Chapter 271 THIS WAS HOME
Edeline
The deer began to falter, his strength waning as the three wolves overwhelmed him. He crashed to the ground with a heavy thud, his legs buckling beneath him.
As the deer lay bleeding on the forest floor, his heart thumped weakly. He was almost done for.
Reluctantly, my wolf let go of her meal, growling at the twin wolves who were now feasting on the deer’s belly while it was still gasping for breath.
In her eyes, these two were trespassers. They had stolen her hard-earned prize, devouring it before she could fill her belly.
With a low growl rumbling in her throat, she lifted her lip, showing her teeth as her ears flattened against her head. She glared at the greedy wolves, a warning in her eyes.
The twins paused, their blood-stained mouths falling silent as my wolf charged at Damon first. Rage fueled her movements. I felt her anger surge as her teeth sank into his front leg. He yelped, the sound echoing through the night as something cracked—a bone snapping beneath her powerful jaws.
Behind me, Alexa’s wolf snarled, and my wolf spun around to face her. With a fierce growl, she lunged at Alexa. The other wolf leaped to attack, but my wolf was ready. She rose up on her hind legs, snapping her jaws around Alexa’s throat, slamming her to the ground.
Alexa struggled beneath her, and I felt my wolf’s grip tighten as she tried to escape. A whimper escaped from her throat, and my wolf held her there for a moment longer, letting out low growls of dominance as Damon watched, nursing his broken leg and whimpering in pain. It was not completely shattered, but it was certainly broken enough to hurt like hell.
Finally, my wolf released Alexa, leaving marks that would remind her of the encounter. The defeated wolf slinked away from the twins, turning her back on them to return to her kill. She sank her teeth into the deer’s side, tearing the skin away to reach the bloody feast within, the very feast she had been dreaming of.
She ate ravenously, her body consuming the life that had once filled the deer.
The twin wolves called out from behind her, but she did not spare them a glance. She was aware of their presence, though. They were digging in the dirt, clearly wanting to get closer, but for now, they were wise enough to keep their distance, recognizing the mistake they had made in crossing her.
She caught a whiff of something in the air. It was the rest of her pack. But she did not care about that right now. Instead, she focused on her meal, continuing to eat until she was full. Moving to the side of the half-eaten body, she realized that her big frame needed more food.
Suddenly, the twins cried out, their voices filled with curiosity as they looked at her. They were aware that she was in charge of this kill, that she was now stronger. Alexa’s wolf surrendered to her. Damon, on the other hand, could not fully engage. He was too hurt to really fight back, and his wolf understood what his mistake had cost him.
My wolf barked and nudged the dead deer, glancing down at them as if to say they could eat what she did not finish.
The two wolves crept forward slowly. Every now and then, Alexa’s wolf looked up at my wolf, biting the air in a playful gesture, gauging if we were mad at them for intruding on our meal. We did not stop them. They were welcome to join.
As the other members of the pack emerged from the woods, still in their wolf forms, I spotted General Axe. He was now in human form and completely naked, his muscles defined and impressive. He was about the same age as Conor and similar in size, though not as tall.
With his deep voice, he commanded, “Edeline, shift.”
I gave in to his request, feeling the familiar sensation of my wolf slipping past me in my mind. My body transformed smoothly back into human form, the fur shrinking into my pores until I stood upright. I did not bother to hide my nudity in this pack that did not care whether anyone was clothed or not; I was proud of my new body. Curiosity flickered in my eyes as I looked up at him.
Raising an eyebrow, I asked, “What is going on?”
He chuckled, running a strong, tattooed hand through his dark hair. “Your wolf is much stronger now. We all watched the little show from the trees. I am impressed.” His pleasure was evident.
Inside my mind, my wolf danced, basking in the compliment. She loved showing off, fluffing her fur as she sashayed around, her backside swaying with confidence.
Such a diva.
“Thank you,” I replied, keeping my face neutral. I did not want to show too much pride.
His expression shifted; he looked serious. “The Alpha has returned. We need to go back, but there is a problem. He asked for your help.”
Tatiana immediately flashed in my mind. She was with him again. I knew that the Alpha, Beta, and the top warriors could communicate with Axe through their thoughts, but warriors just starting out like me did not have that mind link yet. So, I still could not reach Conrad that way.
I exhaled slowly. “Okay.” Shifting back into my wolf form, I noticed that Kyle and Alexa had already left the dead deer, but I saw Axe approach it. With one strong move, he tossed off the antlers and smiled at me. “That is your first real trophy kill. I will take care of it. Go, the Alpha needs you.” He pointed toward the river, and I took off.
My wolf sprinted swiftly, gliding through the cool water before bounding out the other side like a cheetah. She felt powerful, muscles working hard as she climbed the mountainside. She needed to reach her Alpha.
The pack knew we were almost there, aware that I shared a bond with him. They understood we comforted each other, but not in the way some might think.
I could not help but wonder what had happened while I was away. What had he found? Had Tatiana truly suffered that much?
Despite everything, I felt a pang of sympathy for her. I knew I should not, especially since she had made me feel terrible in the past. But that was long ago. I had to grow up, to let go of the past, to be the bigger person. Sure, she had done some questionable things to me, like the incident with my underwear, but being around people who knew her had changed my perspective. The stories I had heard led me to believe that the woman I once knew was not who she truly was. Maybe it was time to forgive and forget.
I was more grown-up now than I had been before.
Conor really cared about her. I loved Conor too, but as a friend. I needed to help him.
When I finally reached the pack house, I switched back to my human form with ease. As I dashed up the stairs, the cool air brushed against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. I stepped inside through the back door and inhaled deeply, trying to pick up Conor’s scent.
I followed the familiar trail up the stairs, rummaging through my belongings. I grabbed a cozy sweater and a pair of yoga shorts, pulling them on as I passed the trash can. “Mid-stride,” I muttered to myself.
I approached Conor’s door, where his scent intensified—stronger and more potent. But there was also blood and Tatiana’s scent, one that I used to loathe. My heart raced as I pushed the door open without knocking.
Inside, I saw Conor pacing back and forth, his face tense. His brows were furrowed, and his jaw was set. He bit his thumbnail as he strode across the large room, his long strides echoing the urgency of his thoughts.
The door clicked shut behind me, filling the silence. “Conor?” I called softly, and his head snapped up. His dark eyes met mine, easing just a bit as they focused on my face. He rushed over and pulled me close, wrapping his massive arms around my slender but toned frame. I melted into his embrace, remembering how we had shared a kiss only hours ago. I did not want that to happen again.
“What is it? Where is Tatiana?” I asked, lifting my head to meet his gaze, searching for answers.
“She is at the doctor’s. She… she tried to kill herself. She put a silver scalpel in her neck and plunged it in.” His voice was rough, and he stepped back from me, pain etched on his features. “I found her like that, bleeding out. Thank God I got there when I did. She was barely alive.”
A chill ran through me, my blood running cold. The same thing had happened with Percival, and the shock of it hit me hard.
Conor was clearly upset, tears pooling in his eyes as he tried to compose himself.
I reached for his hand, leading him to the black bed with the soft linens. We sat down next to each other, our legs brushing.
“Is… is she okay?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
He nodded, wiping his eyes as he looked at me. “I found her just in time. I am glad I decided to take a few of the guys with me. One of the doctor’s sons came with me, Tyler. He cut out the burned flesh the silver caused, and the wound began to heal. But she needed blood, and we were an hour away. There was a big meeting going on at Praimfaya Moon, so we broke into the clinic on pack land, taking blood bags. Tyler hooked her up while she lay in the back seat of the truck. I did not want to stay there. I knew I would go on a killing spree. My wolf was on edge.”
A low rumble escaped his chest, and there was a spark in his gaze that made my heart race.
I rubbed his hand gently, wanting to comfort him. I looked into his eyes, feeling waves of sadness wash over me. “I am so sorry, Conor… Is she awake now?”
His voice was deep and heavy with emotion. “She woke once we returned, but Doctor Sully gave her an anti-anxiety medication, so she is sleeping now.” He hesitated before asking, “Will you come with me? I want to check on her. I got back about an hour ago, but I did not want to take you away from the full moon run, so I have been waiting. I want you to go with me.” His deep blue eyes pleaded for my support.
With a sad smile, I replied, “Okay.”
…
As we walked into the building I knew all too well, a wave of familiarity washed over me. I took a deep breath, and Tatiana's scent became stronger.
Yes, wolves healed quickly, but when a big bone was broken, they needed to start over. Otherwise, the bone would heal improperly. Quick healing was not always a blessing. In cases of severe blood loss, we still needed blood to be pumped back into our bodies. Even though our bodies healed, blood did not replicate itself as quickly as skin, bone, and muscle. It was not easy.
With Conor towering over me, we moved slowly down the clinic's long, well-lit hallway. The walls were white and sterile, giving off a clean, clinical feel. We paused in front of a room, the door slightly ajar. I could hear the rhythmic sounds of machines in the background, buzzing and pumping, alongside the faint sound of Tatiana’s heart beating slowly.
Conor opened the door, and my breath caught in my throat. I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand, my eyebrows shooting up in shock.
Tatiana lay in the hospital bed, and she looked as pale as a ghost. Her skin hung loose and drooped from her frame, a sign of the weight she had lost. She appeared weak, just skin and bones—far worse than I had ever been.
I understood what it felt like to have a mark on only one side of your body. I had one from my dog. The skin mark was much thicker and harder to remove than anything else. It showed how deeply she was connected to Nixx, her tormentor. She had endured so much during those two months locked away in that shack, isolated from the rest of the pack. She must have battled her thoughts alone, spiraling into madness over the possibilities of what could happen next, especially knowing that Mirabelle was pregnant. She knew Nixx would not resist the urge to cling to his dog. I could only imagine how her wolf had suffered, trapped in that situation, unable to change.