Page 46 of Never Tamed
“Anna said she’s been waiting for me to find her so we could talk privately.”
Never in my damn life have I heard about anyone having a personal chat with the goddess. Sheisthe moon. She is the one who controls the tides and her wolves. We pay homage to her and for years I hunted her damn stone, her fucking sword, trying to find a way to defend my pack against our enemies.
Now she’s walking around Rudy’s fucking bar?
I clench my hand hard enough to feel the tendons tighten and snap.
“Well, she got her chance. What did she say?” Torin throws his pile on the fire hap-hazardly. It’ll never catch fire like that.
City folk.
They don’t understand.
It’s easier to focus on the fire than the strange amalgam of emotions inside of me.
Standing, I rearrange the sticks into a point to get better air flow underneath. Then, I gently blow on the embers to encourage them to grow.
Ren crosses her legs underneath her to get comfortable.
“She said I’m the answer to stopping Andras and the Blood Moon pack. That everything we have survived was pushing metoward this. She said I am her weapon, and she’s given me powers.”
Her voice trembles.
My heart skips a beat before settling into a steady rhythm. The mate bond flares brighter with the four of us together and any need to react to the news dissipates with the other's calm control.
“Powers, like running up the mountain in an hour,” Noble supplies. “Maybe less.”
“Exactly. I don’t know what else I can do, but she said the process has started.”
The fire finally grabs hold and starts to spread, winning me an annoyed look from Torin. Realizing it’s better for me to handle it, Noble just throws his gathered sticks next to me. It’s an opportunity to compose myself. To reckon with the strange emotional surge.
“I guess you were always meant to have the Moonstone after all,” Torin says, rubbing the stubble on his jaw.
“Seems like it. Like fate, if you believe in that sort of thing.”
“I do,” Noble says and winks at Ren. “It brought me to my mate. I’ll never question the will of the goddess again.”
Ren flashes him a loving smile. “I’m just worried about how I’m supposed to be her ‘sword’ or whatever. How am I going to kill Andras? Me.”
Her. She has no idea how amazing she is, what a gift she is to all of us. The pressure in my chest increases.
Torin straightens, running a hand down his front in a nervous gesture. He’s reaching for the tie he’s not wearing. “No one said anything about you killing him.”
“What else doesstop himordefeathimmean?” Ren replies, ready to argue. “I’m going to have to fight him in some way.”
“No, you don’t.” Torin is pure iron and adamant.
“The Moon Goddess says I’m the only one—” she begins.
A growl rips out of him, low and visceral. “Well, the Moon Goddess can gofuckherself, because there’s no way in hell I’m going to let you get yourself killed. You aremymate.” He clears his throat but his wolf is close. “Our mate. Ours to protect.”
“Nobody’s dying,” Noble cuts in.
Strain coils through Torin, from his posture and through the bond connecting us. His shoulders form a rigid line and his hands tense and curl. He’s adjusting to the mate bond. I get it.
But it has him running hot.
The instinct to protect Ren is chewing him alive, especially after what happened at the church. He blames himself for not stopping Catarina or Andras. Even if I couldn’t feel his emotions myself, it’s obvious. I know that guilt.
