Page 80 of The Wild Moon
Our eyes went wide. It was gone! Somehow, the barrier had cut the connection between us, relieving us of that horrible, horrid drumming that had filled our mind and soul with its incessant whispering to accept him as our mate.
That was the peace we felt. The sense of calm and relief that had washed over us mere seconds after falling through the barrier. It was the blocking of our Soulbond.
Blocking? Or elimination?
We didn’t know. But this, we knew, this was what we wanted now. And forever. No more calling from within, no more pushing us to be with someone else. We desired freedom most of all. Choice.
“If you come back now, peacefully,” Johnathan said from his side of the barrier, “I might be able to help you. To protect you from my father. But youhaveto come back through now. I’ll make sure my father lets us be together.”
Looking around, we surveyed our little tunnel exit. There didn’tseemto be anyone else there. We couldn’t sense anything. It felt safe…
I pulled away from the meld, taking control once more, forcing my body through the shift. Gritting my teeth, I held back any pained sounds. Normal shifting was hard enough, but the wounds on my body carried from one form to the other, and now I had my mind alone to block the pain instead of the two of us working together.
Ithurt.
The rest of Johnathan’s pack chose that moment to come trotting around the corner. Several of them made appreciative noises at seeing my nude form. I opened my mouth to say something, but to my utter surprise, Johnathan beat them to it.
He whirled on his pack and kicked the nearest one in the snout before grabbing the next by the scruff and slamming him hard to the ground. It was the most Alpha, dominant thing I’d ever seen him do, and a part of me wished he could have been like thatfrom the start.
It was too late for such gestures now.
“I’m not going back with you,” I said once his attention returned to me. “I’m sorry I stole the Idol of Amunlea, but I needed the money, and that was the only way to get it in time. It wasn’t anything personal.”
Johnathan nodded. “My father did not take it well.”
“Whatdoesyour father take well except for complete and utter obedience?”
His eyes narrowed defensively. “My father expects his pack to respect him.”
I laughed. “Your father demands loyalty. A good leader works hard to earn it. Your father is a cowardly tyrant. There’s no other way to describe him. Respect isearned, Johnathan, not demanded. I’m sorry to hear you say that.”
“Regardless, if you come back through and go to him with me, I can soothe him over,” Johnathan said, declining to respond to my points about his father.
I eyed the other wolves, none of whom looked very inclined to permit me to come through peacefully. They all had violence about them. Even if I knewhowto cross over, if I did, they would go for the kill before letting me go back to Seguin.
In fact, I can probably never go home again after what I’ve done. Never see Jo or my old boss, Frannie. That life is gone now, torn away from me, like my parents.
“Listen carefully, Johnathan,” I said, trying to sound tougher than I felt, given I was naked and half covered in my own blood. “I am not going with you. I am not coming back. Not now, not ever. I need you to understand that.”
“In that case,” Johnathan said. “I have orders to kill you.”
I laughed, the sound sending stabbing pains through my side. “Noshit.”
He growled at me.
“I’m pretty sure you had those orders no matter what. Or, if you didn’t, one ofthemdid,” I accused, pointing at his little pack of enforcers.
Johnathan looked surprised, glancing at the other wolves, none of whom would meet his eye.
I laughed. Take that, you asshole. Enjoy knowing I was right, that dear old Dad was plotting and conspiring behind your back because he didn’t think you were good enough. Didn’t think you werestrongenough to carry out his orders. I’m sure that lack of trust won’t hurt your relationship.
Johnathan snarled wordlessly at his pack, demanding answers, but none of them responded. All of them stared at me, unmoving.
No, I realized as Johnathan turned back around, letting me read the expression on his face. They were staringpastme.
Because I wasn’t alone anymore.
Chapter Forty-Three
