Zar nodded, swallowed, clutching at my hand with both of his. “Cass, if someone else already asked…”
I hesitated. “Yes, actually. Plus your own and others less formal declarations of wanting to be my mate. But my point is it doesn’t matter right now. I’m not thinking about any of that. I just want us safe and I also want the others to know. This is not fair.”
“Some know?” Zar asked.
“And some don’t. Let’s get moving. I bet you anything we are last down to breakfast. Unless Kage is glued to the TV.”
“It’s all right if you want to go with someone else,” Zar started.
I hugged him. “Shhh… We’ll sort stuff like that out later. I want you always in my life, always in this baby’s life.” I pulled back, meeting his eyes. “You understand that, right? I don’t know how any legal or practical arrangements are going to work out in a situation like this down the road. No idea. I’d like to do some reading and talking to you all, make the best choices we can. Later.”
Zar nodded. He kissed me. “I hope she looks like you.”
“Thank you, Zar. Come on.”
“Can we name her after you?”
“No.”
“Do you have a middle name?”
“Zar—”
He retreated.
We went down for breakfast with me anxious, all churned up, a hard ginger candy in my mouth, and Zar walking into things: glassy-eyed and starting to speak every few seconds before curbing himself.
I pressed his hand as we got off the elevator, smelling breakfast. “You need to give me a minute to tell. No talking about names in front of everyone, okay?”
A quick nod, struggling to compose his breaths before we walked into the breakfast room. The place was quiet, breakfast hour winding down. A few people sat and ate toast and boiled eggs, some were checking out in the lobby. Kage, Jason, and Isaac sat in a bright window table for four.
Andrew shared a table with strangers: in the middle of a lively discussion with three middle-aged women who looked like they must be on a girl’s night away. I was glad he looked happy, committed to his subject, while they were positively spellbound.
Counter to this, at our own table, Kage was apparently lecturing. He jabbed a finger at Isaac to illustrate his point.
“What’s he talking about?” I asked Zar from the corner of my mouth.
“Who?” Zar looked around as if he hadn’t the faintest idea where we were, or how we’d come to be here.
“Who am I looking at?”
Zar glanced that way as we headed over, passing Andrew and mostly empty tables by the long buffets of fruit, cereals, and trays of hot food and toast.
“Why black currant is better than … something…” Zar said. “Might mean ice cream or jam. He’s wrong either way. Strawberry is better.”
“Why don’t you tell him that?” I sighed. “Give him something to think about. Isaac doesn’t look much like he cares: Kage’s least favorite type of audience.”
Jason smiled at us as we approached. He stood to pull out a chair for me.
Zar grabbed a fifth chair. “Strawberry’s better.”
I looked around at him. He faced Kage in dead earnest.
“Flip to Moon,” Kage snapped.
Zar shrugged. “It’s true.”
“Good morning,” I said loudly, taking the seat. “Did we miss Gabriel and Jed, or not down yet?”
“We haven’t seen them.” Isaac shifted out his chair so he could slightly face me, also smiling. “We were beginning to worry about all four of you.”
“I’m sure they’re okay. I just wonder about Gabriel. If we need a doctor … who, where, how? Is there an urgent care situation he could walk into?”
“He can do anything,” Kage said. “He’ll have private insurance.”
“There are some options,” Isaac said. “I’m not bothered about that. Only whether or not he’ll go, arä. Need it or not…” Shaking his head.
“I know. Zar? Or Jay? Would you want to go tap on their door? See how he’s really feeling? Who is he more likely to let his guard down around?”
“Jason,” Zar said. “He’s too worried about me.”
“That’s what I thought. Can you try to talk to him?”
With Jason gone, Isaac tried to show me something on his phone but Zar was asking about breakfast. I almost told him I had to see what they had, that I didn’t need waiting on. But Zar still looked crazy, smiling at me, totally ignoring Kage as the latter tried to argue back at him about black currant.
“Just a cup of decaf and a slice of toast to start. Thanks, Zar.”
“Jam?”
“Please, orange. Or whatever they have.
Kage scowled after him, muttering.
“Did you guys sleep?” I turned back to them, both at the inside places in the window, making them glow and my eyes water.
“After telly,” Kage said. “Tough to turn off. And a strange place.”
“It’s disconcerting being away from you, arä. Times like these… Still, I won’t pretend it wasn’t a treat. Andrew was so chuffed he emptied several items from my bag into drawers and nooks around the room.”
“Really? I didn’t know he pinched anything from you?”
“Nor did I.”
“He’s really warmed up to you, Isaac. I’m glad he’s feeling so good.”
“How’s Zar? He looks better also.”
“Some better. Thank you.” I touched his hand, wanting to hug him, almost tearing up from more than the light. This was like … family. Maybe this whole thing could even work one day.
“Stura git,” Kage muttered. “Not saying there’s something wrong with strawberry. Only have to be daft to think it’s better than black currant.”
“What was it you wanted to show me?” I asked Isaac.
“Your sister called. There’s a voicemail.” He opened the screen for it and offered me the phone.
“Oh…” I shut my eyes for a moment, brought back to the troublesome day with a bump. “Right. She should have flown home by now but I bet she’s scared about not being able to reach me, even though I told her… I’ll have to explain about my phone. What did she say? Is she okay? Did she buy a ticket?”
Isaac shook his head. “I didn’t listen. Only saw it was her number. Since you’ve warded in here, and warded my phone, I thought it might be a chance to call back.”
I took a slow breath, steeling myself as a tight flutter shivered through my chest.
Zar returned with my plate and mug while I started the voicemail. He almost sat, then it seemed to dawn on him that he could also get breakfast. So it was only Kage and Isaac watching me—of course able to hear while I held the phone to my ear. It was the two of them I saw, and didn’t see, as I listened. Their expressions changed while I froze in my chair. Everything else changed as well, word by word, until nothing would ever be the same.
Melanie’s voice was frantic, hushed—trying to gasp out her message without being heard. Right until the end, when a muffled voice shouted something indistinct and the call ended mid-sentence.
“Cass? Are you getting this? I tried your number before. I grabbed my phone while I could, but if they catch me… I’m so scared. Oh, God—they came for the safe houses. They found the werewolves. They said they got them all—all in England. Cass? Please, God, is somebody getting this? I’ve been kidnapped. We drove forever. I’ve heard them talking about beasts. We’re going to beasts, ‘Where the beasts are.’ What does that mean? They might be setting a trap for you, Cass. I don’t know where we are or who they are, or what else they would want. Or about the others—if anyone made it out of London alive. I’m sorry, Cass. I should have gone like you said. If you get this—”
And Cliffhanger…
The final hunt is on. Cassia and her wolves face their greatest challenges and greatest dangers ever in Moonlight Soul, the dramatic conclusion to The Witch and the Wolf Pack.
Coming soon! Book Ten will be out a little later in
the year. As of the time of this writing (May, 2019) I’m working on Moonlight Soul and can’t wait to get this grande finale out to you! I’ll show off the cover reveal through my mailing list as soon as that’s complete—and also announce a release date. Please sign up (kralexander.com) for free reads, latest news, and fun and exclusive bonus content! You can also follow my Amazon page for new releases.
I have a brand new reverse harem trilogy coming out this spring as well: Foxes of the Midnight Sun. Looking forward to that just as much! Plus more WatWP content for the mailing list and more series down the road—so a perfect time to join if you haven't already and come along on these growing adventures!
In the interim, please don’t forget to post a quick review for Moonlight Magic on Amazon, or go back to the beginning for a review on Moonlight Desire to let others know what you think of The Witch and the Wolf Pack.
Thank you for reading, sharing, reviewing, and running with the pack!
Until our next hunt,
Moonlight Magic Page 25