Chapter 54

Mira

I went back to doing what I did best, reading medical textbooks.

There was an eerie calmness around the Pack these days, with so much dramatic turnover within the Alpha family.

I took advantage of my status and avoided the hospital and the awkwardness among the staff. Some were still feeling the loss of Lila, others had known Irene and Tessa for a long time and felt personally betrayed by them.

And still some looked at me like I was the root cause of all the troubles the Pack had gone through. I couldn’t blame those whose feelings for me were complicated, but I could certainly avoid them.

I was holed up in the library enjoying a cup of dandelion tea. In my research I had come across accounts of waking dormant wolves, but most of them sounded more like exorcising the devil out of someone than helping them bring back their power.

A shadow loomed over my book as someone came up behind my chair.

“A little light reading?”

I tilted my head directly up to look into his face.

“Just some research,” I said.

I closed the book and placed it on the table. The cover was illustrated with a group of people in a circle surrounding a wolf floating in the air. The full moon was slightly embossed with texture and a bit of silver paint to add to the mysticism.

“Research?” Lucian asked as he sat in the empty chair next to me. I didn’t love that he was sitting so close to me, but didn’t want to draw attention and move away.

“Are doctors writing prescriptions these days or are you back to casting spells?” His smile was wide, his teeth square and perfectly straight.

“Ha ha,” I said, shifting slightly in my seat. “Did you come here to diminish my intelligence as a physician, or did you need something from me?”

“Must I always need something from you? I can’t just come by and chat with my friend?” he was giving puppy dog eyes. It would’ve been more annoying if he wasn’t so naturally charming. Some people could really walk that line, and Lucian was at the top of the list.

“How did you even know I was here?” I asked him.

“Mira, you are about to be the next Luna,” he said matter-of-factly. “The Pack keeps tabs on the important members, especially when they are as fascinating as you.”

The thought of being surveilled by the neighborhood watch didn’t sit well with me, but I knew there was no way to prevent it. At least everyone pretended not to care, leaving me with my illusion of privacy.

“I’m surprised they are still sharing that information with you, of all people,” I said to him, trying to win back some power even if I had to be petty about it. “I thought they might try to run you our of town, just to make an example of you.”

“Luckily for me,” he said, leaning back in his chair, “we are led by a just and fair Alpha, who took pity on a young man with a bright future who was also deceived by his own family members.”

I squinted my eyes as I took in his story, not sure if I could fully believe him yet.

“My step-father knows that I had little contact with my mother while I was at school,” he added, “And my sister and I aren’t exactly best friends.”

There was judgment in his voice, but he seemed sincere.

“Part of the reason I insisted on going away to University was to get some space from them, and I guess I was right to do so.” He dropped his eyes a bit. “I still can’t believe my mother would do something like that, when she had so much to lose.”

“Right,” I said, sticking a bit on his last statement. “I guess it can be hard to really know people. Even those we love.”

“A sad truth, but a truth nonetheless,” Lucian said with a sigh. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Well, do you think you really know the people you love? Dominic?”

“I don’t—“ I stopped myself, realizing what he was trying to do. “Of course I don’t know everything about Dominic, yet, but trust him. He is not deceitful, in anything.”

“Sounds like what a good Mate would say about her man, for sure,” he said, raising his eyebrows in doubt. “Let’s just hope you’re up to the challenge of being by his side, sometimes I think that man is made of stone. I can never really tell how he’s feeling, or if he has feelings at all.”

“He has feelings, Lucian,” I said, “He just isn’t quick to share them all the time. We all have things we hide from one another.”

“I suppose we do,” he said, looking back at me. “Like you, hiding from everyone that you are wolfless.”

I froze. My heart stopped beating, then began again. I blinked, hoping it might wipe Lucian from existence.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, trying to breathe.

“It’s okay, Mira,” Lucian said, placing a hand on my thigh. “Your secret is safe with me, I promise. Really, I just want to help.”

I looked down at his hand on my leg. As if sensing my discomfort, he removed it.

“I don’t need your help,” I said, turning away from him and reaching to pack up my things.

I suddenly felt the need to be far away from him.

“You might,” he said, not fighting me to stay. “I don't think you'll be able to get your wolf back alone— no one ever does.”

“How do you know?”

“You’re not the only one who has done ‘research’ on this,” he said, poking the cover of the book on the table. “I had a professor who was obsessed with the idea that all those legends of mystic wolves sharing powers were true. We even performed some mock rituals for a midterm.”

“So— it’s possible, then? To wake a dormant wolf?” I could hear the desperation in my voice, but I didn’t care.

“It is, I believe,” Lucian said with a shrug. “But from what I know, it’s very difficult and can be quite dangerous. In fact, it really relies on danger in order to work.”

“Tell me how.”