Page 23 of Curses and Casualties
The weight of his words hangs in the air for a moment. Scarlett reaches out, placing a hand on his arm. “You’ve got us,” she says softly. “Your pack.”
Ethan nods, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “My pack is all I need.”
Darius finishes taking notes and stands. “I’ll get right on this. Don’t worry, your loved ones will be informed and protected.”
As he leaves, Amara turns back to us, her expression serious. “Now, we need to prepare for our journey. The Úlfhéðnar territory is not easily accessible, and we’ll need to be ready for anything.”
“You said it takes a day to travel there, but how long will we be gone exactly?” I ask, already mentally cataloging what I have in my pack versus what else I might need.
“It’s hard to say,” Amara admits. “You’ve got a couple of days for the journey there and back, but our stay with the Úlfhéðnar... well, that depends on how receptive they are to our presence and your needs. Pack for at least a week. The portal will take us to the edge of their territory, but from there it’s all on foot through rough terrain. Bring extra socks,” she adds with a knowing look. “Trust me on that.”
Ryan nods, his brow creasing slightly. “If they can help Georgia connect with Luna, we should go.”
“Agreed,” Scarlett chimes in, with Ethan nodding along.
Amara stands, her eyes scanning our group. “Then it’s settled. I’ll see you all in an hour.”
While we finish our breakfast, I feel a mix of excitement and a hefty dose of trepidation. The Úlfhéðnar could be our best chance at strengthening my bond with Luna, but they’re also an unknown entity. As we head back to our rooms to prepare, I can’t help but wonder how big of a shitstorm we’re willingly walking into.
Not storm,Luna whispers, her voice carrying an unusual note of anticipation.Old wolves. Old knowledge. They will help us.
Ryan catches up to me in the hallway, his hand grazing mine before intertwining our fingers. “You feeling OK about this?” he asks, eyes searching mine for any hint of doubt.
I squeeze his hand, feeling the familiar pulse of our bond. “I have to be,” I reply. “For both of us. I’m useless in the state I’m in.”
“Oh love.” Ryan lifts my hand and kisses the back of it. “You’re not useless. You never have been.”
“I feel useless. I need that to change.”
Ryan’s expression softens, the lines of concern around his eyes deepening. “You’re more than useful. You’re vital, Georgia. To me, to all of this.” He gestures vaguely around him, encompassing everything from our current predicament to the world beyond that depends on us figuring out our bond with Luna and the prophecy. “We’ll manage this together, just like we’ve managed everything else.”
Letting out a deep breath, I draw strength from our connection and force a brave smile. “Together,” I agree, hoping to hell I’m more than just glowing skin when it comes to facing whatever comes next.
Chapter 10
Ryan
“Not much farther now,” Amara says, leading us through a dense part of the forest that feels as if it hasn’t felt the touch of sunlight in centuries. The terrain’s turned brutal—craggy cliffs replacing thick forests, the valleys swallowed in mist. The air here feels different. Like it’s charged with an otherworldly energy that makes my wolf stir restlessly beneath my skin.
Old magic,Kane rumbles, more alert than he’s been in days.Can taste it. Like blood and moonlight. Like the first hunt.
I glance back at our small group. Scarlett moves with the easy grace of a born shifter, and Ethan adapts quickly to the challenging landscape with a warrior’s resolve. Amara leads and Darius follows up the rear with the confidence of two people who’ve trekked this path before. But it’s Georgia who I watch most closely. The strain of the journey hasn’t dimmed her spirit, but I can see the toll it’s taking on her physically. Worry gnaws on my insides.
Sure, she’s keeping pace, and I can see how determined she is by the set of her jaw, but her limp—the permanent reminder of the night Luna’s spirit entered her body—seemsmore pronounced with each passing hour. Through our bond, I feel the sharp spikes of pain she’s trying to hide, like hot needles in her hip and knee with every step. Much like the wounds that mar my neck and face, the gash on her leg never fully healed, leaving her with this lasting vulnerability that sets my protective instincts on edge.
“How are you holding up, love?” I ask, taking her hand and using my other hand to lift her by her behind when we need to climb over a particularly steep section of the trail. Her hand grips mine tightly, and she gives me a small nod, her breath coming out in short puffs.
“I’m OK,” she says, though the grimace she tries to hide tells a different story. “Just a bit tired, but who isn’t?” She attempts a laugh, but it’s strained.
Without giving it more thought, I stop suddenly, my mind made up.
“I don’t want to rest when we’re almost there,” Georgia protests as I gently lower her to a moss-covered rock, and call for the others to hold up a moment.
“I know you’re strong,” I say, running the pad of my thumb along the edge of her jaw and she leans into me. “But let me be your strength right now.”
Her eyes meet mine, flickers of annoyance and affection mingling in their depths. “Ryan,” she starts, the edge of protest still clear in her tone, but I quickly shush her.
“What’s the point in this bond making me so strong if it isn’t to carry my mate?”
