Chapter 22
TALIA
“ Hey Talia, want to go head out for a run? I could use a distraction from all the training sessions lately.”
Jaxon was leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen where I sat alone and pondering my life, yet again.“You know, a run sounds wonderful.
I haven’t stretched my legs in wolf form since yesterday, and I’m feeling a bit tightly strung.”
“Well, no time like the present, I’ll meet you out front.”
Jaxon was becoming a close friend.
When Declan wasn’t around, he was there to talk to.
Lucas had headed back to his pack to help Jericho with reinforcing their borders and security so no one could breach them so easily.
I missed having him around, but I think Declan appreciated not having to be around my former lover all the time.
Especially since he made it clear he still wanted to be with me should I decide to deny this bond.
Finishing the soda I was drinking , I set my glass in the sink, and headed out back to strip and shift.
I still wasn’t comfortable with being nude in front of everyone.
Setting my clothes in a pile next to the back door, I shifted into my wolf form, and trotted to the front of the house where Jaxon sat waiting for me.
“Finally, we have been so cooped up in that human body of yours I thought we would never be on four legs again.”
Sionn whined.
“Stop with the dramatics, we have gone longer before.
You know , like the twenty-two years our magic was being suppressed? And it’s only been a day.”
I laughed at her.
“Do not remind me.
It was like being caged in a black hole, where I could see and hear what was going on but couldn’t get out and there was no one to talk to.”
She said quietly.
“I am sorry, I can’t even imagine.
Let’s go have some fun, shall we? Maybe catch a deer or two.”
She growled her approval as we headed to the front where Jaxon was already shifted and waiting.
His fur was a beautiful light tan, matching his human blonde locks, and his eyes were still a gorgeous shade of brown.
He did have some unique markings in his wolf form, like the star of white fur on his chest.
He chuffed and ran up to me.
We couldn’t speak in this form, but it would be easy enough to communicate through gestures and noises while on a run.
I jogged up to him and he pointed to the forest behind the house with his nose.
I guess that was the direction we were going.
He started to run, and I followed him, just the feel of the earth beneath my paws and the smell of the fresh crisp air helped ease my worries.
Winter was almost upon us, the solstice being just around the corner, which happened to be right around my birthday.
Shifters had such fun traditions for the winter solstice, and I looked forward to them every year.
It was the time of year where our magic was the strongest , if we had any besides our shifter abilities, and when people most often found their mates.
I wonder what it would look like this year and what traditions Declan’s pack had in comparison to Jericho’s.
Jaxon and I ran for what felt like an hour until we came upon a clearing and slowed down.
Breathing hard, I decided to lay down for a moment and he followed suit.
We just sat there enjoying the freedom that shifting brought us and I was happy to be out of the house and the training gym, yet it felt like there was still a void that needed to be filled.
Declan.
He was the void we felt.
I watched as snowflakes began to fall from the sky and thought about my mate bond.
I could feel his presence, sense his feelings and I swear I was getting snippets of his memories or thoughts on occasion but that sounded crazy.
We hadn’t even slept together, claimed each other, or sealed the mating bond.
Standing up, I shook out my fur and nudged Jaxon with my nose.
He had dozed off, blinking his eyes open he stretched his front legs then stood up.
His eyes met mine and they were starting to glow a bit and I knew he was talking with someone in the pack.
I envied them for that ability.
I missed having a link, and the security it brought along with it.
Even if I was only able to communicate with a few wolves.
Would I ever complete the bond and become a part of this pack? “We will convince our mate to complete our bond and bring us into his pack.
He is leaving us unprotected if he doesn’t.”
Sionn said her voice all growly.
I shook my head and replied, “We can’t force him to accept us.”
She just laughed at me and said, "No but you can sway him with your body”
I could feel her smiling at me, a grin so huge it could only be hers.
“Are you kidding me right now? You want me to seduce him and force our mark on him?" I scolded her, my voice raising as I answered her ridiculous suggestion.
“Not force necessarily… but I wouldn’t be opposed.
He will come around eventually.”
she retorted, happiness in her tone.
I rolled my eyes while watching the snow fall down around us, “For fucks sake we can’t do that! I didn’t even want this bond in the first place not that I’ve told him my feeling have been changing.”
I whispered.
My voice trailing off with my thoughts.
“Well, you better do that soon before he decides to reject us.”
She scoffed before curling up in a ball and effectively ignoring me.
Choosing to ignore her I turned towards Jaxon, who had started to head back towards the pack houses, so I trotted off and followed suit.
We were almost back to Declan’s home when I heard someone cry out.
My ears perked up as I tried to identify which direction it was coming from.
Not waiting to see if Jaxon heard it as well, I turned and ran towards the cry.
The closer I got to the noise, the wearier my wolf and I became.
Slowing my steps, the leaves crunching beneath my paws.
Snow was coating the now frozen ground.
I couldn’t see anyone, and it was now silent.
I couldn’t even hear the birds chirping in nearby trees.
We continued through the forest until I couldn’t find where the cries came from.
“We should head back,”
I told my wolf.
She agreed and I turned back towards the house.
We had neared the border of Declan’s territory.
I hoped Jaxon wouldn’t tell him I had disappeared on him I had a good reason, but he didn’t want me out of my routine let alone out in the woods by myself.
Not that he would tell me anything besides it was too dangerous for anyone to know my true identity.
Now that Isla knew about me, I felt a little more free.
It was a huge weight on me, not telling her.
I didn't like keeping secrets from the close to me, but I would if it meant keeping them safe.
I was stepping around a large log on the ground when a twig snapped behind me.
I quickly turned around, keeping my body low to the ground, ready to pounce if I had to, and saw a large red wolf stepping out from the trees.
A growl tore from his throat as he pushed off his hind legs and charged me.
Who was this wolf? And why was he attacking me? Not wasting time on stupid thoughts, I focused and put my mind into the fight.
I darted to the right, just before the wolf reached me, barely escaping his attack.
I quickly turned digging my paws into the hardened forest floor as best as I could to gain some traction.
Saliva was dripping from the jowls of the wolf, his snout curled back into a snarl as his red eyes peered back at me.
I really could use some back up right about now, why did I always have to wander off? It really was biting me in the ass.
If only I could link with Declan, Jaxon, or really anyone right about now.
At least I wasn’t defenseless.
I had my magic to rely on.
I turned my focus inwards, feeling for the deep well of power that sat inside of me.
I pulled and pulled until I felt like I was going to explode from the pressure inside of me.
The winds began to howl around me, the trees were swaying, snow falling and now funneling into a cyclone.
A cyclone that I aimed right towards this wolf.
I felt my gaze sharpen as I focused in on him.
Ready to end this fight before it really began.
Just then, a pained howl tore through the wind causing me to lose my focus.
Jaxon.
His white wolf leapt out from the trees.
My head whipped to the side finding him heading towards me, fear in his eyes.
My winds died down, leaving my side exposed and my focus all but lost.
A sharp cry escaped me as I was knocked to the ground, pain coursing through my shoulder as sharp teeth tore at the flesh.
Damn it all to hell! Before I could shake him from me, his body was being torn away.
Jaxon had latched onto his throat and with one swift shake of his head he ripped it out.
Bright red blood soaked his white fur, dripping into the snow beneath his paws as he walked over towards me.
His movements slowed as he approached, a whine escaped him as he nudged my shoulder.
He licked at the wound, which caused me to whimper in pain.
His eyes met mine, and well fuck, he looked pissed.
He stepped back a few feet and shifted.
“Gods Damn it, Talia! What were you thinking running off like that?!”
he roared.
Naked.
He was so naked.
I needed to shift so I could tell him to shift back.
I really didn’t need to keep staring at his dick.
Not that it wasn’t impressive to look at, and yeah, he was fit as fuck.
Which I was aware of since we had been training together but the full frontal was a bit different of a view.
Clenching my jaw, I pushed myself up off the forest floor, and shook the snow out of my fur.
Pain shot through me and I tried to put weight onto my front leg.
A whimper escaped, even though I tried hard not to let it.
“Shit Tals, we need to get you back to the house.
Declan is worried as fuck.
The men were attacked while out on their patrol.
That’s where this wolf must have come from.”
He quickly said while moving to help me.
His gaze continually darting around us, checking for threats.
Attacked? Did the men at the border finally get in? I took a deep breath and focused on my human body.
Pushing all my energy into the shift.
My teeth chattered as I looked up at Jaxon and spoke, “Is Declan, okay?”
He moved closer to inspect the damage on my shoulder, which was already starting to knit itself back together from the shift.
Lifting his eyes to meet mine he said, “Yes, he made it out unscathed, but there were a few lives lost tonight.
They also found another missing female.”
I held my breath as I asked my next question, already fearing the answer, “Did she make it? Can she help us find people who are responsible for this?”
His eyes softened as he shook his head slowly.
A tear began to trail down my cheek, my throat felt like it was closing, as I silently wept for the woman and the men we lost tonight.
I may not have known them, but innocent lives were still being lost.
And it needed it be stopped.
I needed to make it stop.
“Take me home please.
I need to speak with my mate.”
Jaxon’s gaze snapped up to mine, his jaw dropped for a moment before he gathered his composure.
He cleared his throat and said, “Um did you just address him as your mate?”
Rolling my eyes at him, “Well he is my mate is he not?”
“Technically he is, but you have never really called them that.
Or really treated him like he was your mate when no one else in the pack was around.”
I sighed.
He wasn’t wrong.
I had intended to only stay here until everyone was safe, and I had not intended on accepting this mate bond, but something inside of me just keeps making me think that maybe… just maybe fate hadn’t fucked me over this time.
When I am around him, even with him keeping me at a distance, I just feel whole.
When he is near, my body immediately fills with warmth, my heart rate picks up, my cheeks heat at the thought of his touch.
We may not know everything about one another, but we had time.
Time to learn about one another as we grow our bond.
“Declan is my mate, even though we have not sealed the bond, had a mating ceremony or even officially made me a part of this pack.”
I replied.
Jaxon cocked his head to the side, “Do you want all of that? To truly be his other half, to be the Luna to this pack?”
This was a heavy conversation to be having while standing naked in the snow.
A sigh escaped me as I told him, “Honestly yes.
I want to be your Luna.
To take my place beside him.
But I want to make sure he feels the same.
"A chill ran through me as a cold breeze picked up.
"Can we head back and maybe continue this conversation where we have clothes, and maybe a fire to sit in front of?”
I whispered, the temperature was dropping with the night sky encroaching on us.
I could see my breath in front of me, and the sun was beginning to hide behind the moon.
He nodded, “Let's shift back and head home.
This time, no straying off on your own, okay?”
Without responding I shifted, faster this time than I had in the past.
The more I had been shifting as of late, the less painful it was becoming, and the faster it was happening.
My shoulder only slightly painful as I landed on it.
I shifted my feet so check the strength of my injured leg, only a twinge of pain.
My healing was getting faster, even without shifting.
The speed at which my wounds closed had increased.
“You have also been using your magic more.”
Sionn remarked.
“Now you decide to talk.
Where were you when we were being attacked?”
I scoffed at her.
“Oh, you know, taking a nap.
I need my beauty rest for when we claim out mate.
Besides, you had everything under control this time.”
Freaking wolf of mine.
I rolled my eyes before holding my breath, “Do you really think it’s because I am using my magic more?”
I asked her.
“I do, and I also think the fact that your glamour is lessening, that it is becoming easier for you to grasp at the power inside of us.”
Jaxon nudged my shoulder and turned his head to the right, letting me know that we were heading that way.
I tried to speak, but I only made a chuffing sound, I really need to have a damn pack link.
Instead, I nudged him back.
He began running towards home, and I chased after him.
I just hoped Declan wouldn’t shoot down my plan.
“It really is a stupid plan.”
“You don’t even know what I have planned.”
I told Sionn.
“We are one and the same girl.
We may be different, but I can still hear all your idiotic thoughts.”
I huffed at that, “We shall see who is idiotic when my plan works.”
She just shook her head at me.
It would work.
Wouldn’t it?