Page 72 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
Luna inhaled the crisp morning air deeply as she stepped outside.
Home.
No matter how the pack members treated her, there was something about being back here that felt right. The land seemed to call to her blood. Luna noticed the forest trees had begun to show the first hints of autumn gold as she adjusted her satchel, heading towards the northern border.
It took her almost forty minutes to get to the border, her slow approach taking her deeper into the thick forest. Luna was careful, watching her steps.
Wouldn’t want to get injured now.
The Silverlight Valley Pack borders weren’t lined by gates or bridges, but she felt a shift as she arrived at the edge of their territory.
Luna removed the grimoire from her bag and knelt beside a large oak tree that stood at the border’s edge. She placed the grimoire on a flat stone, opening to the page of the spell she needed.
She quickly arranged her other materials in a semicircle. What she was about to do needed her full focus and precision. If she made any mistake, the ward would be weak and fail to warn of any attacks.
Luna had just begun separating her herbs for grinding when she heard a noise behind her. She turned in an instant, both hands in front of her, magic at her fingertips.
"Whoa! Easy there, witch."
It was a young woman’s voice. She stood several yards away, her hands in up surrender, and behind her was a man and another woman. They all appeared to be in their early twenties and were also members of the pack.
Luna didn’t recognize them at all.
"Sorry for the scare," Luna lowered her hands, letting the magic vanish. "You startled me."
The first woman who spoke now walked closer. Luna could see her amber eyes. "You are very far away from the pack, what are you doing? Alpha Dominic's been looking for you."
Just the mention of his name made her heart skip.
But Luna schooled her expression carefully, keeping her tone neutral. "I want to create protective wards along the border," she explained. "To alert us if any demons approach and create a temporary barrier."
The three young wolves looked at each other, and then the man crossed his arms. "Magic?" he asked, unsure. "On pack land?"
Luna straightened her spine. "Yes. Magic that will help keep the pack safe."
The second woman, shorter with dark curls, stepped closer to examine Luna's supplies. "How is it going to work?"
Luna paused, surprised that the young woman’s curiosity seemed genuine. "It's…complicated. But essentially, I'm creating an energy field that reacts to demonic presence. So, if a demon crosses our border, we’ll quickly be alerted."
"And you can do that all by yourself?" the first woman asked again, her voice still skeptical. "The pack borders are huge."
"It’s not going to be easy, but I am going to go about it a section a day," Luna answered. "It's not perfect right now, but it's better than having no warning at all."
They exchanged looks again, seemingly weighing all that Luna had said. And then, the man shrugged.
"Well, we were told by Alpha Dominic to assist you in any way you may need," he said. "So, tell us what you need, and we’ll help."
The offer surprised Luna. "Did he really?"
"Well, Liam says ‘told,’ but it’s more like he ordered us," the curly-haired woman said with a smile.
I like her.
The first woman just rolled her eyes. "I'm Mia," she said. "That’s Sophia. We're part of the perimeter patrol." She nodded toward Luna's supplies. "How may we be of service?"
Luna looked at the three werewolves. She felt something warm in her chest as she saw their expressions, ranging from curious to wary, but not hostile.
They don’t hate me.
