Bound By Legend

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: CRACKED IN HALF

LEORIC

I felt her before I even saw her. Yet, nothing could’ve prepared me for the ethereal image that crossed the threshold. The breath left my lungs as soon as the lights shone on her.

She looked like she had descended from the Moon Goddess herself.

She stood tall, reverent, and empowered. I hadn’t seen her like that in years. Dressed in the purple lycansilk handwoven from Stonehaven–handpicked by Rhiannon. The encrusted moonstones were more than I could’ve ever hoped for.

The smell of moon flowers materialized next to me. “Uma Valentine.” I said.

“You are so boring. You never jump.” She pouted.

I smiled, my eyes still glued to Reverie as she floated around the room with a smile that could stop the violent world in its tracks. “I don’t have the luxury of being caught off guard. Not even by a Shadow.”

“Ugh. That’s literally my whole job though. It’s insulting.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Always on point.” She whispered and discreetly showed me a flash drive. “No clue what’s on this. Reverie was already two steps ahead before Seth warned us something was up with Christine.”

“She isn’t here.”

“Isn’t that interesting?” Uma whispered before she disappeared.

My gaze scanned the crowd. I was the only Lycan present as far as I knew–aside from my mate.

Not that she remembered.

My heart ached. So many years lost. So much she had forgotten.

The moonlight shone through the open windows and seemed to cling around her form. The rays looked like they were greeting an old friend, and welcoming her back to herself. Kamari lingered near the surface, protectively observant. Our eyes collided and a slow smile spread across her mouth.

Reverie and I stepped toward one another, but Alpha Knox from Golden Ray had intercepted her. Awkwardly, I detoured to the drinks nearby as if that had been my intention.

“Luna Reverie? And here I thought you were just the pack doctor of Solvane Frost–not that I think pack doctors, let alone you are less than a Luna. I was just surprised to find out. Had I known, I would’ve just included you on the invitation next to your Alpha.” Alpha Knox said smoothly. “I hope you are not offended by my transgression.”

“He is not my Alpha. I am not his Luna. You heard Alpha Father Seth? I am simply, Honorary Luna Reverie,” She shot back. I nearly drowned in my drink but recovered with a cough I was so startled. I felt her eyes on me and smiled as she continued. “You have committed no offense, because it really isn’t any of your business either way. I say that bluntly, not with disrespect, Alpha Knox.”

He laughed. “You truly are fascinating. I am not offended.”

“What is it you want with me, Alpha Knox? I have already made it clear I do not have the time, or energy to beat around the bush.”

“I would like to dance with you. Maybe even have the chance to court you.”

My heart thundered in my chest. Of course he beat me to it. I am one of a handful of people that knew the truth about her current mate bond. This is a mating ball. To every Alpha in here pining for an heir, she is a worthy candidate. s**t.

“Her heat.” I whispered and tried to remember the date and the moons. She is due for a heat soon isn’t she?

The undercurrent of a growl from Kieran sounded from somewhere in the room. I cut my gaze in his direction. Delilah covered his mouth, Seth glared at him as he marched towards the two of them.

Reverie’s voice floated back across the ballroom to reclaim my attention. “Alpha Knox. Thank you for the offer. I am sure you are a fine Alpha. Whoever gets to call you their mate will be very lucky. That person though, will never be me.”

“The lady wounds me.” Knox said as he dramatically clutched his chest with a grin.

She smiled. “I don’t want to waste your time and lead you on. I truly have no time for romance between my work and other commitments. Besides, I promised someone else all of my dances for the evening.”

My stomach dropped.

Who? What? When?

Our eyes connected once more, and my entire being lit up. Me. She meant me.

The music shifted as she slowly walked over to me and smiled.

“Leo.”

“Rev.”

“Dance with me?”

“It would be an honor, My Queen.” I whispered, took her hand and spun her around the room, my hand slid around her waist like it belonged there. The sensation of our mate bond shot across my body like lightning.

It was so sudden and powerful, it left me breathless.

Reverie laughed as we twirled. Her hazel eyes twinkled in the lights. She looked so much like her daughter, filled with freedom and joy in that moment. I wanted to take her from that place, that moment and reunite them. It'd been far too long.

We moved fluidly, together as one. Like we were both sides of time in one hourglass. I was the foundation of her protection, she was the sky I’d never quite catch. I held her closely, inhaled her vanilla cream scent. Lost in that moment. Kamari nuzzled into Koda in the mental sanctuary of our bond.

Until she was ripped from my arms by none other than a sobbing Christine Solvane and she moved to slap my mate across the face as she screamed. “You f*****g ungrateful w***e!”

Koda and Kamari saw the act before it came and reacted before Reverie and I could. Both caught Christine’s wrist with a growl. “How dare you try to touch her.”

“How dare you!! You forced the coma on Draven!!! I saw the hospital footage myself! You induced the coma on your last shift!”

Reverie laughed. “My last shift? I induced a coma? Without my patient OR their next of kin’s permission?? Tell me why exactly I would do that?”

She released the wrist, I followed her lead and did the same. “Luna Christine. You raise your hand to Luna Reverie again and I will make you regret your life decisions the last seven years.”

“Alpha Leoric. This is not only a matter of wolves, but internally Solvane Frost. Your Lycan spirit doesn’t need to trouble yourself with it. Reverie is not our Luna. I am.” Christine snapped.

“I have let it be known that Luna Reverie has more than earned her place as Honorary Luna here. Daughter. You will act accordingly.”

“Father. My son is in a coma because of this wretched creature. If your son were here–”

“Don’t you ever weaponize my deceased son against me again. Satori trained you better than this. You want to call yourself a Luna of this Pack? You need to act like one!”

“My son is in a coma!”

“Tell me again, why would I risk my multiple degrees, reputation and life for this half-c****d plan of inducing a coma on Draven?” Reverie looked at her nail as she smoothly focused the room back on track.

Christine stammered, unable to process Reverie’s ability to stand against her. Christine’s gaze jumped between Reverie and I. “Oh? You think because you can hide behind a Lycan you have the power! Laughable. You are nothing but the wandering orphan doctor we found.”

I moved to growl and correct her accordingly, but Reverie raised a hand to stop me. “Tell me why? I am dying to know.”

“I saw the hospital footage!”

“Uma. When was my last shift at the Pack Hospital?” Reverie announced loudly.

Uma’s playful voice came over the speaker system. “Hmm….good question. Could it have been maybe a month ago? Or was it two? I can’t remember. Oh wait….I think I have something to remind us all.”

There was a click, and I assumed she hit play on the recorder. Reverie’s voice cut across the recorder as the accompanying security video footage with time and date stamped on it, appeared. “This concludes the yearly checkup of Grandmother Satori. I have also concluded my notes to hand over to her new doctor. As well as finishing all of the turnover from the hospital as well.”

The video continued rolling as it showed Delilah and Kieran in compromising positions in what I knew was one of the courtyards of Solvane Frost.

“What about my brother? Are you going to file for divorce?” Kieran asked as he stared at Delilah.

“Draven is half in his grave anyway. Let’s help him along.” She cozied up to him on the bench, to anyone that didn’t know the actual situation, it looked like a brother-in-law comforting his brother’s wife.

Uma stopped the recording. “Ooh, not a good look you two.”

Christine stood agape, Seth looked like he had swallowed a bee. The entire room was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

I smirked. These two are diabolical.

Reverie stepped forward, Kamari glowed in her eyes as her nails extended. She placed a finger under Christine’s chin.

“I have hours and hours of footage. Thousands of documents. Keep pushing me, and I will not hesitate to expose every single skeleton in Solvane Frost’s closet.”

Kieran was so stunned he couldn’t even react. Delilah was mortified.

“Don’t be a killjoy! Let’s push play for a bit longer….” Uma teased.

“That won’t be necessary.” Reverie replied. “They get the point. Don’t we? Christine?”

Christine glared at Reverie but said nothing as Seth grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the Gala. Delilah followed after them awkwardly. Kieran sneered at the two of us.

I offered him a debonair smirk. Then extended a hand to his legal wife. “Shall we resume our dance?”

Reverie grinned. “The first one was free. The second will cost you a drink.”

“Only if we drink honey sugar tea. We both know you can’t hold your liquor.” I agreed.

“Reverie. We need to go fix this mess.” Kieran snapped from the doorway. She looked around me with a raised brow.

“No. YOU need to go fix this mess. I have a Gala to run. A very important one your mother nearly ruined with her schemes.”

Two warriors arrived at Kieran’s side. “Miss Valentine and all the evidence are gone without a trace, Alpha.”

“This isn’t over, Reverie.”

“It’s been over, Alpha.” Reverie replied. I bolstered her words with some of my Alpha Lycan aura. He looked as if he were going to attempt to fight against the aura. Delilah made her way back out to him and gave him a look of displeasure. She all but dragged him.

I almost laughed.

Then Delilah’s dress shifted.

Ever. So. Slightly.

I‘d nearly missed it.

A brand. Bright. As if brand new against the creamy skin of her shoulder blade.

Half revealed–as if it had a spell cast over it that’d begun to wane.

A star, tucked into a crescent moon.

Cracked. In. Half.

My blood froze in my veins.

Only one faction would desecrate such a sacred symbol that way.

One that’d been gone for decades.

Disappeared from sight after despicable crimes.

Or so we thought.

After all of these years?