Chapter 28

Kimble

I may have gone there to talk about Jackie, but I came back without mentioning her. Talon had me so worked up that every logical thought had been tossed out of my mind. However, I was intrigued about the wolf from the Viking pack. I had no idea why I had this urgent desire to see him or meet him. It was a stupid thought and I wondered if I should ask Talon whether I could go with him, but I was sure he would immediately discard it, not only from jealousy but also because my safety was paramount to him.

Goddess, I’d started falling for my wolf, and the idea of leaving him and returning to my own world no longer appealed to me. Rather, the more I thought about it, the more it repulsed me. Slowly, slowly, bit by bit, Talon had made his way into my heart. Honestly, I enjoyed the power I had over him. It was quickly turning out to be my drug. Or was it his unhinged love for me that turned me on?

For the next two days, I didn’t see Jackie much, sure that she needed space to understand her situation. Talon was coming home so late from pack-related work that when he would arrive, I was usually sleeping. He would pull me against his chest, kiss me and drift into deep sleep.

It was on the evening of his leaving to meet the Viking Alpha’s son that I talked to him. He was getting dressed. “Can I come with you?” I asked carefully in a calculated tone.

His brows furrowed. “Why? It’s not safe.”

I knew that would be his answer, but I still goaded him. “I’m really bored here,” I said, staring into my lap. “There’s nothing to do.”

He sauntered over and pulled me up against his chest. As he wrapped one arm around my waist, he curled the fingers of his other hand beneath my chin and lifted my face. I craned my neck to see him. “I feel guilty about that, Kimble. There’s no time for me to show you around. The pack’s work is too hectic for now. But I assure you that once I’m back, I’ll get you integrated into pack life. You’ll have plenty of work to do.”

I adjusted his collar and kissed him on his chest, which took him by surprise. I smiled into his torso, but he couldn’t see it. “Where’s the meeting, and when are you coming back?” Look at me. I was like a lovesick puppy, missing her master already.

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Fortunately, the meeting isn’t far from here. I’ll be back tomorrow.” He lowered his voice and searched my eyes. “Are you already missing me, Kim?”

“What? No!” I blurted as a deep blush rose to my cheeks.

He tipped his head back, a deep laughter resonating in his throat. When he looked back at me, his gaze had turned dark. “Don’t hide your feelings from me. I can sense every emotion that crosses your mind.”

“Then take me with you,” I insisted.

He tilted his head and studied me for a while. Sighing, he said, “You’ll be the death of me. Okay, you can come, but there’ll be some rules.”

I squealed. “Sure!”

He shook his head. “You can’t step out of your room without warriors escorting you. Don’t come anywhere near the meeting room. If that Viking even looks at you, I’ll gouge out his eyes and shred him into pieces. And don’t wander off. Outside this pack, I’m not sure I can handle my aggression when it concerns you.”

My throat bobbed. Talon was so worried about me all the time that another layer I had built around my heart peeled away. “I agree,” I said softly, secretly feeling ecstatic.

“Then you can come with me,” he replied. When I turned to pack my things, he spanked my ass. I squealed. “And the last rule—” He smirked. “Before I reach our tent, you better be there.”

“Tent?” I asked with a frown.

“Yes, Kim. There are no hotels where we’re going.”

When I came down, after packing lightly, I saw Jackie. “Did you talk to him?” she asked.

“No,” I replied guiltily.

Sadness flared in her eyes. “I don’t know why Kirk’s gone so mad? I’m trying to reach him, but he isn’t picking up my calls. I carry his mark, which means he’s bonded to me for life. But it seems like he wants to be liberated.”

I rubbed my hand on her arm. “I’m so sorry…” I felt helpless. Suddenly, I had an idea. “I’m leaving with Talon. Why don’t you come with me?”

“Going where?” she asked.

I shrugged. “Some pack business.” I didn’t want to give her the full details.

“Will Alpha Talon allow it?”

I took a ragged breath. He wouldn’t. But there was no harm in asking. It turned out that he was rather happy that she was accompanying me. “At least you won’t get bored,” he chuckled.

We were on the way to the outskirts of the pack in an hour. Jackie’s spirits seemed to lift a bit and I was happy for her. When we arrived at the meeting, which was in a small clearing in the forest, I noticed, by the pale glow of a full moon, a scattering of tents, their canvas sides illuminated by the soft, silvery light. Moonlight filtered through the leaves above, casting delicate, dappled patterns on the ground, and reflecting off the dew that clung to the grass.

One tent, slightly larger than the others, stood at the center of the clearing, its fabric rippling gently in the cool night breeze. “That’s ours,” Talon leaned over my ear and whispered huskily.

A small campfire sat a few feet away, its warmth a gentle reminder that the night was young. The smoke drifted lazily upward, vanishing into the moonlit sky.

Around the tents, the wilderness was alive with the quiet stirrings of night creatures—the occasional hoot of an owl, the distant cry of a night bird, and the soft crunch of leaves underfoot.

“When will the Viking pack wolf arrive?” I asked as I intertwined my fingers in his, on instinct. Jackie was shown to her tent by a warrior. Kenzie was ordering all the warriors to stay alert.

“In a few hours,” he said, curling his arm around my shoulders and pulling me close to him.

He led me to our tent. “Stay here when he comes, okay?” he said with deep concern in his eyes. “I don’t trust anyone other than Kenzie, so please don’t wander around.”

“I won’t,” I said and, rising on my toes, I kissed the tip of his nose. His eyes widened in surprise and I giggled.

“Am I dreaming?” he asked. “Pinch me.”

So I kissed him again on the tip of his nose. He gulped. His chest rumbled with a stifled roar and he picked me up in his arms. “Kim, I hope you aren’t playing games with me. Is this some scheme of yours to get rid of me?”

I wrapped my arms around his neck, digging my fingers into his silky hair. “No, but when you come back, I want you to take me from the front.”

“Fuck!” he rasped, his chest rising and falling. His gaze turned dark, like he wanted to eat me up. “Baby, I’ll finish the damn meeting in less than an hour!”

I couldn’t help laughing and shaking my head. He set me on my feet and kissed my forehead. “I’ve been waiting for this moment. I don’t know what I’ve done to be rewarded like this, but I promise I’ll continue to do it. And fuck! I love you!”

Talon left, leaving me giddy with this beautiful emotion that had opened a cage of butterflies in my belly. Sighing, I went to lie down on the bed, but a noise outside made me turn back. “Jackie?” I said, seeing her lifting the flap of the tent.

She looked like a deer in the headlights. “Kimble, I’m feeling… restless.” She rubbed her chest and her eyes flashed amber.

I blinked once and then twice. “Sit down and relax.” Maybe she was thinking of Kirk. That made me feel really bad for her. I was going to deal with that jerk when I got back.

She shook her head. “No, I can’t. I feel… I feel like there’s something… someone out there… looking for me… I feel that Kirk wants to kill me.”

I raised my eyebrow. “There’s no one here other than our warriors, Jackie. You need to relax.” She seemed flitty, her eyes darting everywhere. Taking her hand in mine, I pulled her to a chair next to our bed and made her sit. “I can understand your paranoia about Kirk, but trust me he isn’t here. And if he does come here, I’ll get him arrested, okay?”

But Jackie shook her head. “You don’t understand. This stupid feeling is inexplicable. Like I need to go and—and—” She didn’t finish her sentence, her anxiety increasing by the minute.

I tried to placate her by offering her some water, but she didn’t accept it, stood up, and rushed back to her tent, leaving me confused as hell.

Taking a deep breath in, I waited for Talon to return. To be honest, even I was feeling like something ominous was about to happen. Needing to distract myself, I picked up a novel I had brought and started reading. I heard the heavy footsteps of people running outside. Clutching the book to my chest, I peeped outside to see what was going on. It seemed like the Viking pack royal had arrived.

In the distance, our warriors surrounded a large tent, along with some Viking pack warriors. I couldn’t help staring at them.

Their looks were unmistakable with pale blond hair and high cheekbones. They looked like shadows of the gods they worshipped—Odin, Thor, and Tyr—moving with purpose and quiet strength. In the dark of the night, they appeared as shadowy, formidable figures with rugged forms. Tall and broad-shouldered, their silhouettes were outlined against the faint light of a distant fire or the glow of the moon. Some had long hair braided or wild, giving them an almost mythic, elemental presence—like ancient spirits emerging from the earth and sea.

Something inside me goaded me to go to them. Like an invisible thread was pulling me toward them. I clasped the tent’s flap and clenched my jaw. Sensations overwhelmed me. Like I needed to go to them, open them up, and see their souls. Like my soul resembled theirs. Cold sweat broke and I let out a rough exhale. Probably, it was because Talon was inside the tent. Goddess! My mouth turned dry and my heart hammered against my chest.

Suddenly, I heard a commotion outside. I lifted my tent’s flap again to see that the Viking royal had come out, sniffing the air with Talon right behind him. I stared at the Viking with my breath lodged in my throat. His gaze snapped right to mine and, before I knew it, he was striding toward me with rage in his eyes, his pale blond hair streaming behind him, his muscles bulging, and his eyes flashing golden even in the darkness.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” Talon growled. The warriors stood to attention. It looked like Talon would command them to attack the Viking royal.

But the Viking didn’t stop. Within a few seconds he was in front of me. Our gazes locked, and something slammed in my heart. Like I knew him. Every damn warrior, ours and the Vikings, surrounded us. The tension was so palpable that at the drop of the hat, I knew there would be bloodshed.

“Vandil!” Talon growled from behind and came to stand behind me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, in a clear display of who owned me, and pulled me against his chest. “This is my Luna, Kimble.”

Vandil continued to look at me with a mysterious gaze. “Kimble…” he murmured. “Or Ylva?” His eyes went to my hair that was just as pale as his, and he brought his fingers to touch it.

Talon growled again as a warning, his chest vibrating with a dangerous rumble that resonated through my body. “She isn’t Ylva,” he snarled. “And if you touch her, I’ll make sure that each and every one of you bastards are killed. She’s mine!”

His reverie broken, Vandil’s gaze snapped to Talon. “She’s yours? What do you mean?”

“It means that we’re mated!” Talon replied, his voice laced with venom. “She’s my Luna and my wife. I claimed her in the Choosing Ritual.” He snaked his other arm around my belly possessively. “Don’t you fucking touch her. Just leave, and I’ll forgive your insolence. If you won’t leave, I’ll be compelled to kill you.”

Vandil stared at me again. Then he suddenly turned and marched to the large tent. Talon sagged in relief against me.

“What was that?” I asked, unable to stop the trembling in my body.

“He’s an ass!” Talon remarked. “Don’t come out of the tent. I don’t like the way he was looking at you. If it hadn’t been for the damn talks between our packs, I would have gouged his eyes out and severed those fingers from his hand by now! How dare he touch you?”

“He said I’m Ylva,” I murmured as Talon turned me toward him.

“Don’t bother about him,” he grumbled. “This meeting is coming to an end!”

All of a sudden, I heard a deafening sound. Like many wolves roaring together, the noise reverberating throughout the forest. And then, a painful howl followed by heavy footsteps.

“There’s an attack!” Kenzie shouted into the tent. “Liam has attacked us!”