Moon Child

. ......... Dawn, sweetheart. It’s time to wake up.

With a gasp, Dawn sat up from her slumber.

“Mom?”

Wiping her eyes she frowned. Did she fall asleep while trying to meditate? Moving to the edge of the bed, her body aching all over, she tried to remember her mother’s calm tone. Somewhere along the way she had fallen too far, lost the light within the memories. Something wasn’t right, and dark images began to possess her mind.

Her right arm felt heavy, head pounding. As her vision blurred she stumbled to the bathroom door. Maybe it was the hormones? Some shifter pregnancy symptom Magdelynn forgot to mention?

Faced with the mirror above the sink she frowned. Silver eyes shone back at her, which couldn’t be right. She was too far along to be able to shift at all. Even a little sign of the wolf should’ve been impossible.

A sharp pain shot through her head once more, making the world tilt slightly. Within that reflection she caught a glimpse of black irises, a heavy chest. It was like pieces of her heart were shattering, sharp edges cutting deep into her guts.

“Kane?”

In the mirror she caught sight of the first real agony she had felt since the bond. His pain. With tears in her eyes she cursed herself for being so naive. It wouldn’t be as easy as he said. As she thought. Within her mind she remembered the nightmare that had seemed to speak with her on another level.

You will have to choose.

As her heart skipped a beat, copying his, she took in a trembling breath. He told her to stay in the house, because she was a danger to him. If she was out there, trying to help, she would be a deadly distraction. Now? What more damage could she do now? What harm could she do if he died?

In a baggy shirt and soft shorts she ran from one room to the next. Almost in a trance she felt his every fear come to life. He felt her resolution, the need to be with him growing. The bond began to weaken as his blood stained the night air.

When her bare feet touched the dirt outside she heard his angry howl. He might never forgive her, but could she live with herself if he died? No. Never. Her howl, sad and unsure, hurt them both.

Hazel ran outside as she heard her brother’s howl, a dangerous signal. When she heard Dawn’s? It shook her to the core. She knew what it had to mean, but with three kids depending on her she couldn’t chase the woman down. All she could do was open her door slightly and yell, which was equivalent to running water over an oil spill.

“Dawn! Get back inside. He’ll be ok!”

She frowned, turning to look down the lane at her packmate. Was she serious? How could she say that, couldn’t she feel his agony? The finality of it all?

“Can’t you feel it?”

Hazel’s tears flowed freely as she put a hand over her heart. Yes, she could feel it. The sibling bond she held with Kane made sure of that. The pain he was feeling, the amount of blood soaking into the earth? He was in real danger, and how could she lie about that?

“You have to protect yourself Dawn, for the baby.”

Her hand moved to her stomach, her face a mask of uncertainty. Until Kane she thought she was broken, unable to procreate. How was she meant to choose one or the other? It was insanity.

“Would you sacrifice Jeremiah for a future that may not come?”

Hazel’s eyes widened, her heart aching for the woman. She was speechless, watching her run toward the woods in shock. She could do nothing as her own brother stepped under Deaths shawl, but her prayers for Dawn’s success would not go unheard.

“Daemon!”

Her scream had the trees shaking as birds took off in every direction. Howls bounced off in every direction as she moved into the cover of the trees. Ren, Keith, Osiris and Benny. In the dark she smelled Osiris’s blood, felt Kane’s anger.

“Daemon you bastard!”

His scent wrapped around her like a snake to a field mouse. Standing stock still she recognized the release of Kane’s anguish when the alpha stood before her.

“Dawn.”

His gravelly voice made her stomach churn, her hands balling up into fists.

“What are you doing here?”

He raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side.

“Isn’t it obvious? I came for you, my servus.”

All she wanted was to see him dead, but it wouldn’t be right now. Not at her hand at least. She was weak, human.

“Why risk your life for me?”

His smirk reached from ear to ear, Kane’s blood on his hands and mouth made her anger rise. Dirty, large feet brought him closer to her. He was cocky, irritating.

“They all left after you ran. The boys didn’t think I was strong enough to lead, the women took off with them. Judas stayed with me though, and Lucian. The two most loyal wolves I’ve ever known, and you took them away from me too. Everything I ever had. All of the shit I went through to get to the top. You knocked me right off the mountain like it was an anthill.”

He began to laugh, hands moving out as if to welcome her into his embrace. Welp, he had lost his fucking mind.

“I watched you, from afar, ripping into Lucian. I smelled your fear in the face of Judas, yet you stood tall. I kept thinking, why not rip her head off? Your eyes have always been so beautiful, I could dig them out and wear them as trophies. I wanted so badly to torment you. Then, watching you end their lives, I realized something. You’re my true mate. The better half to my fucked up self.”

He moved closer as her hands shook. Was he serious? He had gone mad for sure. His true mate? Couldn’t he smell Kane on her? Wasn’t that part of mating? She was pretty sure he had left his scent all over her. Still, this guy thought he had a chance?

“You were made in my image. The night I gave you this gift I...”

She scoffed, unable to hold herself back.

“Gift?”

He frowned, stopping his footsteps as she bared her teeth.

“You ripped me away from my family you sick sack of shit.”

He looked confused.

“A mortal family.”

Her gaze narrowed on him. He couldn’t be serious. Did he think he had done her some favor? The fear, the pain. The nightmare of a life she endured because of him. A gift?

“A loving family! You dug your teeth into me and literally dragged me out of that life. Is that a gift? Leaving me on the brink of death to shift alone and scared. Is that your idea of a present? Well merry fucking Christmas to me then, huh?”

She took a step toward him, her eyes silver and her nails growing.

“I showed you power, an immortal life.”

His tone was deadpan, those dead eyes watching as she moved toward him like a true predator. He enjoyed how seductive she looked, even in those homely, comfortable clothes.

“You showed me Hell! I had no power. In your pack I was raped, tormented, laughed at as I bled to near death. The only power I knew was my own will power, and I had that long before you came along. You are a monster.”

He looked angry now, taking a step forward. The space between them was quickly diminishing.

“What does that make you? I know you better than anyone. Your darkest parts. The woman who watched us rape and murder over a dozen women in punishment for your running. Every time, you still tried to run again. What about the lies you told, the men that were killed to save your own ass? The blood on your hands is endless.”

Her heart shook, skipping a beat as her eyes shimmered green.

“I begged you to kill me instead of them. I would’ve taken the punishment tenfold! The lies you speak of? I never spoke a word against those men. Judas told you they touched me without your permission because you angered him. You refused to allow him to kill me, and he wanted to make you pay. You were a fool for trusting him, and a fool for coming here.”

He seemed to think it over for a moment, her hands shaking as she fell into her memories. He was right though. Dozens of women had died in her name. She had begged to take their punishments instead, but Judas enjoyed going against her wishes. If he couldn’t physically kill her he would break her soul.

“What the fuck is that nasty smell?”

A gun went off behind her, causing Daemon’s words to fall into a bloody whisper. She was in shock, her eyes wide as he looked down at himself.

They had been so close it could’ve hit her, but it didn’t. Coming back to her senses she sniffed them out. Hyenas. With a frown she spun around to face the newcomers, two men with hunting rifles in hand. The older one had his weapon aimed toward her, but as their eyes met he lowered it.

“Dawn!”

The roar of her name made them all widen their eyes, her heart racing. Through the trees he barreled into the middle of the scene. Clearly he was rearing for a fight, his torso bare and covered in blood. The hyena men quickly threw down their guns, hands raising into the air. With Daemon down on his knees behind her she was able to fully focus on her mate.

“Kane.”

His name on her tongue had both of their emotions cooling down a little. He was quick to move toward her, picking her up effortlessly. Even as he continued to bleed he acted as if he felt no pain.

“It’s ok. They’re friends, remember?”

Kane nodded, remembering just fine but refusing to stand down. She sighed, resting a hand on his chest and the other on her belly. The exhaustion she felt was almost overwhelming.

“Kane, we have to finish it. If he...”

“Dawn...my sweet Dawn.”

She wanted Kane to keep holding her, to pretend he no longer existed. It had been hard to face him, to see the man who had destroyed her life and dragged her through hell. Now, with her mate holding her, she felt different. It was like he was slowly erasing her pain, bandaging up the bad memories.

Then he let her down, her feet touching the ground as he left her side. She watched, with the hyena shifters close behind her, as Kane moved to Daemon’s side. Taking a fist full of his hair he lifted the man’s head to look into his face.

“This is him.”

Dawn felt his rage, the bloodlust affecting her as he thought of what to do with the alpha next. Her stomach churned for a moment, her hands moving to cover it as if to settle the growing child within her womb. This was not a good time to be sick. To look weak.

“Kane.”

Her whisper caught onto him like a hook. Looking up to meet her eyes he watched her for a moment. He had felt her leave the safety of their home. The moment she screamed out to this man his heart had stopped. She put herself, and their child, at risk. For his life.

He reeled in his emotions, trying to calm them both. She took in a deep breath that reassured him, and then he was back to looking at her attacker.

They had been fighting the alpha for hours when Osiris slipped up and got caught in his claws. Before the alpha could do too much damage though Jason jumped in. He was a strong wolf, but still no match for an Alpha. Even a crazed one.

That’s when Kane got there, jumping into the fray. It would’ve been an easy win, except Keith slipped up. When he was meant to block the alphas retreat, he took a wrong step in a dangerous direction. If Kane hadn’t jumped in front of him, taken the claws into his own chest, Keith would’ve been beheaded.

Wounded and on his knees in front of Daemon, the pack backed off. He didn’t want them to, but they wouldn’t fight if it meant losing their leader. Enter Dawn, the stubborn she-wolf. She had risked it all, and in turn gave him a chance to heal.

They had surrounded her as she confronted her past. Every set of ears was privy to her secrets. All of their eyes were dark as night by the end of it. They wanted revenge just as much as Kane did, but the hyenas got there first. He wasn’t a fan of human weapons, but whatever did the trick and kept his mate safe.

“We came through seeking safe passage so we could return home, but something seemed off. With so few numbers, and the babies to protect, we’ve been picking up a few mortal weapons here and there. They really come in handy.”

The oldest hyena spoke, the younger man staying quiet at his side. Ren came out of hiding then, dragging behind her a giant steel animal trap. Kane stood in silence, reaching out a hand to receive the item.

The running theory was that this alpha and his wolves had been setting the traps, wounding their young. They weren't a hundred percent sure as to why they had done it, but who else would have? Maybe they were just batshit crazy and bored.