Chapter 88 – Fated to the Scarred Wolf Novel Free Online by April L Moon

“I don’t know why, okay? I haven’t said anything because there isn’t anything.”

She glared hard, and I caved. It was our process.

“Except… this weird feeling that something’s up. It’s been bugging me ever since the attack at the enclave. Honestly, it’s probably just being surrounded by all these unfamiliar shifters. They just attacked us, and it’s weird that we’re… hunky-dory now. I’m sure things will settle as time goes on, and it will pass.”

She nodded, mollified for the time being.

We stood shoulder to shoulder, staring out over the impromptu dance floor. People were generally happy, and a few of the younger maidens had come over from the enclave to celebrate with the pack. They danced with the wild abandon of youth.

I missed those days. Most of the time, I felt old, dried up. I had a purpose, and it was honorable. That should be enough, but I couldn’t fight the feeling that it just wasn’t. It was sacrilege and my deepest shame.

Most people would kill to have a calling like mine. And being assigned to Pack Blackwater as they changed history… It was the first time I truly understood the magnitude of what I’d been called to do. The maidens were more important than ever.

We had to deal with the rest of the ODL and whoever had been pulling Varga’s strings. The little bits of information we’d found so far indicated it was another species that didn’t want the wolves coming back together, but so far, we hadn’t figured out who the puppet master was.

There was one thing I was sure of, though. War was coming, and this pack was going to be at the eye of the storm. You didn’t wipe the floor with a huge contingent of the ODL just to have them vanish quietly into the night. They were prepping to hit back, and hard. I was afraid we wouldn’t be ready.

So, I pushed all the angst back down, as I always did. They needed me, and they were family. I couldn’t let them down by being distracted. That was how people got killed.

Like Olivia nearly did.

That was another piece of shame to add to my collection. She’d nearly died under my protection. It was only her inherent magic and the sheer power of Lucien’s alpha bond kickstarting it that had saved her. I’d been severely reprimanded by the high priestesses and put on probation. One more screwup, and I’d be back cooling my heels on dish duty inside the enclave while history happened without me.

No way in the nine hells was I letting that happen.

So I watched like a hawk, always on alert, waiting for the next threat.

It came sooner than I expected.

Dakota-who was even younger than Oli-danced and laughed with a few other maidens, her platinum-blonde hair easy to pick out from the crowd, when one of the Hungarians decided to get handsy. He yanked her out of the group and started grinding up against her ass before she could even turn around.

I stormed into the crowd, batting shifters out of my way like flies, tunnel vision on the male that thought he could put his hands on a female without her consent.

I grabbed him by the back of the neck, yanking him off her with a warning growl and dropping him on his ass in the middle of the dance floor. Next, I turned to Dakota.

“Anyone puts their hands on you like that without your permission, you drop them. Immediately. I don’t care who it is, they don’t get to touch you without your consent, understand?”

“Y-yes, sorry, Elodie.”

“Don’t apologize. All I want is for you to take care of it next time.”

She nodded and darted off, the rest of the younger maidens absorbing her back into their group as they finally left the dance floor.

“Stuck-up bitch,” the man volleyed at me from the ground, as if it were some grave insult.

“I dare you to say that again from up here.” I fingered the hilt of my butterfly sword, blade gleaming even in the dim lighting they’d set up.

Not taking the hint, the male surged back to his feet, pushing his maybe gamma-level dominance my way, as if I’d be impressed.

“That’s cute,” I said, letting my own dominance out to play. I was more powerful than he was, and I saw the moment his anger turned to insecurity, and he decided to double down on stupid.

He charged, but I saw it coming by a mile, dodging the flimsy attempt at a strike with ease.

“Geza!” A harsh bark from a small distance away had my challenger cowering like a puppy.

Somehow, that just pissed me off more. Why did men always feel like they could bow up to a woman, when they were chicken shit against another male? I could wipe the floor with this guy and his five closest buddies.

Valens strode onto the dance floor, expression thunderous as he looked between the gamma and me. I had no interest in boys who thought they were tougher shit than me. But Valens? He was all man, and even I couldn’t deny it. His fury was complete as he stepped between us, and I shouldn’t have found that hot.

It’s been too long since I last got laid.

“You put your hands on an unwilling woman? You are a disgrace to this pack and the honor of shifters. Go to your home. Do not leave it for any reason until I speak with the Alpha about what he wants to do with you. But I’d start packing if I were you.”

Geza lifted his chin defiantly, glaring in my direction. “You send me away like a chastised dog. What about that dick-swinging bitch?”

Growing tired of the exchange, I whipped my sword from its sheath, putting one curved blade to his throat with my double-handed grip. “The dick-swinging bitch is right here, and I’m happy to put you in your place myself. You wanna fight? I’ll cut your limp cock off and stuff it down your throat before you can cry for your mommy.”

He blanched as I smiled, really driving the promise home. But it quickly turned to a frown as a much-larger, masculine hand landed right above mine on the grip of my sword.

Nobody touched a maiden’s sword and lived to tell about it. Nobody.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I snarled at Valens, giving him approximately three seconds to take his hand off my sword before I switched my wrath to him. One.

“That is not how we do justice in the Hungarian pack. He will stand before the Alpha for judgment as is right.” Two.

“I will not have you instigating an unnecessary challenge either. Remember your place.” Three.

I grabbed his hand and twisted, dislodging his grip in one effortless move, tossing my sword to the waiting Galyna-the rest of the partiers had been smart enough to give us some space-and using both of my hands to bend his hand back into a wrist lock.

But Valens stood steady as an oak tree, and he didn’t cry out or buckle under the pressure. He stared me straight in the eyes, bringing the entire weight of his alpha dominance into play as he laid his other hand over the top of mine, peeling my fingers free and capturing my hand in his much-larger one.

The air was charged as we stared each other down, that unease I’d been feeling since arriving in Hungary growing to a crescendo.

His eyes began to glow turquoise with his wolf, and I felt my own vision sharpen as my wolf rose in response.

“Mine.”

The gravelly word fell from the enemy’s lips, and time froze. Maidens oath sworn to the enclave did not have mates, and I could not let this asshole start thinking that was what was happening here.

Oh fuck. Oh no, oh no oh no oh no.

“Guys! Guys!”

Fiona came running up, brushing back her wild blonde hair as she sucked in a deep breath, as if she’d been running for a while. “Blackwater pack meeting. You’re needed, now.”

I yanked my hands free, spinning and giving Valens my back. “Lead the way.”

“They’re in the old pack mansion. Come on.”

I took one step before Valens dropped a heavy hand on my forearm, making me pause and stiffen.

“Umm, they only requested our pack,” Fiona said, confused as she looked from the domineering alpha at my side and then back to me.

“Where she goes, I go.”

Fiona’s eyebrows nearly shot off her forehead in surprise, but she stayed silent as she led us all back to the pack mansion. I hung back, wanting to tear Valens a new one, but not knowing what to say.

We were up the steps and inside before I’d figured it out, and thankfully, he’d dropped the physical contact along the way.

I did not miss it.

I didn’t.

Fiona led us straight into the office, and I finally turned, facing him down. “This is pack business. You’re going to have to wait outside.”

“Actually, Valens has already pledged his loyalty, and we’ve come to an understanding. He can come in as Lucien’s second.” Kane waved him in from behind the dead Varga’s desk, his expression guarded.

I was shocked when I scanned the room and saw Olivia and Lucien standing there, looking a little bit sleep-deprived but content.

“Shouldn’t you guys be in your new cottage, practicing making the next generation?” I teased. Anything to get the attention off me, and the alpha hulking at my back.

“She needed a break and had an idea. But we’ll be going back there as soon as we try this out.”

Olivia whacked him lightly on the chest, squinting at him. “I did not need a break, thank you very much. But I felt the idea was too important to wait, especially while everyone was still here together.”

“What idea?” I asked, confused.

Olivia turned to address everyone at once with the answer. “We’ve been trying to physically piece the omega stone back together, but it’s not just some rock. It’s magic, it’s power. I thought… I thought we should put all the pieces together, and then all the women who’ve been marked or given special powers should… I don’t know. Pour that power in. Charge it back up.” She shrugged, looking a little embarrassed now that it was all on the table.

“It can’t hurt, and it’s not even close to the craziest thing we’ve tried,” Brielle said, giving Olivia a sweet smile. “I say let’s give it a try. You’re right, we’ve got to get back to the enclave soon, before my spell wears off.”

Kane pulled a pouch from the desk and poured the omega stone shards out onto the table. They glowed weakly, nothing impressive in their current form. It was hard to believe what the stone was said to do was true, but we needed all the help we could get.

The Goddess-touched women all gathered around, forming a bowl with their hands and placing the pieces inside, as close to how it seemed like they were meant to fit. I watched as lights of varying colors filled the room-Olivia’s green healing magic, Shay’s white, crackling fae power, Fiona’s blue palm, and even a little shimmer from Brielle. Leigh’s palm was the only one that simply glowed, her omega mark brightening as they all poured everything they had into the fragments of stone.

The light grew and grew, the swelling power beginning to feel oppressive in the closed space.

Someone gasped-I couldn’t tell who-as two things happened at the same time. The stone melded seamlessly back together, and two bolts of what looked like lightning streaked out, one flying out the open office window.

My vision went white as the other bolt hit me square in the chest.Second Epilogue

Paris Catacombs, present day

Liquid green eyes flickered open as a burst of white light faded into the darkness. The woman’s hair lay like a halo around her on her shelf, perfectly curled and vibrant despite the thick dust covering everything else.

She pushed herself up, laughing with glee as she slid off the stone shelf where she’d been laid to rest so many ages ago that time had nearly lost count.

But she hadn’t.

She never could.

Footsteps light over ancient stone, the dainty woman with the raven curls stopped in the doorway, clasping her hands.

“My darling Bran, I’ve missed you.”

A warrior stepped forward, seeming one with the shadows as he wrapped his hands around her waist, yanking her close with brutal ease as he took her mouth in a punishing kiss. His leather-and-bronze armor creaked with the movement, but she merely sighed when their lips parted.

“I think it’s time we got out of here. Don’t you?” She pressed up on her tiptoes, pinning him with a dazzling smile on those blood-red lips. “You’ll take care of the guards?”

“Anything for you, Narcissa.”

Bran drew a glowing broadsword and turned to stalk off into the darkness of the catacombs.

Narcissa laughed and spun when the screams began, then skipped after him to revel in the destruction.

—The End

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