My wolf purrs contentedly.
Staying.
23
Luna
Notebook: I’m not fighting alone anymore. And fuck, that's scary.
Iwipe sweat from my brow, hefting another box of supplies onto the metal shelf with a grunt. The weight makes my arms tremble, but it feels good to contribute. I’ve been hauling theseboxes for over an hour, organizing the tenants’ storage room while my muscles burn in protest.
I hear their voices through the open window—laughter, excited chatter, the occasional squeal from playing children. A bird shifter sings something melodic, her voice carried on the warm summer breeze. Despite the ache spreading through my muscles and the sweat dampening my shirt, I smile.
I love it here.
I enjoy seeing the different shifter forms, hearing their stories, and being able to help out in any way I can. I’ve never felt so… useful, so needed.
I love it in a way that feels dangerous, because the more it feels like home, the more I have to lose.
I pause, hands braced against the crate, my heart skipping as memories from yesterday’s waterfall adventure replay vividly. Axel’s wild kisses, Ethan’s gentleness, and how they made me feel safe and desired.
Like I finally fit somewhere.
I’m about to head back out when a muffled sound catches my attention—a whimper, then a harsh whisper. Moving toward the back of the storage room, I crack open the door and freeze.
A petite female shifter struggles against a large male dressed in a guard uniform, his fingers digging into her arm as he tries to drag her away. The woman’s face is bruised, one eye swollen nearly shut, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Let. Her. Go.” The words leave my mouth before I can think.
The man’s head whips toward me, and his face breaks into a dark smile.
“Well, well. This is my lucky day,” he drawls, his grip tightening on the female shifter’s arm. “Just the female I was looking for. Two birds with one stone—what are the chances?”
“Let her go,” I demand again, my voice steadier than I feel.
He laughs, the sound sending chills down my spine. “This pathetic thing? She’s my wife. Been hiding from me for months. You’re both coming with me.”
I bare my teeth, feeling the adrenaline surge through my veins. “I don’t think so, jerk-off.”
He lunges at me, releasing the female from his grasp. She stumbles back, her breath quick and shallow, her hands raised defensively.
The man swings at me, but I duck and jab at his ribs, feeling the thud of impact. He’s strong, though, and he shakes me off, shoving me hard against the wall. Pain explodes in my lower spine, and for a second, I see double.
I stagger but don’t fall.
“Run!” I shout to the female, who’s frozen in place. “Get help!”
“You’re wasting your breath,” he pants, advancing on her. “She’s too scared to move.”
I throw myself between them, clawing and biting like the wildcat Axel calls me. My nails rake across his face, leaving bloody trails, and I sink my teeth into his shoulder, tearing at the flesh.
He yells in pain, grabbing a fistful of my hair and yanking me away. The sheer force sends me sprawling to the ground, but I scramble to my feet, chest heaving, eyes locked on his. He wipes blood from his face, a murderous gleam in his eyes.
“You stupid bitch,” he growls, advancing on me. “You’re going to regret that.”
I square my shoulders, bracing for his next attack. “Come on, then, dick face.”
He charges, and I duck low, aiming for his knees. He sidesteps at the last second, and I feel his hand swipe across my back.
