Page 26 of Howling Love (Hunter’s Moon Ritual #1)

Gracie

It was a few hours later, while I was eating dinner in the dining hall with the three of them, that I realized—they were skipping meetings just to spend time with me.

“The meeting shouldn’t take long. We wouldn’t even be going if it wasn’t important,” Ravik said, his arms folded in front of him in an obvious effort to keep from piling more food onto my already full plate.

“I’m glad you’re all eating beforehand, just in case,” I said. It probably sounded ridiculous, worrying about whether they were hungry, but I couldn’t help it. The thought of them going without—even a little—felt wrong.

Part of me even wanted to cook for them.

The instinct was there, but cooking had always been a forced task, and the idea of doing it because I wanted to felt insane.

Almost impossible. But maybe not forever.

Maybe one day I’d try. Just to see what it felt like to make something and know it was for them.

“Where will you two be?” Basir asked. He sat next to me, and although he wasn’t touching me, he was so close I could practically hear his heartbeat. I felt more confident in where I stood with all of them, but Basir was still keeping a physical distance. I just didn’t understand why yet.

“That’s a surprise.” Thornar winked at me, causing my cheeks to flush. “I’m not letting you steal my date ideas.”

A date. I’d heard the term before, but that wasn’t how things had worked in the Cold Moon Pack. The idea of going on a date with Thornar was…exciting. Terrifying. Too good to be true. It made me feel wanted and special. It caused my heart to?—

“Are you sure you don’t have to go to the meeting?” I asked in sudden concern. “You’re probably supposed to be there too.”

“No.” Thornar shook his head. “I’ll get the notes later. I tend to fall asleep halfway through the meetings as it is.”

“Which looks bad,” Ravik reminded him.

“So me not going and instead focusing on our date is a benefit to all.” His beautiful smile made me relax, seeing that he truly didn’t mind missing.

I couldn’t deny, though, that Ravik and Basir’s departure a few minutes later felt wrong. When the four of us had been together the past few hours, it felt right . I really didn’t like the separation now.

Luckily, Thornar didn’t let me think about it, because the minute I was done eating we were on the move, down the elevator and into the main atrium.

“So do I get to know where we’re going?” I teased as he intertwined our fingers together, my heart beating double time at the sweet yet oddly familiar interaction. As if we’d done it every day for years.

“I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it,” he murmured, gaze dropping to my lips and pulling to a stop, “but I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth.” He leaned in, his voice low and warm. “I can’t help myself around sweet things.”

The way he said it sent color rushing to my cheeks because I was pretty sure he wasn’t just talking about dessert.

Then we were off again, the whiplash of the moment causing me to almost feel high off of Thornar’s energy. It felt exhilarating to just be around him.

“So we’re going to get something sweet?” I asked, the brisk night wind rolling over us as we stepped outside. The streetlights were all lit up, casting warm glows over the streets, and I could hear the sounds of celebration in the distance, a sense of joy and excitement filling the air.

“Already have something sweet.” Thornar winked at me, his smile bringing one to my own lips. “But yes, it’s a place my sister and I visited often when we first came here. Always made us feel better.”

“When did you come here?” I asked him, my smile faltering. I didn’t want to pry, but I wanted to know more about him. To know everything about him.

“When I was around twelve.” He looked thoughtful for a minute. “Hard to believe that was fifteen years ago.”

I hadn’t known how old Thornar—or any of them—was until this moment. It made sense they were older than me, but I hadn’t thought to ask.

“Are Ravik and Basir around the same age?”

“Ravik is.” Thornar led me across the street, wrapping a protective arm around me before we reached the other sidewalk. “Basir is twenty-five, so two years younger than us.”

“I’m twenty-one,” I said. Should I have felt weird about being younger than them? It didn’t feel like there was a massive age difference between us. I suppose four to six years wasn’t really that much.

“And you’ve probably felt like you’ve lived ten lifetimes in that,” Thornar said in a more solemn tone than usual. “At least, that’s what it felt like for me. When I left our home and made it here, I didn’t feel twelve anymore.”

“Why did you and your sister have to leave?”

“My father was the Alpha of a pack in Silverpine for decades,” he explained quietly, his gaze set on a row of shops ahead of us.

“But one of our territorial enemies, a rogue group, challenged him for his position. My father was a proud man, and my mother a warrior. They both died in battle, so my sister and I fled before we could be exiled.”

“That’s horrible,” I whispered, my heart aching. I knew what it felt like to watch your parents die. Thornar’s had died in battle, but it didn’t take away the sting.

“It left a mark,” he admitted before inhaling sharply. “I’d met Ravik when we traveled for a diplomatic trip, and since we were the same age, we became fast friends. I knew that once we crossed into Thornfell, the only place to go was the Ironsun Pack.”

We stopped in front of a brightly colored shop, the awning different shades of purple and pink, with a sign on it that read Sun Sugar .

Before we moved toward the door, I looked up at him. “If you were meant to be an Alpha, hasn’t it been difficult to be in a Beta position?” From what I understood, the urge to be that dominant was almost impossible to ignore.

Thornar chuckled, opening the door into the shop before responding, “No. I saw what the pride of being an Alpha did to my father. I have no intention of following in the same path.”

“Thornar! Good to see you!” said an older gentleman standing behind a long, colorful counter.

“Tilo.” Thornar’s greeting and smile were authentic as the man’s warm eyes shifted to me.

“And who is this?”

“Gracie.” Thornar’s voice was filled with a measure of pride that had never been directed towards me before. I may have been stuck to his side, but I stood straighter at his tone, wanting to make a good impression.

“Wonderful to meet you. Pick anything you want—it’s on the house.”

“Not necessary, but I know saying that won’t stop you,” Thornar said. “Go ahead, little flame. Pick what looks good.”

Moving to the long row of glass, I was captivated by the rows of confections in every color imaginable.

From blocks of fudge dusted with gold to handcrafted truffles set in small wrappers like a pearl in a shell.

All of it made my mouth water, but what really caught my attention was a series of small pastel sandwich cookies—at least, that was what they looked like.

Each side of the cookie was a crispy-soft puff, and between it, a whipped filling.

And there were so many different types!

I was so distracted by them that it took my ears a moment to register the conversation that Tilo was having with Thornar. “…they’re sitting out back. I haven’t seen them leave, either. I know you told me to keep an eye out on him just in case.”

Thornar’s demeanor was different from normal, his expression far more serious and calculating. It didn’t seem unnatural to him, but it wasn’t a version of him I’d seen before, so it made my brow crinkle in confusion.

“Good work, I’ll check it out,” he assured him before looking over at me, his gaze warm. “Find what you want, little flame?”

“These,” I said immediately, looking back down at the pastel cookies.

“A set of macarons coming up.” Tilo went to grab a box, and I felt the urge to roll up on my toes in excitement. It was ridiculous, of course, but I couldn’t remember the last time I’d even tasted anything with sugar in it.

“I’ll be interested to see what you think of these,” he mused. “If you end up liking them, we can have them brought home anytime you want.”

Liking them was an understatement. Five minutes later, tucked away on the outside patio near an outdoor fireplace eating my new favorite treat, I couldn’t express anything but love for them.

“They’re like sugar pillows, and every one has a different flavor!” They came in every color and flavor under the sun, from lavender to lemon to even rose.

Thornar chuckled, the sound of it absolutely addicting, his arm wrapped around me as he looked away from the fire and down at me. “I’m glad you love them, and I love seeing how happy they make you. I want to see more of that smile.”

Feeling a bit shy at his use of the word love , I looked back down at the macarons and admitted, “Well, if I have one of these every day, I can’t imagine not smiling.”

“I might need to give them another try then.” Thornar’s free hand came up under my chin, tilting my head up so I was looking up at him. “But I have a feeling that macarons aren’t the reason you’re blushing.”

“I’m horrible at hiding my emotions,” I admitted, my eyes darting to his lips. “It was that you said you loved seeing how happy they made me.”

Thornar’s expression turned serious, his eyes sparking. The gold in them expanded, the surge of power surrounding him reminding me just how close to the surface his wolf was—something my own wolf absolutely took notice of. “Your happiness means more to me than you realize, Gracie.”

My eyes darted down to his lips once more as I had the bold urge to ask for a kiss.

I wanted to see what his lips would taste like and how he would press his lips to mine, especially after the wave of pleasure that Basir’s kiss had brought.

Thornar’s chest rumbled, making my toes curl as his thumb ran over my bottom lip, my skin pebbling with pleasurable shivers.

“Maybe I should taste the macarons from your lips, just to see why they make you so happy.” My head spun as my stomach tightened, nervous exhilaration rushing over me.

“I would love that,” I whispered. It was a bold answer, one that left my lips in honesty before I could think twice about it.

Thornar’s eyes moved back down to my lips, and I could feel him move closer, anticipation rolling over me as I closed my eyes?—

“Thornar!”

An unfamiliar voice shattered the moment. Thornar didn’t move away, though, instead pulling back just enough so that he could turn his head. His grip on me tightened possessively. Maybe it was because I was so close to him or so keyed into him, but I could see the change overcome him.

Whoever this person was, Thornar really didn’t like him. His entire body was tense, and his jaw was tight with frustration. No, not frustration—anger. My gaze moved from him to the individual in question.

“Esling.”

Esling looked to be in his mid-thirties, and he was wearing an Ironsun uniform, appearing to be some type of soldier. Everything about him screamed the opposite, though. The energy that surrounded him was twisted with darkness and filled with sadness. Almost immediately, his gaze moved down to me.

“I didn’t realize you’d found your mate. Congratulations.”

“What are you doing here tonight?” Thornar asked, pointedly not introducing the man to me. If I couldn’t see his visceral anger toward the man, I would have felt insecure about why.

“Tonight? Meeting a friend. Why—am I not allowed to be here?” He chuckled, but the sound was off as he paled to a sickly green shade.

I could practically scent the fear on him.

Was he scared of Thornar? It brought to mind the conversation Tilo and Thornar had inside.

Was this the man he’d been talking about?

Before I could hear Thornar’s response, a sudden sharp surge of power shot through me. My body jolted, eyes squeezing shut as the bond between us flared with burning intensity.

But beneath it was something darker. Violent.

Images flashed behind my eyes: blood dripping onto cold stone, the echo of screams, a pulse of rage so sharp it made my stomach twist.

My throat tightened in panic, breath hitching as a small whimper slipped from my lips.

Then it stopped. It disappeared completely, as quickly as it had appeared. Thornar’s voice was soft and honey-dipped in my ear. “Breathe, little flame. I promise everything is okay.”

My eyes were heavy, my cheeks wet with tears. I swallowed down the panic, listening as the other man’s footsteps echoed in the distance.

“Was it another vision?”

I shook my head, squeezing my eyes shut to slow the pounding in my head. “No, it was different. I could feel so much anger and violence…it was overwhelming. I don’t understand why I would feel that way.”

My head was pressed against Thornar’s chest as he held me securely against him, his arms so tight it was like he was trying to absorb me into him. I let out a puff of air, his lips brushing across the top of my head.

“I’m sorry, Gracie. I’m sorry you had to feel that.”

His words were layered with something I couldn’t identify, and he wouldn’t let me pull back to see his expression.

Instead, I stayed pressed into him until my heartbeat slowed back to normal.

His energy coated me in a soft, comforting blanket, erasing everything I’d felt before. I was safe with Thornar.

“Who was that?” I asked, my voice tight.

“Someone we’ve been keeping an eye on for a while,” he said, but didn’t expand.

“He seemed scared of you,” I murmured. “Why?”

Thornar allowed me to pull back, this time, his hands clasped on either side of my jaw. His lighthearted, easy smile was nowhere to be seen—just a seriousness that felt like cold frost drifting over my skin.

“I don’t know, Gracie.”

For some reason, I wasn’t sure I completely believed him.