Page 25 of Howling Love (Hunter’s Moon Ritual #1)

Gracie

I didn’t expect how quickly I’d be absorbed by the vast amount of knowledge around me.

The heavy tomes on my lap were filled with fascinating pieces of information that I couldn’t even begin to separate or pick through.

It must have been hours, the midday sun beaming down from above me, before I forced myself to stand up to return the pile of books I’d collected.

The library was very quiet, my shoes echoing with each step, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

In fact, it put my mind at ease. While I would have preferred to see Ravik, Basir, or Thornar, the time alone allowed me to reflect.

I felt more grounded than when I’d woken up, and though my chest ached with doubt and vulnerability, I recognized that the only way to resolve this was to talk to them.

When I found them, at least.

As I slid the first book back on the shelf and made my way to the second location up a set of stairs to the left side of the room, I passed a table covered with paper, pens, and empty journals.

My fingers ran over them as I considered picking one up, even if it just meant writing out my name.

It had been forever since I’d held a pen, let alone wrote anything.

Communication in written form had been forbidden in the Cold Moon Pack.

The concept of writing almost felt foreign to me. Maybe eventually I’d try again.

When I reached the second story of the library, I easily found where to return the book. Turning, I found myself frozen to the spot, because not even six feet from me, sitting on a chair overlooking the room, was Basir.

His emerald gaze was riveted to me, his body tense as he slowly stood. Shadows cloaked his location in the corner, but as he stepped out of them—not moving any closer—I could see it. I could see the pain on his face as he stared at me, not in surprise, but in caution. As if I would…hurt him?

“Have you been up here for long?” I asked, taking a step closer to him. His fists were clenched so tightly that his veins bulged, and he looked exhausted, as if he hadn’t slept.

When he didn’t answer, I emboldened myself a bit more, feeling as though I was on the edge of something. This moment was important; I just didn’t fully understand why.

“Why didn’t you join me, Basir?” Emotion clogged my throat. I’d thought he had been just avoiding me out of guilt…but now he was watching me, but from a distance? I just didn’t understand.

Basir’s gaze went over my shoulder for a long moment, his fists loosening and tightening again in what appeared to be an act of control. He was stopping himself from doing something , and all I wanted to do was to move closer to him.

“I’ve had meetings about the Cold Moon Pack. I only just got out of them.” His words didn’t ring false, not completely, and those meetings sounded important, but he also wasn’t saying everything. I continued to stare at him for a long moment before his gaze moved back to mine.

“You know,” I whispered in realization.

The others had told him everything—about the bond and the god scar. This wasn’t just about the guilt from what occurred at the temple. There was a larger fear there.

A sense of loss hit me. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to stop my lip from dipping, my eyes stinging with heat. I had no right to be sad; he hadn’t asked for any of this. But his actions, his distance… They felt like a rejection.

“Yes. They told me?—”

I was already turning away, not wanting him to see my tears as I felt my heart fracture just a little bit. I had never expected to find my mate, let alone more than one, but the idea of him rejecting our bond… It was too much.

“Gracie.” His voice was warm against my ear as his arm wrapped around my waist, capturing me against him. The man reminded me of a radiator, and as I turned into him, looking up into his expression, I could see his panic. He was worried about my reaction? But that made no sense if he didn’t want?—

Basir kissed me .

I’d never been kissed before, but the way he slid his hand to cup my jaw while the other tightened on my waist had me melting into it.

His lips were warm against my own, and his minty breath intertwined with mine.

Heat rushed over my skin, and I couldn’t help but tremble, feeling the force and magnitude of our bond rage through the two of us.

Despite the intensity of our kiss, his grip was careful on me, almost reverent. Almost as if he’d never held anyone like this. His kiss was as needy as my own, and it felt like I was drinking from a well of emotion that looped between the two of us endlessly—like undulating waves.

I didn’t even realize my hands had slipped into his hair until he ripped his lips away. My breathing was fast, blood roaring through my veins, as he stared down at me with desperate need.

“I shouldn’t have—” Basir stopped himself, looking manic and out of sorts as he continued to stare at me, his words finally registering. “No. I won’t say that. I don’t fucking regret anything about that, glow.”

“Please don’t regret it.”

He moved close again, pressing our foreheads together. “I shouldn’t even be touching you, let alone kissing you.”

The agony in his voice made my heart break for him. I shook my head, almost angry at him for feeling that way. “I want you to touch…and kiss me. Yesterday wasn’t your fault. It could have been any of you that caused that reaction.”

I never expected my reassurance to sound so confident, but I could also hear the desperation, the need for him to believe me.

Basir shook his head. “Don’t say that. Don’t say you want me to touch you. It’s so much deeper than just yesterday. I shouldn’t be anywhere near you.”

I hated that. I hated what he was saying.

The words to tell him exactly that were right on the tip of my tongue. I didn’t care if it embarrassed me, he needed to know how much I wanted his touch. His kiss. Before I could do that, though, a very familiar voice called out.

“There you are, little flame!” Thornar called as he made his way up the stairs. Basir’s chest released a low rumble as he gripped me tighter, frustrated we were being interrupted.

I turned in Basir’s arms, and he kept his arm around me, his forehead pressed to my shoulder. I didn’t move too much because I wanted to show him that his touch was good, that I completely and utterly accepted it.

“Basir—should have known you would be here,” Ravik called out, seeming amused.

Basir grunted but didn’t say anything, keeping me close as Thornar threw himself down in the chair that was now abandoned.

“Did you know we were advised to give you space, Gracie?” Thornar shook his head, looking disappointed.

“Turns out that was a terrible idea. We lasted exactly three hours, and Basir here didn’t last any hours. ”

“Well, yesterday…” I hesitated, not wanting to make him feel bad about needing space.

Ravik, of all people, shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. “Basir was around yesterday. Don’t let him tell you differently.”

Basir lifted his head from my shoulder, shooting both men a glare that was frankly terrifying before looking down at me with soft affection. “I made sure you were safe.”

I didn’t know exactly what that meant, but it was clear that despite not seeing him, he’d been around. Where did he even get the skillset to move around so silently? It almost seemed other .

“Right.” I nibbled my lip and then spoke honestly. “We…we probably all need to talk, especially after yesterday.”

“What’s there to talk about?” Thornar asked. “Didn’t I say something about marriage when we first met? And look at that—we’re mates. The Eight clearly agree.”

His teasing was layered with something deeper, especially with how he was looking at me—a possessive flair filling his warm gaze. It almost was a challenge, as if he wanted me to deny what was so obvious between us…and I found I couldn’t. But that didn’t remove my other concerns.

“But you didn’t ask for any of this.”

“Gracie, I think you know exactly how we feel about this situation.” Ravik’s voice was filled with authority and dominance, making my heart beat wildly. I looked at his serious expression before slipping from Basir’s arms and turning toward the three of them.

I could tell he didn’t like my distance, but I needed space to think. To formulate how I wanted to tell them what I was worried about.

“A mate bond is one thing, but the god scar and being a vessel? You shouldn’t have to deal with that.”

“If we’re tethered, then it was destined.” Basir’s words were quiet, but his gaze was hyper-focused on me, almost predatory—as if he was worried I would walk away. It should have made me feel better, but I couldn’t allow myself to truly believe.

“ Lux mea , why do you think we came for you?”

That question brought me to a stop, because of course I’d asked Basir as much when I first woke. But to have them all surrounding me like this, centered on me—it made me nervous to ask.

“For information. For answers.” I was stumbling over my own words, defaulting to the most logical option. Even if their feelings for me played a part in it, to assume that three men would travel across the country to save me was insane.

Thornar shook his head. “We could get that anywhere. We’ve even had spies within his territory before.”

“We came for you , glow.” Basir’s declaration had a delicate and vulnerable belief building inside of my heart. They couldn’t be any clearer. These men, before any bond had kicked in, had traveled across the country for me. To save me.

“You really want this? Me?” I hated the words as they came out of my mouth. Why was I asking them to question something that made me so happy?

“That is not in question.” Ravik’s answer was firm, his gaze filled with a heat and intensity that left me breathless. “You’re not going anywhere.”

I didn’t want to go anywhere.

Thornar flashed me a smile and reached out to offer his hand, my fingers grazing over his. “Want you? I’m obsessed with you, little flame. Probably stared at you for nearly an hour after you fell asleep.” My cheeks flamed with color as I finally looked at Basir.

“You’re safe now, Gracie.”

I believed him. I believed them .

“Okay,” I whispered, looking down and smiling, trying to shift from the intensity of the emotion wrapped around us.

It was almost too much. “But if you do need information, I can try to tell you everything I know. I haven’t picked up a pen in years, but I can try to even draw a map of his compound or anything else that would help. ”

“We may need that,” Basir said. “According to our sources, Ivan is less than pleased with our actions.”

“But it won’t be an issue,” Ravik instantly said, relaxing the knot in my chest. “He’s always been a thorn in the rest of Thornfell’s side. If he calls for war, we won’t find a lack of allies.”

“I’ve got a question.” Thornar stood, looking around the library’s first floor. “How did you manage to find your way in here? I haven’t been here for years.”

It was such a turn of conversation that it took my brain a minute to catch up. “When I got up this morning?—”

“And left bed, something I hated,” Thornar pointed out. His tone light and teasing, so I knew he wasn’t actually mad.

“I ran into your mom,” I said, looking at Ravik.

He arched his brow. “My mom? And she brought you here?”

“Was she not supposed to?” I asked, feeling a surge of anxiety.

“She just doesn’t like anyone,” Thornar chuckled. “But that doesn’t seem to apply to you at all, Gracie.”

My chest ached with happiness and hope. These men wanted me— me , not just my information. And maybe…maybe their families did too. The thought felt fragile, almost too much to believe.

They wanted me. All of me .