Page 30 of Moon Fated

I quickly rolled the shirt around the dagger and shoved it back into my backpack, debating whether I should tell the truth. Lyra was a witch, and while the elders seemed to be frightened of her, she had allowed us into her personal space. She’d answered our questions. I figured I could show the same trust. “A friend of mine went missing. I found this hidden in her things.”

Lyra raised an eyebrow. “She left it behind.”

“I don’t think she left willingly.”

The witch nodded, pulling her silver hair over her shoulder. “Those who touch the blade aren’t often convinced to part with it.”

Convinced. The word sent a shiver down my spine. “Does it already…has it already been used to bind?”

Lyra’s violet eyes darkened. “That blade is older than your magic.” She glanced down at my bag. “Pray you never hear the words it whispers.” She pulled one of the jars off the desk, inspected it, and handed it to Rowan. “Something you might want to keep close, alpha.”

Chapter

Sixteen

Rowan

Someone was seeking relics? Relics existed? How the hell hadn’t I been aware of that? How had one been sitting a few kilometers from us? My wolf growled at the thought of it. Protecting my pack was more than an obligation. It was the very essence of my being, the drumbeat to which my heart synchronized.

With every step I took through the underbrush, the coil of anticipation tightened within me. My muscles thrummed with restless energy, the kind that only came when the stakes were this high. Betrayal had once torn through our ranks like wildfire, leaving scars that ached at the mere thought of history repeating itself. I couldn't—wouldn't—let that happen again.

I jumped to the lower branch of a cedar and pressed my boots against the trunk, then monkeyed my way up into the branches until I had a clear view of Evelyn’s hotel room across the street. I wasn’t going to sit outside her door again after the look she’d given me, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to leave her defenseless.

Rowan. Jasper's voice cut through the mental fog. I wasn’t in my wolf form, and I knew how much effort that took. We’ve got patrols covered. Stay where you are. We trust you.

After Blake dropped me off at my truck, I’d gone back to the garage and talked with Jasper there. I was supposed to be working. More than that, I was supposed to be fulfilling our obligations with Tori and Mara.

But while Jasper hadn’t mated, he knew the storm roiling inside me. His words were a balm, a reminder that I wasn't alone in this fight. As my second-in-command, he was more than just a loyal wolf. He was the backbone of our pack when uncertainty loomed overhead. With him holding down the fort, I could chase the elusive threads of this mystery and protect my mate without fear for the safety of those I held dear.

Theoretically. It was never going to be possible for me to sit back and relax.

I’m here, I projected back, my mind's voice as firm as the set of my jaw. Thank you.

I don't mess around, Jasper replied, the mental equivalent of his usual curt nod. I chuckled, shifting in the tree until my back rested against the trunk. I rubbed my sap-smeared palms on my jeans and drew a deep breath.

I would stay here all night if I had to. I’d never needed as much sleep as other wolves, and since becoming alpha, that disparity had only grown. It was convenient on nights like this. Less convenient when I was pacing around my empty house in the middle of the night.

My heart picked up speed at the thought of Evelyn standing in my living room. Of her sharing my bed. I stared hard enough at her door, I wondered if it might spontaneously combust. Was she undressing? Showering? Pulling her hair up and?—

I jolted so hard, I nearly lost my seat. Evelyn’s door was opening. I gripped the branch above me and leaned forward, then cursed under my breath. That little minx.

Evelyn was dressed in all black, carrying her backpack. She closed the door and walked to the stairs with her head down.

“Damn it, Strawberry.” I launched myself out of the tree, the bark scraping my neck and arms as I crashed to the ground. What the hell was she thinking?

I blew out a breath. I knew what she was thinking. She was a tracker, and she’d obviously kept to herself some of the clues she’d gathered. My wolf groaned at the thought. I wanted her to share things with me. To let me protect her. If anything happened to her…

I broke into a run. She was already crossing the street and I was a block behind her. With every step, my senses stretched out like tendrils, seeking her scent.

I moved silently, my boots pressing into the soft forest floor, until her sweet scent filled my nostrils. I hesitated. She hadn’t told me she was leaving. I doubted she’d be happy to find me following her.

I wanted to call out, to demand answers like I did from my pack. But I wasn’t Evelyn’s alpha. Not yet. There was more to this than met the eye, and if there was one thing I'd learned as an alpha, it was that patience often revealed more than rash action ever could.

Easier said than done.

So, I followed, keeping my presence a secret. The distance between us remained constant, her figure visible between the trees ahead of me. But when I glanced once at the rising gibbous moon, I lost her. My wolf pressed so hard against my senses, I nearly cried out.

I abandoned all pretense of stealth and bolted, my head whipping from side to side. Tracking Evelyn should have been easy—my senses were honed for this—but she was no ordinary wolf.

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