114- The Wolf's Choice
POV Lunara Grimwald:
“Let’s run a bit more. I’ll send some men to check what can be taken from the deer’s remains,” he said.
I ran beside him, exploring parts of the forest I didn’t know. The wind against my face felt delightful, and my thick coat kept me from feeling the cold.
“Are we really safe out here?” I asked when we reached a point far from Eldoria, close to another village’s border.
“No one will come near you—not while I’m by your side, little wolf. I’ll kill anyone who dares approach too closely.”
I sat on my hind legs, a wave of lethargy washing over me—a deep, aching sadness. He sensed my emotions and came closer.
“What is it?” he asked.
I let out a sorrowful whine.
“I’m worried about Elowen. Her birthday is coming, and with it, her first transformation. She’s out there alone, with no one to guide her,” I lamented.
He sat beside me.
“I’m looking for her, Lunara. But so far, I haven’t heard of any she-wolf. No one in the city knows or has seen anyone like Elowen. But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop searching. I’ve sent the men I trust most to find her,” he whispered.
“I know... and I’m grateful. But I won’t have peace until I find my sister. She’s all the family I have left. I feel responsible for her, as the oldest. I won’t rest until I do,” I said firmly.
“We’ll find her. I promise,” he assured me.
Edric rubbed against me, licking and nuzzling me with affectionate gestures, trying to distract me from the longing I felt for Elowen. I let out a few soft murmurs, approving his affection and asking silently for more.
The mood between us became light again—playful, warm. I felt fed and content, as did he.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so... happy, as I did in that moment by his side. It felt perfect, as though we were made for each other—fated mates.
I dismissed the absurd thought, forcing myself to stay grounded. Edric wasn’t my fated mate—he was Catalina’s. A wolf had only one destined partner in its entire life.
I wouldn’t fool myself, no matter how loudly that truth echoed inside me like an alarm.
So I stopped overthinking and simply enjoyed every second, transformed at his side, savoring the feeling of safety and freedom.
(...)
POV Edric Eldoria:
I reviewed the reports from the last timber shipments that were sold while I was away, helping Lunara deal with her heat. I was pleased with the results — Anton and Andrei had done a great job.
With the pack things were going very well, and with the little she-wolf, even more so. She shared the bed with me every night, lying safe in my arms as we slept. For the whole last week we slept amid the chaos of the nest she had built; she wouldn't let me dismantle it in any way.
Sleeping in a bed full of clothes wasn't very comfortable, but I did it to please her — she seemed to appreciate my scent and my company.
She also acted a little strange at times. She would snarl at me in her sleep, unaware, before picking up my scent and calming down. She had grown more skittish and aggressive. I had no idea what was wrong with her. She didn't seem bothered by the behavior, so neither was I.
The only thing that truly still worried me was that damned traitor. Alessio was quiet, but he wouldn't stay that way for long. His life's goal was to get his hands on Lunara, while mine was to kill him.
Just thinking about the mere possibility made me irritated and ready to tear heads off. My wolf lost control at the thought of Lunara being in danger.
Anton drummed his fingers on the table, thoughtful. “I've noticed something different about you,” he commented.
I dragged my eyes to him and dropped the reports onto the table. “Like what, for example?”
He shrugged, pressing his lips together. “I don't know... you seem lighter, more open.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“It had been many, many years since I'd seen you like this, so relaxed.”
I sighed, rubbing a hand through my hair and pulling the strands back. “I think it's time to leave my past behind,” I confessed. “I've been thinking about it for a while, questioning whether I should or not, but... it no longer feels like I have a choice.”
“What do you mean?”
I flopped back in my chair, resting my spine against the back and put my feet up on the wooden table, assuming a relaxed posture. I folded my hands in front of me. “My wolf chose Lunara's she-wolf. It's as if there's some... connection between our animals. It's been that way from the start; that's why I lost control when I tracked her in heat, lost in the middle of the forest.” I blinked. “That's how I felt when we shifted and I hunted for her.”
Anton half-closed his eyes. “You think Lunara could be your destined mate?”
I shook my head. “I don't know what to think or believe, I only know that she means too much to me — I can't bear to imagine a life in which she is no longer present.”
He laughed, rocking his body. “That to me smells like passion, love, or whatever name you want to give it.”
I snorted.