Serah POV
"Here. Something funny is going on and the answer is in another pack."
"Ice Moon."
...
Max erased her shocked face and grinned.
"You're full of surprises. How do you know about Ice Moon?"
She did expect me to know about them but how was I supposed to answer, the luna forbade me from talking about it before having any concrete evidence.
"Serah, I have quarter blood from that pack so I'm quite in the confidence."
Her statement was reassuring. People from there were so secretive.
"The man, yesterday, it was his last words before disappearing."
She reflected on my words but there wasn't much to understand. She told me that she would keep that in mind and hopefully, her trip will answer her.
Jayson and Jess had a few words with them. We, then, left the alphas out of the territory and we all scattered to our respective packs.
The siblings were engrossed in a talk I couldn't comprehend, their childhood life and friends were a memory I wasn't part of.
They soon realized that I was kind of excluded from their small discussion and tried to interact with me. However, the forest was today more intriguing than yesterday.
I felt different since the poor man massacre.
Jess and Jay ignored me, as unresponding I was, and happy they were to resume their stories.
These exciting days, finally, they were off. I found consolation with the rays digging through the branches to reach my skin. I occupied myself watching the sun above my head. My focus didn't waver, the star didn't stay in place, it fast forward toward the west again and again letting the two peaceful and busy weeks escape in a blink of an eye.
My eyes flutter open as I fell asleep on the green soil.
"Serah!! Open your eyes!! Alan tried to walk!!"
My vision still victim of the darkness blurred my front view. After some adjustments, I could see our little Josh standing up the month-old toddler by his tiny hands.
The scene was wholesome to watch, a bit of innocence in this unstable period was becoming rare.
"Leave her alone and play with your brother."
Briah scolded her firstborn playfully and diverted her attention to me.
"How was the nap?"
I stretched my limbs as I was taken to reality earlier than I would have wanted.
"Short."
She mocked politely my sleepy head and our conversation diverted between the kids and how busy we were this week.
"Ice Moon has been on edge these past weeks, they sensed the danger earlier but they're still keeping a few things for themselves."
Briah's voice was lost in my head when she said Ice Moon. I knew something myself but I couldn't tell what.
"Dad!!!"
Josh darted to see his father and Gab cried horrified.
"Don't let go of your brother!!"
Fortunately, Josh wasn't that far from the ground and the toddler, already looking like a full-year human, landed on his diaper.
She ran, nonetheless to check if Alan was alright.
What a perfect picture. A mom, worried for a baby whose eyes reflected indifference to her act. The dad, crouching down to their level to leave a kiss on his wife's cheek, with his oldest in his arms. The perfect harmony.
Love, worry, and innocence painted the symphony. And here I was, smiling, I could never relate. As the kids nor the mother.
Briah looked like she forgot me and showered the boys with attention. Kam left the scene to rejoin me.
"It's been a long time."
"Yes, it has."
The brevity of my answer meant that I didn't want to interrupt this peaceful scenery. However, he understood or not he pursued.
"I've been getting calls from my pack, they want me to come back."
I listened as I had no other choice.
"It won't be for long, they need to communicate some confidential information."
And they couldn't give the orders by phone. These people were too careful.
"And I took a glimpse of the matters between our packs, it would be good for you to come with me."
I turned over him and searched on his features if what he was saying was true.
"Do you think they'll let an outsider enter their pack?"
He smiled lightly.
"They will. And you're not an outsider, at least not for us."
It was the first time a werewolf was telling me something like this. I felt accepted. But not only with him, the luna, Max, these people, I felt closer to them without any reason.
"It's nice of you to propose but I'll need to ask Jay about it. He told me he had plans and I don't want to offend him."
Kam became silent, he was the quiet type, and having this much conversation with him was an exploit. But he added making the exchange even longer.
"I've seen him take a break in his office, you should ask him."
I looked at him and laughed.
"You didn't have to be polite, if you wanted me gone you should have told me!!"
The distressed face was as funny as expected.
"I'm kidding, tell her I'm going."
He composed himself and nodded. I loved them but I hadn't seen my mate in ages and I was starting to get anxious.
I ran slowly to his office, living behind the greenery and entering the packhouse. I went to his office and before knocking, the wooden door opened by itself. I was ready to accept Jayson with a hug but seeing Dina was definitely an unpleasant shock.
"Hi!"
She said with a perfectly fake smile and scurried off.
I entered, now reluctantly. All my envy to see him and poor him my affection went away with Dina.
He, on the contrary, was delighted about my surprise visit.
"Serah, finally I get to see you."
My face was tense and before having my answer I wasn't ungluing myself from the door.
"Why was she here."
He looked at me with incomprehension.
"Business."
I sighed, whatever, I didn't come here to bicker.
"Anyway, I had something to ask you."
Before I could continue, he gestured me to advance to him. I approached and I skirted his desk.
I was still not understanding, he took my hand and bore me to his lap. I waited for the red on my cheek but he was more focused on my exposed neck.
Trailing down kisses and persecuting the spot between my should and my nape.
It felt so good that I almost let my moans decorate this room.
His hands went down my abdomen and he went even lower caressing my inner thigh. The fire was ignited and I was ready to fall for his scheme.
I pushed his body away from mine as I had a serious matter to attend to.
"Wait I told you that I had something to ask!"
He was annoyed but the disruption but tried to have a straight face.
"Tell me and make it short because my break won't last forever."
His cocky smile said he'd prefer to devote his time for more intimate intercourse, not that I was trying to deny him but it was urgent.
"Kam told me, he was going to Ice Moon and he wants me to go with him."
His expression became stern and he didn't talk for a while.
"Don't go."
It wasn't enough for me.
"Why? It seems important."
He took me in in arms and he breathed heavily on my shoulder.
"Don't be somewhere I can't protect you."
His hold tightened around my stomach and it was a pleasure to know that we felt the same. I didn't want to get far from him when I knew that my feelings finally found their place.
He bit gently my shoulder but suddenly I felt his teeth sharpened on my neck. I turned around at the foreign sensation.
He himself felt startled by his acts.
"I'm sorry, I should have asked you first."
I couldn't fathom a word. Then I felt a ticklish sensation sinking my shoulder. My hand reached for it and a viscous red tainted my fingers.
Blood.
"Did you bite me?"
I didn't feel his teeth digging my flesh but it was certainly blood on my hand.
"No, I swear, I scratched you a little before I had time..."
"Time for what?"
"Before I had the time to mark you."