Moon Touched (Zodiac Wolves: The Lost Pack #1)(44)

“Come this way," she said. "We’re going to go up onto a ridge so we can see the pack better.”

I followed her up a slight incline. From up here, I could see Kaden leading some of the younger wolves, heading around the edge of the slight depression the deer were settling down in. One group flanked the deer, chasing them in the right direction so they would head straight into the ambush waiting for them at the end.

As I watched Kaden and the younger shifters, I longed to be out there with them, feeling the thrill of the hunt and the surety of having a pack at my back. My wolf wanted nothing more than to be free and run down deer with the rest of the pack. The need to belong, to be a part of something more than myself, burned inside of me.

The Cancer pack had never felt like home, but even in the short time I’d spent here, I could see the Ophiuchus pack being the place where I could finally feel accepted. I could already picture myself down there with the rest of them so easily, and I wanted it so bad it made my chest ache.

I rode the high of the hunt with them, even from many feet away. It was easy to do, my wolf’s enhanced senses picking up on the smallest of movements, while Stella watched beside me, sometimes explaining what they were doing.

The pack cornered one deer, a huge buck that was almost as big as Kaden. The rest of the deer split off, and the wolves parted to allow them to pass. Together the wolves took down the deer, Kaden jumping onto its back while one of the younger wolves darting in to bite its throat.

The moment the deer went down, I felt something bubbling in my chest. If I’d been in human form, it would have been a cheer, but as it was, when I opened my mouth, a howl poured out. I didn’t even mean to let it loose, and I quickly clamped my jaw shut, but it was too late. My howl was out there, the first time I'd ever heard it.

Stella made a noise next to me. I looked over, trying to see if I’d done something wrong, but she had a hand in front of her mouth as if she was covering a smile. I narrowed my eyes at her. She was trying not to laugh. A moment later, the howl was echoed in the group, one young shifter picking it up, and then the next. Soon the howl went through the entire group, and Stella’s shoulders started shaking with silent laughter as a few more howls echoed from the town, just a few miles away.

A single, low howl pierced through everything, the loudest and most haunting one of all. When I look down at the group, Kaden had his head tilted back toward the moon, which danced across his black fur. The rest of the wolves fell silent at his signal.

I swore he looked at me as he ended the howl, and if I could blush as a wolf, I had no doubt I would be doing so. The howl had felt right though, in the moment.

Stella shook her head, smiling. “Are you ready to head down?”

She pulled my clothes out from the bag she carried, and I shifted back to human form to put them on. We walked back down the ridge, and I watched as a group of the younger shifters dragged the deer back to be cleaned and dressed, shoving each other and laughing.

Once we'd made it back to the clearing, Kaden walked up to us. He was shirtless, no surprise there. I grinned at him, unable to keep the joy I felt in check. Even though he didn’t smile back, he looked less moody than usual, the harsh lines of his handsome face softening into something more approachable.

“What did you think?” he asked, hands stuck in his pockets. The question was casual enough, but he watched me closely for the answer.

“It was incredible, the way you all moved in formation together, like you’d been doing it forever. I'd like to learn how to do it too."

Kaden looked at me for a long moment. “Once you’re in a pack, you’ll be able to communicate thoughts as a wolf with pack other members. That’s what made it look so easy.”

“I want that,” I said in a rush, the words coming out before I'd even realized I'd made up my mind on the matter. “Being part of a pack.”

I felt it, deep in my bones. Like all other wolves, I was born to be part of a pack, even with my half-human heritage. Somehow I would find a way to get Kaden to trust me and to prove to him I could be a part of his pack. Even if it meant cleaning every toilet in town.

When I met Kaden’s gaze again, he tilted his head at me and the look on his face was almost approval. Then a slow smirk crossed his mouth. “Nice howl, by the way."

I blushed, but his tone was light enough that I didn’t feel too bad about it. "It was my first one."

"Not bad. Though I bet you could howl louder under the right circumstances."

I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. "Maybe you could show me."

He opened his mouth to reply, but then shook his head and looked away. "Come on. They'll be waiting for me."

As we headed back toward the house, I lifted my head and scented the air, smelling people and food. Stella had gone ahead, leaving me to walk with Kaden, though his company was silent. I didn’t mind, since I had a lot to process. The high of the hunt had worn off finally, and I'd never imagined the thrill that would have come with being part of it. I doubted I could sleep tonight, for entirely different reasons than usual.

When we got to the house, I froze. Kaden’s normally empty backyard was alight with string lights and full of people talking in groups, with the smaller children and teenagers running around. They must have set this up while we were on the hunt. A grill was set up to one side, and the crowd cheered as Kaden walked over to it and waved.