Page 14 of Queen of Wrath

She watched him with so much admiration in her eyes that it only made him feel more guilty. This was the reason why he’d swallowed the ugly truth for all of these years.

“I’m going to go out for a run before dinner. It's a full Lunair, after all.” Zane shrugged nonchalantly, but he was sure even she could pick up on his restlessness.

As if she would dare deny him. Mairy would give him the world if he only asked for it.

She forced a smile onto her face and nodded, folding her hands in front of her. “Of course, dear. Just don't be late for supper. Your family has been waiting to see you all day.”

Zane went to their room to change, letting out a heavy sigh before he began tearing off his fancy clothing. Running under the divine full light of Lunair wasn’t an instinctual thing for Zane anymore. He did it now to commemorate and remember all the people he'd lost.

Since moving to the city, he also hadn't seen his siblings again. He’d tried keeping in contact with them, even inviting them for visits all the time, but they didn’t like the city or its denizens. He could hardly blame them for that.

He took comfort from the knowledge that, somewhere out there, they were also running tonight—free and unhindered by the weight of the world.

The room was blanketed over in a somber aura as his thoughts shifted. He opened up his balcony door and breathed in the fresh night air.

The breath revitalized each cell in his body as he gave way to his nature. Mid-shift, he jumped over the railing, and by the time he landed three stories down, he was fully shifted into his wolf form.

His bare paws felt cold against the smooth cobblestone streets.

Much to his relief, there wasn't another soul in sight.

He made his way out of the city, crossing the Red River into the forest.

The soft grass and squishy earth beneath his paws felt like home. Much more than the stone streets of the city.

Zane’s mood lightened immediately as he ran through the forest and passed one rolling hill after the other. It felt like power. Like freedom.

These runs were always a reminder of who he truly was.

Then his ears perked up. Someone was nearby, and they sounded out of breath. His head turned to find a beautiful shining wolf standing in the distance, just barely out of sight.

Am I seeing a ghost?

Their pelt was the exact replica of Lea’s. His mind was moving at lightning speed in all directions, seeming to ricochet around against the inside of his skull.

Who is this wolf?

Meanwhile, the other wolf held his gaze with the same curiosity, but seemed to be nervous. It wasn’t like she was scared, though, it was more uncertain than anything else.

Zane turned to move toward her but she backed away, disappearing behind one of the rolling hills.

Disappointment overtook him as he made his way over to where she had just been standing, lowering his head to the ground to memorize her scent.

The smell seemed vaguely familiar, but it was masked over with something.

If he was a less reasonable man, he would have convinced himself that it’d been Lea just now, back from the grave. But he had come to terms with her death. He couldn't afford to go down that road again.

Zane took a moment before lifting his eyes to the full Lunair, suppressing the howl pushing up his throat.

5

LEA

Man, that run last night was everything I needed. I feel so refreshed!

I had worried about the dangers of shifting and going out, for the ever-present possibility the mission would be compromised if I drew too much attention to myself had been even greater last night. A full Lunair not only marked the time all wolves’ could shift easier than any other day of the month, but it also meant that our senses and instincts would be dialed up to the max.

I let out a groan. Of all people, why did I have to run into Zane?

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