Page 103 of Dark Moon Secrets

“Here’s the tea,” said Pepper, holding a steaming mug. She paused. “You’ve stressed Tanjie too much. I can feel it in the air.”

“We’re just leaving now,” said Willow, standing up from the bed.

The movement caused me to grimace as a fresh wave of pain washed through me. If it wouldn’t hurt so much, I’d reach out for the tea and gulp it down.

“Please rest, dear,” said Luna. “Your friends will be here later in the morning to help you recover.”

A weak smile spread across my lips as Luna walked around the end of my bed to the door. She was trying to help, but I’d prefer it if I had a choice of who was coming to see me.

Their footsteps were heavy as they went downstairs. The second to last step creaked loudly, and I sighed. They were gone.

“I hurried as fast as I could.” Pepper held out the tea for me, moving to help support my head so I could drink.

I sipped as much as I could before I had to have a break. “This better be strong.”

“It is, and it will help you to sleep.”

I didn’t need anything to help me sleep. Talking with Luna and Willow had exhausted me, along with the agony pulsing through my body.

“Is it such a bad thing that another pack is here?”

“It is.” Pepper snapped her finger, bought up a map of the area, and the colored light faded in the dimly lit room.

“This is where we are… here is the shop. All of this territory is the Dark Moon pack.”

A red line circled around, marking the boundary. It was a large area.

“On this east side is the Wild Fire pack.”

“Plenty of room for both packs?”

“There should be.”

“So it’s not about territory then.” This means the wolf had come for me, and it wasn’t an accident.

“No. Here, drink a bit more. You’re nearly finished.”

I took another big gulp—the bitter tea turned my stomach.

“Pepper, what does this cleansing require?” My head was already fuzzy. Whatever was in it was beginning to work.

“Bit like a smoking ceremony but with magic.”

“Can you sense the wolf energy in me?”

“I can.”

“And it’s bad?”

“Yes. Because we are in charge, we can’t favor them.”

“How will having the wolf energy with mine favor them?” My body was heavy, weighed down into the bed. I could drink more of that tea if it meant I would end up feeling this good.

“Your energies are entwined, which means you might not be able to make the hard decisions.”

“But I did.”

“Yes, somehow you did. And that’s why you’re in the coven now.”

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