Chapter 247

AURORA

I woke to the sound of Dane shifting, an almost gentle creak of the bed, his shadow dancing across the wall, cast by the moonlight filtering through the curtains.

“Where are you going?” I murmured, my words thick with sleep as I forced myself up on my elbows.

“Trajan heard something near the border,” he replied, slipping into his jacket.

His tone was even, but beneath the smooth deepness of his voice, the tension was still there. I sat up a bit more, clenching the blankets at my waist to cover my bare butt.

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No.” He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. “Stay here. I’ll handle it… get some rest.”

There was something weighted in his eyes, some secret he wasn’t voicing, but I nodded nonetheless.

“Careful,” I whispered, and my heartbeat increased in my chest.

“Always.” One last lock of his eyes on mine, and he moved across the threshold.

Briefly, the cool breeze of night circled my ankles. The door closed silently, shutting him out of my sphere of vision.

I do not know if I’d slept since, or for the remainder of that night. I’d jump awake at every creak of the packhouse, every murmur of a wind-stirred leaf outside.

It was chillier than it should have been, and I pulled my blanket up a bit. I finally felt a wash of relief as Dane finally came back and stood at the doorway.

“Well?” I asked, my voice as full of hope as fear.

He let out a sigh, peeling off his jacket and running a hand through his hair.

“Trajan found some tracks. Big, but not conclusive. Might be a stray person. Might be nothing.”

I straightened a little farther, frowning. “You don’t believe that, right?”

His hesitation was brief, but instructive. “Not totally. But we can’t be leaping to conclusions just yet.”

I nodded, but the tightness in my stomach didn’t unwind.

The next morning, the pack gathered at the middle clearing; thick with unsaid frustration, all eyes watched their surroundings warily.

Dane stood at the middle of the circle and told all that had happened during the night to the ones that slept all through.

Standing off to the side, one of the females didn’t seem to have taken her eyes from Dane’s face. I scratched my elbows as I sighed.

As the meeting drew to a close and the wolves began to disperse in various directions, with fluid, deliberate movements, she moved toward me.

“You must worry so much about Dane,” she said, unmistakable sweetness dripping from her voice.

“He’s capable,” I said, working hard for my voice to be as friendly as possible, and yet catching the challenge that seemed to lace her tone.

She laughed then, the sound airy, mocking. “Oh I know. He’s impressive. What he does for the pack, I admire.”

Her eyes flashed to Dane, still standing deep in conversation with Trajan.

Heat rose in my chest, irritation sparkling like a match. “He’s committed, it’s his duty,” I said, my tone even.

Her smile spread, but not quite to her eyes. “Of course. You are so lucky with him, Aurora.”

I gritted my teeth, watching her walk away, her hips seemed to be swaying a little too much, and why is her skirt so short. The little knot in my stomach started all over again.

I grunted and went ahead with the activities for the day, meetings, arrangement, and so on.

By nightfall, I stood outside the packhouse, I leaned my shoulder on the pillar as I looked into space. My mind is filled with thoughts.

I don’t know what could be going on in Rowan’s mind. That she-wolf at the meeting this morning, I hadn’t noticed her before.

I noticed movement beside me and I turned to see Dane, “What’s on your mind?” he said, his tone low as we drew to bed.

“Not a thing,” I lied, forcing a weak smile. “Just tired.”

He did not say anything and yet I felt his gaze on the side of my face.

We stood quietly, staring at the stars together. Dane shifted closer, his hand touched mine. “Aurora,” his voice came very low.

I rolled over to him, my heart pounding in my chest. “What’s wrong?”

I turned to face him. “I don’t know, it’s just that something is wrong.”

Before I could press him for what he meant, that far off howl from last night cut through the air again, this time closer, sharper.

I tensed, the sound running a shiver down my spine. “You think it’s the same one?”

Dane didn’t answer right away.

Instead, he dropped his leg down the step, “Stay here,” he snarled. “Aurora.”

I tightened my grip on his hand, I was about to part my lips to oppose, but he placed his other hand on mine.

“I mean it, Aurora. I’ll be back.”

I sighed and nodded and he smiled at me and let go of my hand, before walking down the paths.

The air became colder than I’d expected, standing there watching Dane disappear into the dark.

Minutes dragged out to what felt like eternity as my unease slowly increased within me. I wrapped my arms around my body as I dropped into a sitting position.

I was going to wait here till he came back.

So I lifted my gaze and I saw him coming. I let out a sigh as I rushed up to my feet.

Dane took to his heels and raced up to me, “Well?” I asked as he reached me.

Dane’s face was tightly drawn. He pulled me into his arms, “Why didn’t you go in? It’s cold out here.”

“Forget that… what did you notice?”

“The tracks are still there. Whatever it is, it’s circling the territory.”

My heart just flipped to my stomach. “What do we do?”

“We double patrols for now,” he said. “I don’t want to cause panic until we know more… for now, you need to be covered up, come inside.”

During the training gathering, Dane addressed the matters of the pack.

Just about then, Freya came up to me, the wolf who spoke to me about Dane yesterday. I asked around and I got her name. I found out she was new in the pack.

“You must be so worried,” she said, her voice dripping with serious concern.

I forced a polite smile. “Dane knows what he’s doing.”

“Oh, of course he does.” Her eyes flickered to his, the admiration in them clear. “He’s a natural leader. So strong. So capable.”

My fists had clenched at my sides, her tone testing my patience. “He is. And he has my full support.”

Her smile had reduced for that just one second when she looked away, I used the opportunity to walk away from her.

That night in bed Dane’s words just kept running over in my head: “Something’s just not right.”

Just then, as I was starting to drop off to sleep, there was this faint noise outside the window, a sort of creaking.

“Dane, something again” I whispered, turning and poking him in the shoulder.

He turned on in an instant. His hand came out to rest on the knife lying beside the bed.

“What is it?” he asked

I nodded at the window. “I heard something.”

Dane went to the window and peeped out into the darkness.

“Stay here,” he said, firm of tone, then opened the door and stepped outside.

I waited, my heart pounding, as seconds dragged to infinity once again.

When he returned, his face was blacker than it had been. “Rowan,” he said, his voice tight.

“What?”

“He was lurking around the house.”

“Why?”

Dane shook his head, clenching his jaw. “Said he was checking the perimeter. But I don’t buy it.”

“What are you going to do?”

“For now? Nothing. As long as he behaves, I’m keeping my eye on him.”