Page 62 of Broken Moon

I held my breath.

“Yes,” he said, his voicestrong and steady. “You’re my wolves now.”

Tears sprang to her eyes, and Ihad to turn away to dash the water from my own. We had a pack. He’d said it,and his warriors and his beta had witnessed his words. We were Pack.

She offered him her hand, palmup. “I accept you, Alpha.”

He lifted her palm to hismouth, striking quickly. He marked her, creating a bond and sealing a promisethat only he would ever be able to break. The alpha’s mark would only fade if hiswolf were later rejected. Any wolf from any pack she came into contact with wouldknow she was claimed and protected.

His warriors and his beta stoodquietly and stoically, with not so much as a flicker of resentment in theireyes. They might feel it, deep down, but they would not dare show it. Not infront of their alpha, anyway.

My mother drew her hand to hermouth, unable to contain her sobs, and my own heart swelled with hers. I hadnot yet been officially claimed, but it was coming.

“My house,” she said, finally.“There are those I take care of…”

“You will sort that out tomorrow,”he told her. “When I’m sure Adam Thorne and his pack are no threat to you, youcan return to your land. You can choose to stay there or move permanently toShadowfield. We will be honored to have you.”

I couldn’t swallow past thelump in my throat.

She reached for my hand. “Comealong, Kait,” she said, as though I were a six-year-old child.

“Kait will see you soon,” Jaredtold her, but gently. “I’ll call your wolf and then you will go with my beta. Ipromise you will be safe.”

“But what of my daughter?” sheasked, swaying on her feet. “What if Adam comes back for her?”

“I am about to free her wolf,”he told her quietly. “And she has a new alpha. Let him come.”

I started shivering andcouldn’t stop. I kissed my mother’s forehead, then stepped back. My heart wasbeating so hard and fast it made my chest hurt. My stomach was tight, my mouthdry, my head pounding. I wanted to cry and scream and run to release some ofthe unbearable energy building inside me.

My wolf knew what was about tohappen. The time had finally come.

But first, my mother needed toheal.

She groaned and once again puther hand to her head, and then Jared took control. She screamed, which was moreof a forceful wheeze, and I could only stand back with my fingers over my mouthas her alpha brought her wolf.

The jacket I’d draped over hershoulders fell to the ground and she shifted almost seamlessly. Her woundswould be nothing to her wolf. She nosed the alpha’s palm, and he placed hishand on her head as she melted into his attentions. It had been so very long.For both of us.

She sprawled out on the ground,finally, panting slightly as her wolf’s body dealt with her injuries, and whenI glanced away from her, waiting for her to heal and shift back, my starelanded on one of the warrior’s unguarded faces.

Despite his best efforts, therewas hostility in his eyes. When he saw me watching him he blanked his eyes, butit was too late to hide what he was thinking.

“Alpha,” I said.

Jared moved a little closer tome, making me forget, for a few seconds, what I’d been about to say. “Kait?”

I lifted my chin. I did notwant to make trouble for his wolves or cause them to be even more resentful,but I needed to make sure my mother was safe—not just from Adam Thorne, butfrom her own pack. “Your wolves,” I said quietly, “are going to be…upset. I canhandle myself, but I’m worried about my mother.”

“My wolves,” he said,“understand what it will mean for them if they dare to harm or disrespect yourmother. Or you.”

I wanted to believe him, butI’d been on the receiving end of his pack’s anger. “But before—”

“Before, I was not clear in myintentions. They will cause you no harm. Unless,” he said, looking at hiswarriors with ice in his stare, “they wish to be cast out of their pack.”

I gave a sharp nod. They wouldcarry his words back to the pack, and my mother would be safe. Eventually, whenthey overcame their resentment and got to know her, they would love her.

But that was going to take awhile.

When my mother returned to herhuman form, she was nearly completely healed. She once again donned my jacket,then pulled me to her for a hard hug. “We arePack,”she whisperedfiercely. “My darling, how I wish I could watch you finally become your wolf.”