[ 17 ] - castle
It took a few days for things to go back to normal, at least for the pack.
The storm had made quite a mess with the trees and a few houses, but thankfully, no one had been hurt. The pack were prepared and made quick work of the repairs. I had helped as much as I could, and it allowed me to bond more with the pack.
We were all eating dinner together in the banquet hall, reserved for such occasions, to spend more time with each other.
I was sitting on Kane's left, next to Carmen and Finn, while Kane's parents sat to his right.
Our table was facing the rest of the pack, and it was easy to see the sheer number of wolves that Kane, we, had.
I still couldn't believe that I was now a luna.
Kane squeezed my forearm. "What's on your mind?" he asked amid all the chatter around the room.
I had to lean towards him to reply. "Your pack is big."
"Our pack," he corrected with a smile, linking our hands and lifting the back of mine to his mouth. He pressed a gentle kiss against my skin.
I returned the smile as my heart started doing somersaults. He kept hold of my hand. "Not that I'm complaining, but don't you need your hand to eat seeing as your other one is currently out of action?"
A grin broke out on his face and he chuckled. "I'm taking a brief break to hold yours."
I turned in my chair slightly to face him. His gaze didn't wander from mine, and it felt like we were the only two people in the room. He was right-handed, so day-to-day activities since the break had been difficult. Using his left hand was taking a bit of getting used to.
I looked at his plate of steak, vegetables and mashed potatoes. I had finished my food while he had barely touched anything other than a few slices of meat. I slid his plate closer to me and picked up his fork. I was ambidextrous, something that would've benefited him more to be.
I stabbed the slice of steak and scooped up some mashed potatoes before lifting it towards him.
His grin widened. "You're spoiling me."
I shook my head and squeezed his hand. "I'm taking care of you. You would've finished this plate in five minutes without a broken arm." I had eaten enough meals with Kane to know how he normally ate. If it were meat, which it usually was, it wouldn't remain on his plate for long.
He leaned forward and took the fork into his mouth. He chewed on the bite with a smile. He tilted his body towards me too and our knees brushed against each other. I shivered and tried to keep my hand steady.
I did my best and fed him the rest of his food.
When we were done, he leaned back in his chair and nodded to a table close to us.
They stood up and were holding instrument cases.
The low chatter continued as they set up, and they soon began playing live music.
Two were playing the violin, another two were playing the flute and one was playing the cello.
"Did you know Kane is quite the violinist, Rina?" Moira spoke, leaning forward to look at me.
I shook my head with a surprised smile. "I didn't! He's never mentioned it."
"It's never come up," Kane replied, the tips of his ears turning red. He held up his arm. "And I won't be playing for a while."
Moira nudged his shoulder playfully. "You'll be healed before you know it." She directed a warm smile my way. "You'll have to get him to play for you when he is. He's quite gifted."
I squeezed his hand and laughed. "I definitely will."
Lachlan stood up and placed a gentle hand on Moira's shoulder. "I think this calls for some dancing."
She grinned and placed her napkin on the table. "I think it does too." She followed Lachlan into the space in the middle of the hall.
A few others followed suit, including Finn and Carmen. I watched them all with a soft smile on my face. It was nice to see such closeness between mates. I turned to Kane who was already looking at me.
"Come closer," he said, coaxing my arm around his neck as I settled on his lap. His hands joined around me at my hip.
I looked down at him, feeling slightly breathless. When I was this close to him, I couldn't concentrate. I felt the chain around his neck and glanced at the pack crest. My fingers brushed across his. Ours were the same except for streaks of lighter brown that ran through the wolf's fur on his one.
"Tell me the story of your crest."
He smiled slightly. "The wolf is my ancestor, Blaine.
He was a lone wolf who took refuge in the Highlands.
" A sense of pride flashed in his eyes as he continued.
"One day, he had gone into the human territory and caught the eye of the most beautiful woman in the village.
Turns out she was from a wealthy werewolf family who had assimilated with the humans.
They were mates and she wanted to go with him but her family refused because he had nothing and was alone. "
It was interesting that they had chosen to live completely like humans.
Centuries of myths and legends engendered fear and hatred for anything that wasn't entirely human.
There were many instances of communities hunting down any werewolf that revealed themselves to humans.
It was why we didn't often mix with them, and had our separate communities where we could run free.
It was better for humans not to know that supernatural creatures lived alongside them.
"They tried to keep them apart until one night, on a full moon, Blaine received the mark of an alpha. They had no choice but to submit to him and he became their leader. They left the human territory and built houses here. We've never left since then."
The mark of an alpha. Power belonged to those who took it, but in some instances, power was given with a mark that only appeared on those who nature demanded they be in power.
It actualised as a crescent moon somewhere on their body in the same way their mate's first words did on their wrist. It was incredibly rare.
Oftentimes, those who had it kept it a secret from other packs because the concept of too much power frightened other alphas.
"Wow." I was at a loss for words. It had always been rumoured that Kane received it, and that was how he had dominated the other packs in the region during the war.
"The crest is to remind us all that that which is lost can always be found." His thumb caressed my hipbone and he smiled up at me.
"Is it true what they say about you?" I asked quietly and hesitantly.
Amusement sparked in his eyes and he leaned back.
He opened his mouth and kept the tip of his tongue pressed to the roof.
I leaned in closer, instantly spotting it.
A small, white crescent moon was etched into the back of his tongue.
It looked exactly like it should have, like it appeared painlessly—unlike our brands that, at times, looked raised and raw on our wrists.
"Wow..."
He lowered his tongue. "That's why Leander will never break the treaty even though we hate each other."
I thought back to the treaty revision. I hadn't paid much attention to Leander all things considered, but I did remember he hadn't offered any sort of solution for the predicament Kane and I had found ourselves in—all the other alphas had.
It was as if he wanted there to be problems between ?me and Kane.
"You don't think he'll ever try again?"
Kane shook his head. "He'll never overtly attack us again. The treaty is primarily for their protection not ours. We've put defensive measures in place though in case anything does happen."
I played with the collar of his shirt. No one was naive enough to think peace lasted forever, especially in our world, but I knew there would never be a full-blown war between the six packs again.
We all knew that, and it was probably why Celeste thought I was a plant sent to take them down from the inside.
At the sight of my small frown, Kane stood up with a firm arm around my waist.
"Let's have our first dance, Rina."
The frown was slowly replaced with a smile and I let him lead me to the dance floor by the hand.
People made space for us, and Kane turned to face me once we were in the middle.
I placed one hand on his shoulder and kept the other gently linked with his over the cast. His good arm wound around my waist and he pulled me up against him.
Slow music was playing and he took the lead.
We slowly swayed, and I stared up at him, taking him in.
He was captivating, the kind of man you couldn't look away from.
The air of power that enshrouded him was getting stronger with each passing day, courtesy of my arrival in his life. It caused a dizzying pull between us.
He lifted me by the waist so that my feet were on top of his.
We were face-to-face now, and his eyes glimmered.
We had never kissed in front of the pack.
I rested my forehead against his, closing my eyes.
He tilted his head and gently brushed his lips against mine.
It was a short kiss, and he smiled as he pulled back.
"You're more than I could've ever imagined," he murmured, laying a kiss to the underside of my jaw.
I sighed and squeezed his shoulder. "I'm happy that you're my mate."
His eyes met mine and he grinned. "Good. The feeling is mutual." He dipped his head and kissed me slowly.
When I remembered we were in public, I drew back. He continued leading the dance with my feet on top of his. I tucked my head into his neck, and we danced for a while until Carmen tapped my shoulder.
People were beginning to leave since it was getting late.
"I thought I'd mention it after we all ate, but my uncle called." She addressed us both. "He said he thinks he's found something about your condition but he needs to see you in person."
Kane's eyebrows raised in surprise. "When?"
"Tonight," Finn spoke up. "He's almost here—said what he needs to do can't wait. He wants to meet you both at The Old Castle."
"The Old Castle? Why?" Kane followed up.
"What's The Old Castle?" I asked.
Kane glanced at me. "It's our ceremonial grounds. It was built for Blaine and his mate, Mairead, and used as a residence for my family for centuries until we moved to more modern houses. Now, we only use it for official pack ceremonies, and twice a year, we open it up for tourism."
"I'm not sure what he's found, but he said that water is needed for the test he needs to do—water from a source that has a connection to either of you." Carmen clarified.
"The land is yours," Finn added, looking at Kane.
Kane nodded but had an apprehensive expression on his face. "Okay. How long until he gets here?"
"Around twenty minutes," Carmen answered.
Kane's arm slid from my waist to grasp my hand. "Okay, tell him we'll meet him there." He looked over to his parents who were listening from afar. "I need the key, Dad."
Lachlan and Moira walked over. Lachlan reached into his pocket and unhooked a medieval-looking key from his key set. He passed it to Kane. "Let us know how it goes."
Kane nodded and glanced at me. "Are you up for it tonight?"
I nodded instantly. I wanted answers and clarification. We drove out to The Old Castle, which took just under twenty-five minutes. A car was already parked outside, and a man was leaning against it. Carmen's uncle.
"Alpha Kane," he spoke, reaching out to shake Kane's hand. "It's good to see you again."
"Thanks for coming, Santiago."
Santiago's gaze turned to mine and he smiled warmly, holding out his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Luna Rina."
I shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you too."
Santiago waved a hand towards the castle. It was a grand castle that overlooked the Loch Stack. "I think we should get started. I went ahead and took a sample of the loch. We need the ceremonial stone bowl for this."
Kane took the key from his jacket pocket. "Follow me. Carmen says you might have something?"
We all walked to the grand doors of the castle, and Kane pushed them open before leading the way in. He flicked on a few light switches. It was a well-maintained castle, but it looked like it hadn't been visited in a few months.
Kane led us towards a spiral staircase.
"I'm not sure what I have. It's a hunch, really, but if I'm right, then we'll be closer to figuring out what is happening. I'm sure we could get to the bottom of things if more people knew, but I understand that this is a...delicate situation."
"We appreciate it," Kane responded. "The last thing we need is for other packs to think we're vulnerable."
"Of course," Santiago agreed. When we entered a great hall, I noticed a white stone podium with a water bowl on top of it. Santiago pulled a plastic bottle from his pocket. It was filled with water from the loch. "Here we go."
We stood around the bowl as he poured the water into it. It almost filled it, and Santiago waved his hand through it.
"I had a thought that if it felt like your skin was burning, or on fire, when each of your names appeared, then there had to be something there. Something elemental."
Kane's eyebrows furrowed. "Elemental? Are you saying something other than fate brought us together?"
Santiago shook his head. "No. You two are fated mates—that much I am certain of.
There is something deeper between you two though.
You had nothing at first, and then your names appeared instead of your first words to each other.
I believe this happened because you claimed each other when you first touched.
You were never going to be able to part the moment you did. "
I glanced up at Kane and thought back to the first time we touched. I had felt the burning sensation instantly. I could acutely remember how it felt to have his hand around my wrist.
He linked our fingers and squeezed them comfortingly. "Where does the elemental aspect come into this?"
Santiago smiled. "The elements are by definition part of nature.
As werewolves, we are most inclined to water because of its link to the moon.
The same way the moon drives the tides is the same way it drives us and our abilities.
It may be a shot in the dark, but I thought maybe the burn you feel is indicative of fire.
Water has healing properties, especially if you have a link to its source so if there is something wrong, the water will tell us. "
He pulled out a switchblade from his inner pocket.
"What's that for?" I asked, alarmed.
"You both need to get a few drops of your blood into this bowl, and then we'll open that," he pointed to the ceiling, "for the moon's rays to hit the water. Hopefully, we'll get an answer. It's why I got on the first flight here. This test can only be done nine days after a full moon."
Well, that explains his urgency.
"What kind of answer are we looking for?" Kane questioned.
Santiago shrugged with a sigh. "We'll know when we see it. I'm sorry it's nothing concrete, but I'm covering as many bases as I can."
Kane shook his head. "No apology needed, Santiago. I'm grateful for your help." He let go of my hand to take the switchblade, and pressed the tip of it against his fingertip. He applied pressure and winced as he drew blood. He tipped his finger and allowed his blood to drip into the bowl.
"Your turn, Luna," Santiago spoke as he hurried towards a switch on the wall. He held it and the ceiling began to open up and retreat into itself.
I took the knife from Kane and did the same, squeezing my fingertip so the blood could drip out. The moonlight just about lit up the water. The same humming that I had heard in the cave sounded through the room. I didn't blink as the water jolted.
A full moon appeared in the water.
Santiago rushed back to the bowl and peered at it with curiosity. Something began to flicker in the full moon until the words ire burns glowed in the middle of it.
"Interesting..."
"What does this mean?" Kane placed his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer. I enclosed my arms around his body as I sought comfort from whatever Santiago was going to say.
"It's like I suspected. There is conflict here. Fire and water." He looked at us and saw our confusion clearly. "There's a reason you didn't have anything on your wrists. I don't know how I didn't see it before..."
"Santiago," Kane's impatience was clear.
Santiago waved his hand. "Right. Ire burns. Fury, rage, wrath—whatever you want to call it. This is why."
I held my breath.
"Someone doesn't want you to be together."