Opening the pack mind link, I search for Malik and Casen’s tether. Both of them answer at the same time. “Everything alright?”
“Yes, I am fine. Can one of you come and watch Jonah for me while I go for a run?” I ask them.
“I will. Malik can go for a run with you,” Casen says.
“No, I will be fine by myself. I will stay within the borders,” I tell them.
“Luna, Andrei won’t like you running through the forest on your own,” Malik says.
“I know, but no need for everyone to get up. I have the mind link, and I will remain close.” I insist.
“I don’t mind coming with you,” Malik says.
“It isn’t necessary. I’ll see you soon, Casen. Jonah is asleep, so you can do what you want. I just don’t want him to wake up while I am gone, and see that no one is here. He has been having night terrors.” I explain the importance of someone’s presence in the house.
“On my way,” he replies, and I cut the link.
I walk straight into the closet, and grab a thin dress. I remove my clothes, slip on the dress and head back downstairs to open the door. Casen is walking across the grass toward me as I step out.
“Luna,” he says, pecking my cheek on his way past.
“The TV remote is on the mantle,” I tell him.
“Have fun, and yes, I will lock the door,” he says, smiling at me as he closes it.
I start walking to the side of the house when I notice Malik sitting on the front steps. I roll my eyes at him. I’m aware he won’t go back inside until I return. Walking around the side, I find Zane lying on the grass on his back.
“Really?” I ask him.
“You are our Luna. If you think we will let you roam the forest with no one out here, you are mistaken.” He chuckles and wiggles his eyebrows at me.
“The border patrols are on. I don’t need babysitting,” I tell him.
“Yes, they are, but we have still been getting rogue scouts along the borders. It isn’t safe by yourself, since you won’t let any of us come with you. We will remain close enough in case we need to get to you,” Zane says.
“I feel bad, though. I will just wait and make Andrei take me tomorrow,” I tell him, and Sierra whines loudly.
“Sage, go, but I am not going inside until you are safely tucked back inside the house. The border patrol knows you are heading out and are keeping watch, you aren’t a burden to us, we just care about you, Sage, so get used to it,” he says.
“Fine, well, where is the border patrol?”
“On the borders, I won’t peek. You know, Andrei would tear out anyone’s eyes that did. You are safe, Sage. This is your pack, your family. So, if you want to go, go.” Zane gestures towards the tees.
“I will be quick,” I tell him and quickly head to the tree line.
“Take as long as you want,” he says, closing his eyes.
I step into the dark forest and duck behind a tree. I know they won’t watch me, but being out in the open still freaks me out. Shifting is more difficult, as the tension in my body makes the process take a little longer. Sierra takes off the moment I do. She is zipping in and out of trees and pushing herself to the limit. We run for about an hour when she slows, lazily walking back toward the clearing and training grounds. She lays down when we reach the long grass, hiding amongst it on her back.
“I love this place,” Sierra tells me.
“I do, too,” I tell her.
“We should head back,” I tell her. At this point, both of us know we have been gone for a while already and Jonah might be looking for us.
“We are ready to head back home,” I mind-link Malik.
“Not necessary. Just tell me where you are. I can’t pick up your scent,” he says.
“Are you following me?” I mentally facepalm myself. I should have seen this coming.
“Guilty, Zane went home to kill a spider for Nora. I was becoming uneasy after just sitting on the steps for so long.” He admits.
I chuckle to myself that Nora needs to be rescued from a spider when she is a werewolf.
“I am in the clearing. Where are you?”
“By the waterfall, I will head to you,” he replies.
“Ok, and Casen?”
“With Jonah still, he ate Andrei’s cookies that he likes,” Malik says, and I chuckle. Andrei loves Montecarlos, but whenever he gets them, they mysteriously vanish if Casen is around. “Oh, Andrei is a few minutes out. He should be here soon,” Malik tells me.
Excitement bubbles in me at our mate coming home, and I feel Sierra get all giddy.
Closing the link, Sierra rolls over on her tummy before spotting a rabbit. She crawls on her belly, eyes trained on her target. “Ew, no, please.”
“I just want to play with it.” She whines.
“Your idea of play and mine are two different things. I don’t play with my teeth,” I tell her.
“Just let me catch it, I will let it go,” she says, licking her furry chops.
There is no way she will let it go. She likes the chase. Of course, she will let it go and then hunt it back down until the poor thing is too exhausted and practically crawls in her mouth to get some rest and die.
“Shh,” she says as she sneaks closer, her tail waggles behind her.
“It can’t hear me.” I mutter, growing a little annoyed.
“But it’s distracting, just like Andrei turning the radio down when he is looking for a parking spot. It helps me see better,” she says.
“We don’t look with our ears,” I tell her, and she shushes me again.
I roll my eyes at her as she pounces on it. She pins it between her paws and starts licking it. The rabbit thrashes as she mauls it with her tongue.
“Why do you do that?” I ask her.
“To soften it up. I need to tenderize it with my tongue,” she answers and then, lets go of the poor thing. Sierra lets it run a few feet away before she pounces on it again.
“And that?” I groan.
“I like its fear, kind of like how you like salt and pepper – makes it taste better,” she answers, picking it up like a pup. It thrashes as she plays with it when it shrieks.
“Please, Sierra, you know I hate when you hurt them, just eat it or let it go.” I snap at her.
“Fine,” she says, about to kill it, but we both freeze as we hear the grass rustle. Sierra’s head whips up, and she looks around but hears nothing.
“Malik was quick,” I tell her.
“Too quick,” she says, standing up, and the rabbit darts away. Sierra sniffs the air, and then, we hear another rustle of grass. She spins quickly, but nothing is there.