Fire Moon - Miss CrazyPlantLady (sci fi books to read txt) 📗

a sad smile, "They're ready for you."

Shaw's dark eyes met mine and he swallowed. Not saying anything as he stood up.

I felt my mouth open and close before I finally said, "Good luck."

Shaw gave me a hint of a smile and left with Urith. Leaving me in the warm study alone.

Mara's body was taken to be buried. August said that they bury all their lost ones in a sacred land beyond the trees and traditionally, the body is buried without a service and on the next full moon, the entire pack visit the grave with gifts for the moon. Offerings to keep their lost souls safe in the afterlife.

I read a book once that said lost wolves were taken to Beyond, where the moon watched over your soul and I didn't believe it when I first read it but I prayed with all my strength that kind wolves like Wren and Mara were given as much. I couldn't stop myself thinking about Wren being dead, he was only missing but the aching feeling didn't leave me. Thinking of them just buried in earth and decaying, made my stomach churn.

My pack didn't have traditions. Didn't have sacred land, didn't offer gifts to the moon in order of our lost loved ones to be safe or even think about our lost loved ones. The pack that I thought I knew, loved and trusted didn't seem as special as it felt.

My father wouldn't have cared about one of his wolves dying. He would just be scared for himself. He was a coward.

Crowds of Psi's walked past the study, none noticed me sitting there as they were too busy laughing and shoving at each other. They herded towards the door as the Deltas that followed behind them. Some of them shot me quick glances as they passed but no one uttered a word.

The Theta was the last one to wander behind the rest. Will. He stopped by the door and offered me a small smile, leaning against the door, "I'm sorry you had to witness such a crime." His clothes and skin were so clean that it looked as if nothing happened.

I shook my head. The words in my head telling me it was my fault. The guilt still holding onto my tongue. I couldn't tell him that I was the one who was sorry. I couldn't tell him that he was right and I would only cause more danger to his pack members.

Will angled his grey-haired head, searching my face and I finally met his eyes after a few minutes as he said, "No one dares to blames you, our dear Selene."

My skin rose in bumps as he bent his head and pushed off the door frame. Only to be filled with Bain a moment later.

Selene. Goddess of the Moon.

Bain strolled in with a frown, "You look pale still" he sat down on the couch across from mine, stretching his legs over the arm, "Did you vomit again?"

Why would he call me by that name, the name of the Goddess of the Moon?

I couldn't stop thinking about Mara and I played with a piece of fluff that stuck itself to the borrowed sweater I wore, "How long until the next full moon?"

Raising an eyebrow, Bain took a moment to think, "The Moon-Solstice is next week and The Blue Moon-Sacrament follows six months later."

"I've never been to a Moon-Solstice" my throat still burned from my previous vomit, my voice was raspy as I spoke, "What happens?"

I've only ever been to one Blue Moon-Sacrament. I was ten and all I remember was the moon, my mother's smile and the dancing. They only happened every second year, normally right before spring ends.

I watched as the Oracle lifted his long legs and crossed them over another, leaning back into the couch. "It's just a giant party" he dug out a cigarette from his pocket and went to light it, "You mind?"

The second I shook my head, he had it lit and I watched him breathe in the fumes, "Just celebrating the moon or what?" I continued.

His dark eyes sparkled with amusement, "No, for the unmated wolves. The Solstice can intensify your senses and help you find your mate. A bond found on a full moon is the strongest bond" he shrugged, "For everyone else, it's a giant party."

My mouth fell open and I huffed with disbelief, "This happens every month?"

A nod and another draw, "It isn't well known to other packs, only some know of it and other than celebrating Mara's life, us unmated wolves will be searching for our mates until dawn."

Maybe I would finally find mine. Hope began to swell in my chest at the same time as fear crawled up my spine. I mustered up a small smile, "How exciting."

The Oracle frowned at me and shook his head as he stood up from the couch, "You have nothing to fear, Changeling."

I hadn't noticed August standing in the doorway. Arms crossed. He wasn't looking at me but at the dark-haired mind reader who was exiting. They were just staring at each other. No signs of what they were saying in their mental bonds. I watched as Bain bent his head and made to leave, "Apologies."

August's eyes fell on me after Bain left, "You're not to come to the Moon-Solstice."

I gasped, crossing my arms, "And why not?"

His hair was a mess. He still had blood on his shirt and just the sight of it made me sick. He mimicked me by crossing his own arms, "It's not a place for you."

The frown felt harsh on my face and I stood from the couch, "Bain said..."

"Bain should have kept his mouth shut" he interrupted me with a growl.

His scent was almost as intense as the tug between us. Our invisible string. Forever straining. I wondered if it was normal to feel such an urge. I felt it the second I seen August. A magnetic pull. A hypnotic lure to one another. Emily had written in her journal that she knew everything about a certain wolf, that wolf she assumed would be her mate. Knew him before knowing him. Knowing his scent, his steps, his emotions and if he turned out to be someone else's, it would destroy me. I knew August. I knew him better than the back of my hand. The fear I had felt before was the devastation I would feel if my mate was not August. Without my wolf, it is hopeless to know if he was truly meant for me.

"Why does it matter if I go or not?" I gave in to the tug and took a step closer. My dark eyes drinking in his. Absorbing his scent and heat.

His eyes flickered with something unfamiliar and enticing, "It doesn't."

Another step. I watched his eyes drop down to my feet and slowly return back up to my eyes. I rolled my eyes, "Then why can't I go?"

His ring watched me as I took another step. August didn't move a muscle, not a single twitch as he let out a breath of air, "Unmated wolves are dangerous."

I shrugged. Taking yet another step. We were face to face. Breathing the same air. Our crossed arms touching. My skin burning at every meeting of our skin. I uncrossed my arms and reached for the heirloom on his finger, inspecting it, "The Theta called me Selene before" I watched his eyes move from my mouth to my eyes.

August's taunting mouth stretched into a lazy smile, "You have many names, pup" I wasn't ready for when he reached for me. His hands came to rest on either side of my neck, his fingers in my hair and I almost leaned into the touch, "I'll let you go to the Moon-Solstice."

If looks could kill, my glare would've killed him, "You do not let me do anything" I didn't move away from him. I couldn't, "You're not my Alpha."

Instead of ripping my head off at the disrespectful tone I used, August's smile grew and his thumb came out to whisper against the outer corner of my lip, "We'll see."

Before I could respond. Bain stalked in, stopping to take in the scene before him and August didn't move away from me until the Oracle cleared his throat, "The brother is here."

It was only when we entered the kitchen that I realized that it was my brother that they had meant. Morgan stood with his arms crossed, back tall and eyes fixed on Quinn. Quinn wasn't even looking at him, she was looking at August with what I thought was anger.

Morgan's hair was still slicked back, he wore the same collared shirt and dark jeans. He was the exact same the last time I saw him. Even the same emotion written on his face as he noticed me enter.

"Hello brother" I smiled, "Any news on your wolf yet?"

He glared, "You know very well there isn't."

I shrugged, "Just trying to lighten the mood" my arms crossed as I got close to him, "How is Alice?"

I worried about Alice. She can handle herself but I still worried if my brother would just give her to Cameron to save the fuss.

"Eden, father has been ripping apart town trying to find you!" he ignored my question and growled. Stepping towards me, grabbing my arm with enough force that it stung and I looked back at August as Morgan started dragging me away, "You need to come home right now."

August's face held something. Almost sadness but it was defeat that flickered in the Alpha's eyes. I pulled back from Morgan but I couldn't get out of his grip, "No."

At that Quinn stood up and strolled towards us. Her anger still displayed clearly on her face. She reached for the hand that gripped my forearm and peeled it off with undeniable strength, "You do not touch her" her icy sapphires ripping through Morgan, "You heard, she doesn't want to go."

Morgan held his hand as if Quinn had burned it and glared at me, "You don't have the privilege to say no."

Warmth spread through my body as August's hand came to rest upon my shoulder, "Morgan, unless I get a verbal declaration from Vic, that he needs Eden to return to the pack and I doubt he would" our eyes met and our string taut, "It is completely Eden's choice to go or not."

It was Morgan's turn to look defeated. He eyed the prodigious man beside me, the ice queen on the other side and I saw his eyes move to where the dark-haired Oracle sat at the stone-top bench. He was contemplating whether or not if he could take us all.

A low chuckle sounded from Bain, "No Changeling, you definitely cannot."

It was fear that flickered in Morgan's eyes, I've never seen such an emotion on his face and before anyone else could speak, Morgan backed away and left the house.

Morgan's presence was quickly replaced with Sam's who was red-faced and sweating, he wilted into the sunken lounge and let out a large breath of air.

"What did you see?" August stepped away from me and my body shivered in response to the loss of his body heat.

"I saw Cameron" his hands were shaking but I watched as he signed 'Death' for Cameron's name, "They were getting ready for Moon-Solstice and I was hidden so well that I thought I could go closer but Cameron felt me, he walked right up to me and smiled."

My heart was pounding in my ears, my hands grew sweaty and my throat threatened to close completely.

"He let me go" Sam's fingers were moving too fast but I kept up, "He said that it was rude to gawk and he let me leave."

"He didn't say anything else?" Quinn asked with an angled look.

Sam's warm eyes met August's and he swallowed, "He's summoned the pack to meet with him, tomorrow."