Rise of the Broken Luna

7 Shift and Run

Fawn POV

The minute Seth steps out of my room, my eyes fly open. I don't dare move until I'm sure he is gone. Despite the fact I've been waiting all day for this moment, I'm terrified something could go wrong. If I'm caught running away, I have no idea what Seth might do to me, to my pup. "Push the fear aside because staying here isn't an option. Are you ready to do this, Fawn," Juniper asks.

I still can't believe we are going to shift. I honestly thought we couldn't. I thought I was too weak. "Silly girl, you are the farthest thing from weak. You are about to find out why the goddess insisted we wait to shift. I think despite choosing Seth for us, he was never meant to be our forever," she says. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Why not just lead me to my forever mate? Why put us both through this? Why let my heart be broken by that ba**ard if I was never meant to be his? Why let him have any chance to cause me and my pup any measure of pain?" "I know all of this is hard to understand, Fawn, but none of what the goddess does is meant to hurt her children. We only see a small snippet of time when we are angry and hurt, but she sees the bigger picture. Would you have ever left this pack if this hadn't happened," she asks. I take a second to think about her question even though I immediately know the answer.

"Of course not. This was my home. It's the only pack I've ever known. I had no reason to leave. It's not like omegas are taken to other packs to find their mates." "Exactly, so, despite what's happened, we are going to leave this place and meet the mate that will love us without reservation. That will treat us like his queen. The mate that will choose us and our pup, no matter our rank," she says.

"Honestly, Juniper, the only thing that matters to me right now is escaping this place and protecting our pup. I'm not the least bit interested in finding another mate. I have no problem being a mother and nothing more. Besides, no man is going to want to raise another man's pup, Lyra."

Before she can try to convince me otherwise, the door to the room opens. I'm grateful when it's Derek. I'm shocked when Anna steps in behind him. "Anna, what are you doing here?" "I'm going with you two. I'm not staying in a pack run by a wh*rish low-bred pr*ck who can't think for himself. Who blindly follows his daddy's orders," she says. I couldn't stop the giggle that escaped me even if I wanted to. "Are you ready, Fawn? We have no time to waste. I've told Thorn to keep him busy for as long as he can," he says.

I throw the blankets off my legs and follow them out of the room. We sneak down the hallway that leads to the back of the pack hospital. Thankfully, the hallway is empty. Once we step outside, we take a quick look around before making a mad dash for the trees. My heart feels like it is going to pound out of my chest. The minute we are engulfed in darkness, pain courses through me. This isn't the pain of betrayal. This pain is far worse. We are shifting. "I can't dull the pain Fawn. I have to concentrate on protecting our pup. You are strong. Far stronger than you ever imagined. You can do this, Fawn," she says just as pain ripples through my leg.

Everything around me fades and the only thing I can concentrate is on the pain. I try not to scream, but it's impossible. I feel like I'm being broken into pieces. There isn't a part of my body that isn't on fire. Bone after bone snaps and realigns. I'm not sure how long it lasts because it feels like forever. When the last bone snaps into place, I try to pull air into my lungs and calm my racing heart. "Holy sh*t, that was the fastest shift I've ever seen," Derek says. If he could see my eyes I would be glaring at him.

"You are beautiful, Fawn," Anna says. Juniper sneers and Derek chuckles. "I think you offended Fawn's wolf," he says. "I'm sorry. I don't know your name yet, but you are beautiful. Your fur is a shimmery silver that looks like silk. I've never seen a wolf with such beautiful fur," Anna says. Juniper puffs out her chest like a proud peacock and I giggle.

"As much as I agree, we don't have time to admire Fawn's wolf. Are you ready to run," Derek asks. Juniper nods and I rest in the back of her mind, giving her complete control. Derek and Anna start to strip. I close my eyes to give them some privacy even though wolves don't really care about nudity. A nudge against the side of our head has my eyes opening. It's my turn to be stunned. Derek's wolf is huge with fur that is as black as night. If I didn't know better I would think he was an alpha wolf. I think he is even bigger than Baron.

Anne's wolf is smaller, but I can tell she is fast as she bounces on her paws. Her fur is a pretty chocolate brown color. Derek's wolf grunts and motions for us to follow him. He takes off toward the southern border and Juniper follows close behind him. The sound of paws hitting the dirt just ahead of us has the three of us slowing down. That is until Anna's wolf runs toward the wolves. As soon as they see her, they don't even stop. They must assume she has checked this area.

Once they are out of sight, Derek's wolf takes off again. After another few seconds, we cross the imaginary line that separates the Fire Moon pack from the rest of the world. We are now in neutral territory, which means we need to be careful of rogues. "Rest Fawn. Our pup is safe, and soon we will be far away from this place. I do what she says and close my eyes. I dream of a little girl with big blonde curls and ice blue eyes.

Seth POV

"Alpha, what's going on? Is the Luna alright," a soft female voice asks from behind me. "Where the hell is my Luna?" She looks around me like I can't see the bed is empty. "She was there when I checked on her an hour ago, Alpha," she says. I whirl on her. Baron is fighting me for control. The woman, who I assume is a nurse, takes a step back. Fear clearly written on her face. "Get Evans now," I scream. She scurries away as I start to pace the room. Maybe there is a perfectly good explanation. There has to be a perfect good explanation for why my Luna isn't in her bed.

Gabriella's words about Anna asking to be near the hospital for patrol has me opening my link to her. My heart starts to race when I can't reach her. Why the hell can't I reach her? "Alpha, I can't find Dr. Evans," the same nurse says. I immediately open my pack link. "The Luna is missing. I believe she has been taken by Dr. Evans. Anna Myers is also missing. I want all pack members to search for them in the pack lands. You alert me immediately if she is found. Leave no place unchecked."

I close the pack link and open my link to Bradford, my Beta, directly. "I want you and a group of ten warriors to meet me at the southern border." "I told you she wasn't worthy of being your Luna," he starts to say, but I cut him off. Fawn wouldn't leave me willingly. She wouldn't betray me. Not unless that ba**ard told her what I ordered him to do. No, it's not possible. I used my alpha command. There is no way he resisted my command. The only thing that makes sense is he has taken her against her will. I will kill the ba**ard when I get my hands on him.

Ten minutes later, I am standing at the southern border. Bradford and the other warriors approach me in wolf form. They shift immediately awaiting my orders. "My Luna has been taken by the pack doctor. I am hoping they haven't gotten far. I want you to break into pairs and start to search the surrounding area. I want her found. I want him brought to me alive. He is mine to deal with for touching what is mine." The warriors take off, leaving me alone with Bradford.

He goes to open his mouth and I growl. He immediately bares his neck to me. "I don't mean to upset you, Seth. I just think this might be for the best. We have been best friends since we were pups. I have always had your back. With Fawn gone, you can actually mark a woman that is worthy of being your Luna. We both know an omega is not," he starts to say. I grab him by the throat and fear flashes in his eyes. "You will never speak about my Luna again. She is perfect and she is mine. Any opinions you have, I suggest you keep them to yourself, or I will be looking for a new Beta."