Return to Bloodmoon

As we approached the massive wooden gate adorned with the vibrant flowers of Bloodmoon, two imposing guardians stood watch at the front. Their solemn faces softened as they recognized Zane's Lycan, and with a synchronized gesture, they swung the gate open to admit us into the territory.

A profound sense of ease and familiarity washed over me as I breathed in the distinct air of Bloodmoon. I had been away for less than two days, and yet I already missed this place that felt like home.

Zane's Lycan continued to carry us deeper into the territory until we reached a specific section where a charming bungalow stood. I recalled Jasmine mentioning that this was the Alpha's quarters, and it was here that Zane's Lycan finally slowed down.

A figure was pacing on the verandah of the bungalow, and my heart leaped when I realized who it was.

"Jakayla!" I couldn't contain my excitement as she ran toward us. I gracefully slid off Zane's Lycan and embraced her, relishing the warm and flowery scent that enveloped me.

"I knew they'd find you," she said with a smile, but it quickly waned as her eyes fell upon Ravenna. Her protective instincts kicked in immediately.

"Who's she supposed to be?" Jakayla's tone turned defensive, and Ravenna flinched, prompting Rex to shove her away from his body with unnecessary force.

"Careful!" I scolded the Lycan, who disappeared behind the nearby bungalow, his massive form becoming a tiny dot. She was trembling with fear, and it was clear that the situation had taken a toll on her.

I introduced Jakayla to Ravenna, hoping to ease the tension. Jakayla's countenance immediately warmed, and she extended her arms to offer a hug to Ravenna. However, Ravenna flinched once more, clinging to me for support.

"Wait, where's..." Jakayla began, her expression changing as she realized that her brother's figure was conspicuously absent. My heart sank and a lump formed in my throat, unsure of how to break the news to her.

Before I could speak, Jakayla's gaze darted between me and Ravenna, her eyes filled with concern. "Where's Jaxon?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry. "He went with Zane to Nightfang to rescue you, Una. Is he alright?"

I exchanged a hesitant glance with Ravenna, and the words hung heavy in the air. Finally, I mustered the strength to respond, my voice quivering slightly. "He was captured,."

Jakayla's eyes widened in shock, her expression shifting from concern to anger. "What?? And you left him there?" Her voice trembled with a mixture of fear and fury.

Ravenna stepped forward, her eyes filled with empathy but also guilt. "We didn't want to leave him, but there were too many of them. We had to escape to ensure our safety and Una's."

Jakayla's face flushed with anger, and she clenched her fists. "You shut up! You have no right to say a word to me!" She snapped at Ravenna before facing me.

"You left my brother behind? You left him to fend for himself?" Her voice rose with each word, her rage palpable.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she glared at me, her accusing gaze fixed on my face. "This is your fault, Una! If anything happens to Jaxon, it's because of you!" She spat out the words with venom, her anger directed squarely at me.

I felt a deep pang of guilt and sorrow. The weight of Jakayla's blame was heavy, and I knew I couldn't argue with her. 

Zane's voice broke through the tension, attempting to defend me. He had transformed back into his human form, now dressed in a simple brown t-shirt and a pair of jeans. With a heavy sigh, he stepped forward.

"It wasn't Una's choice, Kayla," he pleaded, his voice filled with regret. "The decision to leave Jaxon behind was agonizing, but it was made out of necessity. Una told me to go back for him, but I couldn't." Zane's words hung in the air, attempting to explain the difficult choice we had faced.

Jakayla's anger flared even brighter at Zane's words. She couldn't contain her fury any longer. "You couldn't! What kind of Alpha are you anyway?!" Her voice trembled with emotion as she confronted him, her tears flowing freely.

"You're supposed to protect your own! I... I..." Her voice broke, and in a moment of raw emotion, she buried her face in Zane's chest, her tears soaking his t-shirt. The weight of the situation had taken its toll on Jakayla, and the anguish in her voice was palpable.

Zane held her gently, his arms wrapped around her as he offered whatever comfort he could. Her words echoed with a deep sense of fear and despair.

"Who knows what they could do to him?! The horrors they could subject him to!" Jakayla's voice trembled as she expressed the worst of her fears, the thought of Jaxon's safety haunting her.

With one final glare at me, Jakayla abruptly pulled away and ran from us, disappearing in the direction of where she resided with her family. Her anger and grief were overwhelming, and there was nothing I could do to console her at that moment.

"Don't blame yourself for this; it's all on me, okay?" he said with as much emotion as he could muster. It was still perplexing how he had come for me when he was, in fact, the one who had kicked me out, his feigned concern for me apparent.

I had witnessed Rex in action, consumed by an overwhelming bloodlust. His actions had left me bewildered: first, he had smiled at me, then he had banished me, and now he was comforting me. I didn't know how to react, so I simply nodded in response.

"This is Ravenna, my best friend," I introduced her to him, and she visibly flinched at the intense aura he was emanating. Zane's gaze was cold, icy, and unwelcoming as he stared down at her, which seemed to trigger her.

"No manners? This is the part where you introduce yourself," she said, and I had to stifle a chuckle because of the disbelief in Zane's eyes. "You first tried to kill me, now you're speechless. You—"

"Silence," Zane ordered, and I could tell his Lycan side had emerged from the way the golden specks in his eyes shimmered.

"I wouldn't hesitate to kill you should you infuriate me again. Go home, Una; I have work to do," he stated, stealing a glance at me before heading in the same direction Jakayla had gone.

"Who is that supposed to be?" Ravenna asked in shock, staring in Zane's direction.

"That's my new mate."