Page 74 of Wolves of the Rising Moon

But I don’t know if I can contain myself.

My heart’s about to thump right out of my body and land at Rafe’s feet when he stops right in front of me.

“Omega,” he says simply and brushes a kiss on my cheek before moving on to speak with Jaxson.

Another bucket of ice water.

He hadn’t even looked at me. Hadn’t searched my face to see if I was OK, like I had his. Rafe had lookedthroughme.

Hey, you can’t focus on that now, Omega 1, OK? Get your head in this.

I grab Claudia’s hand and try to erase the shock from my face. Try to arrange my features into something that resembles composure.

I don’t turn around until I do.

And that’s when Rafe finally looks at me.

Only to look away just as quickly. But not so quick that I didn’t catch the flash of disgust.

Chapter22

Common Ground

All the pack alphas,plus Rafe and I, sit in the row of chairs on the platform. Drago, Jonah, and Claudia stand behind me in a flanking position. But before any of us were allowed to sit, Claudia has to take an oath not to repeat pack business to anyone, anywhere, for however long her life lasted.

Weird way to word an oath, but whatever.

Once all the alphas are seated, the rest of the wolves go quiet, save the few yips and yelps of pups playing.

Claudia’s still working on finding all the at-risk omegas, and I’m just trying not to puke with all these eyes on me.

Jaxson stands and goes to the front of the stage. “Wolves of the Rising Moon!”

The crowd breaks out into hollers and whoops and Jaxson cheers along with them, adding a heartfelt howl before continuing. “It’s been a long time since we’ve gathered, all of us. A long time since we’ve been allowed to. A long time since we’ve used the name our forefathers gave the wolves of this region.”

More whoops and excited shouts.

Jaxson definitely knew how to work a crowd.

“We’ve been free of the Dead One for almost five years and that is something to celebrate indeed.”

More shouts and cheering.

Jaxson holds up a hand and the wolves hush. “However, I’m sad to say, I’ve learned just how much our packs have lost because of him. How much growing and developing we were denied because the Dead One forced us to stay in our wolf forms for so long.”

Titus forced them to stay in their fur? I didn’t know that and it sent a shiver of dread down my legs.

Both Jonah and Drago find a way to touch me, Jonah finding a bit of skin at the back of my neck and Drago resting his big hand on my shoulder, his warmth seeping through my thin sweater.

“I’ve invited wolves from a pack on the other side of the continent in the beautiful mountains of British Columbia to share what pack life is like for them. They’ve evolved the way nature intended, and I think we might all learn something about our future tonight. So, it is my greatest honor to introduce to you Rafe Navarro of Pack Stocklin.”

Rafe stands and the wolves give him a heartfelt round of applause.

Jaxson continues. “Jonah Akokli of the Ktunaxa Packs of the Kootenay Mountains.”

Jonah gives a slight wave, but doesn’t move from behind me as the crowd claps for him.

“And Willa Stocklin, Daughter of the First Line, and Omega to the Pack Alpha.”

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