171 Emotional turmoil…
Ramsey o
My heart nearly stopped. Lyla had never set foot in my room before. Seeing her here felt so surreal, Quickly, I placed the frame face–down on my counter.
“Of course, please come in.
She entered the room, closing the door softly behind her. Her eyes were red and her hands were fidgeting nervously, I could smell her distress, I wanted to go to her but I didn’t want to startle her, so I dug my heels where I stood and waited for her to tell me why she was here.
“I didn’t know who else to go to,” she began, her voice trembling slightly. “Seth he told me I’d find you here,”
I gestured toward a chair, feeling happy at her statement. “Please, sit down.
She shook her head firmly. “No, I can’t. 1… I need to say this or I might explode.”
Alarmed, I moved closer trying to comfort her but she backed away. I kept my distance when she held up her hand. “Please, Ramsey… don’t come any closer”
“Okay,” I nodded “What’s wrong? Do you want to tell me?” I asked gently.
She took a shaky breath, as tears spilled down her cheeks, alarming me more. “Ramsey, I’m going crazy. I have to tell someone, or I feel like I’ll die
I clenched my fists at my sides, I wanted to comfort her so badly, but I also wanted to respect her space. “What is it? You can tell me?
She looked up at me, with eyes filled with anguish. “Ramsey, I could get into lots of trouble if someone knows this and I came to you because it was the most natural thing to do. But now, I don’t know… I’m so sorry because I’ll burden you with it?
“It’s not a burden, Lyla and no matter what we would figure it out together. Can you trust me?”
She shook her head. “I can’t.”
I murmured something inexplicable under my breath. “You have to trust me now, I promise I won’t do anything that would put you in harm’s way. Please…please…Lyla, look at me…”
She turned tear–filled eyes to me. I took a step toward her until I was standing close to her. Gently, I lifted her chin, then with my other free hand wiped the tears on her cheeks. Her lips trembled and, in a flurry, she leaned against me, sobbing harder, at
I just stood there, holding her, trying to thrust away the crazy thought that came to my mind. I wanted whatever the situation was to be Nathan breaking up with him or something along that line. It would make me the happlest person today.
into
my
Lax sneered at my wicked thoughts but I ignored him. After she was spent, gently, I scooped her hands and carried her to the couch in my room, ignoring, Lax’s prompting to take her to bed. I’ve managed to stay away from women for a few weeks now and he was already itching.
We sat on the couch with me still cradling her until she climbed down from my legs and sat next
171 Emotional turmoil…
“I have a wolf”
The silence that followed after the announcement was deafening. I just sat there frozen, my mind racing to process what she’d just revealed. The High Priestess had clearly stated that a Moonsinger cannot have a wolf. Then again… was she the one who helped them out with the Ferals several days ago?
“It was you right? I blurted. “The one who fought the Ferals.”
She stared at me with confusion in her eyes then shook her head. “I’m lost. What are you talking about?”
I shook
my head, sighing with relief. “I guess it wasn’t you but… the wolf…are you sure?”
She nodded. “She’s been with me for a few weeks now or since forever, I think. From the first time I had my first encounter with those Ferals, she’d come to me in my dream and talk to me and stuff but she manifested herself recently to me.
“That would explain your recent change in your physical appearance. Did you know you look more radiant than usual?”
“Yeah,” she nodded “People have been telling me that. But I kept her hidden. I was so scared. I thought… I thought something was wrong with me but she was with me, Ramsey. She’s real.”
My heart pounded as I tried to process her words again. I knew what this revelation meant. It wasn’t just a secret; it was a truth that could change everything. A Moonsinger having a wolf would put her in trouble.
Plus, the irony of the entire situation wasn’t lost on me. Here I was, about to announce my engagement to another woman, while the one person who could turn my world upside down chose this moment to share her deepest secret with me and not just that, one that could put her
in trouble.
The Moon Goddess had a cruel sense of humour indeed.
My ceremonial attire suddenly felt too tight, the room too small. Outside, the preparations for the festival continued, oblivious to the earthquake happening within these walls. Nathan would propose tonight, thinking he knew everything about the woman he loved, while I stood here holding a truth that could change everything.
As Lycan Leader, I should immediately report this to the Council A Moonsinger manifesting a wolf was unprecedented, dangerous even. But one look at Lyla’s tear–stained face, all I could see was the girl that I had seen wide–eyed in the ballroom that day and the woman who had unknowingly claimed a piece of my heart.
“Have you told anyone aside from me?”
She laughed bitterly, swiping at the tear stains on her cheeks. “Tell who? My mother? Nathan? They would’ve looked at me like I was some kind of freak.”
“You’re not a freak, I said firmly. “You’re…unique. Special?
She looked up at me, with amusement in her eyes. “You don’t have to lie to me, Ramsey. I know I’m going to be in big trouble but I wanted to tell you first. If ever this gets to the council…”
101 Emotional turmoil.
“It won’t!” I reached out for her hand, pressing it to my lips. “You cannot tell anyone else until figure it out.”
“I would have to tell Nathan now that I’ve told you,” She murmured thoughtfully.
I rolled my eyes at the thought. “Are you sure he can handle it; he doesn’t seem like it.”
“He will,” she chuckled “even better than you but that’s not the problem here Ramsey. Having my wolf is another thing, the problem is, I haven’t felt her in days now. I can’t see her in the dream world, I can’t feel her inside me like I did a few days ago. She’s silent and I can’t help but feel that something is wrong”
“Wait!” I raised my hand to stop her. “You had your wolf and now you no longer have her?
She nodded. “It feels like she wasn’t here in the first place but she was. I saw her. I was her. I felt her and we went for a run. I don’t understand what might be the problem. Does this happen often? I know you have a Lycan but I’m guessing it’s almost the same thing except for the species?”
“Yeah, I agreed with her. “Lax only disappears and stops talking to me when I offend him but it’s usually within a 24–hour window and I’ll still feel him inside. Maybe that’s why…”
“She’s been gone for nearly five days now and I don’t feel her. It’s like before I had her. Empty. Is there something I can do? Do you know?”
I didn’t have a lot of experience with Werewolves. Though I was mixed blood since my mother was a werewolf and my dad a Lycan but I had a Lycan. Still, the earnestness on Lyla’s face made me feel helpless. The one time that she came to me asking for help, the fact that I’m not able to help her was tearing me apart.
There was a rapid knock on the door before it opened and Seth walked in. He looked apprehensive. I saw his eye dart between me and Lyla on the couch before it settled on me. “Alpha!” he sighed “I think Miss Lyla should leave now. Luna Cassidy is on her way here. She must have gotten wind that she’s here, he pointed to Lyla.
“We’re not doing anything wrong. I only came to see him, Lyla defended immediately. “She should stop being paranoid, if I wanted Ramsey for myself, I could have him.”
“Please have me, I muttered under my breath.
“It’s the Harvest Moon Festival, Miss and we’re trying not to create any scene, Seth said woodenly. “If Luna Cassidy should see you here…
“Fine!” Lyla hissed. “I’ll leave. Then she turned to me, “Can we continue this conversation elsewhere? Preferably in the open or your office so your mate can be at ease.
I nodded.
As she started towards the door, the door to my room opened again, this time, more forcefully than before and Cassidy ran into the room sobbing and straight to my arms.
