I rubbed my temples, feeling a migraine pounding at my skull. Maybe sending my mother after Rowan would be better. I didn’t actually want to kill him, and I certainly would, if we faced one another right now.
Besides, Rowan wasn’t very likely to harm her. He wouldn’t deem her a threat, and she’d be able to approach him and incapacitate him with less damage.
The power of the chaos crackled through me, stirring my wildest instincts. Somewhere in the distance, I heard a howl that had nothing to do with my pack.
“Very well,” I told my mother. “Take Albert and a small group and go. They’re probably trying to escape through the Badlands. Find them and bring them back. Oh, and don’t kill the Omega yet. She may be useful.”
My mother bowed in front of me. “Very well, Alpha. It will be done.”
Together with my Beta, she left, prepared to follow my orders. Satisfied, I set aside my desire to hunt down my brother and focused on the Wolfsbane Pack. I had a pack war to squash, and oh, it would be enjoyable.
Seven
Chapter 7
Samuel
When we emerged from our sanctuary, it was still dark, the chaos as powerful and suffocating as it had been when we’d first taken refuge here. We looked up at the crimson moon, wondering if it was a good sign or a bad one. I wanted to believe it would protect us, but it wasn’t that simple.
“This chaos… It’s more than anything we’ve seen in the past,” Rowan said, confirming my suspicions. “But we have no choice but to weather it together.”
“We’ll be fine,” Luna said. “I believe in us.”
I did too. We’d found something unexpected and powerful together, a bond much stronger than we’d thought we could have with anyone except Luna. Even so, I was still wary. On some level, our connection still confused me. The memories of that night—of the battle we’d fought with the mysterious black wolf—had returned with a vengeance, making me wonder how we’d ever forgotten and hadn’t realized who Rowan truly was.
To make matters worse, we had no idea how much time had passed. We’d gotten a little lost in one another, which, all things considered, was probably not the best idea. But it had taken us some time to get accustomed to the strength of our bond and to the unexpected cruelty hidden inside it.
It shouldn’t have been something that took us by surprise, but maybe we’d underestimated the effects Luna’s life as an Omega would have on her. It made no difference. Truth be told, it almost relieved us. We’d been well aware of her father’s secret viciousness, and this meant she’d be prepared for it.
Still, we didn’t want a confrontation with either of the packs if we could help it, which was why we would try to leave the valley as soon as possible. Just like we had hoped, the energizer had nudged Rowan’s healing factor along, and he was fine, so we hoped to reach our goal without incident. That meant we had to be careful so we wouldn’t run into other rogues or packs. The chaos only lasted for a week, and this particular one was unpredictable. If it ended, it would be more difficult for us to sneak out of the valley.
“We still have a long way to go from here until we’re actually safe,” I said. “Let’s hope Alpha Clayton is as distracted by Rufus Savage as we believe him to be.”
Together, we started making our way through the canyon. Nate and I took the lead, since we knew the terrain best. We’d brought supplies with us, including food, clothes, and blankets, so we hoped we wouldn’t have to stop for at least a day.
We took the most reclusive paths we could think of, avoiding the ones the Badlands packs used. We had to go around a lot, through rough terrain and vegetation, but that wasn’t a problem. Luna didn’t complain either. She seemed to enjoy the trek.
“I never thought I’d say this, but the desert is beautiful, isn’t it?”
“It has its charms,” Nate replied. “We’d have actually liked to show it to you better. But in the end, home isn’t a place, not for us. Our home is our family. We’ll find somewhere else to live that’s far more beautiful.”
“Any idea where we’re going to go?” Luna asked.
“I’ve been beyond the valley a few times,” Rowan told her. “We should be able to pretend we’re human, at least in more reclusive settlements. Since we’re already mated, our more powerful carnal instincts won’t be an issue. And if someone figures out what’s going on—”
Before Rowan could finish the phrase, a loud roar echoed somewhere to our right. We hadn’t seen a lot of animals since we’d left the Firewolf settlement, but from what we remembered, the chaos could make them act weirdly.
The animals in the desert weren’t a huge threat for a group of werewolves, even a small one like ours. But the delay alone was irritating. As the bear emerged from behind a rocky outcropping, Rowan cursed viciously. “Fuck. We really don’t need this right now.”
No, we didn’t, but the bear didn’t look like it cared about our opinion. Foaming at the mouth, it was headed straight for us. “What the hell?” Luna asked. “What’s wrong with it?”
“Maybe it’s a female and its den is nearby,” I answered. “Females are always extra jumpy, and with the chaos unleashed—”
“Does the reason really matter?” Rowan cut me off. “We just have to get rid of it.”
“Take cover, Luna,” Nate said. “Leave this up to us.”
She obeyed, though frustration niggled at the back of her mind. She wanted to help us, but she knew she couldn’t do it, not now. Once again, she felt helpless and angry. “Let us prove we’re worthy of you, Luna,”I whispered to her through our bond.“Let us protect you.”
