As I wrestled with these questions, I noticed Damon's sudden shift in demeanour. His face was pale, his eyes wide with fear. Something about the Moon Key pack had struck a chord within him.
"Damon," I growled, unable to mask my impatience. "What's wrong?"
"Erica," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "She's one of them." My heart thundered in my chest, the revelation sending a jolt of adrenaline through my veins. My fated mate was not only connected to the pack we were now sworn to protect but was also in danger from the same ruthless enemies.
"Then we have no time to waste," I declared, my voice hard and resolute. "We need to find Erica and the Moon Key pack before it's too late." As I looked around at the men who had stood by my side for years, I knew that together, we would face whatever darkness lay ahead. For our pack, for my mate, and for the future we all fought so desperately to protect.
Chapter 8
Liam
Therainoutsidemywindow blurred the world beyond, like a veil of sorrow shrouding my thoughts. I paced my father’s office, unable to shake the image of Erica's face from my mind. The weight of the curse bore down on me; the knowledge that I had to bond with a mate before I turned thirty or the entire pack would perish. But now, it wasn't just the curse that troubled me; it was her. My father and the others in the room had been talking for the last thirty minutes while I did everything I could just to keep myself and my wolf calm. Something kept niggling at the back of my mind, like it was trying to come forward.
“Well, this certainly complicates things,” Gregg said, and I heard Gideon huff.
“That’s an understatement.”
“I don’t see how,” Damon snapped, “We needed to look for the Moon Key pack, now we have a more pressing reason to.”
“That’s true,” my father said, “But with Trenton’s death I fear that the rest of the pack may try to make a rash decision and disappear before we have a chance to find them.”
“Then what the fuck are we doing sitting here and discussing it for?” Damon slammed his fist on the table. I turned in time to see him wince from his injuries.
“Well first off,” Gregg said, “You aren’t going anywhere until you’ve had yourself checked over at the hospital.” Damon glanced up at me quickly and then huffed.
“I’m fine,” he mumbled.
I still felt guilty about what I did, and I knew that he was pissed at me, but I wasn’t too worried about lasting damage. As werewolves we healed quickly, but if any bones were out of place they would need to be re-broken and healed properly.
“Maybe you should go and get seen,” I said and Damon glared at me again.
“Trying to get rid of me, already?” he snapped. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
“Fuck Damon,” I said. “How many more times do I have to apologise?” Surely he understood. Or maybe he didn’t, I’m not sure I would have until today. The power of the fated mate bond was like something I had never experienced and couldn’t even begin to explain it. It was like my entire world had narrowed down to that beautiful redhead goddess. She had got her claws into me like a cat.
“Enough, both of you,” My father said, his Alpha tone edging his command. We both bowed our heads slightly and complied.
Cat? Whatever it was that was at the back of my mind seemed to brighten. Musk huffed in my head.
“Kitten,” he growled and an image of a little girl or maybe four or five leapt into my mind.
“Kitten,” I said out loud and everyone looked at me confused. Then it hit me like a wave and a flood of memories and emotions smashed into me all at once.
“Dad,” I said with a grin that I couldn’t contain. “Moon Key pack. That is the first time I came on pack business with you, right?” My father furrowed his eyebrows but nodded.
“Kitten,” I said again, and I was met with blank confusion, all apart from Damon whose eyes widened.
“Holy shit,” he said and everyone looked between us. He looked up at me. “Are you sure?” he asked, and I nodded. I was as sure as I was that I was standing here.
“Someone wanna share with the studio audience?” Jacob asked, and I turned to my father.
“Remember the little redhead girl, she was the Gamma’s daughter. She used to follow me around everywhere.” I could see the realisation in my father’s eyes as Damon huffed.
“Ha,” he said, “Follow you around? You encouraged her all the time.” I grinned at him and he grinned back.
“I called her Kitten because she would hide and then try to pounce on me,” I said, “She would puff out her chest and declare she wasn’t a kitten, but a fierce wolf.”
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Gregg said with a grin. My father was also grinning and shaking his head in disbelief.
