Chapter 68 RETURN THROUGH THE VEIL
AMBER’S POV
Outside the pack house, the warm crisp air blows softly against my skin as I walk. I glance back once, toward the windows of our room where Derek was probably still sleeping, unaware of my absence. My chest tightens, but anger and resolve push me forward.
I stay alert, not wanting to carelessly bump into anyone, as I follow the path that leads to the borders of the pack. Fauna’s magic hums softly in my mind.
I walk by wolves going about their duties, and the farther I move towards the pack borders, the fewer people I see. I have never come this far away from the pack house, but that doesn't stop me from walking.
In no time, the pack borders come into view and are marked by tall, ancient stones etched with runes older than the pack itself. Two guards stand watch there, their spears resting on their shoulders. This is where they stop everyone. My steps slow despite my resolve, and I wonder if I should stop here too.
What if the spell fails? I wonder. Doubt is slowly creeping into the walls of my mind. What if Derek feels the bond stretch, snap, scream? My hand moves instinctively to my stomach. “Hold on,” I tell my pups silently. “Just a little longer,” before walking straight toward the guards.
One of them frowns slightly, as though sensing something out of place, his gaze sweeping the air around him. My breath catches, and I can feel my blood run cold under his gaze, exposed in a way that makes my skin prickle. Then his eyes slide past me. He shifts his weight and looks away, and I quickly pass between them.
The moment my foot crosses the borderline, a wave of euphoria rushes through me. I take a last glance at the pack behind me before breaking into a mad dash towards the thick, dense forest ahead of me.
Freedom tastes sharp in my mouth, and for a moment, I forget everything but the motion, the wind tearing past me. The spell hums, keeping me invisible, and I know no one can see me. I begin to shift into my wolf form, a familiar heat blooming outward. It is not painful, but it is never gentle. My bones stretch and realign with a deep, internal pull that makes my breath hitch. My skin prickles, and I feel every nerve in my body awaken at once.
My wolf rises effortlessly as if she has been waiting just beneath my skin for permission. My paws sink into the forest floor, and the earth welcomes me. My wolf is fiercely aware of the lives I carry, protective instinct coursing through my veins like fire.
I take my first step, then another, and then I am running, letting my wolf take over. The wind rushes past my fur, incredible and exhilarating. Each stride sends a jolt of pure euphoria through me, as though the forest itself is urging me forward, and any doubt I had earlier dissolves into instinct.
The moment my wolf entirely takes over, something inside me loosens. The weight that was pressed against my chest was now gone. I no longer worry about Derek and his instability, nor do I have to worry about the unwelcoming stares from the pack members. Out here, none of those matters. I am finally free. My wolf revels in the freedom, and I do the same.
The pups stir gently, and my wolf slows just enough for me to acknowledge them before picking up her pace again. The sky darkens gradually as I move, and I only realize how dark it is when the cool air of the forest hits my fur, and the forest starts to hum with life.
By the time I reach the inner depth of the forest, the sun is completely down. Fauna’s magic has begun to fade slowly, and I can feel the mating bond between Derek and me strain with each step I take further from the Blood Moon pack.
The soft glow of the moon lightens the path ahead, and I keep running, afraid that Derek has already noticed my absence and sent his guards after me. I push my wolf faster ignoring the burning I felt in my muscles and tge ache in my lungs.
My wolf snarls softly, unwilling to stop, but even she cannot deny the strain creeping into our body and I cannot afford to hurt my babies by wearing myself out so I stop before my body collapses.
I scan around the forest until I find a spot hidden by low-hanging branches and dense brush. The earth there is soft and shielded from the wind. I shift back, the change draining the last of my strength, and sink down against the base of an old tree
My hands tremble as I press them to my stomach and I shiver from the cold hitting my bare skin. I wonder if it was a good idea to shift back to my human form. Without my wolf furs, the night cold bites deeper than I expect.
The forest is warmer for wolves than it is for humans. I hesitate only for a heartbeat then another shift tears through me. It is less violent anda lower this time. My body reshapes, bones realigning, senses sharpening once more. When it is done, thick fur replaces fragile skin, and warmth finally wraps around me like a shield. I curl instinctively, tucking my muzzle close to my belly, my tail drawing over my ribcage.
As the moon drifts higher, exhaustion finally pulls me under. My body sinks into the earth, the steady rhythm of my breathing blending with the night. For now, I am unseen. For now, I am protected.