Awakened by the Moon

5. Micah

5

MICAH

Stark looks precisely how I remember him. Of course, being a royal, we’re all similar with our light-colored hair, but Stark and his sister have pale green eyes instead of the usual blue like the rest of us. What I don’t understand is why I can’t sense the other wolves. Stark can shield his presence and those closest in proximity to him, but there’s no way he can cover all the wolves surrounding us.

Stark walks toward me, so I shift into my human form. “How did you find us?” asks Stark.

Cautiously, I look around at the gray wolves. “Her name is Kara, a royal who was part of the original pack before I was born. A few months ago, she came across you and the girls here in the woods.”

Astonishment passes across Stark’s face. “I didn’t know any of the original royals survived.”

“Neither did I,” I say.

Stark looks past me into the woods, where a glowing set of blue eyes bore into mine. “Micah is a royal arctic and a friend,” Stark explains. “You can trust him.”

I can’t see the wolf other than his eyes, but then he appears out of the trees—a black wolf. A vision flashes through my mind like a sharp pain slicing through my brain. I can see violence and blood, and in the middle of it all is a black wolf. The level of despair in my gut feels like the weight of a thousand boulders. The scene in my head shifts to Faith, and I can see her screaming in agony. Closing my eyes, I shake my head, and the memory disappears. How can it be a memory? I’ve never seen a black wolf before, nor would I ever forget seeing Faith in that kind of anguish.

“Lyall, you okay?” Stark’s voice draws me back. He’s by my side, his eyes lit with worry.

“I’m fine,” I lie, hating the unease that’s settled in my chest. The black wolf shifts, and a man stands in its place. His hair is as dark as night, which is a complete contrast to the light blue of his eyes. The unsettled feeling goes away, but I can sense its effects lingering in my mind.

Extending his hand, the guy smiles. “Any friend of Stark’s is a friend of mine. I’m Soren Blackridge, Alpha of the Black Hills pack.”

I shake his hand. “Micah Lyall.”

Stark claps a hand on my shoulder. “What brings you here, brother?”

Releasing Soren’s hand, I look at all the wolves before focusing solely on him. “After you fell off the face of the earth, everyone was worried about you and the girls. I told them I’d find you.”

Stark’s smile fades. “f**k, man. I’m sorry to put you out. I meant to call Colin and tell him we’re okay. When we joined up with these guys,” he says, flourishing a hand at all the wolves, “time just escaped me. The girls and I have been slammed with work.”

“Work? What have you been doing?”

Stark smirks. “We have a lot to catch up on. Where are you staying?”

I nod toward the south. “In a cabin out that way. It’s off Pine Knob Drive.”

“Yeah, I think I know which one you’re talking about,” Stark replies.

Soren clears his throat. “Why don’t you go back, grab some clothes, and hang out with us tonight? It’ll give you and Stark a chance to catch up.”

Stark places a hand on my shoulder. “And we can call Colin together. I have a lot of apologizing to do for disappearing.”

“You’re damn right on that,” I agree.

By the regret in his eyes, I can tell he feels terrible. Stark blows out a sigh and stretches his neck from side to side. “I’ll run back to my house really quick, and then I’ll come to get you. Give me about twenty minutes?”

“That works.”

His body shimmers, and he shifts into his wolf, taking off into the woods with several of the gray wolves. Soren stares at me, almost as if he’s sizing me up. He may be the alpha of a pack, but I’m an alpha in my own right.

“See you in a few,” he mentions, right before shifting into his wolf and chasing after his pack.

The wind begins to blow, and I stare up at the trees as an ominous feeling sweeps over me. It’s almost like déjà vu. I don’t like that I can’t sense Soren and his wolves. Only royals have the power to conceal their presence. Not unless there’s a witch that works for them.

Taking in a deep breath, I blow it out slow and let my magic take over. I race through the forest on all fours, feeling relieved that it’s only my third day in South Dakota, and I’ve already found Stark. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that’s something’s wrong.