Page 128 of Untamed

Jessie.

I gasp as fury lights a fire under my bum. I snarl at him, "the Hollow Moon is your mate." I slap my chest for emphasis and look into Old Alpha's shocked eyes.

"She ismykill, Old Alpha. Make no mistake. I will bring her to her death."

"Guess you can forget 'bout that trial, Alpha," Gnome says gleefully.

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39 - Blood Cousins

Willa

"So, we have to mobilize our warriors, again. And for those of us who suck ass at brutally killing and equally suck at hiding bodies from human law enforcement, there's a crapload of paperwork to read through." Smiling Male walks into the room, hands shoved in his pockets, a faint smirk on his face that doesn't reach his eyes. He looks straight toward the Moon.

Gnome snickers. "Ain't too brilliant at reading, either, youngling," he points out.

Smiling Male shrugs before wrapping his arms around Lyri. "I checked on Sarg," he tells her quietly. "He's pretty down, but hopefully..." Smiling Male is very sad. About Pup? I'm sad, too. My arms ache to hold Pup and inhale his sweet pup-scent of vanilla and pup.

My eyes slide closed. I feel Mactiir's solid presence, smell his Ogre's scent of death and male, and just wait. I hit his solid chest with an oomph, my feet dangling from the ground. He buries his nose in my hair, a deep rumble of comfort making his chest quiver under me. I twine my body around him and melt like wax, burying my face in his neck.

"Not his," his voice trembles. I make my sound of comfort. Poor, sweet Ogre.

"Oh, In. Nothing will come of this. Sarj was feral from his first shift, and she's naturally the one he would seek out." The Moon repeats everyone's words of advice. I understand, now, a bit. Pup was hurting, and he wanted a mate. Mate's are important, but Mama never told meanythingabout them.

I feel a spark of betrayal race through my veins. Why didn't Mama tell me?

She'll be hunted, Anya. Even by her own mate.

My Mactiir hunted me. And caught and chained... and loved. Father's words rattle around in my head. He was convincing, or convinced, that Mactiir would hurt me. Maybe even kill me. But why?

I sway in Mactiir's arms as he walks away, the voices of the others fading. I keep my nose buried in his neck, lips pressed to his warm pulse. Water comes on, and the warm spray washes over us.

We're both quiet as he washes me. It's a relief that I've never felt before, to cleanse my body of the stench of the day. Or... days, perhaps. I'm not sure how long I was in the grey room. And the Lake... the Lake belongs as far away from me as I do from it. I don't even know what time it is now. Is it night? The moon won't be full, but the Blood Moon will last for a few more days.

The Blood Moon is a terrible omen when nature and the moon clash. And after... the Dark doesn't come for days.

Mactiir shuts off the water and steps out of the shower, still holding me, maneuvering my exhausted body for me. We walk out of the bathroom, and I balk.

"Our nest?" My voice sounds rusty and plaintive.

"I have to go soon,Qitsuk," he tells me quietly as he pulls me to the cold-looking, white bed. "I'm hunting down Orion Ferax. Elias' idea. But, a good one. We can't go to war with BlueSnout when Ferax is running around our northern border causing shit. It's safer here for you, with the pack."

I turn to look at him, feeling my lower lip quiver as tears swell up. "You are going hunting? Tonight?" I whisper.

"Ah, kitten, don't cry," he begs me, his own walnut-eyes misty.

"It's a bad time," I tell him, even as we crawl under the sheets and curl up. "It's the Blood Moon, Mactiir. Don't go?"

"A Blood Moon? It's a Harvest Moon,Qitsuk. It's nothing to be afraid of. Just another night."

I shake my head at him. Stubborn male. "No. The moon is at its zenith. Bad enough, it's full. But a Blood Moon is in the sky too long. It's not the time for hunting."

"I know the moon is full," he responds, gently pulling strands of my hair through his fingers. "That's why it's a good night to hunt, kitten. We can see our prey."

I sniffle and edge closer. "Please don't go. Wait for the Blood Moon to be over?"

He presses a kiss to the top of my head but doesn't speak. I start to weep, my shoulders shaking.

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