Chapter 297 FINDING STRENGTH
Edeline
“I totally get it, Nixx. It is something else. Really special. I see what you mean.” My gaze drifted to his cuffs, curiosity piquing as I furrowed my brow. “Have you been a bit risky? What does your world do to people?” I tilted my head, observing the way he passed the bracelet back to me, unable to take his eyes off it.
“My wolf is stronger, you know? Sometimes I just cannot control him and end up lashing out at people who get on my nerves. Percival dealt with the same stuff. He wants to help me train like Gaspar did for him, but all I can think about is Tatiana and the pup I lost. It is tough.” A wave of sadness washed over him, dimming the light in his eyes.
“Nixx,” I sighed, “why are you still hung up on losing the pup? Mirabelle was only a few months along, right? You never even met him, and you can have pups with your real mate. You could not have had both. Tatiana would have been jealous of you and him. Trust me, I get it. Tatiana is a beta, and her wolf would have wanted something like mine did.” I tried to break it down for him gently. “You have to think about what you really want: a pup with a girl who cannot mark you, or pups with your buddy who is going to stick around for the long haul?”
His green eyes were scanning my face, searching for understanding. “I never really thought about it like that... it is just that my wolf cannot help it. Being Alpha, he was kind of like a dad... now he sees a threat in everything.”
Hearing that from my brother hit differently than when I had heard it from my mate. It felt like a stuck record, just spinning in place.
“Nixx.” I grabbed his hand firmly, locking our gazes. “You have to toughen up a bit. Think about Tatiana. If you really want her, just go for it. Once you are feeling better…” I pushed him to understand; he could not afford to waste time—definitely not with Tatiana. This was a different experience for me, but I was not Tatiana. She really needed him.
“Tatiana is training right now. She is getting stronger. You should join in too…” I let go of his hand, a small smile creeping onto my face as I tried to encourage him.
He looked up at me, his expression shifting. “Is Mirabelle around? You know, with Tatiana…”
I nodded. “They are friends now. Tatiana took her in when she was pregnant, you know?”
His nostrils flared, and I noticed his pupils dilate. “Is that why I lost my pup? Did Tatiana do something?” His voice rose, gripping the bed rail tightly, tension radiating from him.
“No way!” I exclaimed, my eyes going wide as I shook my head. “Nah, Tatiana would never do that. She has changed, you know? Being away from you really helped her chill out. She would not hurt the pup. Honestly, Tatiana has grown more than any of us, even me. The moon took the pup away, Nixx. Not Tatiana.” I felt like I was talking to a child, trying to soothe him with my words.
He gradually relaxed, loosening his grip. “Why can she forgive Mirabelle but not me?”
That was a great question! I had let go of things with Tatiana before I did with Percival, and honestly, Tatiana had put me through way more than Mirabelle had ever done to her. It was just a mix-up, you know? About her upbringing...
“Nixx, Tatiana has this one-sided thing going on with you. It stings her way more than it does you, alpha or not. Her wolf really wants that bond to be whole, but she cannot get past how you let her stay cooped up in that house. You could have stepped up, Nixx. Just something.” I felt that too. I totally could have done something. If I were him, I would have stepped up.
“I am feeling pretty weak. It has been like that for a bit now, Edeline.” The downer vibes from a wolf that used to be strong weighed heavily on him.
With my fists clenched, I stood there, giving him a serious look. I was so over everyone acting like they were weak! “I get it, Nixx! Percival felt the same way! Gaspar too, and William! Just break the cycle like we all did! Change is possible, but it starts with you! Quit feeling sorry for yourself and head to a cabin or something. Seriously, go hang out with William for a bit! He can help you out! Dad won’t mind if it means you’re improving! Just stop sulking. You’ve got this!” I shot him a fierce look, channeling my inner Conor.
His eyes flickered from shock to anger in an instant, veins popping as he yanked at his cuffs, desperate for freedom. “Alright, Edeline. But seriously, sis, what did you really achieve when you 'bettered' yourself, huh?” His voice was laced with frustration, each word spat out sharply.
I squinted, pulled my arm out of my hoodie sleeve, and flashed him my tattoo. His eyebrows shot up, the realization dawning on him as he opened his mouth to respond. “You can totally do this. Just because Percival has the Alpha title now doesn’t mean you’re not needed anymore. Tatiana really needs you to get your act together. Her dad has a pack with no guy to take over his spot.” I leaned in closer, our noses almost touching. “So get it together, big brother. I'm not going to feel sorry for you like everyone else.”
As I backed away, I kept my eyes locked on his. A small smile crept onto his lips, and I could see it sinking in—there's a spot for him after all.
He shook his head, clearly amused.
…
On my way to the training field, I felt a surge ripple through me. I needed to take my wolf out for a bit. I had to smash a few things… bones.
Nixx and I parted ways on a decent vibe, but it stirred up some not-so-great memories, and I just had to let it all out.
Tatiana kept popping into my mind, and I felt a pang of guilt for not being there for her or Mirabelle. I had totally ditched everyone because I was being selfish.
I pulled my new cellphone out of my pocket and scrolled through my contacts until I landed on Mirabelle.
My mom had surprised me with this new phone yesterday. She said Dad insisted she pass it on to me. Percival had been the one to pick it out, and I didn’t want to turn it down because it made sense to have one right now. Mom told me that as Luna—whether I liked it or not—I had to be able to communicate with the pack until I went through some ceremony. Then I could finally connect with the high-ranking wolves.
It was a pressing call, and the line rang three times before Mirabelle finally answered, sounding a bit light and confused.
“Hey there?”
I couldn’t help but smile to myself; it was nice to hear her voice. “Hey Mirabelle, it’s Edeline!”
She gasped. “Oh my gosh! Edeline!” I could almost picture her covering the phone, her voice muffled as she hissed, “Stop! Leave me alone! It’s Edeline!” Then, clearer, “Edeline, it’s so great to hear from you!!! How’s everything going?”
Curiosity bubbled within me about which poor soul Mirabelle had managed to charm over at Celestial Moon. Trying not to laugh, I replied, “It’s… it’s good. Different. But good. How are you? You doing okay?”
There was a brief pause on the line. “Hey Edeline! I’m doing awesome, seriously. I really love it here, and I think I want to stick around.”
This totally blew my mind. “Seriously?”
“Totally!”
I bit my lip, hesitating for a moment before asking, "How are you dealing with... everything?" I wasn’t ready to say it outright—losing the pup felt like a wound that was still fresh, even if it had been a month. "I just found out... I'm really sorry, Mirabelle. I know I haven't been in touch much lately..."
“Hey, it’s all good. Seriously,” she replied, her tone surprisingly upbeat. “I get it, and honestly, I’m doing better than I expected. I was feeling pretty lonely, and I thought getting a pup would help with that, but it didn’t really work out that way. Turns out, the moon had other plans for me—like getting me pregnant so I could come here and support Tatiana and myself. It’s all about growth and finding happiness, and I think I’m on the right track. I can’t share too much right now, but we’ll be visiting soon to sort out the paperwork for my transfer from Praimfaya Moon.”
My heart tightened at the thought of her leaving. “You really sure about that, Mirabelle? I just don’t want you to be away for too long... this isn’t it.”
“I’m sure.” There was a genuine happiness in her voice that I hadn’t heard in a while.
I hit rewind, my mind racing. “Wait... you said ‘we.’ Is Tatiana coming along too?”
A quiet moment stretched between us.
“Uh, no. Conor’s bringing me...”
My lips curled up at the mention of his name. “No way!? I’m so excited to see you! And Conor too. I really miss him. We got super close while I was there. Can you do me a favor? Just tell him I said hi? And send my love to Tatiana. I want to catch up with her soon too!”
“I’ll catch you later, Edeline. I really miss you!”
“I miss you too, Eed! So, have you met anyone new yet?”
A super cute giggle came through the phone. “I have. I’ll share it later though. Wait! I said I’m on the phone! Oh... oh!” Then, a low, playful growl echoed in the background. A dude growl. “Hey Edeline! I gotta bounce. I’ll call you later, okay?”
It sounded like she was caught up in something flirty. I chuckled to myself—classic Mirabelle. “Alright. Love ya. See ya!”
“Bye!” And just like that, the line went dead, leaving me smiling at the remnants of our conversation.
Hmm.
I was curious about who it might be! Half the guys there were total horn dogs, so it could really be anyone... maybe even...
Nope. Not Damon.
But like, maybe...
She’s totally his type.
…
Percival
Grey skies and dark clouds drifted overhead, scattered across the vast expanse of the sky. Sweat ran down my back, the wind slowly cooling my skin as I tried to catch my breath. Lately, I’d been ignoring the weather and just living in sweatpants and shoes. Training with Gaspar felt easier this way—more relaxed and free.
I scanned the field, taking in my crew: the ladies on one side and the guys on the other, all of us practicing under the watchful eyes of the generals. A field full of wolves, set and ready to go.
But today? I just wasn’t feeling it.
This was the second day without seeing Edeline, and the absence gnawed at me. We had connected so deeply the other night, and for the first time in ages, I had woken up to a good night’s sleep since everything fell apart with Tatiana. I’d found a note on my pillow, the paper still smelling faintly like her.
She had written that she didn’t leave; she just wanted to keep things cool and recover at her folks' place. I understood her need for space, but part of me wished she had woken me up so I could help her get there. There was no way she was walking right after what we’d shared.
A smile crept onto my lips as I remembered our time together, but a lingering sadness tugged at my heart. She had said she’d track me down once she felt better. That was today! The impatience was overwhelming, pushing me to train harder, to be tougher on my competitors.
I wiped the sweat from my tattooed and scarred chest, tossing my dirty shirt aside and gulping down some water.
“Alpha!” A familiar feminine voice broke through my thoughts. I turned to see Jazz strutting over, her big smile instantly recognizable.
“What’s up, Jazz?” I replied, trying to keep my expression tough, but I could see her smile falter.
This girl... my old buddy... seemed to have developed a crush on me since I’d taken charge. She was always flirting, trying to show off around me, which was the last thing I needed.