19. Hettie
Chapter 19
Hettie
T hree days have passed since Rip laid me out on the dinner table and feasted upon my pussy like his fucking life depended on it. Three days of the scene playing over and over in my head rent-free. The phantom touch of his lips, his tongue, forever etched in my brain. This man sank his claws into me, and I loved every second.
I expected things to become awkward between us. That maybe Rip would regret what we did, and I would have to pretend to be completely unaffected by it all. However, he didn’t shy away from me in the days that followed. In fact, he kisses me good morning, and it feels like the most natural thing in the world.
But there hasn’t been any repeat of our dinner date, much to my dismay. Rip has been pulled in every direction, and it’s wearing on him, even if he won’t admit it. I feel his exhaustion in our bond and the way he carries himself. We only see each other at night and in the mornings right before he leaves on patrols or for meetings.
When he left this morning, Rip promised he’d see me this afternoon. Then he kissed me goodbye, leaving me alone with Grass. A familiar feeling took residence inside me: loneliness, which made little sense. Tallie or Thorne, sometimes both, were with me during the day. I enjoyed their company, especially Tallie’s. She’s Rip’s opposite in every way, but she shares the same stubbornness as her cousin.
I miss his stubbornness when he isn’t around. Being the King Alpha’s mate demands sacrifice, or so I’ve been told, but I’m selfishly missing the time he spends away because I want him to spend his time with me.
And I think he wants that too, if the soft caresses and lingering looks are any indication.
I think I’m falling for him, and I don’t know how to stop. I’m not even sure I want to.
Grass licks my toes, pulling me away from thoughts of Rip. He whines, ready to start our day. He’s pissed at me for taking him away from his new best friend, Tallie, so I’m certain he’s also eager to get back to her.
Traitor.
But a damn cute one.
I stumble out of bed, dressing in jeans, warm boots, and a warm coat. Snow falls in abundance in Lycan Forest, and the chill seeps deep within my bones. I thought I would love snow, and, admittedly, it is beautiful, but the cold is painful. The shifters never seem bothered by the cold since some are perfectly content to walk barefoot or shirtless. I can barely walk out of the packhouse without covering my face for too long.
I told Tallie we would meet at the packhouse to walk over to the House of Wolfsbane together. I haven’t looked over the healers’ progress, but I want to hear any new information they may have uncovered. Only two more wolves have fallen ill from the curse, but more will follow. I’m here to help with a cure, so I need to be actively trying to do so.
I don’t want to know what happens if I fail the pack. Every death will be my fault. Every cursed wolf will be because of me. I left Grym Hollow because I’m a fuck-up, but I refuse to be the same person here. I’m their damn Luna.
Grass barrels past me as soon as I get the door opened. He barks once, his tail wagging excitedly as he dashes down the hall. He pauses at the top of the stairs, waiting for me, but the moment I reach him, he all but rolls down the grand staircase.
Getting out of the packhouse takes longer than I would have liked since Grass insists on stopping to let everyone he crosses pet him. They all indulge him, and despite my eagerness to get to the lab, I can’t help but smile. I love how much Grass has thrived here, making my decision to bring him along the right one.
When Grass suddenly bolts off toward the entrance, I know Tallie is here. I hurry to greet my friend. She’s brought Thorne with her today, and I feel a stab of loneliness in my chest. Possibly jealousy too. I don’t want Thorne; I want Rip here with me. Seeing them together reminds me I’m without him.
“Good morning, Hettie.” Tallie gives me a big hug once she untangles herself from Grass, who has moved on to accost Thorne. Tallie wears similar jeans as me with a long-sleeved black shirt. I envy her ability to face the cold. Her hair is done, beautiful curls bouncing as she walks. She is sunshine, and I can’t help but smile at her radiance.
“Rip wanted Thorne to join us today, and, well, I didn’t fight him on that.” She almost looks apologetic, but not quite.
“Good thing I like the both of you.” I smile, and she loops her arm through mine.
“Ready to go?” I nod, and Tallie leads us outside, Thorne and Grass following closely behind us.
The moment we are out the door, I’m miserable. The frigid air nips at my skin, making my face sting. “Are your winters normally like this?”
“Oh, no,” Tallie assures, and I let out a sigh of relief until she says, “They are much worse.”
“Wonderful. Can’t fucking wait,” I say, deadpan.
“What was the weather like where you came from?” Thorne asks from behind us. He’s busy making sure Grass doesn’t get lost in the snow, which I’m thankful for.
“Warm, mostly. Grym Hollow doesn’t really have extreme weather. Our winter is chilly, but nowhere near this. I’ve never seen snow in real life until I came here,” I admit.
“Really?” Tallie asks incredulously. “You probably know this by now, but shifters run hot. So snow is the best time for us.” She then goes on a spiel about snow and why the shifters love it so much.
Admittedly, I tune her out. Not because I’m not interested in what she has to say, but the whistling wind keeps distracting me. “Ugh, how do you deal with this?” I interrupt her. “The wind is so loud.”
Tallie looks back at Thorne, confusion etched across her brows. “The wind? No, it’s not. It’s quiet out here today.”
I scoff. “Very funny. How can you not hear it? It’s like a loud bell in my ear that won’t go away.” I don’t notice that they stop walking until I look back. Now it’s my turn to be confused. “What’s going on?”
Instead of answering my question, Tallie asks one of her own, “What does the wind sound like? ”
Both she and Thorne are looking at me like I sprouted another head. I don’t know what game they’re playing, but I’ll bite. “It sounds like a low whistle mixed with a soft howl. I’m not sure if that makes sense.”
“What direction do you hear it coming from?” Tallie asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. I guess where the wind is blowing from? So, this way.” I point to the left of me, and they share another knowing glance at each other.
Now it’s pissing me off.
Before I can say anything, Tallie says, “No, Hettie. The wind is coming from the east. You just pointed south.”
“O…kay? And?” I’m clearly missing something. “Do you want to tell me what you’re thinking, or are we just going to continue to play the ‘Let’s Confuse Hettie’ game?”
“I’ll tell you, but first, can you lead us in the direction you hear the sound?” Tallie lets go of Thorne’s hand to move closer to me. “I know this makes little sense, but just trust me.”
Tallie has never given me a reason not to trust her, so I nod. I’m not sure what she’s getting at, but clearly she thinks it’s important enough to follow through.
I tune out everyone else around me and listen to my surroundings. The faint crunch of snow from eager feet. Soft chatter carrying from town. Then, finally, the low whistle starts again. Fainter than before, but my body moves of its own accord.
Tallie says something behind me, and Grass barks once, but I’m already walking away from them. I’m a slave to my body as it pulls me farther and farther away from them.
“Hettie!” Tallie calls, but I’m unable to reply. Unable to do anything but follow the sound that holds me prisoner.
Snow crunches behind me, so I know they aren’t far behind. None of them stop me, and I’m not sure if they could. Invisible hands wrap around me and refuse to let go. The sensation is almost painful, but each step closer to the mysterious sound eases that tightness coiling in my body.
A tree branch scratches my cheek as I pass through a densely wooded part of the forest. The snow isn’t as thick here since the trees provide a semblance of coverage. Doesn’t make it any less cold though, and I pull my coat tighter around me. The whistling is getting louder, but I’m not sure how far into the woods I’ll have to go. Thorne is here with me, so I know I’m not defenseless if Michael is scouting this place, but it still fills me with unease.
I wind my way through trees until the whistling turns into a low hum. Like someone is leaning over and purring in my ear. My body shivers and not from the cold. All at once, the sounds stop, and I’m left in front of what looks like a bear’s den.
Fuck, I hope no damn bears live here.
“The sound stopped here.” I gesture to the small cave in front of me. “How far away did we travel from town?”
“Not that far. Maybe a mile. We shouldn’t stay here long, though.” Thorne approaches the opening of the cave. “Luna, stay back with Tallie. I’m going to check this out. I’ve never seen it before,” he admits, scratching his head.
Thorne disappears inside the maybe-bear cave, but he doesn’t go alone. Grass runs after Thorne, and I whirl on Tallie. “What just happened? What do you think is in there?”
Tallie’s attention is on the cave, waiting for her mate to reemerge. “It’s an old legend of our people,” she says, like that explains everything.
I wait for her to say more, but when she doesn’t, I groan. “Tallie, please, focus. What is going on? ”
Finally, Tallie turns her gaze to me. A look of wonder and curiosity plays across her expression. “There’s an old story of our people. A legend, really, of chosen ones coming to the pack’s aid during times of dire need. These people are called to what they seek by hearing a whistling sound. It is said the ones with the gift provided their packs with resources and guidance that others couldn’t. Not even the King Alpha.
“But there have only been rumors of these people in our history. Most were labeled as resourceful, and a few were even considered witches, but none of them were ever proved to be touched by our Goddess.”
I hear her words, but they are slow to register. Legends? Witches? Goddesses? I feel like I have been thrown into a fantasy movie and suddenly became the main character. It’s honestly not so far from the truth.
“What are you saying? That I’m hearing shit because some Goddess decided to bless me?” It seems outrageous and inconceivable. I’m a human from Grym Hollow. A woman who screwed up more times than I can count. I’m not worthy of whatever Tallie is talking about. Someone like Tallie or Thorne would fit the legends better. Nothing about me is remarkable enough to warrant such a gift.
Tallie opens her mouth to speak, but a bark from behind us makes us turn to see Thorne and Grass walking out of the tunnel. Thorne’s eyes are wide, mouth slightly agape, as his eyes find me.
“What is it?” I think the worst. Dead packmate? A rogue? Something else?
“Oh my goddess,” Tallie gasps, and my eyes drop to Thorne's hands.
I didn’t notice it at first, but it’s clear as day now. He’s holding two medium-sized bundles of purple flowers. “Are those?—?”
“Wolfsbane.” Thorne grins. “Yes, Luna, these are wolfsbane. Enough to save a few of our wolves.”
“Goddess blessed!” Tallie beams, throwing her arms around me, nearly knocking me on my ass. “You really are a true Luna! We have to go now and tell Rip!”
There’s so much more I want to say and ask, but before I can, Tallie grabs my hands and pulls me along. All the way back to the packhouse.
All the way back to Rip.