Selene

A heaviness settles over me and my head spins violently as my eyes fly open, taking in the dim room around me. My gaze briefly meets Ria’s before I roll onto my hands and knees, retching painfully. I clamp my jaw shut before I vomit and breathe deeply through my nose as I squeeze my eyes closed. It takes a few moments for the room to stop spinning and for my stomach to settle before I sit back on my heels, pressing a hand to my belly.

Kyran crouches before me, reaching out to rest his warm palm on my forehead, and the disorientation and sick feeling dissipates immediately. I smile my thanks at him and he winks at me with a smirk. My belly flops opposite to how I felt moments ago and I blush, pushing myself to my feet. My mother steps over and rests her hands on my shoulders to look at me, her deep violet eyes pinched with concern. “How did it go? Valdr had mentioned you found your memories,” she speaks softly, her face tight from apprehension.

I run my hand over my face, feeling exhausted as I reply, “I found them, yes, but I cannot access them.” I drop my hand and let out a heavy sigh.

Glancing over to Asteria, I find her sitting slumped against the wall and she gives me a wan smile. I cross over to her and slide my back down the wall to sit beside her, placing my head on her shoulder. “I believe that you have to unlock the memories for me, I think I felt a spell or enchantment on the chest when I tried to open it,” I yawn widely, rubbing my eye. “We found Luna as well, though she’s trapped in a cage and the lock looks the same as the chest, so I’m guessing she can’t be freed until my memories are.”

“Mmm, that makes sense. I’ll have to think about this on how to best approach it, but right now I need sleep,” she replies tiredly, yawning as well. “Oh, maybe mother can put us into a temporary stasis for a day and I can travel the dream realm with you back to where you found your memories!” My sister’s voice picks up as she widens her eyes, leaning forward.

I place my hand on her shoulder, shaking my head. “You need to rest, I think we all do. We can discuss this tomorrow, but for now, go sleep in your bed,” I murmur, gently patting my hand in comfort.

Nodding her head, she vanishes as a curl of wind ruffles my hair and I chuckle as I push to my feet again. Kyran finishes his hushed conversation with my mother and comes over, bending to embrace me in a warm hug. He kisses the top of my head and straightens, taking my hand in his.

“I’ve got some matters to attend to back home, but I can stay here with you for a while longer if you’d like?” he murmurs, pulling his eyebrows together as he examines me.

I smile and quietly reply, “That would be nice, but I think we could both use some time alone to process everything we’ve just gone through.”

He nods his head in agreement and lifts my hand to his mouth, pressing a light kiss to my knuckles. I suck in my lip at the tingles that race up my arm and he smiles warmly at me, reaching up to brush his thumb across my cheek.

“You know how to reach me if anything happens. Remember that I will always be here for you, sweetheart,” he says quietly, releasing my hand and stepping toward the door.

Swallowing thickly against the lump forming in my throat, I follow him onto the porch as he undresses, handing his clothes to me with a wink and shifts into his massive midnight wolf. He bounds down the steps and disappears into the dark woods silently like a shadow and for the first time I long to run with him.

I can’t wait to chase them through the trees, a soft voice sighs in my mind.

Luna! I exclaim excitedly, I can hear you!

Really? You can? she responds in disbelief.

Yes! This is amazing, I can’t wait to be reconnected fully again, I chirp, turning around and darting toward the kitchen.

My mother is pouring some tea and turns to me with a grin, clearly having heard our exchange. I wrap my arms around her in my excitement and she laughs, setting her cup down before stroking my hair.

“This is great news, we are much closer to your awakening than before. I want to hear all about your journey, but you must rest as well. Your body needs to recoup the energy you spent. Now, shoo,” she smiles, waving her hand at me.

Before my lips part to reply, I feel a gust of wind and am turned upside down, abruptly finding myself standing beside my bed. I press my hands to the side of my head, blinking rapidly and huff a laugh as I dizzily walk toward my bathroom. Turning the shower on, I toss my clothes in the hamper and brush my hair absently, my mind replaying through everything that had happened. Stepping into the steam, I wash slowly, letting the water run over me for a long while until I am wrinkled and drowsy, feeling more than slightly numb.

Wrapping my fluffy black robe around me, I chuckle at the irony of it and pad across the floor to my bed. Crawling under the blanket, I snuggle in and notice Kyran’s warm, earthy scent. I breathe deeply and close my eyes, letting sleep quickly pull me under.

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KYRAN

As I leave Selene’s, I mindlink Trey to let him know I was on my way home. He sounds relieved to hear from me and offered to make breakfast so we could catch up. My stomach is gnawing at me angrily and I’m grateful for my brother’s attentiveness. I didn’t want to leave her, but I would feel rude eating Selene’s family out of house and home. There is a pack meeting I need to have, with Sigurd’s betrayal now leaving me without a head warrior and the Convocation coming up fast as well. Fuck, I forgot all about it with everything that has been going on and there is a lot of preparation that needs to be done, I groan at the thought.

Weaving around trees, I recall my experiences in the dream realm and am glad to feel the heavy weight has lifted from my mind and body. Though there is residual energy and memories left I need to work through, I feel like a new man today. Thinking about this, I mentally vow to help those who are fighting the invisible battles within themselves by sharing my experiences openly rather than stuffing them down in shame and pretending I’m fine. I have gained the insight that many who seem okay on the outside could be screaming internally with no one to hear and I want my pack to know that I am here to listen to them about anything, no matter what.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

My legs feel weak as the light of dawn creeps through the trees and I see my fields opening up before me. As I break through the forest, I greet the warrior who is patrolling with a huff and make my way toward home. Crossing through the villages, I slow to a trot as people mill about, opening their shops and waving at me as I pass by. Some faces are somber, no doubt from residual feelings of the recent attack combined with Sigurd and the warrior’s betrayals. I come upon Stjarna’s crystal shop and pause my steps, noticing her ever-glowing windows are dark and I feel for her connection, finding it distant. Wondering where she is, I make a mental note to ask Trey about it and continue up the street toward my lodge. I could reach out and ask her, but out of respect I allow her space and curiously ponder the reasons for her distance as I make my way up the long drive.

Trotting up toward the front door, I notice an unfamiliar beat up truck parked in front of my garage and I shift at the top of the steps. Realizing this must be what Trey mindlinked me about as soon as I was out of the sleep dive, I push open the door and am greeted by the savory aroma of breakfast and my brother’s bright laughter. Closing the door softly behind me, I snag the sweatpants hanging on a hook in the entryway and pull them on quickly before stepping around the corner.

A large, lumbering man sits hunched at the island, his faded green flannel sleeves are rolled to the elbow on thick, pale scarred arms. The sound of my footsteps causes Trey to turn over his shoulder from his place at the oven with a wide grin and the mop of black curls that raises in response to my brother reveals the man’s identity immediately. My own grin spreads widely as a loud bark of a laugh bursts from me at the unexpected surprise and Alpha Felagi drops his phone onto the counter at the sudden noise.

He’s on his feet in an instant, his burly frame belying the speed and grace with which he moves and his booming laugh echoes around us. Felagi stands a few inches taller than me and easily weighs close to a hundred pounds more than I do, by the looks of it, judging by the paunchy stomach pushing at the buttons on his flannel. He reaches out and pulls me in close, his wide palm slapping against the bare skin of my back before he claps my shoulders and gives me a slight shake. I can’t help but laugh at his rough way of greeting, remembering the way he’d throw me around as a pup during our visits.

“Kyran! How the hell are ya’?” His deep voice is full of joy and his sage green eyes crinkle as he looks me over. “Yer lookin’ a bit rough, eh? The hell have ya’ been doin’?”

“I’m looking better than you, fat man,” I jest, slapping my hand to his belly before yanking on his overgrown peppered beard.

He growls before swinging his thick arms out toward me and I duck beneath them agilely, laughing in earnest. It’s been a long while since we’ve had a chance to meet up and I am glad for the surprise. Felagi was a long-time friend of my father’s and has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. He catches me off guard and slams his elbow into my gut, making me grunt on a laugh and he wrings his arm around my neck, messing my hair playfully.

“Good to see ya’ haven’t changed, boy,” he lightly shoves me away and his smile fades into a line. “I’m sorry to hear ‘bout yer head warrior, among everythin’ else ya’ got goin’ on lately,” he shakes his head solemnly, “it’s a shame, really. It’s why I’m here early, ahead of the Convocation. I want to help with preparations and lend ya’ some of my mated pack members for extra security measures for the week ahead. Treyvar called me the other day ‘bout it all and I said I’d be there in a jiff, no questions asked” he nods his head once as he claps his hand to my shoulder.

I mimic the gesture and glance at my brother, silently appreciating his effort. “Thank you, I appreciate the support, but I don’t think the vampires would be so bold to attack us with all the alphas present during the convocation, let alone the number of extra wolves that will be staying here for the week,” I ponder out loud as I take a seat beside Felagi.

I notice the way his stool creaks as he sits down and I smirk at a childish idea forming in my mind. He sighs before replying, “Ya’ can never be too cautious, ‘specially with how things’ve been goin’ lately. I swear, I’m gettin’ calls weekly ‘bout women going missing from all the packs. Some of ‘em are even bein’ taken from their own damn beds at night. One of my wolves claimed to have seen that fucker Caedes roamin’ too close to our territory last week and I had all the light-haired women gathered up an’ taken to our cells in my best attempt at keepin’ ‘em protected, fer fucks sake!” his voice raises gruffly as his clenched hands thump against the counter with his frustration.

I rest my hand on his shoulder and feel equally as angry along with him, this shit has gone on far too long. Remembering our phone call a little while back about the discovery we made with the abductions, I give his shoulder a slight push to get his attention and call out to my brother, “Hey, Trey, could you run up to my room and grab my phone for me real quick?” as I realize that Selene needs a glamour bracelet. Fuck, how could I not have given her one yet? I grimace at the thought as Felagi turns in his seat to face me, his stool groaning in protest.

“Felagi, remember the call I made about the abductions, how I learned that younger blonde women were being targeted?” I prompt and he nods his head as he listens. “Well, my lead hybrid gathered some women together and created a bracelet that puts a glamour over the wearer, altering their physical traits such as varying their skin tone and darkening their hair to help better disguise them and hide in plain sight. It is quite ingenious, if you ask me,” I say offhandedly as I focus on my sister’s bond.

Kyrre, could you meet me in the kitchen as soon as possible with all the remaining bracelets, please? I quickly mindlink her as Felagi just stares at me blankly.

On it! Her bright voice chirps in my mind and I raise an eyebrow at my old friend.

Felagi wipes his mouth absently with his hand as he ponders the information and slowly begins nodding his head. “That’s…incredible. You’ve seen this work?” he asks, glancing at me skeptically

I raise both my brows as I nod in affirmation. “Yeah, Kyrre is on her way here with the rest we have available at the moment, I want to show you its effects and give them to you to hand out to any pack members you have coming ahead of the convocation.” I give him a small smile.

He whistles as he crosses his arms and thanks me as Trey reappears and hands me my phone before returning to the stove to finish his cooking. I murmur my thanks to him as I check the screen, finding no calls or texts and open up Selene’s messages. I send her a quick text asking how she is doing, letting her know that I have something for her and to let me know when she is ready for me to drop by. I slide my phone into my pocket just as Trey sets a few platters out full of varying breakfast foods and takes the other stool beside me.

“You should eat, you really do look like shit,” he says lightly, though I can see the concern in the tight set of his jade eyes.

I just shrug a shoulder and reach for a plate, piling it high with pancakes, eggs, sausage, and bacon as Felagi stands to take the farther plate with jellied toast and biscuits. His stool complains once more as he sits back down and begins scarfing his food down like a starved animal, without flatware. Trey leans past me to watch him with a fake horrified expression on his face and I smirk, enjoying the comfort of having them around regardless of how bone-deep exhausted I feel. Felagi turns to us with a half eaten biscuit in one hand and jelly smeared over his mustache, and I can’t help the chuckle that escapes me.

“What? Yer a right arse half the time, add in ya’ lookin’ like that,” he waves his biscuit at me, “an’ good luck findin’ yerself a mate!” he slaps his free hand on the counter with a grating laugh and Trey snorts a laugh as well.

I grin widely and sharply kick my foot out, snapping the weak, protesting leg off his stool and he crashes to the floor loudly. The plate of baked goods he held clatters to the floor beside him and a piece of jelly toast splats onto his face, muffling his cry of surprise. My brother and I laugh hard enough that our eyes water and Felagi’s glare quickly evaporates as his booming laugh joins ours while he wipes a hand over his face. Bending over, I extend my hand to him and pull him to his feet as I grin childishly at him. He clasps a hand at the back of my neck and gives me a light shove as he drags the last remaining stool over. We finish our breakfast lightheartedly, catching up with each other’s lives over the past year.