Saving Kinsley

Kinsley’s P.O.V

It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes since Kole left. But I needed to run, I needed to feel the earth beneath my paws to help me with the flood of emotion running through me. I felt trapped in this room, like I couldn’t breathe. I needed fresh air. From the window, I could see the moon peeking, the setting sun disappeared quickly from our walk back to the pack house not long ago.

Opening the bedroom door, the low-lit hall was empty of any shifters. I made my way quietly through the home back to the kitchen area we passed when I first arrived.

Nearing the glass doors, I could hear Kole’s voice. His tone wasn’t happy.

“Why are you here?” His voice was cold and guarded. Something in his tone set me on edge. My soul felt like it needed to brace for an incoming attack.

“I came back for you.” A woman’s voice, serene and light drifted to my ears. I came back for you. Her voice replayed in my head. What the hell is going on? Is something wrong? Is Kole involved in something? Unease pooled into my stomach, as I remained rooted in the quiet kitchen.

I moved closer, needing to see him. My instincts pushing to be right next to him. Now.

Nearing the sliding glass door, I stopped short as I saw the face of the woman speaking. The woman was beautiful, brown wavy hair, and from this view, I could see her striking blue eyes. Her features were soft and perfect. She looked like she just stepped out of a magazine.

“You rejected me and left me.” Kole’s voice remained cold and distant. Reality slammed into me as Kole spoke. Suddenly my own past was eating a hole through my heart. I had been we he is. Standing, as a rejected Mate.

Rejection. Fury burned through my veins for him, how could she do that? And why was she here now?

“I was scared Kole. I wasn’t ready to be Luna. But I’m here now, we can fix this.” Her voice was pleading.

My stomach turned, he couldn’t. Not after knowing that I had been rejected, not after everything I just opened up to him about.

Suddenly, she was in his arms, her lips pressed to his. It happened in front of my own eyes slowly like my world was coming to a stop. Even though I knew this is where Kole and I would take separate paths, my heart mourned for what could have been. But who was I to stop Fate? She was chosen by the hands of the Moon Goddess herself, to be his destined Mate. I was just the next choice.

That was all I needed to see.

Rejection had a way of showing it’s self in many forms. And I knew, I fucking knew what would happen next. I’ve lived it. I shouldn’t have let my walls fall so quickly, believed that I could have this. I should've hardened myself long ago, not playing into the tempting thoughts of hope.

Tears streaming down my face, I opened the door with my head held high, regardless of my heart crumbling to ash inside.

“I’m leaving, back to my pack. I wish you the best, Kole.” His expression was shocked, and before he could say anything I shifted into my auburn wolf and ran like my life depended on it. I didn't need to hear him verbalize his rejection. It was enough that she was in his arms like I had been just moments ago.

Making it to the woods, I released a deep howl. A howl that revealed my hand of pain, anger, and rejection as my thoughts ran rampant.

How could I believe, that I would ever have a second chance?

My breath was coming out in short sporadic breaths as I pushed myself harder, and faster through the woods.

Run.

Run.

Run.

My heart was shredding into a million pieces.

Anger burned a hole inside, filling any light with darkness. Why was I still fighting it? What reason did I have to remain in control, when at every turn, I’d be rejected. There was no light left for me to chase anymore, I could just let go.

Darkness closed in over my vision, and I let the deep, dark, part of me seep through.

My howl cracked through the empty Forrest as my head fell back. Power thrumming through my veins, a chill running down my spine.

Finally. I knew, one day, you’d see it my way.

This time, I didn’t shake the voice. Do your worst, I will no longer fight you.

The last thing I remember, a heat like no other consumed my being. The darkness dragged me under as the last feeling I had, was a sense of completeness.

I'm unsure just how long I was out of it, but when things started to clear, alarmed voices were piercing through.

“She’s going to burn down the whole Forrest! You need to reach her and pull her out now, it’s consuming her!”

“I’m trying! She’s strong!”

The voices, unfamiliar, snapped me back to the present. I was in an open field, Trees lined around me. I stood on all fours, my breathing ragged. I took in the three figures around me. Had I entered another pack? Immediately my guard went up, any second I could be ambushed if they considered me a threat. I cursed silently, this is the last thing I needed. I just wanted to go home.

I searched the faces of the shifters around me, looking for any possible weaknesses, just in case. There was no way I would make it out of this unscathed against Three shifters, and Goddess knows how many more on the way. Two looked many years older, but age didn't mean shit. For all I know they could be enforcers. Or worse, high ranking wolves. The third looked just a few years older than me, his stance and observant eyes told me he could possibly be a Beta, maybe a Gamma. The two of us would be on even playing field. I tilted my head as I scanned them. They shared features, they had to be related.

A family. Wouldn't it be just my luck to stumble right into a powerful fucking trio.

The older man had deep brown hair, his face covered in facial hair. Years of knowledge could be read in his eyes as he watched me cautiously. The woman had fiery red hair and bright green eyes. She looked timeless.

The younger male, looked like an even mix of the two.

“I think she’s back, say something.” The woman nudged the older man in the ribs. The sudden change in the standoff had my nerves cooling as I huffed out a laugh that probably just came out in wolf snorts.

“My name is Ian and this is Alexandra. That’s Cassius-” Another shot to the ribs. The woman was growing on me already.

This time I shifted. A sudden urge to change back, because I was the only one in fur. I needed to deescalate the situation before it turned into a blood bath. I was the one in their territory, being in my wolf form could be viewed as a threat. Exhaustion ripped its way through my body. I felt sluggish as I stood on two feet again, I didn't want to appear weak, even though I was definitely feeling it. I straightened my shoulders, and spoke.

“I’m Kinsley. Sorry, I don’t know what happened I guess I kind of lost control. Anyways, I'm just passing through, I don't mean any harm to your pack.” All three went deathly still as I spoke. Did I say something offensive?

I searched their faces, the woman looked like she was on verge of tears, I fucked up somewhere. I threw my hands up, “I’m sorry if I offended you in any way. I’ll be leaving now-”

“No! Wait!”

The older man moved closer as the younger male cradled the woman in his arms as she sobbed. What the hell is going on?

“I am Ian, Ian Marshall.”

Marshall.

The name registered in my brain as words fell short on my lips. They all shared one feature, the same green eyes I’ve looked at my entire life.

Those green eyes mirrored my own.

“What did you just say?” I asked breathlessly. My brain worked hard to pick up the scattered bits of mush it just turned into.

They couldn’t be.

Ember whined inside my chest at their nearness. It was only now that I could feel an ache in my soul.

“You are Kinsley Marshall. My daughter who was stolen from me.” My heart pounded as he spoke softly.

I collapsed to my knees as my lungs failed to take in any air.

Tears blurred my vision and my voice was thick with emotion, “How is this possible, you’re supposed to be dead.”

Ian, my father, kneeled before me, grasping my face, “Not all of us escaped with our lives, but I am thankful I lived this long to see your return, Kinsley.”

As soon as his hand touched my face, I could feel the bond piece together. As if my entire life, I had been wandering around with just a small fraction that was needed to complete it. A familial bond. Ember howled within me, as I recognized it as such. My family.

I threw my arms around him and cried into his shoulder, “I dreamt for years about a family I never had. I was so alone.”

I was embraced by all three of them now, “Welcome home Kinsley.”

Several hours later I was led into a small town, with my family.

“So you’re saying that me fighting against the- what did you call it again?”

“Vesta” Ian’s voice held amusement as we walked.

“Right, Vesta. I always just refer to it as ‘Flame, or fire’, so. Me not embracing it basically, is causing me to internally combust? How do I stop it?”

“You need to shift to your final form. You should’ve already done so years ago but-” He stopped speaking, we all know where he was going with that. Alexandra and Cassius followed behind us silently as we continued to walk through the town.

“Right. So how do I do that?” I quickly inserted, I was panicking. What would happen if I continued down this path? I hadn’t realized what was happening. I thought I was finally gaining control over this. I guess that was just the quiet before the massive shit storm that was bound to happen.

“You need to bond with it as you did with your wolf.” He glanced out of the corner of his eye.

“Yeah, see that just kind of happened one day. I wasn’t prepared. Or I guess I read enough to prepare myself but that’s not the same.” I was vague. But how was I supposed to tell them I was beaten to the point of almost dying before I shifted for the first time. Alone. That was a story for another time.

“I’ll teach you.” Cassius spoke for the first time. His voice was warm and inviting. I smiled at him, “Thanks I’d like that.”

I always wanted a family. It was in my grasp now, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wouldn’t last. Nothing ever did. My life was travesty after travesty.

I could almost picture my life in a normal sense, hanging out with my brother and his friends while they pissed me off to no end with their annoying antics. My parents, laughing and talking while we all sat around a fire on a chilly fall night.

I snapped out of my dream state as we walked into a two-story home that had a river at the backside of it. Two massive double doors opened into a spacious living area. The Kitchen was visible through the living area. A hall to the left, and the stairs to the lower level before the hall.

“I’ll have a room ready soon for you hun.” Alexandra beamed at me with her bright green eyes. I returned her smile, “Thank you.”

Alexandra went down to the lower level, as we moved to the living area.

To the right a large open bay window sat as the wall, looking into a well-maintained yard. Two sofas lined the walls opposite the window, “You mentioned a pack you reside in, Shall we contact them?” Ian asked with a raised brow, leaving the decision entirely up to me.

“Oh yes! I need to let Tate know I am safe.” I nearly forgot about Tate. Shit, please say Noah is there. These past few days have just been loading heaping amounts shit to my plate that my brain was struggling to organize.

I had already told Ian what pack I was from, and with some digging, he was able to find a contact number.

We moved into an office down the hall to make the call.

I waited with bated breath as the phone rang the fourth time.

“This is Alpha Tate, how can I help you?” His voice came through finally and I was full of relief as I gripped the phone tighter.

“It’s Kinsley. Is Noah there?” Please be okay. Please be okay.

“Fuck Kinsley. You’re going to kill me one day I swear to the moon goddess. Yes, Noah is here. I found him before those rogue assholes did any more damage. Where the hell are you?” His voice was full of concern.

I let out a deep breath at the news of Noah. Fuck that was too close. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to Noah. Or any of them.

“Long story or short story?” I laughed, lacking any humor.

“I’ve got time, sooo long story.” He dragged it out, as if he were truly considering how much time he had. But I knew him, he always made time for anyone. Even if you were an Auburn haired, shit show.

I gave Tate the story, down to every detail I could remember. Including Kole.

Tates growl ripped through the line, “I’ll fucking kill him.”

I sighed, “Just let it be Tate. We have other things to worry about. We still need to figure out what’s happening with all of the surrounding packs. Something isn’t adding up.”

I couldn’t open that wound. I needed to focus on other things. One day, our paths would cross again, fates to be blamed. But until then, I would dive headfirst into focusing everything on two things.

Firstly, bonding with Vesta. Secondly, the attacks. My blood boiled just thinking about it.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Tate blew out a breath. “So I guess this is the part where I release you from Haven pack huh?” I could hear the sad tones in his voice.

“I think so, Tate. I need to be here to learn what I am. What it means to be an Elemental wolf. I can’t return until I do, I’d be putting everyone at risk. I’m a ticking time bomb.”

“You’ll always have a home here, Kinsley. I want you to know that. You’re family to us. If for any reason you don’t have a pack, come back to Haven, to us.”

I closed my eyes as the tears threatened to spill over, “I know, I love you guys.”

Tate let out a sad laugh, “We love you to Kinz.”

There was a pause, followed by a sad sigh on his end before he spoke.

“I, Alpha Tate Emerson release you, Kinsley Marshall of all Haven pack ties.”