Page 18 of Howling Love (Hunter’s Moon Ritual #1)

Gracie

A crack of lightning split the air, and then a wave of darkness crashed over me. I sank into its depths, weightless and consumed—until a warm glow began to rise from my chest, soft and steady. Calling me forward. Reminding me of…something.

My eyes felt heavy as I tried to pry them open, feeling as though my skin was cocooned in clouds. Soft silk drifted against me as I slid my fingers across the plush surface underneath me, the unfamiliar territory forcing me to wake up.

Despite the strange location, I wasn’t scared. I couldn’t remember yet how I’d come here, but I felt safe. Or as safe as I could feel after everything I’d experienced.

That thought was like gasoline to a flame. My eyes snapped open. A whoosh of air left my chest, and my body trembled with the aftershocks of what should have been a terrible nightmare. I’d nearly died. I’d nearly been sacrificed to Nyxarra.

The goddess’s tear-streaked face flashed before me in the dark room as I slowly brought myself to sit. It felt far more difficult to breathe than normal, and there was an ache in my bones.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, though, my physical state was long forgotten.

Awe cascaded over me as my gaze trailed across the luxurious cream-colored bedding that surrounded me like a vast sea, to the expansive room that seemed to go on forever in each direction, except behind me.

The details were muted, but the firelight from the sitting area to my left highlighted a bookcase filled with heavy, leather-bound texts.

Further in that direction of the room lay a wall of curtains, the faintest ray of daylight breaking through the center.

Where was I? How did I get here? The last thing I remembered was…Ravik? And two dangerous wolves by our side as he carried me out of the compound. Nothing else existed between that point and now, and the void was starting to make me uneasy.

Had they truly come for me? Had we managed to escape?

Or had we died—had their attempt to save me resulted in all of our deaths?

Hot tears welled in my eyes as I looked down at my bare arms, finding that they were free from bruises or scars.

The paint from the ceremony had been washed off, and my skin seemed to sparkle in the dim lighting.

Even my fingers looked healed as I brought them up to my hair, finding it feather-soft to the touch.

Inside of me, my wolf slept silently, a soft purr leaving her chest.

We’d died. There was no other possible explanation for being in a place like this and for feeling so…

amazing. Whole . I was tired and achy, sure, but my head felt clear for the first time in a long time, and my stomach didn’t ache with hunger.

A whimper left my throat as I shifted toward the edge of the gigantic bed, a thin-strapped gown drifting around my frame.

Maybe if I opened those heavy curtains, I’d have a better understanding of where I was and how I’d gotten here.

The plush carpet beneath my toes was a welcome surprise as I moved silently across the room, my progress slowed by the flowers that littered the room in vases.

I paused at each one along my path, taking time to stroke their petals and leaves.

Whenever we’d had flowers in the compound, they were placed off-limits in the shrine.

So being able to not only touch but smell them felt like a luxury.

I parted through the wall of curtains, finding the handle on the door behind them.

Giving it a good tug to the right, it slid open effortlessly, and a brilliant flash of sunlight filled the room like an eruption of flames.

My hand covered my eyes as I squinted, trying to adjust to the drastic change before stepping out over the threshold.

“By the gods…” My voice was hoarse as I froze, captured in place by… paradise .

The sunlit sky was a stunning sapphire, hanging with frosted clouds that shimmered with streaks of lavender and teal.

Silver mist filled the air, the sensation of it seeping into my lungs bringing chills to my skin, a direct contrast to the warmth of the sun hanging in the sky.

Massive mountains with fog curled around them lay in the distance, their tips tinged in a soft gold that stood sentinel over the city.

There was a hum of power in the air, and below I could see and hear the bustling metropolis waking up for the day.

It was painful how beautiful and clean the land was, making me feel uncomfortable compared to the brutal state of the compound.

Yet at the same time, it felt right. It felt like the land was blessed and that I was being welcomed into it.

I turned to look back at the building I’d emerged from, the stone balcony extending from a glass wall that allowed for a grand view of the territory. Over the glass railing hung a flag with a familiar red and gold crest. This was Ironsun Pack territory.

I hadn’t died. I’d truly been saved.

My legs felt wobbly, my head filled with a buoyancy that I recognized. My hands gripped the wall in front of me as spots filled my vision. It was all too much, a dream come true. How could I trust myself? How could I trust my eyes? Nothing this good had?—

A warm, muscular arm locked around my waist while another caught my knees, lifting me into a bridal hold. A surge of familiar magic rolled over me, tugging on that bond buried deep within my chest, my head shooting up to see…Basir.

The last time I’d seen him had been filled with pain and panic.

Now, though, none of that existed. I was completely captivated by his scent, by everything about him.

Never before had I felt such an intense reaction to anyone, except for Ravik and Thornar.

It made my stomach twist nervously and a flush roll up my cheeks.

I didn’t understand the sensation coiling around me and why the rumble from his chest only made it worse.

Of course, I knew about mating and the sensation you were supposed to feel, but having lived so long in fear and then to feel…this. It was dizzying. Intoxicating.

My voice broke the silence between us. “You’re here.”

He stared down into my expression, his grip tightening at the sound of my voice. I shivered at the feeling as he grunted, moving across the balcony to a table and chairs. I felt a surge of disappointment as he gently placed me down.

Basir moved across the balcony as quickly as he’d appeared.

“I didn’t mean it as a bad thing,” I tried to explain, pressing a hand to my chest to try and calm my anxiety. “I just didn’t expect it. I don’t remember much after the compound.”

A deep vibration rolled from Basir’s chest as he stared down at the city, allowing me a moment to stare at him.

His hair was loose, freshly washed and hanging around his shoulders.

His military gear was gone, and now he wore a black linen shirt and dark pants and boots.

He seemed to exist as a shadow right on the periphery, always there, even when I didn’t fully expect it.

“We pulled you out of there,” he said quietly. “You were flown to Ironsun Pack territory and placed in a medically induced coma to help you heal.”

I swallowed, shame prickling beneath my skin at the thought of the state they’d found me in. “I didn’t realize my injuries were that bad.”

“You were seizing after you blacked out, though they couldn’t figure out why. You were severely malnourished and dehydrated. They got you on fluids quickly. Once your vitals stabilized, your wolf took over.” He hesitated for a beat. “It’s been five days.”

He’d delivered the information so clinically, but there was something underneath his words, and his own commentary brought him to clenching the glass so hard his knuckles turned white. He seemed angry about my state.

“I didn’t mean to inconvenience anyone?—”

Basir appeared in front of me like a phantom disappearing and reappearing, making me sway in my seat.

He crouched down, overwhelming me with the intensity of emotion on his face.

I couldn’t put a name to the emotion because I’d never seen it before, which is probably why it made me do something uncharacteristically bold.

I reached out to touch his chest. It felt like it was necessary, especially with him so close. Immediately, Basir’s gaze snapped down to where my fingers grazed him, and he let out a low rumble. Why did that sound make my heart flutter like this?

I pulled my hand back. “I shouldn’t have touched you without you saying?—”

Basir’s hand clasped around mine, placing it back on his chest. “You can touch me.” The words floated between us, and while they were simple enough, he seemed surprised he’d said them. “You didn’t inconvenience anyone, Gracie. You were at Yvelis’s door.”

The god of death.

The connection between us hummed with pleasure, and I found myself wanting to ask him about it—to see if he could feel it as well. Instead, I managed the next best question.

“The three of you saved me…” I let that hang there, his gaze never moving. His lips never parting to deny it. “Won’t this be considered an open attack on the Cold Moon Pack?”

“Possibly. But we were able to extract others as well. Even if Ivan wants to retaliate, the other territories haven’t opposed our actions—mostly because of the intel we’ve gained.”

Disappointment bloomed deep in my chest. I couldn’t pinpoint the reason at first, but the truth hit hard, cold, and sudden.

Had they only saved me for the intel I could provide?

Was I just a convenient catalyst for a military operation?

My throat tightened as my wolf shifted inside me, uneasy. Discontent curled through our bond like smoke. I shouldn’t have felt this way. I should have felt thankful and grateful I’d been saved. But my wolf and I had wanted something more. We’d wanted him to see it, feel it.

I hadn’t imagined the connection between us. But maybe Basir didn’t want the connection.

“Right,” I whispered, my voice dipping in confidence. “Well, thank you. No matter your reason, you’ve saved me from death. I can never thank any of you enough.”

“You don’t need to thank us.” Basir’s voice was filled with caution. He could tell something was wrong.

Of course, at that exact moment—before I could explain—my stomach rumbled. Loudly. My cheeks burst into flames as I ducked my head. A momentary sense of shame mixed with fear rolled over me. Showing hunger in the Cold Moon Pack was nearly forbidden.

“You need to eat,” Basir said sharply, pulling me up and out of the chair before stepping back once more. He strode inside, sorting through something behind a door to the left of the space. Nibbling my lip, I looked around the sunlit bedroom.

It was easily the size of the first floor of Ivan’s home. Blown glass sconces dotted wallpapered walls, the entire space filled with warm golds and creams. It was refined luxury, and the soft scent of vanilla infused the room.

“Whose room is this?” I called out cautiously.

“Yours.”

I frowned. “Is it a spare? I don’t want to?—”

“It’s yours.” Basir said, his voice harder as he stepped out of the closet. “Yours, Gracie. No strings attached, just your own space.”

Something about his sure and direct words had me breathing out a sigh of relief.

There was no question about his meaning.

This was my room. By the gods . Tightness in my chest expanded up to my throat as I tried to breathe through it.

This type of luxury wasn’t something I would ever grow used to, and being told that it belonged to me… I nearly felt sick to my stomach.

“The boxes have been unpacked, and your bags are spread out,” Basir said as he stepped out of the closet, motioning toward the space. “Take your time. Wear whatever makes you comfortable.”

His gaze lingered for a beat before he added, “There’s a bite to the air this morning, so dress warm.” Then, softer, almost like an offering, he said, “When you’re ready, come outside. I’m taking you to breakfast.”

“Of course.” I nodded immediately. “Thank you, Basir.”

The way he stared at me for a long moment had my heart beating in my chest, fast and hard, before he turned for the door. The sound of the click, signifying his departure, sent a breath tumbling out of me as I sank into the carpet.

It was overwhelming, but I couldn’t look away from this fortune. I had a chance to start over, to actually live . I wouldn’t deny myself that.