Outcast: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (The Pack Prophecy Book 1)

by R. L. Caulder

  "Kira, your crescent mark flared. Is your wolf back?"

  Mate.

  Smiling softly at him, I basked in the silver lining that came from this attack. "She is, and I'm never letting her go again."

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Kira

  After cleaning out Jameson's wounds and his fur, we settled him onto a blanket near the fireplace that Seth had lit. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully, so we left him alone to allow his body to heal at its own rate. Though I did continuously check on his wounds and kept an eye on his breathing.

  The torn flesh was knitting itself back together slowly but surely, bringing me immense relief. After two hours of restlessness and monitoring him, Seth ordered me to go shower. Begrudgingly, I complied with his order as I took in the dried blood smeared all over me and in my white hair. These definitely weren't the type of highlights a girl wanted.

  Grabbing my bag from the floor, I padded back down the hall for the second time and sent out a prayer that no one else would break in this time. Closing the door behind me with a soft click, I leaned my forehead against it and took a second to breathe through the adrenaline still coursing through my body.

  I missed you.

  It felt like I could almost feel her hugging me in a way, with the love that poured from her and surrounded me like a comforting blanket.

  Never again.

  My eyes widened in shock at her statement. Even though it was only two words, it felt more human and complex than her previous communications—usually short, one-word answers attached to the projection of a general feeling.

  Tentatively, I tested the bond to see if something had changed, while I went to the small walk in shower and turned the handle to give the water time to warm up.

  Where did you go?

  Always here. Just blocked.

  Blocked by what?

  You.

  My mouth dropped open at her answer as the steam from the shower began to fill the room, calling for me to come into its comforting heat. Stepping in, I adjusted the shower head down a bit and rested my arms on the tiled wall, dropping my head to rest against it. The water soaked through my hair and ran down my back in rivulets.

  How did I cause it?

  Not aligned.

  Pondering her words, I watched the floor of the shower become tinged a light pink from the blood sluicing off me. Lifting my head and straightening, I reached for the bar of soap on the small wall shelf and lathered it between my hands, breathing in the strong cedar scent that always accompanied Seth.

  As I worked my hands over my skin, clearing it of any residual dried blood, my mind whirled with what she meant by not aligned.

  Soul powers.

  I suppose that was what you would call what I was able to do—to see souls and apparently cleanse them.

  Our souls must be aligned.

  I thought they were already. Why did it suddenly break in connection?

  You doubted my intentions.

  No, I...well, maybe I did. I still have a very real fear of the alpha and his control over how the pack treats me. Wait, how are we able to communicate more easily now?

  A whisper of her laughter echoed through our mind as she answered. You're opening up and accepting me more with every passing moment.

  Turning in the shower to rinse all of the soap off of me, I reflected on her words. She was right. Ever since she’d reappeared, I had latched onto her presence like a lifeline and didn't want to let go.

  What was the saying? Absence makes the heart grow fonder?

  You always loved me. Just not always trustful.

  Shame bubbled up in me as her words rang true within me. She was supposed to be the completion of my soul, and I had questioned her intentions in taking on the alpha.

  I'm sorry...

  Trailing off, I wondered what I should call her. We shared a soul, but we clearly had two separate consciousnesses, making us two beings. I grabbed Seth’s bottle of two-in-one shampoo and conditioner, working it into my hair while asking her if she had a preference.

  You may call me Lux.

  Lux...that's pretty. What does it mean?

  Light. I will always be your guiding light.

  Tears pricked my eyes, and I chastised myself for being such an emotional wreck the past forty-eight hours.

  Pull it together, Kira.

  I was just so overwhelmed with gratitude for these blessings that Selene had given me to help me take on my role and support me through my journey.

  The weight of my job as her prophetess wasn't one that I took lightly, and it was time to focus on harnessing these powers and searching for the coming darkness—and how to defeat it. I needed answers, and I needed them now.

  The pack politics would need to sort themselves out quickly, or I'd move on without their support and resources.

  Tilting my head back into the water to rinse out my hair, I felt the heavy weight pulling on my neck. Sometimes it was a pain in the ass to have such long hair, but I would never part with it.

  We need to read through the Cognitionis.

  You're right. I feel so far behind the curve not knowing the history. The Shadow War sounded like it might correlate to our prophecy.

  Turning off the water, I wrung my hair out with my hands a few times before feeling satisfied that it wouldn't drip incessantly down my back. I reached out of the shower and grabbed a towel off the granite countertop, pulling it around myself and tucking it in securely at the top. Running a hand over the fogged up mirror, I stared at my reflection.

  My skin glowed, for once flawless in complexion, and I marveled at the difference in my overall demeanor. My shoulders didn't droop forward as if accepting defeat in every aspect of my life anymore. I stood tall and proud, knowing that I had something to offer the world and a reason to live.

  Yanking my towel off, I dried my skin before flipping my head forward to towel dry it for a few moments. Hanging the towel up on one of the hooks drilled into the wall, I pulled on my casual sleep shorts and tank top, foregoing any undergarments.

  Opening the door to the hall, I watched the steam billow out and heard whispers of a conversation, halting my steps.

  Straining to make out the words, I heard Jameson's annoyed tone, which surprisingly brought a smile to my face. The dickwad had pulled through.

  "My father sent me back to let everyone know that we defeated the pack of Daimona, and my guard was down because of it. I didn’t expect one to have strayed so far from the others."

  "How many were there? I'm concerned that their numbers are climbing," Seth inquired, though it seemed he spoke too loudly for Jameson’s liking, judging by the harsh shushing sound in response.

  "We don't need to alarm Kira. She already has enough on her plate," he grumbled, as if annoyed that he cared.

  Sounds about right. Deep down it warmed my heart though and sparked hope in me that he was coming around.

  He's annoying.

  Lux's thoughts made a giggle bubble out of me, and I quickly clamped my hand over my mouth, waiting to see if they’d heard me.

  Sure enough, they stopped talking so I gave up and walked out to the living room, awkwardly holding my hands in front of me. They both just stared at me with tight lips, stress clear on their faces.

  I'd let them think they’d spared me from the intel, if that's what made them feel better. I'd tuck the information away and let it fuel me in my quest for answers.

  "So..." I trailed off, fidgeting, "How're you feeling?"

  Jameson's eyebrows rose as he grunted, "Better."

  Well, it wasn't necessarily a thank you or a long conversation, but he wasn't being vile towards me, so I'd take the slight improvement.

  Nodding, I twisted my fingers together, unsure of where to go from here.

  Seth looked supremely uncomfortable as he scratched the back of his head and asked, "Did you want to crash here tonight, Jameson?"

  Jameson clambered to his feet a bit stiffly, wincing in discomfort with the movemen
t. "Nah, I'll go home. Thanks though, man."

  I found my eyes glued to his chiseled abdomen, the dips and curves of his muscles tantalizing despite the jagged red lines that remained etched across his skin.

  Thankfully, he wore a pair of joggers now, so I wasn't faced with the uncomfortable scenario of staring at his goods. Because let's be real, I wouldn't have been able to not look. I only have so much restraint, and he was a handsome specimen, despite his character flaws.

  Wrapping my arms around myself at the slight chill of the wind blowing through the cracked door, I shivered and bounced up and down a little to pump some blood through my legs to warm me.

  Seth sauntered over to me and wrapped me in his embrace, lending me his warmth and kissing the top of my head. My head tilted to the side to see behind him, and I caught Jameson’s wistful glance back at us.

  Popping my hand out, I gave him a little wave and called out softly, "I'm glad you're okay."

  I almost choked on my spit in shock when he smiled at me before maneuvering around the broken door, leaving me and Seth alone once more.

  Pulling back to look up at Seth, I let my mouth hang open for a moment, then filled him in. "Jameson just smiled at me."

  His eyes gleamed with amusement as he released one arm and ruffled my wet hair. "I guess when you save a man's life, the least he could do is give you a smile, eh?" he hedged.

  Maybe I was overthinking it, but damn, it felt good to have a shred of hope to cling to.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Kira

  Sleep had claimed me quickly last night while wrapped in Seth's arms, but I awoke a few times with a dull ache at the memory of how I’d left things with Milo. I had tossed and turned and pleaded with my brain to shut off, but to no avail.

  The first rays of light began to seep through Seth’s blinds, landing directly on the spot where I lay in his bed. Giving up on the idea of getting any more rest, I decided to start my day and slid out of bed. Padding over to the drawer that Seth had cleaned out for my stuff, I pulled out a black sports bra and my favorite pair of blue leggings.

  Lux, do you want to go for a run? I feel anxious.

  I'd love to.

  I grabbed my now empty bag and stuffed my clothes into it. Can you carry this bag with you so I can change when we get where we’re going?

  She huffed an affirmative in my mind, and I crept quietly through the house so as to not wake up Seth. Grabbing an apple from his bowl of fruit on the kitchen island, I tossed it into my bag for later. Praying that no one was right outside, I gently nudged open the broken door to slip out and slid it back into place behind me.

  Glancing around, I heaved a sigh of relief and gave over control to Lux. My consciousness slipped behind hers as the shift occurred swiftly. Dropping down, she picked up the bag in her jaws and took off.

  Where to?

  I sent a mental image of the elders’ hut to her and a general direction of where to go, and she adjusted our direction. Passing through the small cropping of houses, we thankfully didn't come into contact with anyone as we neared the edge of the forest.

  Keep running for a bit, just don't go too far with the Daimona sighting last night. I don't know if the one that attacked Jameson is still alive.

  Skirting the edge of the forest, she ran to her heart's content for a half hour, and I enjoyed not being in control for a bit. The scent of a rabbit caught her attention, and our stomach rumbled. She tracked it down, killing it swiftly, and I shut my mental eyes to avoid watching.

  I knew it was the cycle of life, but it grossed me out to think of having a rabbit stuck between my teeth when I shifted back.

  As if I would leave any pieces behind.

  Thank the goddess for little blessings like that.

  After satisfying her hunger, she picked my bag back up and plodded along towards the cabin, stopping a few feet away and relinquishing control to me once more.

  I grabbed my clothes and yanked them on. Picking up the bag, I crossed the distance to the door and pushed it open hesitantly, peeking into the room to make sure it was empty. Surprisingly, I found Seneca at the table, pouring over the Cognitionis.

  Clearing my throat to get her attention, I asked, "May I join you?"

  A genuine grin graced her face, and her smile lines creased, somehow making her look more beautiful. "I was actually waiting for you."

  Huh?

  Stepping into the room and closing the door behind me, I padded over to the chair across from her at the table and sat. "How did you know I'd come?"

  A knowing look passed over her face as she admitted, "I didn't know, but I hoped you would after our talk yesterday. I was banking on your thirst for knowledge to bring you. I believe in you and want to assist you, despite the other old crones’ naysaying." She winked at me, smiling warmly.

  Her belief in me was touching, and I rubbed at my chest absentmindedly as I answered, "Thank you. I haven’t known much kindness in the pack, so this is a wonderful change of pace. But, why do you believe me?"

  Shifting in her chair, she looked back down to the book and flipped through its pages, "I am one of the few, along with my mate Nicholas, who still maintain a strong faith in our goddess and her words through her Oracle." As she spoke, she reached up to clutch her necklace in her hands.

  When she let go of it, I took note of the worn metal in the shape of a crescent moon that was threaded with a soft leather cord around her neck.

  A twisted look crossed her face as if pained, and she looked up to me, admitting, "I want you to know, child, that there were a few of us who wanted to open our homes up to you when you were deemed fit to be on your own at such a young age." A soft sigh escaped her as her shoulders sagged. "The alpha made it clear that you were to be left alone or we would be in direct defiance of his orders. I should have said to hell with him and helped you, but we feared becoming outcasts and packless in our old age."

  Suddenly the elders’ cold shoulders made sense, and I chuckled humorlessly. "I don’t blame you, Seneca. But I appreciate you telling me that. It brings me some peace of mind."

  She reached out to grip my hand in her’s, and I was shocked by the strength behind her grip and the words that followed. Piercing me with her steel grey eyes, she warned, "A darkness exists within the alpha that extends past what is acceptable for one in his position of power. Be cautious, Kira."

  Her words spiked my distrust of the alpha and once again brought to the forefront of my mind how Selene had reacted to his ignorance of my wolf within. It wasn't uncommon for pack mates to be unable to scent the kids who had yet to shift, but an alpha was supposed to be able to sense that second soul within and have an understanding of where their dominance would fit into the pack.

  It was his job to ensure the smooth transition and stabilize disruption of the pecking order by incoming wolves. That’s how the fights had been determined in the past. He would pit similar dominant and submissive levels to establish their place.

  Shaking my head in annoyance and confusion, I focused back on what I’d come here for: answers.

  Squeezing her hand back once, and then retracting my own, I explained the theory brewing in my mind. "It occurred to me when you mentioned the creatures from Hell in the Shadow War, that the Daimona could easily fit the bill. With the Dark Prophecy’s words about the return of a defeated foe, I can't stop thinking that they overlap."

  Nodding for a few moments, she sat back in her chair and rubbed her chin in thought.

  "I would have to agree with your deduction. If that is the case, finding the legendary sword wielded by the Quis Fortis is of the utmost importance." Fixing me with a pointed look, she seemed to peer into me as she questioned, "Have you found balance within your soul? You appear to be doing better."

  How could she tell these things?

  Divine blessings for those who believe.

  So because of her faith in Selene, she's been blessed with these heightened senses?

  That would be my guess.

>   Let’s show her that she was right to place her faith in us.

  Focusing inward, I stroked my flame and commanded it to burn through me for a moment. The searing sensation in my forehead returned, and from the look of awe on Seneca's face and the way her hands flew to her mouth, I was positive my crescent mark was visible.

  "I believed...but...." she fumbled over her words, "but seeing it with my own eyes is remarkable."

  Pushing onwards, I redirected us, "Would you mind reading to me the prophecy that turned the tides of the Shadow War in the shifters’ favor? There has to be some kind of clue there for me in regards to the sword."

  Shaking away the shock, she flipped closer to the beginning of the book and cleared her throat to read.

  "Of fire and brimstone will emerge a dark entity seeking domination.

  Of fire and brimstone will his downfall also emerge.

  One of red flames and one of blue flames.

  He must seek out the lone wolf who resides in the birthplace of the shifters.

  There the answers will be forged.

  Light will pierce the shadow of darkness and send it back to the depths of Hell."

  My brain struggled to process her words, and I asked her to repeat the passage one more time to commit it to memory. Still, something felt off, and I felt an overwhelming urge to touch the leather book. It called out to me, begging for me to caress it to seek the answers I needed.

  As if in a trance, I reached out slowly to lay my fingers against the rough paper. On contact, my vision of the room faded away to blackness, replaced with a hazy scene of a battle raging.

  It felt like I was looking through a layer of water, blurry and faded shapes running around in my field of vision while screams echoed all around. Instinctively, I knew that I couldn’t be seen and that I couldn’t communicate with this world around me.

  Large shadows jumped through the air, and my brain clicked with the knowledge that I was watching shifters battle against the Daimona.