Page 12 of Wolf Marked

“Where’s Father?” Astrid pressed. Her gaze flicked from Mila to her brother. “Filip?

“I-I think it’s best if you leave him alone,” Filip said. “Why don’t you get some food? Something to warm you both up. We should be leaving soon.”

“But he’s all right?” Her voice trembled as her panic rose.

“He’s—” He stopped himself. “You know how he is. He won’t be happy to find out you left again.”

He was changing the subject. Erec knew a deflection when he heard one. Filip was keeping a secret.

“He needs to know what we found,” she replied. “You said it yourself that you’ll talk to him. He needs to know.”

Mila touched Filip’s shoulder, a frown capturing her mouth. “You can’t protect her from it forever,” she whispered. “You need to tell her.”

Astrid’s brows knitted together. “Protect me?”

Erec growled. “What’s going on?” At some point, he had moved without realizing it and was now standing in front of Astrid, creating a wall between her and her brother. “Protect her from what?”

Filip squeezed his eyes shut, saying nothing, as if the question was causing him great pain.

“It’s time,” Mila murmured gently and rubbed his arm. “She should know.”

“I know… I know…” When he opened his eyes again, uncertainty hung in his stare. His shoulders fell in defeat. “Come with me. I’ll show you.” He turned around, and with his mate at his side, he walked away.

Astrid looked to Erec before moving. Her apprehension was clear on her face. He wanted to tell her something reassuring, but his tongue couldn’t create the words.

Not knowing what to say, he gave her a firm nod instead. He hoped it would be enough to tell her he’d stay by her side the entire way. She lifted her chin and set her jawbefore marching after her brother and his mate.

They walked together and passed men, women, and families of all sizes standing by their packed sleds or by dwindling fires, waiting to start the trek farther west. The sky lightened as dawn pushed away the night. According to Boden’s word, they should have left by now.

Pink clouds smeared across the treetops, and as the sun rose higher behind them, Erec’s inner wolf began pulling away. The energetic pulse of the earth beneath his feet became a distant hum, eventually fading out completely to an eerie stillness. The raw power of that part of him and all it offered was gone, leaving just a gaping feeling of emptiness. Even though the loss of his animal side would only be temporary, until the moon reigned again, he hated the weakness that came with it.

At the far end of the clearing, away from the rest of the pack and any curious ears, the largest fire pit in the campsite was still ablaze, its flames stretching taller than Erec in height. A tent bigger than most of the ones Erec had seen stood still erect. Above the entrance, a set of massive moose antlers hung.

Why hadn’t this tent been packed up? Even the wagon beside it remained empty, except for the inch of snow it had collected.

“My dear Anya, it’s almost time for us to move on from here. Are you ready to go?” Erec recognized Boden’s voice, but when he scanned the area, he didn’t see him or the woman he was talking to.

Filip pressed a finger to his lips and gestured to the wagon. Astrid pushed Erec aside and rushed around it. Then she stopped short.

Erec stepped closer and saw why she’d halted. Boden was on his knees, his back to them, unaware of their approach, with his head tilted up to the sky. Even with the morning upon them, the bright star, Vallor, still shined.

No blood stained the snow; he didn’t appear hurt. And he saw no woman—this Anya he seemed to be speaking to. Beside them, Boden was alone.

Erec glanced back at Filip, confused, but he and Mila were both focused on Astrid, who stood frozen behind her father.

Still unaware of their approach, Boden continued to speak with his eyes fixed on something above his head. “I need to protect the pack. I know we’ve just settled here, but Jerrick is getting closer—” He paused, as if listening to someone’s response, but no voice could be heard. “Please, my love, don’t cry…”

“Father?” Astrid choked, but he didn’t move.

“I’ll figure it out. I promise.” His words hitched, still not hearing Astrid’s call. “Don’t cry, Anya…”

But there was no Anya. No one else was there with him. Nothing, not even a bird, passed over him in the sky. Erec only saw the northen most star twinkling through the streaky clouds.

“Astrid? She’ll be all right,” Boden went on. “I won’t let anything happen to her. She’ll find her mate in time. The curse will be broken.”

At the mention of her name, Astrid hurried to her father’s side and fell in front of him. She clutched his broad shoulders and shook him twice. “Father! Father! Who are you talking to?”

His chin dropped, but he stared at her with a blank expression.

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