In times of peril, when our pack was in some form of danger or another, some part of our wolf form would activate early, and kids, who normally shifted for the first time around ten or so, would start their transitions earlier. Too early. The first time shifting wasn’t easy. It was painful and confusing, especially without the proper guidance. Darren was the third one so far.
“We need to take care of this before it gets any worse,” I said, rubbing my face. “The problem is finding out how the hell to stop it.”
“And no one’s found any leads on that?” Sam asked, looking out toward the town.
“No. I’ve got a couple of men researching it, and I know the elders are searching through ancient texts about it, but no one has come up with anything definitive yet.”
“And the Oracle?”
“She’s been casting bones or looking in her crystal ball or whatever it is she does,” I said. The Oracle was secretive by nature, and no one actually knew her process or how she received prophecies, only that she had special insight. “But if she’s learned anything, then she’s keeping it to herself.”
“She would do that?”
I shrugged. Sweat and dirt clung to my skin, drying into a thin crust as the sun continued to beat down mercilessly.
“If she thought staying quiet was the right move for town, then I wouldn’t put it past her,” I said, scratching my chin. “There’s also the chance that she’s just preoccupied with other things.”
“Like the ceremony?” Sam asked with a knowing smirk. “I doubt she’s the only one preoccupied with that.”
“Rachel spoke with Emma yesterday,” I said. “She said she seemed a bit on edge about the whole thing, but more or less accepting of it. But I’m sure it’s still going to take her some adjusting.”
“I doubt she’s the only one who’s still getting used to the situation,” Sam remarked, still eyeing me.
“The pack and the elders will just have to deal with it,” I snarled. “If they—”
“I’m not talking about the pack or the elders,” Sam said as a smirk began to spread across his face. “And I don’t think you think that’s who I’m talking about, anyway.”
“Don’t know who else you might be talking about in that case,” I growled, earning me an amused snort and a shake of his head.
Sam rolled his eyes. “I swear, you are one of the most stubborn people I’ve ever known. Since you’re deliberatelysidestepping my not-so-subtle prods, I guess I’ll just ask flat out: howareyou feeling?”
“Annoyed,” I growled. “This sand wraith has been causing nothing but a pain in the ass for who knows how long, and we’re no closer to figuring out where it’s holed up or how to stop it.”
Sam bobbed his head back and forth. “I meant about the mating ceremony, but sand wraith works, too.”
I frowned as I turned to look at Sam. After a moment, I shrugged.
“What do you want me to say?” I asked.
Rolling his eyes and slowing to a stop, Sam faced me, arms folded as he raised one eyebrow. “You found out a couple of weeks ago that not only do you have a fated mate destined to be your luna, but you also have to mate her in less than a month of finding this out. And that’s not including the fact that she’s someone we’ve known since we were kids, and someone who ran away from the pack.Andalso happens to have a daughter. Not one of those pieces of information caused you to feel anything about the whole situation?”
I didn’t answer, not right away. I did legitimately give the question merit. But the truth was, in my opinion, it didn’t matter what I thought or how I felt. It was going to happen whether I was ecstatic or miserable. Why dwell on it more than that?
After a moment of debate, I let out a breath. “If you must know, it’s been a bit of a blur. It wasn’t like I expected to have to take a luna this quickly. Let alone one I didn’t have any say in. But that’s not my choice, is it? I have to follow pack tradition and do what’s right for my people.”
Sam scratched his chin as he continued to eye me with an annoying shrewdness. “You just never really struck me as themarrying type. You’ve always been more focused on the pack and its well-being than anything else.”
“Sure,” I replied. “And that’s exactly why I’m going through with this ceremony, whether I like how it’s playing out.”
“You’re not upset that you didn’t get a say? It’s fine if you are. Emma definitely is.”
“It’s my duty as pack alpha,” I said. “That’s all. I never expected to be able to take whatever mate I chose.”
“And the bit where the Oracle told you that you and Emma were fated mates?” Sam asked.
I didn’t answer for a long moment. I hadn’t given myself time to think much about that bit, not with everything else going on. But in the end, it didn’t matter one way or the other, so why think too hard about it?
“It’s just background noise,” I said dismissively. “If we’re fated mates, then I guess we are, whatever the hell that means. It doesn’t change anything.”
