The border guards watched me as I passed them, bowing their heads slightly, acknowledging me. I didn’t pay them much attention, intent on running out my frustration.
Soon, I was at the edge of our border and following it around, miles to the edge of the garden. I paused, stilled. I closed my eyes, moving one step closer to the blood-stained grass between the carnations and hollyhocks. Someone had tried to pour water over the spot and clear the blood, but it had only diluted the color and spread it out.
I stepped in front of it, bending my head down to sniff Isla’s scent on the grass, a faint aroma of grapefruits and lemon zest. My wolf whimpered, dropping down into the grass, rolling in the remainder of my sister. When I stood, her scent was coating me like a cloak, keeping everything else away from me.
I lifted my head and bellowed, my heartache echoing through the woods. The trees shook at the power and a squirrel scattered around a bush. The sound continued until I ran out of breath, panting, and whining.
In the distance, one, two, ten, and hundreds of howls added onto mine, my pack standing in solitude and remembrance of their Luna’s sister. Rush wolf, a sharp gray and tan mixture, appeared at the edge of the woods. I walked into him, rubbing my head against his chest, under his head. He nuzzled my face, breathing warmly into my fur.
As the howls subsided, so did a piece of the weight on my body. Isla may have been gone, but I wasn’t alone; that and Rush were the only two reasons I followed my mate back to our home.
Glory
The sympathetic looks and apologies from the pack stopped a week after the funeral. I was glad that people no longer associated me with Isla’s death. I was their Luna; I was supposed to be strong. I didn’t want them to think of me as a victim, even if my own sister was.
Beckett had been uncharacteristically quiet and agreeable, taking every insult I said to him with humility, even if it was cruel. Rush grabbed his shoulder like he was thanking him, allowing my anger to dissipate as I spat insults at him. He sat in our meetings about pack safety, helping Rush with their plans to keep the pack safe.
Cordelia had not been back to the packhouse, except for Isla’s funeral, and I was thankful she didn’t put up a fight, I didn’t have the energy to battle her.
I opened Rush’s office door, he was on the phone, so I sat quietly in the circular chair and waited.
“No, it’s been a week,” he said, rubbing his fingers back and forth over his eyebrows. “Nothing has happened since.” I heard the voice on the other end of the phone murmur something back. “The Paladin pack? Isn’t that Alpha Sorelean’s pack? I’m surprised the hunters even got that close; his borders are impenetrable.”
I stopped paying attention and closed my eyes, leaning my head uncomfortably against the wooden edge of the chair. Rush set the phone in its cradle and scooted his desk chair towards me. His hand stroked my hair soothingly, my eyes peeled open, he grinned. His fingers continued to stroke and play with my hair.
“Have you ever been to a gathering?” he asked. “Maybe with your father?”
“No, but my pack held one a few years ago. I was little, but I wasn’t allowed to go to the packhouse for it.” I yawned.
“Well, Alpha Trissur, my friend, is concerned about the hunters as well. His pack lost two members to bear traps last week. There are no bears near his territory, the traps were meant for them. The neighboring pack was also attacked, although they didn’t lose anyone. Packs across the world are being attacked, threatened; they’re scared.”
“And Alpha Trissur wants to hold a gathering?” I asked, shifting in my seat.
Rush’s hand left my hair and dropped into his lap. “I don’t want what happened to your sister to happen to anyone else.” His eyes were clouded, mouth dipped in a disgruntled frown. I lowered my eyes. His hand grabbed my cold one. “I think we should go.”
“You know how I feel about fighting,” I told him, trying to follow my beliefs, but my thirst for revenge was also scratching at my subconscious.
“If it means keeping you and this pack safe…” he drifted off.
I nodded, squeezing his hand. “When do we leave?”
“Two days from now, his pack is about six or seven hours, so we will leave early in the morning. Beckett is coming with us as well as Kenna’s father, Ander. My father will be in charge while we are gone.”
The two days passed rather quickly, and I was woken up in the dark by Rush’s loud voice.
“You better be getting out of bed, or I’m going to throw you in the cold shower,” he threatened from the bathroom. I rolled over and tried to motivate myself to move. Rush tore the blankets away and picked me up in his arms.
“No, no, I’m up,” I promised, cringing at the thought of the cold shower.
He paused and laughed loudly. “Are you sure?”
I nodded and kissed his cheek. He grinned at the kiss and set me on my feet. I quickly fixed my hair and put on a minuscule amount of makeup. I knew I needed to look presentable, but Isla was always the one to dress me up and tell me what to wear; I couldn’t do it on my own.
Rush was slipping a chestnut belt around navy blue pants, tucking a white shirt into the waistband. His shoes matched the color of the belt, and his blazer was hung on the mirror, awaiting his departure.
I stripped my pajamas off, the white bra and black panties I had worn
