~HARPER~
"After you collapsed, the rest of the pack showed up. You were losing blood fast and there was no way you'd survive the trip back to the house to get help. Ian thought we could save you by bonding with you."
"Bonding like the mate bond?" I asked. "Does that mean I have like four other bond marks?"
"No. This is a different type of bond. It's called a Sanguis De Moon Catena. We only learned about the name and heard rumors about other packs using it in desperate times, but we didn't consider it as a last resort until we were in the moment. Using your ancient blade, we each cut our wrists and poured our blood into your chest. I then used magic to call out to the Moon, asking her assistance in delaying your approaching death."
That's why she had sounded bitter but was sympathetic. They had to use magic.
"You had to be the one to initiate the spell? That's why you're not supposed to use magic?"
He nodded. "I'm the strongest and have been your mate the longest; it only made sense for me to initiate it. Ian has a lot of magic potential, but he's not powerful enough in that department to do such an intense spell. It turned our blood into magic energy that wrapped around your heart, creating a connection between all of us. Mine and Ian's would essentially be the strongest right now, and that’s why you sometimes feel how I'm currently feeling, or what you termed as foreign emotions. From what we've tried to research while here, it seems that with time, your connections with the others will increase, especially when you spend more time with each of them."
"So, this Sanguis Se Moon Catena was the reason I survived. The Moon granted me another chance at life thanks to the sacrifice of each one of your blood and magic? That created a connection between all of us that can grow with time due to actual bonding. I guess we don't know what the long-term effects are? Does being intimate add to the strength of the bond?" I could feel Reika's curiosity and decided to include the question rather than deal with her asking for me.
"None of us know the long-term effects. There may be an Alpha we can ask to get more information about it. I'm just gonna have to nag her and hope her mates don't kick my ass. As for intimacy, yes. The strength of our connection includes being intimate. It's not required…more like an emotional connection if you think about it. If the pack connects to the person they’re bonded with and that emotion remains sustainable, that's all that really matters. As an example, you may have a stronger link with Ian than me because you two have been intimate at a deeper level."
I frowned at the hint of pain that flashed through me and disappeared just as fast.
How does he feel about that?
"We should remember to ask later. I don't think it's appropriate to ask now when we're trying to get info about what happened."
I agree.
"What happened after the bond was complete?" I asked, hoping to continue getting a summary of what occurred.
"We were able to transfer you to the North Sanctuary, which is where we are currently. We're in the guest house located on the left corner of the exit. Today's the eighth day since that night."
"That's not bad. A week…what happened with the ambush? The fire? And did Sam get prosecuted? Also, what happened to Dolly?"
"The fire only damaged a bit of the property. Nothing that couldn't be fixed. West Sanctuary wolves already helped fix the damages. Sam was prosecuted here at the North Sanctuary after you were deemed stable. He was charged and found guilty for multiple acts of treason, going against the rights that wolf shifters follow per pack and our overall government if it helps you understand it better, and was sentenced to death. Dolly is fine, but she's back on CSIS base to turn in all the evidence regarding Sam's case and her involvement to help catch him. She won't be back for a while. It's a long process."
"So…Sam is dead, and Dolly is essentially busy proving her innocence," I summarized, feeling a bit bitter with it all. Carter lifted his hand to press against my cheek.
"What's wrong?"
"I just feel…bitter? I mean, they were considered my family, and in one night I find out Sam was a selfish evil mastermind who only cared about enjoying the wealth donation money could bring him, while Dolly was 'married' to him for her job to try and take him down. When you think about it, look at the irony of it all? My family…or who I thought was my family, wasn’t. And I now find out that the couple who adopted me isn't even a genuine married couple. Sam's dead, which is good riddance, but Dolly just abandoned us without a decent explanation or even an apology? Maybe I'm being ungrateful…but the deceit in all of this makes me feel like my life has been nothing but a lie." I vented my feelings and concerns about it all, and watched Carter nod in understanding.
"I'd feel the same way, though I wouldn't be as calm as you are," he acknowledged. "In the wolf shifter world, it's really hard to deal with cases like these. I'm not saying we have no emotions or don't care about one another, whether family by blood or title, but wolf shifters deem importance based on the pack. If you were in Dolly's pack, this would have been completely different, and she'd be at your side making sure you were well and checking in on you and Ian. However, since we're kind of in our own pack, she doesn't really care? Or rather, she doesn’t want to overstep into another pack’s issues? It sounds mean to say it, but work and diplomacy come first when you’re not pack related. It's stupid, but that was the older generations’ view of things. Everything has changed, especially in the last five years, but the older shifters go with what they know, and that's how they prioritized these political issues."
He leaned back to rest his head on the headboard while his eyes stared up at the ceiling.
"The wolf shifter race is a complicated one. Our ways of living have altered tremendously over the years and it's getting harder to adapt to the new changes. Especially when you're of the older generation, which some say are more stuck in their ways. They don't like change or forced adaptation to new rules and culture. It’s one of the many reasons why some wolf shifters struggle to mingle with witches, even though they have collaborated with us on plenty of occasions versus vampires and other shifters."
"Regardless, it doesn't make what either of them did right," I mumbled, staring down at my fingers as I fidgeted with them to help tame the hint of anger boiling inside me.
Does that mean it's okay to let children trust in you when in reality, you're only using them or doing a favor for someone else? How does it make the child feel to know they grew up thinking they're loved, only to find out it was all a scheme?
Carter lifted my chin with his hand, locking his gaze with mine. He didn't say anything at first, analyzing my eyes like there was a change in them.
His turquoise eyes slowly began to transition to gold, and sure enough, both his eyes turned a metallic rich color.
"You have every right to be angry, and I'm angry about it too. The problem is that neither of us are in the position to fix this. Not yet. Is what Dolly did wrong? Yes, very wrong. None of us really knew much about Dolly, aside from the fact she'd help each of the sanctuaries and make sure we didn't bite each other's heads off. I didn't necessarily think of her as a parent, more like a guardian who watched us. In your case, it's different, and they should have told you a lot earlier rather than waiting until shit went down. This isn't how things should have been handled, but right now our pack system is all over the place and the mixture of the new generation and the old generation wolves makes it twice as hard. I want to work on fixing it somehow, but that all revolves around power. The stronger you are, the more powerful your voice is in this community. We have power, Harper. All we need is enough time to show them how strong we are together."
Anger rose in me, and I inhaled deeply then exhaled slowly, allowing myself to calm.
"Can we change how things are run? I don't even know what is going on. Can I contribute to making a difference when I don't even have much knowledge to begin with?"
Carter's eyes softened then, and he kissed me unexpectedly. Any hint of anger dissolved when his lips touched mine, kissing me tenderly.
When he released my lips and opened his eyes, they were back to their gold-turquoise appearance.
"Knowledge is the first step. Adapting to this new lifestyle is next. You have power, Harper. A strength that we all saw before and is still inside you now. The only thing that can stop you from achieving your goals is you. No one else."
"Thank you, Carter," I whispered, resting my head against his chest. He kissed my forehead and held me, giving me time to let his words sink in before he moved to the next question.
"The rest of the pack is here. The person you saw was Damien, which you figured out. Levi is somewhere nearby since I can sense him. The twins are probably running around the area, and Ian's sleeping, or that's what Damien said. We're all here. O'Neil is keeping watch of Sacred Moon. Since a certain woman purchased it, we're waiting for her to get better so we can go back home."
I smirked and placed my right hand on his chest, while my eyes met his. "I guess I should rest quickly so we can go back home," I purred.
He grinned and gave me one more kiss.
"It's nice not to hide anymore," he mumbled against my lips.
"How did you do it, Carter? I don't get the whole seal thing…but how were you okay with letting me go? I mean…I don't remember why we had to be pulled apart, but how were you able to be okay with me…well, loving someone else?"
I wanted to hear it from him, and I noticed the sadness that pooled in his eyes before he closed them and smiled.
"If we hadn't separated, you wouldn't have had to deal with what you experienced. That guilt haunted me for a while when Ian found you in the forest. It kind of helped me stay away in the beginning, but when Dolly introduced you to us, I couldn't help but want to be close to you, but I didn't want to give anything away. If your relatives were killed, what were the chances the killers would be watching from afar? I didn't want to get close…because it could put you at risk from anyone who was watching us. At least this way you'd also be taking care of the others, so it wouldn't be as bad."
He was quiet for a minute before he continued.
"You were already trying to adapt to a new family and surroundings you didn't remember. Ian was like your knight in shining armor. Who was I to interfere and try to claim my rightful place? Even if I was your mate, if I loved you, I would be okay with letting you go. It wouldn't be like we'd never see each other…it just meant I'd have to watch from afar."
He opened his eyes and smiled.
"It hurt. I won't sit here and lie. Alphas are possessive. We like to claim what's ours and hate to share with anyone, even within pack members. But…you were happy and seeing that happiness in you grow stronger each time I saw you made me realize that all I wanted was for you to be loved and live your life without worry. If that meant I had to protect you from afar and let Ian take the lead, so be it. It wouldn't change the fact I loved you, and still love you. Just meant I wouldn't be able to fully enjoy that love, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."
"Carter..." I whispered, a tear rolling down my cheek.
He smirked and wiped away the next tear that fell. "I don't know what the Moon has in store for us, but seeing as you're here in my lap, the Moon must have felt pity for me. Or at least that's what I believe."
"I'm glad she brought us back together." I smiled.
"Me too," he replied.
"Meow!"
We both flinched at the loud sound that was followed by clawing.
"Jeez, Muffin. You're being impatient." An unfamiliar voice sighed and another chuckled. "That's because she's bored with playing with you and wants to be near Harper and annoy Carter." The second voice belonged to Damien.
"WOOF!" The dual response made me grin wide, knowing for sure that the twins were outside.
"You guys are loud. We don't know if they're asleep or not," Damien grumbled.
"Or doing other things." The other voice sounded chill about it. I blushed and looked at Carter who sighed.
"They always barge in during my alone time," he muttered.
"I think you're cursed." I giggled.
"Maybe." He groaned and gave me a quick peck on my cheek. "I better let them in. Muffin gets all antsy and starts scratching everyone if we don't give her what she wants."
"Does she? She's not like that with me," I mused, shuffling off his lap.
"She adores you. For us, she likes causing trouble," Carter pointed out as he moved off the bed. I crossed my legs and ran my fingers through my hair to tame its messy look. I didn't know if human Levi would be the same as wolf Levi, but he hated when my hair was messy. I didn't know why, but at least I could lower the collateral damage.
Carter opened the door and Muffin darted into the room and straight to the bed, hopping onto the sheets and into my lap.
"MEOW!"
"Hello, Muffin. Did you miss me?" I began to giggle at her excitement as she literally couldn't sit still, rolling over in my lap before pouncing into my stomach.
I struggled to get my hands on her and cradled her against my face so she could lick and nudge my cheek with her furry head.
"Meow, meow, meow, meow."
"I don't know what you're saying, but I guess that means you did miss me," I gleefully replied.
"WOOF!"
I turned my attention to the two wolves that raced into the room and were on my bed in seconds. Carter groaned. "If you two break the bed, you're paying for it," he growled.
The two of them turned back to whimper at him and I laughed. "Hayden, Heston. Ignore Grumpylocks for a second and come here."
"I'm not grumpy," Carter huffed back, but Hayden and Heston moved straight to me, snuggling against me as they reached out to lick my face. I had to lower Muffin so they could practically smother me with love, but I continued to laugh at their excitement while experiencing the waves of relief flowing through me again and again.
"I'm okay, guys. I missed both of you."
Letting Muffin sit in the space between my crossed legs, I reached out to ruffle their coats, noticing their switch; Hayden's previously black coat was now pure white, whereas Heston’s white coat had turned pure black.
If their fur coats completely switched, Winter must have started? That means Christmas is closing in.
"Woof! Woof!" They happily traded places, Hayden sitting on my right while Heston was on my left, and they settled down in the sheets.
Muffin was already craving my attention, reaching out to gently pat my chest. Scooping her up, I felt her against me as she began to purr. Carter gestured to whoever else was outside the door, motioning for them to walk in.
"Um, what happened to the plan about her not seeing our human forms?" I heard Damien ask.
"You fucked that up already. She could tell it was you. Might as well give up trying." Carter sighed, looking tired.
"It was the book's fault," Damien whined, walking into the room and giving me a wide smile. "Hey, Harper."
"Hello, Damien," I replied with a pleased grin before looking over to see the other person walking in.
Right away, I knew it was Levi, my previous assumptions about him being accurate. He stood at 6'6” and had a calm and collected demeanor about him.
I expected his eyes to be gold, or similar to how he looked in his wolf form, but they were a dark purple with hints of gold around the iris. His hair was purple, similar to his eyes but in a lighter shade, and the tips had hints of gold. He was a mixed race, but his Caucasian features were more prominent, making me curious as to what different ancestries he descended from.
He wore a simple dark-blue shirt and grey sweatpants, and his slim frame reminded me of Damien's, but he hid his muscles well. He gave me a slight smile and nodded in greeting.
"Good evening, Harper. Glad to see you're better now." His voice was almost angelic, with a hint of mystery that gave me the impression that he was dangerous, or at least hiding his power. It just added to his sex appeal.
He was second-in-command in the pack along with Damien and Ian. All three of them were Betas, but he alone looked like he could plan an entire massacre and not give himself away.
"Thank you, Levi. It's nice to meet you in human form."
Carter closed the door and stifled a yawn. "Where's the brat?"
Damien sighed. "The day you two get along, I'll have to videotape it all for evidence."
"I'm assuming you're referring to Ian, who's sleeping," Levi replied.
"Woof!" Hayden added.
I glanced at Damien and Levi, who both shrugged.
"I don't think he went to sleep when he said he was," Damien defended.
"Woof?" Heston added.
"Probably? Even though we're here at the Sanctuary, the town is still under lockdown until they catch the other people involved in the murder cases. He's most likely balancing everything," Levi acknowledged.
Carter walked back to the right side of the bed. He crawled onto the bed and to my side, while Hayden moved over to sit next to his brother. Both of their heads now rested on the left side of my leg, while Muffin was wiggling in my hold.
I let her go, lowering her down until she hopped over to crawl up on Carter where he lay relaxing his back against the headboard of the bed.
When I returned my attention to the twins, they were staring at me with admiring blue eyes that were identical to one another.
"Aren't you two going to switch back?" I asked them.
"Woof!" they replied in unison, and I looked at Damien and Levi once more.
"What did they say? I still don't understand wolf."
"You will. We'll teach you." Damien winked.
Levi jumped in with a translation. "They said they're tired and switching to human form will make them more tired."
"Why? Being human makes you guys tired?" I asked no one in particular.
Damien crossed his arms and nodded.
"We're not used to being in our human forms. Ian and Carter don't get as tired, especially Ian since he's generally used to being in his human form for long durations and his wolf form during the night, even when it's just to sleep next to you. For us, being in our human forms is a bit rare, though we have our preferences during the seasons."
"Interesting," I replied.
"You're feeling alright, Harper?" Levi questioned.
"Yes. Carter gave me a summary of what generally happened. You guys are all okay?" I clarified.
Seeing as the majority of them were here, I could at least check face to face rather than take Carter's word for it.
"Woof!" Hayden.
"Woof woof!" Heston replied.
"I'm assuming you two are good." I grinned and stroked each of their heads as they continued to rest on my left side.
"I'm good, Harper. Thanks," Levi replied with a pleased expression.
"All good here, even though my book is done." Damien pouted his lips, looking disappointed.
Levi slowly turned to stare at him. "Just order the next one."
"But I don't have express shipping on my account."
"Then use mine? I let you last time." Levi appeared as if he literally didn't care.
Damien's face lit up and he moved to hug Levi, who sighed. "Thanks, Levi! I'll buy you mint chocolate."
"Stop bribing me," Levi mumbled but had a small grin on his lips.
I smiled at the two of them and looked over to check on Carter, who'd been pretty quiet.
His eyes were closed, and Muffin was curled up on his lap. I could tell the two of them were asleep. I reached out with my right hand to move a few strands of Carter's hair from his face.
"Carter?" I asked, my tone lower than before.
He didn't reply as his chest rose and fell at a slow pace.
Hayden and Heston got up from my lap and moved to sit next to Carter, one on either side, before they relaxed with their heads resting on the lower parts of his legs.
"Looks like he'll be out for a while," Levi commented, walking over to my side.
He reached out his hand to me and I grinned, placing my hand in his and allowing him to help me out of bed. It took me a few seconds to get used to standing again. It was as if my body had forgotten how.
"He used magic, didn't he?" Damien questioned with an arched eyebrow.
"Oh…uh…that was my fault," I admitted sheepishly. Levi's eyes were already focused on my left hand and Damien noticed his gaze and followed.
"Ah. He showed you." Damien nodded in understanding. "Makes sense why he's tired. The bonding we did really drained his magic. He'll be good in a few weeks."
"Few weeks. It takes that long to rejuvenate your magic levels?" I inquired.
"If we had witch blood, it wouldn't be as bad. If Ian uses magic, he'll be tired but will recover more quickly. Carter's family can use magic only because their ancestors could, but even then, it was only a small amount. Carter trains two or three times a week to make his magic remain as powerful as it is," Levi explained.
"Wow…lots of mechanics to this side of the world," I admitted, feeling a little overwhelmed with information. Damien walked up to where we stood and reached out to press his hand on my right cheek.
"You're doing a great job adjusting. It'll take a bit of time to really understand everything and months to fully grasp our community and the rules and regulations. We'll teach you everything we know."
Levi nodded. "You helped raise us, too. We'll return the favor."
"Thank you. All of you. I really appreciate what you all did to save me," I whispered. I looked over at Hayden and Heston, who both lifted their heads at my acknowledgment.
"Woof." They replied together in a quieter tone, not wanting to disturb their Alpha and Muffin as they slept.
"I'm going to let the nurse know Harper's awake," Levi announced.
"Sounds good," Damien replied.
Levi gave me a small smile and squeezed my hand. "Don't push yourself too hard."
"I won't. Thank you, Levi," I said with an appreciative smile. He and Damien exchanged a nod before he let go of my hand and left the room.
"Since Carter's out for the count, want to go check on Grumpy number two?" Damien suggested with a playful grin, his eyes glittering with mischief.
"You sound like you're going to go plot world domination instead of checking on Ian. And he's grumpy? Why is he upset?" I asked curiously.
"I'll tell you when we get there. Looks like the twins are falling asleep."
Glancing back toward the bed, I saw that Hayden's eyes were already closed while Heston was mid-yawn. He nestled against Carter a bit more and closed his eyes.
"Are the twins close to Carter? I mean, you guys are all close, but I noticed sometimes the twins won't sleep until Carter's back from our nightly runs in the forest."
"Carter's helped all of us in some way in our life. He helped the twins a lot. They would have been separated if it wasn't for his interference. That's why they're very close to him. Also, with us being in another sanctuary, which isn't necessarily friendly territory, it's a risk to leave Carter alone. The twins are strongest together, so they can watch over Carter while we go check on Ian. Muffin can be the wild card," Damien explained, expression far away as he smiled.
"I want to learn more," Reika commented.
Me too. We have a lot to learn about the others now that we can speak to them in human form.
We slowly made our way out of the room, closing the door behind us. Damien slipped his hand into mine and grinned.
"Let's check on Grumpy number two."