Page 29 of Howling Love (Hunter’s Moon Ritual #1)

“ Man —not men. There isn’t a plural in your vocabulary for that.” Banthor scowled, and Thornar grunted, letting out a long sigh. I looked up at him as Basir offered me a rare amused look.

“Right.” Elowen rolled her eyes. “Because I only know one man and that’s you, right?”

“Right, baby.” He flashed a charming smile. “I knew you understood.”

“I’m getting Sol,” she grumbled, storming away.

“Your obsession over my sister is getting intense,” Thornar said with a lighthearted tone that had Banthor looking over with a curious expression.

“My love for your sister is intense. Correct.” And then he was gone.

“It has gotten somewhat funny,” Basir admitted. “Especially since Banthor has been given everything in the world. So to see him struggle…it’s entertaining.”

“Yeah, but it’s my sister, so it’s uncomfortable.” Thornar looked down at my confused expression. “ Mates . Sort of,” he explained. “My sister carries herself well, acting as if it doesn’t faze her, but losing our parents made her hesitant. She doesn’t want to lose anyone again.”

“I have to assume you’ve just met Banthor.” Ravik rejoined us, having been sidetracked after Elowen’s appearance. I nodded as he shook his head . Clearly , he knew exactly what was going on as well.

I looked over to where Elowen and Banthor were talking close to one another, her brow bent in frustration.

The intensity between them made my chest tighten—was she upset?

My first instinct was worry for her. Yet even through my nerves, I couldn’t ignore how strangely sweet it was, the way Banthor’s focus never wavered from her.

“My dad wants to meet you,” Ravik said, gently leading me under the tent.

Suddenly, the idea of meeting even more individuals, let alone his parents, had the world pressing in around me.

My chest tightened, breath catching high in my throat.

The noise blurred into a dull hum, and no matter how I tried, I couldn’t draw in enough air.

My hands shook at my sides, heat prickling down my neck.

I hadn’t even realized I’d come to a complete stop until Ravik’s low voice cut through the chaos.

“Gracie.” A warm hand slid to the small of my back, anchoring me to the moment. “Look at me. Just me.”

I forced my gaze upward, finding his golden eyes fixed on mine, calm and certain. He lowered his head until our foreheads nearly touched, his breath slow, deliberate. “In…out,” he murmured, guiding me with his own.

I followed—shaky at first, then steadier—clinging to the rise and fall of his chest as if it were the only tangible thing in the world. Bit by bit, the noise faded, my lungs opened, and the tremor in my hands eased.

“That’s it,” he whispered, his thumb brushing over my wrist. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

I swallowed hard, pulling back just enough to gather myself, to pretend I wasn’t rattled to the core. My pulse still raced, though, and the thought struck sharp and unwelcome: What was that?

“I don’t understand,” I murmured. “I’ve never…”

“A panic attack,” Ravik said gently, his voice steady with understanding. “That’s what it was.”

You’d think I would have known that feeling before now, after living on high alert, enduring so much pain. But maybe that was the difference. Maybe I’d been too focused on surviving to let myself panic.

I drew in a shaky breath and forced myself upright, grasping at composure.

“We should go meet your parents.” My eyes flicked to Solenne at a nearby table, her gaze already on us.

She sat with two others I didn’t recognize, and the reminder of more strangers waiting sent a ripple of unease through me.

We paused for a moment as we passed, Solenne reaching out to squeeze my hand.

“I’m so happy to see that you’re feeling better. Isara was worried when we didn’t hear an update.”

“I gave one a few hours later,” Ravik responded dryly, making me smile. That clearly had not been fast enough for them.

“I think it was the next day,” the man sitting with Solenne and an unfamiliar woman said. When he looked up from the game they were playing, it was obvious that he was also related to Ravik.

So he had at least two brothers and a sister.

“Gracie, this is Siguun, our baby brother.”

Solenne’s introduction nearly had a snort leaving me because the man was huge —as tall as Ravik, easily.

He did appear younger, though. His face was slightly softer, and his short blonde hair stuck up in a few directions, making him look like he’d just woken up.

The only part that didn’t match was the dark, rune-like tattoos that covered his arms and ran up his neck onto his jaw.

It was disarming, the contrast between that and his soft energy.

“Wonderful to meet you,” Siguun said with a warm smile. He motioned to the woman across from him, her large eyes on me with interest. “This is Zia.”

“I’m the best friend.” She flashed a bright smile. Siguun nodded immediately. He seemed to love the label, but with the way he was looking at her, I couldn’t help but think it meant more to him than that.

I could understand why. The woman had a way about her that even stood out to me.

Her skin was golden, and she had long, shiny waves of hair that hung around her shoulders like silk.

Her features were delicate, and her eyes had a soft tilt at the corners, giving her an expression of quiet curiosity.

Despite her simple coat and the way she held herself, relaxed and non-confrontational, there was something about her that was regal in nature.

She also had a very different scent, her magic distinctly not wolf, but something smaller and softer. I’d been around wolves for so long that, much like the dragons at the trade conference, she stood out to me. As if knowing, her lips pulled into an understanding smile.

“Deer shifter—prey. That’s why you’re noticing the difference.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make it obvious I noticed,” I said immediately, feeling a wave of embarrassment.

“Don’t say sorry,” she assured me. “It just means you’re in tune with your wolf. I enjoy being a deer shifter—I don’t see it as a bad thing.”

But I had the feeling others noticed, with the way she explained herself.

“You can do so many things we can’t,” Siguun immediately agreed. “She can run faster than me, and she can move through the forest much better?—”

Zia’s hand moved out to squeeze his, her cheeks flushing with color as she offered him a thankful smile. “Like I said, nothing to apologize for.”

My eyes were wide because… by The Eight, they were so endearing . The man may have been massive, but he was clearly a gentle giant for her.

“Mom is giving you a look, Ravik,” Solenne commented, amused. I turned to see that Ravik was watching me with a soft affection.

“Come on, lux mea . Let’s meet my father.”

Malara and Deegan were sitting slightly off to the side underneath the canopy. Deegan was positioned behind his desk while Malara sat on the edge of it, talking to him. It was very obvious where Ravik and his brothers got their size from, because Alpha Deegan was large himself.

He also very clearly had Alpha power. Normally, that kind of strength made my stomach twist the way it did with Ivan—sharp and suffocating.

But this…this wasn’t the same. The weight of dominance was there, demanding respect, but it didn’t claw at me.

My wolf stirred instead, cautious yet curious, as if testing the edges of what it might mean to meet someone so powerful.

Although, there was something else I noticed as well, a thread of energy that seemed…wilted. Once again, that pull of premonition that had come in my conversation with Malara was pulled to the front. The man’s laughter was bright, though, as he responded to something his wife said.

“There she is, lady of the hour—Gracie! It’s wonderful to meet you!” Deegan’s warm welcome surprised me, and I offered him a small smile. I’d had no idea how he was going to view me since I’d pulled his son into a direct conflict. I wouldn’t have blamed him for being frustrated, even mad.

“I’m glad I’m here,” I said, meeting the hand he reached out to shake. Malara gave me a warm smile in greeting. “Thank you for allowing me to stay in your territory.”

“While it may not have been planned,” he said, “once the boys explained the situation, I understood. After all, finding your mate—especially being tethered —isn’t something you can ignore.”

“In fact, it can drive people to do crazy things,” Malara agreed, looking pointedly at him.

“I had no choice, my moon!” He barked out a laugh, explaining, “When we met back at the university, she had no idea I was the future Alpha of the territory.”

“I was from Florwyn!” She scowled, crossing her arms. “I didn’t know you were some future leader; I was just trying to study. I didn’t have time for dating or mates.”

“So instead of telling her, I followed her around for days, offering to do all of her homework and anything else to get in her good graces. It took months, but I finally got a date, and then?—”

“He told me who he was.” She shook her head, exasperated.

“If I’d told her from the start that I was an Alpha, she wouldn’t have given me a chance.” He shrugged, amused. “Have to follow the heart.”

Ravik’s hand tightened on my waist. Malara looked down at her husband with so much affection, I almost felt like I should look away. “It was pretty hard to ignore you. Plus, I suppose after all this time, I understand why your method worked.”

“I’m so glad—” Deegan stopped, coughing hard into his elbow. Malara’s softness faded away, replaced with worry. Ravik’s frame was tense as he pulled me closer, almost to comfort himself. It was possible I was misreading that, but I didn’t think so.

There was something wrong with Deegan; I could feel it.

“Maybe you two should grab food,” Malara suggested lightly, giving her husband some water.

“Of course.” Ravik led me away as Deegan continued to cough. While we made our way toward the table of food, he explained the situation in a quiet, solemn tone. “My father is sick with Moonrot. He has been for…at least five years. But it’s getting worse.”

“I’ve never heard of that,” I whispered, horrified at his revelation.

“It’s a cancerous disease, rotting the lungs from the inside out and only seen in wolf shifters.” He breathed out. “We’ve tried every treatment imaginable, but nothing.”

I wrapped my arms around Ravik’s torso and buried my head in his chest. He tightened his around me in return, and one of his hands slid into my hair, holding me against him.

I’d watched my parents die in front of me—my father’s death brutal and quick, my mother’s slower.

But this type of disease? It brought tears to my eyes to think of the quiet grief they’d endured for years.

“I’m so sorry, Ravik,” I whispered, pulling back as he cupped my jaw and examined my watery eyes. Emotion washed over his own face as he nodded, his jaw tight as if he couldn’t put into words how he felt—but I could feel it through our bond.

“The old man is strong. After all the shit he’s survived, I can’t imagine that Astaruun is going to let this be what defeats him.”

I could hear the determination and hope in his voice, and I nodded immediately. I didn’t know if there was a true solution. A fix, a cure.

If there was one, I would help find it.

Was that naive of me? Possibly.

But I was starting to realize I would do a lot to help this family.

Because that’s what they were. Not just a powerful pack or a group of dominant leaders—they were threaded with warmth and connection. A true family.