“We were on a date, Vlad and I, when a fairy with her wings out walked into Eleanor’s Diner. I knew as soon as Vlad and Fern made eye contact that it was over between him and I. I could practically read the apology across his face.
“Their families were horrified, so they went off across the state. They live in a cute little cabin made perfectly for them. Enough space for her to fly around and enough woods for him to shift freely. They actually created a small community up North.”
“That’s…that’s perfect,” Flora muttered, her eyes wandering away from her mom. Is that what she wanted with Dylan? To run off to a nice little cabin somewhere? No, their situation was different; that wasn’t an option. Dylan had his Pack, and Flora had her business.
“The point of me telling you this is that anything can work out if it’s meant to be.”
“How do you know it’s meant to be?”
“It hits you, suddenly, or gradually. There will be a moment when you just know. And when that moment happens, you’ll wonder how you didn’t know in the first place.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Hmmm, yeah, now who helped you with your hair? Some of this doesn’t look like Willow’s work.”
“Ma — Dylan did,” Flora giggled, guilt for laughing latching onto her soul, knowing he tried his best. “He just needs some practice. Don’t laugh.”
29
FLORA
Flora had never met anyone who brought forth the kinds of feelings Dylan had. Past boyfriends couldn’t hold a candle to him. He made her feel wanted, appreciated, and beautiful. It was honestly hard to put into words. Waking the next morning, her eyes stayed glued to his sleeping form cuddled up to her.
He was perfect. He didn’t care about being the big spoon or the little spoon. He didn’t care that she was a panther Shifter. He looked at her,alwayslooked at her. Not her animal, not her business, but her. She couldn’t let that go.
She dragged her fingertips up his arm which was wrapped around her pulling her in even closer. She never wanted to think of a time without him. But how did she tell him that without him hightailing it out of there? Brushing his hair out of his face, she bit the inside of her cheek.
“You're my soulmate,” she whispered, cuddling into his arms as tight as she could. “I know it.”
She couldn’t tell how he felt, not on something to this level. Soulmates in the supernatural world were your one-and-only. Flora wasn’t sure which of the other species had an instant connection, but with Dylan, she had a connection. She fell for him fast and hard, and that should have made her nervous. It should have made her hesitate and question herself, but she was so sure that Dylan was her mate. She could bite him right now, leaving her permanent mark that would pair them together forever. He wasn’t ready, though. She could read it in his eyes and his behavior; he still kept her at a distance. Still, she fell asleep, hoping he’d stay with her in the end.
She woke once more, the sound of the shower letting her know he was still around. Rolling out of bed, she decided she needed some air. Fresh air, with the wind whipping between her ears and her tail trailing behind her. Leaving a note on his nightstand, she rushed out to shift in the backyard.
Practically ripping her clothes off, she made it to the protected woods and shifted. Her panther was always ready to play. Staying in the Packhouse made Flora realize how cooped up she kept her animal. Her animal side needed to be let out way more than her human side did. Flora tried to be more in tune with her panther. To take care of her panther as her panther took care of her. Climbing trees and dodging bushes, she played for what felt like hours but must've been mere minutes.
Her instinct told her something was wrong. She couldn’t pick up a specific scent but the air was...off. An unknown scent filled her nose but she couldn't place her finger on why it seemed familiar. Another Pack member maybe? Shit, there was a stranger on Enchanted Pack territory. Flora made the quick decision not to confront the stranger and to hightail it back to Jackson and have him handle it.
She was fast, but whoever was there was faster, more prepared than she was. A figure looped a leash and collar around her panther’s neck. Her racing body was yanked backwards. Landing on her back, she scrambled to get up. She tried to claw at anything: trees, bushes, rocks, to slow the pace of her capture. Her gut told her this wasn't a test but the real deal. She was failing to escape either way. The collar punctured her all around her neck, weakening her more.
Whipping her head back, she spotted Romeo. He had control of the leash as Cassandra walked forward. Flora's panther tried to scratch and bite her attackers, but Cassandra was smart and avoided getting close enough. Flora let out a deafening roar, her last attempt at escape, in hopes someone would hear her.
She wasn’t alone anymore. She had people she could depend on. Unfortunately, none of them were fast enough to stop Cassandra’s needle from piercing her body, quickly leaving her limp and unconscious.
30
DYLAN
Astark mixture of ice and dread covered Dylan’s body the moment the first echo of Flora's roar met his sensitive ears. He couldn’t move fast enough, stepping over his Packmates as every person in the house rushed outside to investigate.
“Flora!” he screamed, praying he wasn’t too late. He had one damn job that he was fucking failing at again. He dashed through the same woods where she was supposed to be safe. On the same Pack land that was supposed to keep everyone safe. All under the rules of The Council, where they were to live peacefully and could be happy.
But he fucking knew — he knew the type of people Cassandra and Romeo were. He worked against those types of people for years. They didn’t play by the rules; they never would. And neither would he.
“I can’t pick up a fresh scent,” Jackson confirmed as they met in the middle of the forest. Trees surrounded the empty walkway the Pack had been carving out for years.
“Oh my God,” Luxe said, tracing her hand along a tree with deep scratches, likely made by Flora.
Fuck. He failed her again.
