the strictly wolf-only area with quaint shops and rustic boutiques, I want to demolish a Taco Bell whilst browsing the various human shops like Victoria's Secret and Abercrombie at the mall.
Because it's a good few miles from the centre of wolf town to the mall, we decided to run in our wolves, carrying out clothes in our mouths until we shifted back.
Shiva is desperate to be let out, the last time she had the opportunity to properly stretch her legs was over two weeks ago when I went home to my pack, and discovered I could move water.
I still haven't been able to do it since, and I haven't told Kaden because of it. Despite what my parents said, I feel it may have been down to a faerie or a water nymph. They're the tricksters of the supernatural world, especially the nymphs; they have a habit of getting people to chase them, only to become their natural form.
If you run into tree nymphs, you are particularly unlucky, because they'll transform back into a tree just before you catch them so you end up kissing bark.
I'm a friends with few of the fresh water nymphs in the lake, so perhaps she didn't want me to get wet.
I'm following behind Olivia's jet black wolf, keeping close to her as she knows the best path to avoid unwanted attention. My wolf is white, so blending in isn't as easy for me as it is for Olivia.The trees are whipping past as we power through, running flat out for the fair distance between the pack grounds and neutral ground. Dirt and leaves are being cast up around us like a whirlwind, camoflaguing my snow white fur from wandering eyes.
I can feel my tongue lolling from my mouth, my sharp senses guiding me between the thick brush of the woodland, avoiding sharp stones and low hanging branches. One of those hitting you in the face at the speed I'm going would definitely leave a bruise that would take my healing a decent few hours to heal.
She slows down to a walk when the town comes into view, the giant glass walls shining the suns rays in all directions, glinting brightly in the afternoon light.
She shakes the mud and leaves from her bristly fur before walking behind a tree to re-emerge fully clothed. She ruffles up her hair and fixed her short before looking approvingly at my wolf. "Nice size, loving the black socks."
I'm confused, Shiva is too, because for as long as I can remember I've been purely white from head to toe. But sure enough when I look down my paws are completely black.
I quickly shift back behind a tree, pulling on my clothes before reneging with a confused look on my face. "I didn't have socks before."
Olivia's smirk pulls into a small frown, before shrugging and pulling a leaf from her hair. "Might be one of the perks of being the Luna's favourite."
Shoving her lightly with my shoulder lightly, we make our way out of the woods, walking down the mud trodden path until we emerge into the parking lot of the mall.
The smell of humans, wolves from packs and rogues alike, hits me like a brick wall. It invades my senses, dogs up my brain, it's like the first time I was in the presence of so many humans. It's hazing my mind, making it difficult to think straight.
Olivia casts an almost worried glance my way, wrapping her arm around my waist to steady me as my knees come near to buckling. I don't know what's happening, because the overpowering scent of humans definitely isn't doing this to me.
A ringing in my head has me crying out in pain, clutching my temples as I gasp for breath like I've been drowning and finally reached the surface.
"Here, lean on me." Olivia grunts, trying to take most of my weight as she pulls me in the direction of the entrance, trying so hard as she attempts to keep me standing. "Luna, please. I need you to lean on me."
But then the world goes black, my head filled with a familiar, cold hearted voice claiming me as his.
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"What were you doing outside of pack territory!" Kaden snaps harshly, the gentleness of his touch in direct contrast to the sharpness of his words.
I am currently in our room tucked in under the covers, my mate sat beside me as he dabs a cloth softly against my head.
I cannot remember getting here, or even leaving the parking lot of the shopping mall, but here I am. There is a dull throb in the back of my skull where I heard the voice, but I don't feel weird in any other way. I look down to see I am still wearing my jeans and shirt combo from this morning.
His eyes are soft but his face is furious, all of the members of his council with their mates standing around. I see Olivia standing behind Kaden with a look on her face resembling that of a scolded child, her gaze fixed on my carpet at her feet. Brett is holding her securely around her waist, her side firmly pressed into his hip as he missed her softly under her ear.
Only Atticus is missing, which brings a frown to my face. I actually didn't mind the thought of seeing him again seen as though he's already made me feel welcome.
"I don't recall you saying I couldn't leave." I mutter, my mouth feeling impossibly dry. I'm smacking my lips together in an attempt to wet them, because every time I bring one inside my mouth Kaden's eyes go all dark.
With his entire council in here, I know he wants to appear in control in front of them, and the strain he's hiding would be a give away.
"I figured it would've been a given." He growls at me, his eyes flirting over his shoulder to glare at Sophia. "Seen as though most wolves under 21 in this pack aren't allowed anyway!"
"Don't blame her Kaden please." I beg quietly, placing my hand on his cheek. I feel his face fall against my hand, his eyes fluttering shut slightly. "It was a stupid idea of mine, I should've been more sensible, especially with this madman still wandering around."
Kaden sighs deeply through his nose before opening his eyes, his icy irises looking even whiter as he looks at me with a soft desperation. "Lola, I can't lose you."
A cough sounds from behind us, and Kaden's eyes immediately harden ajdnhe spins round angrily. "What?!"
The old Shaman hobbles from behind army general Harry, an angry look in her eye. Her various talismans and beads are clicking together, her walking stick tapping against my carpet. "Alpha, no disrespect. But you called me here to listen to what happened, and I have much better things to do in the archives than watch you and Luna."
Kaden's jaw clenches but nods nonetheless. "Sorry, Viola. I apologise." He stands up from the seat he's pulled to my bedside and lets Viola jump up.
Her small hands are callous and wrinkled, as she inspects my head for I'm assuming is injuries. The skin on her face looks sun kissed and sandpapery, but her eyes look more youthful than most people here. They're a colour I've never seen before, almost iridescent. They're gold one second, then bronze the next.
"Can you remind me where you heard the voice in your head." She asks me kindly. I look up at her hair to see various items from beads to feathers braided into it, all of which seem to have a mind of their own as they move between the strands.
"Uhh." I stammer as I watch a feather morph into a snake, then back into a feather again. Viola chuckles, her frail hand waving in front of my eyes.
"Ignore my transformers, where did you feel it?"
I've never heard of transformers before and I've definitely never seen them until now. They've never been mentioned in the transcripts that I've read when helping my father in the office, and Otis doesn't wear anything like this considering he's the closest thing we have to a seer.
I turn my head to the side and point to where I felt it, right at the back of my head. I feel Viola's soft touch feeling around the area before clamping down hard, a burning sensation rocking through my skull.
I cry out in pain and outstretch my hand for Kaden to grasp. I need something to squeeze before I bite her head off. Kaden's warm fingers intertwine with mine, and I hold onto him like he's a life line, black spots dancing the macabre in my vision.
And then it's all over.
I look to see Viola's hands buzzing with red energy, something I've only ever seen in manuscripts and books from the archives. "You're a siphon."
Siphons are witches that have no power of their own, and have to absorb the power from other supernatural magic sources in order to function. I've met very few in my time, none of which were werewolves as well. Viola must be siphoning the magic from her own supernatural being, meaning she has an almost unlimited magic source.
She nods her head, the beads in her hair clicking around. "I was bitten by a rogue when I was around your age. Kaden's grandaddy took me in and made me seer. You're lucky I am a siphon, Luna, for that spell would've turned you mad."
I look to see Kaden sitting in a boiling rage, his eyes a dangerous scarlet red. The muscles in his jaw and neck are taught, like a snake ready to spring and kill it's prey. He is now the one squeezing the life out of me as he aims to gain control, his arms tight and locked. I kiss his knuckles gently in an attempt to calm him and I watch as his gaze softens at my touch, but not enough to return his ice blue eyes to me. "Do you know what the spell is Viola? Do you know how he managed to get her?"
Viola nods her head solemnly, hopping down from her chair beside me and hobbling over to a rucksack sat underneath my window. She rummages around before pulling out a few burnt scrolls, their pages tinted yellow with age. They're bound by thin strips of leather tied in a neat bow, the edges fraying ever so slightly. The old seer licks her lips neurotically before untying the leather and opening the scroll. "I haven't seen this spell come up in a very long time, Alpha Thorne."
Her old fingers shake across the writing on the page before stopping at a sentence that looks to be written in another language. It's surrounded by pictures of stars and weapons, and what looks like people being stabbed or murdered. I can't tear my eyes away and it has the rest of Kaden's council drawing closer to see what we're looking at. "This, Alpha Thorne, is necromancy. It's been banned for over a century, after an old witch called Alivander created an army of psychotic, magic controlled beings that were almost not stopped."
Kaden's eyes scan across the pictures decorating the scrools, his eyes showing only me what his face is lying to everyone else about. These pictures terrify him. I see him glance carefully in my direction, his grip on my sweaty palm increasing ever so slightly. "If he's using spells from this scroll, can you guess what he's planning?"
Viola sends him and apologetic look before shaking her head. "No, but he's powerful and he's close." Viola looks uncomfortable with what she's about to say, but a look from Kaden that suggests she's testing his patience has her finishing her sentence. "To put that sort of spell inside Luna Lattimore's head, he would've had to touch her."
A guttural roar sounds deep at the back of Kaden's throat before he storms up from his seated position and sends his fist straight through the nearest item of furniture, which just so happens to be my favourite hanging mirror. His fist sends shards of glass cascading round the room, causing me to flinch. "Kaden, what the hell are you doing!"
"He touched her?!" He screams angrily at nobody in particular, knocking potted plants from on top of my drawers onto the floor, shattering their ceramic pots and sending mud spraying across my brand new cream rug. His face is murderous, his eyes no longer red but a pitted black, suggesting his wolf is in full control.
He's starting to scare me, and I can feel my eyes water at the monster that is in front of me. "Kaden, please I beg you, stop!"
He spins around, ready to lash out at the nearest person, and I can't stop the tear from rolling down my face at this new side of my mate, the dangerous side that he shows his enemies that has earnt him the deserving name of 'Violent Alpha'. I look at the fury in his eyes, the lust for revenge, and I don't see the mate that I have come to deeply care for. But I don't recognise the person that belongs to the eyes, and it shocks me.
"Lola I will not stand by whilst this coward walks my streets in disguise, touches my mate, and threatens the pack I have worked so hard to keep going!"
"Then fix it." I snap, sitting up from seated position and pointing a finger straight at his heaving chest. "But dont you dare come into this house, smash up our home, threaten pack members that have done no wrong, and expect everyone to be sunshine and rainbows."
"Don't talk to me on how to run my pack when you were more than happy to give up yours!" He screams back at me before realising what he's said, and suddenly all the fight has left him. "Lola, I didn't mean that."
He knows I picked him over my family. He knows that I had to argue with my father so that he would let me leave with my mate, who I wanted to give a chance. I uprooted my entire life, away from my family, my friends, Lyle. The way he said that, like he doesn't care what I gave up, has my blood running cold through my veins.
"Get out." I say coldly, watching as the mouths of everyone in the room drop, including Harry who's usually stoic, cold expression is no longer a constant.
"Lola." He starts, but I raise a hand to stop him.
"Don't." I hiss, watching as his face falls at my rejection. "Get out before I say something I regret, for I have control you're apparently incapable of."
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HELLOOOO
CHECK OUT THIS KICK ASS COVER BY @danz-m
Had a great chat with them and it's lovely to hear that people are really enjoying my book, it really makes my day.
SORRY TO PUT SOME TROUBLE IN PARADISE FOR YOU ALL BUT ITS NOT ALWAYS A WALK IN THE PARK WITH RELATIONSHIPS.
The next chapter is a little bit more interesting, after I read that some people are getting restless with the lack of violence, so I put some of that in for you guys!!!
Anyways, question of the chapter: Anyone got any ideas on who this mysterious necromancer is? Do you think s/he's been introduced yet???
Let me know what you think by leaving a comment!!!
Lots of love amigos,
Lauryn xoxo
PS, if you're looking for a way to get in touch, maybe to send a cover, here are some ways you can do so