Love in All the Wrong Places

Sky

“Fancy another glass of champagne, m’lady?” Percival asked, his words slightly slurred from the alcohol.

“Percy,” I laughed, “if I drink any more, you’ll have to carry me all the way back to Shadow Moon Pack!”

He held my hand gently and said, “I’d rather you stay here with me. But if you insist on leaving, we could run away together. Start our own pack.”

“Stop it, Percy,” I giggled, playfully hitting his solid chest.

What a night it had been.

Who would have thought that a clumsy dance to a jazz waltz could turn into such a magical night with the most charming and handsome wolf I’d ever met?

I was in disbelief!

A rogue wolf, so kind and chivalrous.

He was nothing like the rough guys back at Shadow Moon.

I wasn’t sure if it was the champagne or the emotional rollercoaster of the day, but I was definitely feeling something for Percy.

We were lying on a secluded hillside just outside the Vulpes pack grounds. My head was resting on his shoulder as we looked up at the star-filled September sky.

He gently ran his fingers through my hair while a cool autumn breeze brushed against my face.

It was pure bliss.

A slice of heaven on Earth that I’d only heard of.

Maybe it was the wine talking, but in that moment, I was sure that I had found my mate.

And I was ready to follow him anywhere.

Jaxon

Harper, Zara, and I were frozen with fear.

The rogues had found us while we were planning our escape.

We were ready to fight, our fists raised.

Zara shone her flashlight towards the voice that had called out to us.

The figure let out a small squeak as the light hit her face.

We all gasped in unison.

“Katherine,” Zara said, her voice shaking, “is it really you?”

“Yes, it’s me, sweet Zara.”

They ran towards each other and hugged tightly.

The quiet cave was filled with the sound of their sniffles echoing off the walls.

“But how... after all these years...” Zara managed to say through her tears.

“The mysteries of Vulpes are vast, my friends. They also have the power to undo the harm they sometimes cause.”

“The rogues... they brought you back to life,” Zara stammered.

“I know it’s hard to believe,” I said to Zara, “but I’m glad you now see that I wasn’t lying earlier.”

“This is just... unreal. Like a strange dream.”

Katherine smiled at her as they let go of each other.

“It’s been a long time, Katherine,” Harper said, stepping forward, her face filled with awe.

She looked like she was trying not to faint from shock.

“Harper!” Katherine exclaimed, hugging her tightly.

“I never thought I’d see you again,” Harper said, laughing nervously.

“Neither did I,” Katherine replied. “But it’s wonderful to be with all of you again. I’d almost forgotten how much I missed it.”

“We have so much to talk about! So many years to catch up on!” Zara exclaimed.

“Shhh...” I hushed her, worried that we might attract unwanted attention. “You two will have plenty of time to catch up later.”

I looked into Katherine’s eyes.

Even in the harsh light of Zara’s phone, they sparkled beautifully.

“We’re leaving, Katherine. Shadow Moon Pack is in danger. If I don’t return soon, there might not be a pack to return to.”

“You’re coming with us!” Zara said, grabbing Katherine’s hand. “You have to come with us.”

Katherine’s smile faded.

“I used to dream of going back home. To be with my friends, the wolf I love, and the family I chose.”

She looked down at the ground. “But those dreams are gone. I can’t go home now. Not ever again. My home is with Vulpes.”

“But it doesn’t have to be, Kat,” Zara said, smiling. “You’ve been here all alone for so long. But now everyone who loves you is here. We can escape together, bring justice to the pack, and go back to the life you left behind.”

“My dear Zara,” Katherine said, looking at me with a sad expression, “I have to tell you what I told Jax. The life I have here...“

“It’s better here than at Shadow Moon,” I interrupted.

Zara and Harper looked shocked at my words.

“Everything that’s wrong with our pack,” I continued, “the prejudices, the bureaucracy... It doesn’t exist here.”

They looked at Katherine, who slowly nodded in agreement.

“But how can you say that? Shadow Moon is your pack. It’s all of our pack!” Zara exclaimed.

“It is your pack, Zara,” I replied. “It’s Harper’s. It’s mine. But not because we were born into it. Because we chose it. That’s what being with the rogues has taught me.”

Tears welled up in Zara’s eyes again. But this time, they were tears of disappointment.

“Kat, it might not have been perfect. But we had each other. Despite what everyone else said, we were always there for each other. Wasn’t that enough? Isn’t it still enough?”

Katherine sighed, her gaze meeting Zara’s. “So much has changed, Zara… There’s so much I wish I could explain, but you wouldn’t understand.”

A tear slipped down Zara’s cheek, her body trembling.

The heartbreak etched on her face was palpable.

For years, all she’d wanted was to be reunited with her best friend. To stand beside the person she’d been through hell and back with.

Now, that person was standing in front of her—alive against all odds—only to tell her that she had moved on from the world they once shared.

I couldn’t imagine how that felt.

I didn’t want to.

But there was no time to dwell on hurt feelings.

The survival of the Shadow Moon Pack was at stake.

Every moment we spent dwelling on the past was another moment the future was being swallowed by darkness.

“Harper, take Zara and find Sky. I’ll go get Quinn. We’ll meet back here in an hour, God willing, ready to start our journey.”

Harper nodded, taking Zara’s hand.

“Good luck, Jax… I… I wish you’d stay,” Katherine said.

“Shadow Moon Pack isn’t perfect, Kat. But I’ve sworn to protect it with my life. And right now, it needs me more than ever.”

I moved the rock, revealing the secret passage.

Harper and Zara left the room.

I gestured for Katherine to follow.

“No thanks, Jax. I think I’ll stay here awhile. It’s peaceful,” she said.

“Katherine, you won’t tell anyone about us leaving, will you?” I asked.

“You have my word, Jax. I won’t say a thing,” she promised.

I nodded at her.

“It was good to see you again, Kat.”

“You too, Jax.”

We shared a moment of silence.

Part of me wanted to stay. To shed the weight of leadership and stay with Katherine in this peaceful haven.

But I had a pack to save.

And another mate, to whom I had pledged my loyalty above all else.

***

Quinn

I lost count of the hours Aunt Jodie spent teaching me to connect with the spirit realm and communicate with my father.

Each time, I felt his presence getting closer, stronger.

But I hadn’t mastered my abilities enough to actually talk to him.

I wouldn’t stop until I did.

No matter how long it took, I would stay with Aunt Jodie until my skills were honed enough.

I guess I pushed her too hard tonight.

She developed a headache, a side effect of the mental control needed to interact with the werewolves of the past.

She told me to take a break for the night.

But as I walked from Aunt Jodie’s room to mine, all I could think about was trying again as soon as I closed my door!

When I turned the corner to my room, I saw Jax standing at the door.

~What does he want now?~

We hadn’t spoken in days.

Since the night we had sex, he hadn’t even tried to find me.

“Quinn!” he shouted, running towards me.

“Pack what you can. We’re leaving for home tonight.”

“Excuse me,” I said, brushing him off. “I’ve had a long night and I really need to sleep.”

“Sleep? Quinn! Our pack is under attack. Alpha Anthony has taken over. He’s dethroned us! We have to go back.”

I took a deep breath.

With everything going on in my head, the last thing I needed was to deal with Shadow Moon’s petty politics.

There were more important things to worry about.

Much more important than the constant, petty fights between two packs.

“You’re the Alpha. You go back and handle it. I need to stay here.”

“~Need~ to stay here?” he asked. “Why the hell?”

“My family is here,” I said calmly.

“Your family? The rogues? They’re your ~family~ now? So, what am I?”

~The son of a murderer. The son of my father’s killer.~

I bit my tongue to stop myself from saying it out loud.

“You do what you have to do. I’ll do what I have to do, Alpha.”

I walked past Jax, heading for the door.

“What the hell did I do to you?” he shouted after me.

But I didn’t answer.

Jax was the last thing on my mind.

I had one goal: to communicate with my father.

And my mate’s drama was just another obstacle in my way.