Chapter 11%
Thirteen hours of flying across continents had left every muscle in my body stiff and aching. The moment I pushed my suitcase past customs and crossed into Black Hollow Pack’s territory, I felt the tug of magic in the air.
Old, familiar
My wolf stirred faintly inside me for the first time in months, unsettled and restless.% “Ella!”
I blinked toward the arrivals gate, my vision hazy from exhaustion and jet lag.
Seth Hallow, Black Hallow Pack’s future Alpha stood there in a worn white T–shirt and faded jeans, holding a crooked sign that read Welcome, Ms Moonfall, the ink smudged like it had been hurriedly scribbled in the car. His grin was lopsided, boyish, and just like l remembered Seven years had passed, but Seth hadn’t changed.
Not even his scent.
Still the same comforting mix of wolf musk, sunlight, and a hint of mischief
“How did you “W
Before I could finish, he shoved a massive bouquet of sunflowers into my arms. The golden petals brushed against my cheek, warm and fragrant, carrying the scent of open fields and early summer.
“Happy divorce!” he beamed, snatching the suitcase from my hand like a warrior claiming a kill. “Starting today, you’re a free she–woll. No Alpha’s collar. No cage.“W
A laugh caught in my throat, tangled in a wave of unexpected emotion. My eyes burned as I clutched the sunflowers tighter “Thank you,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. If I spoke any louder, I might break.
Julian had been my lifeline these past months, helping me plan my escape from Alpha Draven Blackthorn. From the moment I broke the mating bond, Seth had never once questioned me. He only stood by me, loyal as ever./
The apartment Seth prepared was far more than I expected, It was spacious, modern, and filled with light–rare for a pack–owned property this deep in the northern wilds.W
Floor–to–ceiling windows opened out to the mist–draped forest, and the distant howl of wolves echoed from the mountains. Territory markers have been refreshed recently. Seth had made sure I was safe.
“This… must’ve cost a fortune,” I murmured at the threshold, hesitant to step into something that felt so… alive.
Seth puffed out his chest dramatically. “Crazy expensive. Took three months of pack pay and a little charm.” He shot me a cheeky grin and wiggled his brows. “But there’s a catch.“W
I narrowed my eyes.
He dropped my suitcase and clutched his heart in mock desperation. “Roommate proposal. Just hear me out. The apartment’s got three bedrooms. I take the one farthest from yours–miles away. You won’t even smell me unless I’m in heat.”%
I laughed despite myself. His playful tone soothed the sharp edge of reality biting at me. The Alpha’s mark on my skin may have faded, but the mernories hadn’t.
“Rent’s split evenly,” I warned.W
Seth fist pumped and dragged my suitcase inside. “Deal.”
Three days later, reality snapped its jaws.
“Job hunting already?” Seth asked from behind his laptop, his tone gentle.
I stared at my notebook, the pages filled with career options all scribbled out. “I don’t know what I’m even good at anymore. Seven years as the Luna of the Blackthorn Pack–turns out being a housemate to a tyrant isn’t much of a marketable skill.”
Seth slid his chair closer. “That’s not true. You were always talented before him. You were born with soul–fire in your veins and a sketchpad in your hands.” His finger pointed at a word I had crossed out. “Illustrator. Why not try again?”
I looked away. “That was a lifetime ago. And I’m not that girl anymore.”
Seth didn’t argue. Instead, he pulled out his phone. “One of my pack mates works at an indie comic studio. They’re hiring. Nothing big. Just a few panels. Want me to message him?“W
Before I could answer, my phone buzzed.
A new number. American, like mine, but unregistered.
Seth’s posture instantly shifted. His nose twitched–he scented the anxiety flooding off me.
He reached for my phone faster than I could blink. “Might be a telemarketer,” he said casually, fingers flying across the screen. Too fast.
“What is it?” I asked, wary
He smiled, a little too wide. “Nothing important. Just blocked a few spam numbers for you.“”
He thought it was Draven I could tell. Seth had seen what that monster’s calls did to me–how the bond’s echo still twisted in my chest. He was trying to protect me.
“Right,” he added, clearing his throat. “Do you want to look at the studio info?“%
I nodded slowly, reaching for his phone.
But as I tapped the screen, it slid to his social feed by accident, and my heart stopped.
10
10:48
But as I tapped the screen, it said to his social feed by accident, and my heart stopped.
Alpha Draven’s name flashed across the notification thread like a live wire, and I felt the ghost of the old bond coll tight in my chest. The latest post was a missing person notice.
A photo of our wedding day. My face was smiling. Trapped Marked
“Luna Ella Moonfall. Missing Last seen in Europe. Any information, contact Alpha Draven Blackthorn”
A cold chill crept down my spine. My wolf went still inside me.\
Even after the bond was severed, he was still hunting me.
Seth’s reflexes were faster than a human blink. His hand shot out like a striking wolf, snatching the phone back with a grow! low in his throat.
“Nope,” he muttered, his thumb moving with purpose. I heard the distinct click of a contact being blocked, like a door slamming shut in a rogue’s face.
He refreshed the page, erasing all traces of the past, then handed the phone back to me, his golden eyes calm but unreadable.
