Sleep had entirely eluded her, prompting her to peruse the greeting cards with a smile until she encountered an unusual card.
“Happy birthday, substitute Luna.”
Talia’s smile dissipated upon reading the term substitute. The greeting card remained unsigned. Who had presented it to her?
Why did they refer to her as a substitute, Luna? Talia was bewildered for several seconds. Was this intended as humour? But who was the sender?
She shook her head, preparing to discard the peculiar card, but she placed it at the bottom of her drawer instead.
“Talia”
Upon hearing her name being called, the young woman was startled and began to survey her surroundings. Who summoned her name while she was solitary in the room? She believed she had perceived a feminine voice.
“Talia,” the same voice summoned her once more, yet she did not materialise.
“Who is present?” Talia’s voice was scarcely perceptible. She experienced fear in Jason’s absence. His presence consistently instilled a sense of safety in her, regardless of the danger.
“It is I, your wolf,” Talia exclaimed, finally comprehending that she had been perceiving the voice within her mind. She had acquired her wolf.
“My wolf,” Talia smiled warmly, closing her eyes to welcome her long-awaited lover.
“Indeed, my name is Vesta, and we are finally united,” Talia exclaimed with enthusiasm upon envisioning Vesta in her mind. Talia smiled broadly when seeing Vesta for the first time.
“Why do I lack advanced capabilities in olfaction and vision?” Talia enquired with perplexity. Was she a partial werewolf? She feels no different despite having acquired her wolf.
“Each individual is unique, including you.” We have just met, and it will require many hours for you to fully accept me. Vesta elucidated with composure, “Consequently, you will possess all those capabilities.” Talia had a measure of relief and nodded.
I have been informed that our marking ceremony is scheduled for later today. Who is this individual? Vesta contemplated. Talia promptly opened her eyes. Her marking ceremony occurred later today. For some reason, she had overlooked that. Her gaze shifted to the door. Will he return this morning?
The four men had excessively consumed alcohol and were resting on separate sofas. The four intoxicated wolves had been slumbering like naive young puppies, devoid of any concerns.
As usual, Jason’s ears caught an unexpected movement that disrupted the morning’s tranquilly. As Jason endeavoured to open his eyes, he perceived a nebulous figure in the distance. Who was the individual? However, he detected their scent. He endeavoured to acclimatise his eyes to the sunlight that brightened the entire room. Upon hearing the clinking of whisky bottles, each male gradually opened his eyes.
“Grandfather,” Jason lamented. As he sat up on the sofa, he released his whisky bottle, causing it to tumble to the floor. Only to observe that the elderly man had been standing there, watching them all. For how long had he been standing there? Lucas reclined on his couch, his eyes partially closed.
He likely arrived to counsel them over the marking ritual. Leo and David promptly ascended from their seats and attended to their grooming as effectively as possible, but the Alpha twins continued to exhibit their customary lethargy.
I was unduly anxious. “You had an enjoyable evening,” Jackson observed, surveying the assembly of idlers who emanated the scent of alcohol, while his gaze was particularly fixed on Jason.
“What prompted your concern, Mr. Jackson?” Leo asked, providing him with a chair. The elder remained as formidable as ever; his seated position was merely a matter of respect. Leo resumed his responsibilities as Beta.
“I suspect Jason has been feigning his commitment to Talia as his selected mate, while in truth, he has merely been manipulating the elders and the pack to silence us…” The elder wolf’s assertions alarm the Beta and Gamma.
They had not really comprehended all that he intended to convey. Was Jason apprehended after exceeding the limits? It was the morning of his marking ceremony, and he had been revealed.
Lucas’s muscles contracted. How did their granddad discover it? Did this signify that Talia had departed from the pack? The pack’s demeanour likely varied in response to the news of Luna’s escape.
Did she select the second option? The Alpha’s emerald eyes swiftly shifted to his brother, who had just sprang from his seat to activate the television and observe the CCTV footage of the hall.
“What are you currently engaged in?” Jackson was bewildered when his grandson abruptly rose up without completely listening to him. What was he seeking? The Alpha resembled a bull poised to charge.
The Beta and Gamma were filled with trepidation. The young female’s terror over that deal was unsurprising. She would not have the audacity to sign it; she had fled in terror. They were acutely cognisant of what their
Alpha’s gaze was scanning for Talia, as Jason was unable to find her on the screen, and his tolerance was rapidly diminishing.
Leo and David had before contemplated establishing a mind-link with an individual knowledgeable about their impending Luna.
