Page 56 of Moon Fated

Strawberry. After hearing Nathan call her Evs, I would never, ever let that syllable leave my lips again. I tried to stand, to limp over to her, but could barely summon the strength to whine.

She dropped to the ground, nuzzling against me as the rest of my pack rushed to release the wolves still in duress.

Report, I pushed through the pack bond.

Clear. Tori responded immediately.

I turned my head. Where the hell was Jasper?

Releasing the last she-wolf now, Lana cut in.

Jasper, I growled. Panic edged up my throat. He’d been with Blake. What if?—

You’re not going to like this. Jasper pushed through finally, his communication rough and winded. That scent Evelyn found? Ash and I caught a whiff of it. Right after I noticed the dagger was gone.

Chapter

Thirty

Rowan

The remnants of my wolf's fury simmered beneath my skin, a primal surge of alpha power coursing through my veins. I drew a deep breath, inhaling the crisp night air, allowing the earth beneath my paws and the breeze through my fur to ground me.

Evelyn was safe. My pack was safe. That fact whispered through my mind like a balm, soothing the raw edges of my instincts. I wasn’t ignoring the fact that we’d lost the dagger, but that problem would have to wait for another day.

Beneath the sharp scent of pine was the tang of blood—my blood. I dropped to my knees, and my wolf fell back, leaving me shivering and naked in the clover.

"Rowan!" Evelyn’s voice, laced with urgency and relief, cut through the haze in my head. I felt her before I saw her. She was human again. Wearing loose pants and a T-shirt.

Evelyn dropped to the ground next to me, her arms wrapping around my neck, her lips finding mine in a series of frantic kisses. I groaned, and she pulled away just enough to look into my eyes. The moonlight illuminated the gold flecks in her irises, shimmering with unshed tears.

"Stay still.” Her hands were gentle as they roamed over me, assessing the damage. The rest of the pack circled around us, their faces etched with concern and awe. A woman was slumped between Lana and Tori.

“She’s unharmed?” I worked to keep my eyes open.

“Shh.” Evelyn ran a hand over my cheek. My pack had seen me fight, seen me protect what was ours, but now they watched as my mate took charge of my care.

"Get me some water, bandages, and clean cloths!" Evelyn snapped, her med kit already open and her skilled hands working methodically. The pack moved to obey, their swift actions a testament to their respect for her.

"I’m fine," I murmured, trying to ease the worry creasing her brow. "I heal fast."

"Fast isn't good enough," she retorted, her fingers deft as she cleaned a gash on my shoulder. "What the hell were you thinking? You could’ve told me what you were planning. I could’ve?—"

I shook my head. “It had to be me.”

She shot me a look. Her rebuke warmed me more than it chided. Evelyn's fierceness, her strength and independence, were some of the many qualities I loved about her. Even if the combination annoyed the hell out of me.

With each careful touch, I felt the bond between us pulse. She was safe. She had no reason to run from Kitimat or Black Lake.

Whispers from my pack rustled like leaves, but I couldn’t make them out. My senses were dull, my head foggy. I grimaced as Evelyn forced my leg into a new, straighter position.

A sudden hush fell over the clearing as two figures emerged from the shadows. Tori and Jasper approached, their expressions grim, and I could sense the shift in the mood of my pack.

Tori stepped forward, her eyes locked onto mine. "There's a trail leading away from here, but it's nearly impossible to track."

Jasper looked grim.

"I sensed it," Evelyn murmured, her hand pausing on my skin. “I still don’t know what it means.”

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