Slaved By The Moon God

22

As I stepped back into a patch of moonlight, that darkness locked inside me awoke, coiling with my hatred for my mate and the entire Leo pack for what they'd done. Jordan strode toward me, his hands turning to claws as he prepared to attack me again, but I wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction. A flash of cold, dark power burst through me, washing away the pain and the exhaustion, filling me to the brim before spilling out into the forest.

Then the world shifted. I blinked and found myself twenty feet away from Jordan, whose back was to me now. My pure white paws illuminated in another patch of moonlight as I glanced around, wondering how I'd gotten here. Had I blacked out? Were my injuries that bad?

Jordan looked just as confused, swiveling his head around as he searched for me. Then he caught sight of me and his face changed, growing murderous once again. He shifted back into wolf form and bounded toward me at a speed I couldn't hope to match.

Panic filled me again, and I glanced up at the moon, praying to the goddess to help me. Power burst out of me just as Jordan pounced, and then I was standing someplace else, with the moon still shining down on my white fur.

Could it be? Somehow I was jumping between patches of moonlight without moving a muscle. I had no idea how or why, but when I looked up at the moon again for guidance, the magic took me away again, carrying me deep into the forest, away from Jordan. Soon I couldn’t even smell my mate, and I realized I’d finally lost him for the first time since he’d attacked me in the clearing. Just as quickly as it had come upon me, the strange power left in a rush. The extra strength it had provided me left me swaying on my feet, almost ready to collapse. I didn’t dare shift back to my human form.

I glanced around but didn't recognize this part of the forest. I had no clue where to go, but knew I couldn't stay here either. Jordan would keep searching for me.

I limped along, still putting as little pressure on my injured knee as I could. It ground as I walked, awful noises that set my teeth on edge. I was almost ready to collapse and call it a night, right here in the middle of the forest with my enemy still stalking me, when a faint whiff of scent caught my attention. Even though I’d only smelled it once in wolf form, it was as familiar to me as my own. Mira. Thank goodness for my new wolf senses. I’d never have caught that with my human nose.

Mira was with the Pisces pack, and though they'd fled before the m******e started, they’d still be allied with Cancer. Hopefully. Going to them was a better alternative than staying here and praying that Jordan wouldn’t catch up to me. My mind made up, with grim determination the only thing driving me, I bounded toward the scent.

Chapter Nine

I ran through the forest as quickly as I could manage without the adrenaline assisting me. I knew Jordan was still out there, hunting me and tracking my scent, but he wasn’t as present of a threat as he'd been only minutes ago. Somehow I'd gotten away from him, using some power I didn't understand, but I wasn't safe yet.

Mira's scent led me to a small clearing where several vehicles were parked. Pisces shifters ran back and forth, shouting terse orders at each other and quickly packing their things into their cars.

They must really be paranoid to park this far away. Though after what I'd witnessed tonight, maybe not. Or had they known about the impending attack all along? They'd certainly disappeared the second any conflict started, but I had a hard time believing they'd turn against the Cancer pack.

The air was thick with tension, and I swore I could smell fear as I approached. As soon as I stepped into the clearing, I returned to my human form. My wolf had provided me with a little more strength, and my legs gave out the instant I was fully shifted back. I was completely naked, my clothes abandoned when I'd shifted, and covered in blood, both my own and others. My vision swam, and all I could hear was the blood rushing in my ears for several moments as I battled through the pain.

When I came back to my senses, holding onto consciousness by the barest thread, Mira was holding me up. “Ayla?” she was saying over and over as if I'd passed out.

I tried to smile at her, but the best I could manage was an unconvincing twitch of my lips, and then I was crushed to Mira’s chest in a tight hug. I groaned as the motion jostled my hurt knee, looking over Mira’s shoulder. Mira’s new mate rushed over and brought me a blanket, which I gladly accepted to cover my naked body, and I saw the Pisces alpha approaching too. I felt a wave of relief rush through me. I was among allies, I reminded myself. They would help me.

“What happened?” Mira said, drawing me back and looking me over. Her eyes were wide, face ashen as she noted the odd angle of my leg. “Are you okay?"

I shook my head, unable to find the words to express how not okay I was. Now that I'd found a sliver of safety, tears filled my eyes at the thought of everything I'd seen. My father. My pack. My brother. All gone. "What happened after we left?" Mira asked, more insistent this time. "I saw Jordan reject you and then the alphas were arguing, but then the Pisces alpha said we should go in case there was trouble. As we were running away, I heard screaming and I feared..." Her words died off like she couldn't say the rest out loud.