Chapter 37 Two Souls That Belong Together
thirty-seven
Two Souls That Belong Together
*MARCELLUS*
Silas and I exchange a curious glance before following Flo, who dashes ahead, clearly tracking her mate.
I feel so much for her. Meeting your mate is the most exciting part we’ll ever encounter as wolves.
The tension, the longing, the hope and anxiety we feel when we take up their scent for the first time.
No one knows who their mates are going to be.
Even if we are convinced, we don’t have any expectations; we always have in one way or another, but overall, there is just that desperate need and longing to find the other part of our soul.
And all we can do is trust in the goddess.
My trust was shaken for a long time. I couldn’t understand why I was mated to Olive first, until I found myself as the Alpha of Sunset Hills with Silas at my side. I hope the goddess doesn’t put such hardships on Flo.
Micah and Benjamin look at us curiously when we pass them. They are standing together with Lori, who has a plan of the pack house in her hand and is going through her ideas on how to renovate it. Flo barely seems to notice them and instead hurries on to the small parking area we have.
I instantly spot a well-known jeep there.
Nova and Julianus are standing in front of it, close enough to each other that it fills me with relief.
Then my gaze falls onto Cassian, who comes walking towards us.
First, there is a frown on his face, then an expression of curiosity, before his whole stance changes.
The look on his face is one of shock, surprise and joy.
The moment he spots Flo, he dashes forward, only halting when he is just a step away from her. His eyes darken. “My mate,” he growls.
Flo smiles shyly at him, but beams when he takes her hands into his. “My Luna,” Cass says, a bright smile on his lips. “Finally, I found you.”
“That’s Flo,” I introduce her swiftly. “My best friend, from my old pack.”
“Short for Florence,” she admits. “But I go by Flo.”
“Flo it is then,” he says. “I am Cassian.” He reaches out his hand, his fingers brushing through Flo’s hair, looking at her like she is the most stunning creature he has ever met.
“We’ll leave you alone,” I say. “You know where to find me if you need anything.”
Neither of them pays any attention to me, so I pull Silas with me. “It was just getting interesting,” he pouts. “Wolves finding their mates is better than any soap opera.”
“Let’s check on the second pair of mates instead,” I offer.
“Not a bad idea! I want the juicy details,” Silas agrees, picking up his pace and targeting Nova and Julianus.
“I am so happy for Cass,” Nova exclaims. “And it finally takes him off my ass, so I can spend more time with my vampire heartthrob here.”
The ‘vampire heartthrob’ looks completely lost and slightly flustered. Silas looks at him, amused. “I am glad you are getting along so well.”
Nova confidently takes Julianus’ hand and smiles at him. “We are. Taking things slow, though.”
I didn’t know he was that shy, I say.
He has always been like that, Silas explains. It took us forever to get together. Back then, I found it cute, now I know I am more for the bold type.
Oh really? I didn’t know that’s what you like about me, I say, not able to hide the smug tone. Makes me eager for some action later tonight.
Silas frowns at me, but unfortunately, he has become used to my teasing by now. So, he just raises his brow as if to spur me on further. Not that Amos and I need any spurring on when it’s about our juicy mate.
“Are you currently staying at Nova’s pack?” Silas asks, shifting our attention back to the new couple.
“Yes,” Julianus says. “Alpha Cassian was gracious enough to allow me to stay.”
“How very generous of him,” Nova says, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Not that he had any choice. Julian has moved in with me.”
“Oh, really?” Silas asks, clearly surprised.
“Yes, he was trying to be all charming and giving me time and all, but seriously, I have moved to the beta suite by now, and there is so much room. I am just happy to have him around,” she says, completely oblivious to how shy he actually is.
It’s both kind of fun and cute to watch them.
“It’s very kind of you to let me stay at your place,” Julianus says.
“It’s our place now,” she says. “You are my mate.”
Julianus clearly looks confused enough for Silas to help him out. “Don’t overthink it,” he tells him. “Shifters are really, very loyal to their mates.”
“That’s what I said, too,” Nova explains. “It’s not a sacrifice for me.”
“Nova!” Cassian calls out, while approaching us, with Flo’s hand gently in his. “You need to meet my mate.”
“Of course,” Nova exclaims and hurries towards them.
Julianus gazes after her. “She is such a whirlwind,” he says. “So strong and confident, and always doing the right thing.”
“And that’s bad?” Silas asks.
“No, it’s just so far away from who I am that I wonder why her goddess made me be her mate. Doesn’t she deserve better?”
“That’s not for me to judge,” Silas says.
“For me neither,” I agree. “Fact is, you are her mate, and she clearly has accepted you.”
“This is so mindboggling. I told her exactly what I did, yet she didn’t budge.”
“She isn’t judgmental at all,” I say. “I honestly think she has not one bad bone in her body.”
“Listen,” Silas sighs. “Take it from me, yes, things went completely downwards with us, and you betrayed me. But you have worked hard to make amends, and you have become a trustworthy ally, actually more trustworthy than some of my own siblings. But if you don’t start actively trying to forgive yourself, how can you ever move forward in any way?
I have done a lot of wrong things, yet I am moving forward. ”
“Me, too,” I agree.
“Nice try,” Silas says, amused. “You are one of those no-bad-bone persons.”
“I have done bad things,” I argue.
“Stealing candy when you were four doesn’t count,” he says.
“What about when I snuck out when I was sixteen?”
“To go to a reading circle,” he adds.
“I skipped training!”
“No, you didn’t, your alarm didn’t go off, and you were late,” Silas says mercilessly, before turning to Julianus. “See?”
To my surprise, Julianus chuckles. “I still don’t feel deserving,” he admits. “But I am willing to try.”
*BENJAMIN*
I have taken it upon myself to look after the new teenage boys who just joined us.
Asher is feeling more at home already, thanks to his sister being with him, but the other one, Mickey, is still very shy.
I don’t know what kind of trauma he went through, and I certainly won’t ask him.
That’s something I have learned since I joined this pack.
Everyone has their own pace for healing, and none of us should ever force them to share their trauma.
“Gamma Benjamin,” Asher says while he helps me carry some buckets of paint into the packhouse, where Lori has started her project of renovating the place. “Do you think Miss Lori would allow me to help her?”
“Why don’t you ask her?” I say with a smile, well aware that Lori won’t ever say no if someone is so eager to help.
“Can I help, too?” Mickey asks, his eyes shifting anxiously.
“I can’t speak for her,” I say. “But I am sure she would appreciate some help. Just ask her.”
Asher nods and shuffles off to talk to Lori, pulling Mickey with him. I watch them talking to Lori. She glances at me, smiling.
“They look up to you,” Nova says.
“Nova,” I call out. “I didn’t know you would drop by.”
“Well, I am here on behalf of my brother,” she says. “I am taking over more and more tasks.”
“I am so happy for you, Beta Nova.”
“Same, Gamma Benjamin.”
“It’s still not official,” I say.
“Neither is it for me, but it’s only a technicality,” she says. “To our pack members, we are already in our roles.”
We pause our chat when the boys return to us, excitedly telling me that Lori promised to let them help. After they both have taken off, we wait for Lori to wrap up her work so we can take a lunch break.
“Are you joining us, Nova?” Lori asks.
“I don’t want to interrupt your private time,” Nova says.
“Oh, please,” Lori chuckles. “We are happy to have you join! Right, Benji?”
“Absolutely. How about we grab our lunch and have a picnic?” I offer.
“Great idea,” Nova exclaims.
The three of us make it to the kitchen, where our new staff are busy preparing the food for today’s lunch. They are happy to hand us our portion of lunch, and soon we find ourselves walking across the pack grounds.
Further away, I can see Sheila stepping out of her cottage with Maddie in her arms, and a warrior following her.
“Maddie is still not feeling well?” Nova asks quietly.
“No, she still has a fever,” I say. “Sheila and Lord Silas are worried. Flo told them to see a doctor if her fever won’t go down.”
“So that’s where they are heading to,” Nova muses.
“Let’s hope our sweet Maddie will feel better soon,” Lori pleads, her expression worried.
Soon, however, the tension loses as we find a beautiful picnic place further away from the busier pack grounds, and settle down there. Once there, we catch up on all the pack gossip.
“How did the pack react when you came home with Julianus?” I ask.
“They were shocked.” She laughs. “But also happy that I’d stay. Cassian immediately announced me as his beta. I am so happy, Benji. I was terrified I’d need to leave my pack, but Juli… he is great. He is all I’ve ever wanted. I can’t believe this is how my life has turned out.”
“I can’t believe it either,” I admit. “If you had asked me a couple of months ago, I would have never believed that this would be my life today.”
“You were so different when we met,” she admits. “I instantly liked you, but it was obvious you still struggled.”
“And now?” I ask curiously.
“You still struggle, but you do it in a more constructive way. And you are the born Gamma.”
“I think it’s slowly starting to sink in,” I say. “How is Alpha Cassian doing?”
“He is still on cloud nine.” She laughs. “Flo already moved in with him, and they have already marked each other.”
“No way!”
“They didn’t waste any time,” she grins. “And for some juicy detail…“ She smirks at us. “Should have seen Isla’s face when Cass returned with his mate.”
“I can only imagine,” Lori grins.
“I swear, her jaw almost hit the ground,” Nova says, before shaking her head.
“I don’t want to sound overly mean, but she messed up a lot.
I told Cass what she did during the party, because I had to; he is the alpha.
But don’t worry, Lori, I told him you didn’t wish for her to be punished.
He obliged but did have a talk with her.
Her father wasn’t too happy either. I hope she learns from this. I really do.”
“We all know a thing or two about second or third chances,” Lori says. “I also hope she will learn something.”
While Lori and Nova talk about Isla, I let my gaze wander over the landscape, noticing how a car moves from the pack and over the road leading to town. That has to be Sheila with Maddie. While I stare at the slowly moving car, I notice how eerily quiet it is around us.
“Shouldn’t we hear something? At least the birds chirping.” I ponder more to myself than to anyone specific.
Nova and Lori look up, both of them frowning. “There is no wind either,” Nova says. “But I don’t sense any danger.”
“Me neither,” I agree.
“But you are right, something feels off,” Nova says, following my gaze. “Is that the car with Sheila and Maddie?”
“I think so,” I say, slowly getting up.
“Is there someone who can move without making any noise?” Lori asks. “Without giving off any trace or signal or anything?”
Nova and I exchange a glance. I can almost see how the realization slowly settles in. “Yes,” she whispers before suddenly taking off. She shifts and rushes towards the car.
“Royal vampires can do that,” I tell Lori. “Get on my back!”
I shift, waiting for Lori to climb onto my back before I rush after Nova.
The distance between us and the car gets smaller and smaller, and I almost think that Nova and I are being paranoid, when there is a sudden rustling sound around us.
To my shock, the car suddenly weaves, as if the driver lost control.
It turns and rolls over before it lands on the top and halts abruptly.
There is a dark fog around the car, all of a sudden, and a figure amidst it.
“Goddess,” Lori mutters.
I try to push myself to my utmost limit, to run as fast as possible. The figure in the fog seems to grab something. I swear I can hear a child crying. That’s Maddie!
Someone has Maddie!
When Nova and I arrive, the fog and the figure are gone. One spot inside the car shows me that Maddie is missing. Meanwhile, both Sheila and our warrior are unconscious, blood is dripping off Sheila’s forehead, and out of the warrior’s ear.
Lori, look after them! I say while she jumps off my back. I can still sense the attacker! I am going after him.
Before Lori can say anything, I dash off in the direction I sense the vampire has taken off. Right behind me, I can sense Nova’s presence; obviously, she understood my plan.
In my last attempt to alert someone, before I am too far away from the pack, I link my pack members. Attack on Sheila and Maddie! It was a vampire! Nova and I are following them.