Page 36 of Crystal Luna

He did as he was told, his eyes flickering between Velora and his chief in command. He landed in front of Velora, shuffling in place.

“For some reason, Velora has chosen you. Play nice. I want you two to go out for a run. Show her the territory—especially the borders. You’ll make sure she knows our schedule.”

“Yes, sir.” Then, with slightly more confidence and a sense of pride, he smiled down at Velora. “C’mon, little pup.”

She followed him outside and towards the edge of the forest. Though she wasn’t looking, she knew he was watching her.

“Why me?”

That was a good question.

“I mean I’m grateful for the opportunity, but I didn’t exactly make a good impression.”

“Maybe you can figure this whole half shift thing out with me. No one else was able to get me to do it again.”

“I see: I’m just a means to get your way, huh?” he laughed. He pulled his shirt over his head as they stepped into the shade of the trees. When he saw her hesitation, he quickly said, “Let me shift first, and then I’m out of your way.”

“It’s not that,” she said, her blush deepening. “I…Well…It’s been a long time since I linked with anyone.” Saying that out loud was more painful than her first shift.

“Well, that’s alright,” he reassured. “After being rogue it might feel weird, but you’ll get the hang of it.”

She shook her head and dropped her gaze to the ground. “Even before I went rogue. No one ever linked with me. They only pulled at my mind when they wanted something.”

There was a long, uncomfortable pause where she couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eyes. After what felt like forever, he cleared his throat.

“I’ll be sure to keep things short. If I do see or feel something that I shouldn’t have, I’ll just pretend it didn’t happen. Everything between us stays that way until you tell me otherwise.”

“Thank you.”

“Take your time and catch up to me when you’re ready.”

She nodded her response, then he dropped his pants and shifted. None of the men ever seemed to be shy about shifting. It was a normal occurrence. Velora had never thought about it being different for her. She was far more afraid of the pack link and the shared intimacy that came with it. She’d been young when her parents had died, so she hadn’t fully come into the mind link. It was more like a sense rather than opening the mind completely.

The more conscious children became of themselves, the more they were able to share. Most stepped back from links with parents and siblings. Most preteens or teens formed deeper connections with friends to test the waters. It was like testing boundaries with someone they trusted. For instance, if they had something they wanted to be kept secret, they would test it with their friends before hiding it from their parents. Velora felt like a child, never having had the opportunity to test such boundaries.

She shook her head of the thought, then laid her clothes aside and shifted, rushing to catch up to Rayan. He waited patiently for her, his mind softly leaning against hers. His reassurance was sweet and gentle, as he indicated south and led her through the forest. He set a pace she could easily keep up with while still able to take in her surroundings. She noted landmarks to orient herself later on and made sure to internalise the pack’s unique scent.

She was so concentrated on everything around her that she didn’t even notice how much time had passed. It was only when they returned to the village that she realised how hungry she was. They returned to where they’d dropped their clothes and Rayan turned his back until they were both dressed.

“How about we grab some food?” he suggested, sounding like he was starving himself.

“Sounds good.”

“The warriors share a house over there. At least, the ones who don’t have a family. Or the ones that don’t want to stay alone.”

That made her nerves heighten. She’d gotten used to being on her own.

He laughed and nudged her shoulder with his fist. “No one’s going to force you to live with us idiots. But sometimes it’s nice knowing you’re not coming home to an empty house.”

“I didn’t—”

He shook his head to cut her off. “I’m saying that we’re idiots. Not you.”

He led her to a larger house close to the gym and opened the door to let her step in first. She walked into a combined living and kitchen space. The smell of tomato sauce, ground beef, and cheese filled the air and made her mouth water.

“Oh, look who’s back,” Leroy greeted them as he set a stack of plates on the table. “Gonna eat with us, little pup?”

She nodded, which made him smile.