Three days passed and although J could sense Logan on the edges of their packland, he made no move to return to her. Each morning she'd run around the perimeter – sometimes he would run with her on his side of the packlands. Other times he would be nowhere to be seen.
Although her neck had healed, she had begun to have nightmares. At first they were of Logan attacking her again, but then they began to morph into her fighting him – trying to kill him – winning. She loathed going to sleep – hated the darkness of night. Her wolf remained confused, not understanding why her mate had hurt her. She didn't want him to be gone but knew that there wasn't a choice - not any more.
J was trying her hardest to hold it together for her pack but she was hurting. Her mate was sick, too sick for even her to save him. Being back on their packlands was meant to help him...but it wasn't enough. She wasn't enough.
She needed help, a healer's help, but her calls to Leah had gone unanswered and in the end she'd had to ring Elenor who had promised to set off right away and see if she could help. J was not holding her breath.
The fourth morning after Logan's departure, J was running around the perimeter – him nowhere in sight, when suddenly she heard a loud howl – Logan's howl. She paused and stared in the direction it had come from. All was quiet for a moment and then she heard the tell-tale rumble of an engine. Someone was on their territory.
J ran for the track and saw the pickup truck making its way into their packlands – she'd recognise the driver anywhere. The wolf who Callie thought was her moonmate, he'd come back.
J ran for the clearing, tugging on her clothing as she transformed back into her human form. By the time she got there, the rest of her pack had arrived and were all stood waiting to greet – or more likely, attack – the intruder. As the pickup truck stopped, a low growl left Callie's throat.
J moved to stand beside her and wrapped an arm protectively around her shoulder. Caleb appeared at her side, his body radiating tension. J wasn't sure if anything had happened between her brother and Callie, but he was so protective of her that she was sure that something would one day – and that the fact that Callie thought this intruder was hers had ruffled her brother's normally steadfast control over his wolf.
The driver's door opened and the wolf slowly climbed out, glaring out across at the Black Oath pack. The arrogant wolf eyed them with disinterest, his gaze lingering just a little too long on Callie.
Slowly, he approached them. He stopped within a couple of feet, hands tucked into the pocket of his low slung dark blue jeans. A slighty too tight black t-shirt was practically painted onto his torso and J wondered what a burden it was to be that in love with yourself.
"State your name and your business." Trevor barked as he stepped forwards.
The wolf gave him a slow appraisal, but quickly dismissed him. Instead, he looked to J. "She's my moonmate. I want her. Hand her over."
J would have laughed had her wolf not growled and lunged for the surface, seeping the world of colour as her wolf took control. She released her arm from around Callie, curling her claws into her palms until the bite of pain gave her more control of her wolf. She stepped forwards, dragging herself up to her full height. "We will do no such thing." Her wolf growled through human lips.
The arrogant wolf smirked but said nothing. J felt her blood heat in anger. Behind her, her pack were growing restless and Zander, Will and Jonathon flanked J, cutting off the arrogant wolf's sight of Callie.
"By wolf law, the bitch is mine. So, hand her over."
Caleb's growl cut off any response J had, as the wolf lunged forwards for the intruder, only a whimper from Callie stopped him from killing him – and J saw the look of pained anguish on Caleb's face at the sound.
The intruder's smirk deepened, "wolf law says you can't separate moonmates, so hand her over."
J snarled. "You keep quoting wolf law as though you expect me to adhere to it. I'm afraid you're sorely mistaken." She walked forwards until her shoulder bumped gently into Caleb's. He glanced at her, his restrained anger making his face a bold red hue. He glared once more at the intruder before he took a few steps back.
The intruder looked flustered, his calm façade beginning to crack. "That's not the way it's done." He barked.
J laughed cruelly, "I don't care." For the first time since Logan's attack, she felt a little strength return to her spine. Her anger fired through her veins, lightening the tension she'd been holding in her shoulders. Her wolf began to pace - she was yearning for a fight. She wanted to protect. To hunt. To win.
He was humming with anger by this point, J was waiting for him to stamp his feet and throw a tantrum. He was obviously used to people falling at his feet. He had come to the wrong alpha for that.
"We are moonmates, you cannot keep us apart. You will kill us both - I'd expect you of all people to understand."
J flinched and growled, closing the gap between them as her wolf took control and waves of dominance crashed against the intruder until he hung his head in submission, a sweat breaking on his forehead as his body began to shake beneath J's power. If she kept going, she could have him on his knees, on his belly, dead...
Callie hadn't claimed him and he hadn't claimed her, not properly. She could kill him now and Callie would be fine, happy even. Yes, Callie would be happy if J killed him. She should. She should rip his throat from him an-
"J stop!" Only Callie's plea could cut through the bubbling anger that had flooded J's body. She wanted to maim and kill, to destroy – a memory of the alpha's she'd killed, of the packs she'd decimated was shaken lose, sending strobes of guilt through J's middle.
Every time she thought she'd healed or outrun her bitter, dark anger, it would return.
"I want to talk to him."
J's wolf refused to look away from the wolf, pinning him with her gaze even as Callie walked forwards, Caleb's protests lost on both of them.
"J." Callie placed a gentle hand on her arm, and J's wolf snapped her attention from the threat to her friend, her anger slowly dissipating as her wolf softened and relinquished control.
"You're sure?" J asked Callie, who nodded and motioned for the intruder to walk a distance and talk.
J did not move. Her body tense and waiting to pounce. She couldn't hear what they were saying but could see Callie nodding and the intruder considering something before he too nodded, got back into his truck and drove away.
J stared after him in shock, before glancing at Callie as she walked back towards her. The young wolf gave her a small, sad and utterly fake smile before walking off past her and, avoiding any questions from the pack, headed into one of the huts.
J stood there in utter confusion as the adrenaline left her body and a wave of tiredness washed over her. The others were bickering behind her about what had happened, and as their voices drifted away, J went to follow them inside when she sensed him.
Scanning the hedgerow, she quickly found his glowing golden eyes. "Logan," she whispered, he'd come to check she was safe. The moment she spotted him, his eyes blinked shut and he disappeared back into the overgrown greenery.
Steeling herself, she wrapped an arm around her middle and headed back inside with her pack, ignoring the sound of her heart shattering into pieces.
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A/N
More on Wednesday