Page 19 of Crystal Luna

“You know what? Fuck you!”

Rayan laughed it off. He had dark brown eyes that matched his short hair. “What? Don’t like being called what you are in front of the ladies?”

Velora’s cheeks heated.

“Wanna stay and watch the bitch fight?” a man with dark long hair asked, giving her a cheeky but curious smile. “I’m Dan by the way.”

She was a little overwhelmed, claustrophobic even from all the testosterone in the air, but yet again she was like a deer in headlights. Keelan started to take bets and made the rounds to collect the money. It seemed to be nothing more than pocket changed, but they all seemed to take it seriously. Rayan set up a target, while his opponent disappeared and returned with some larger daggers.

Dan leaned in close and explained the situation. “They got into a fight. Rayan overheard Cedric say he handles daggers better than anyone, but everyone knows that’s Rayan’s game.”

She wasn’t sure what to do, so she stood between the rowdy men and watched. They didn’t pay much attention to her, other than Dan who stayed by her side. He didn’t seem pushy, simply explaining everything as it happened.

Rayan had clearly earned his so-called title as dagger master, putting Cedric to shame. Though everyone teased him, it was all in good fun. After Rayan established his victory, everyone collected what they were owed and the group split up. Velora took the chance to sneak out without trying to pull much attention to herself.

Out in the sun she took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing pulse. No one had done anything to frighten her, but it was a draining event.

Too many people.

Too much noise.

Too much anxiety.

She returned to her cabin, avoiding the village entirely. Her legs shook as the adrenaline left her body. Once she arrived home, she still felt uneasy. She knew her wolf would relax her, so she quickly walked inside and grabbed one of her borrowed dresses.

She undressed behind the cabin, shifted, and carefully took the dress between her canines. Her mind was instantly calmed as she started to run. Her wolf always made her human worries seem less important and had helped her stay sane since she’d left the Crystal Wolves. It was easy to forget her worries when the trees quickly passed by and her paws dug into the moss and dirt beneath her.

She only stopped running when she found herself on a cliff overlooking a valley. She shifted again, unsure if she was visible to humans. The sun shone down on her as she sat down at the edge and overlooked the nature beneath her. It was quiet, just like she’d gotten used to during her travels. The only sounds were the birds singing and the trees whispering in the wind. It felt as if she could finally breathe again. Her chest felt much lighter and her mind was at ease. She stayed and watched the sun move across the sky until it disappeared into the horizon.

At the sound of twigs snapping behind her, she whipped her head around while her body tensed up again. Alpha Heath emerged from the treeline, but that didn’t ease the tension. He only wore a pair of shorts, she noticed as worried eyes found hers. He cautiously approached and took a seat, his eyes never leaving hers.

“You worried us.”

She couldn’t hold his gaze, her eyes instead focusing on her hands in her lap.

“Keelan came to see me after you left the gym—said he hadn’t seen you all day. He was worried that they’d upset you and wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What happened after I left?”

She shrugged her shoulders, tears filling her eyes. She had no words to describe it, not without sounding like she was broken.

“Velora…” His voice was so sweet and gentle that she felt a warm shiver run down her spine. “Please look at me.”

She tried to stop the tears, but failed. After another moment, she turned her head towards him.

“What upset you in the gym?”

“It was too much.”

His face softened even more, the worried wrinkles on his forehead flattening again. He reached out his hand but didn’t touch her. He simply held it in front of her, a silent offer for her to take it. She hesitated briefly but then laid hers in his. His skin was rough against her palm. He closed his fingers around her hand and let his thumb soothingly run over her knuckles.

“It was so loud,” she whispered, her head turning back to the valley as tears fell down her cheeks.

“You were on your own for a long time, and I have a feeling you were isolated long before you left your pack. What you are experiencing is normal.”

“I’m sorry.” Apologising came naturally to her by that point.