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Bonded

Who am I too her?.

That’s like a million-dollar question how do you tell someone you think that you are their family and you had no idea they existed until a few months ago.

Her eyes are locked with my own and for a second I could have sworn I saw them flash the faintest glow of red before it was gone.

“Well Sekreta, I think I am your cousin”

Her mouth drops open and she once again goes silent. Then she starts to shake her head over and over, her body shakes and then it starts to happen.

“Shit Ryan shes shifting”

He runs over to us as she screams in pain with every loud crack. Finally, after 20 minutes it’s over the timid girl from before now towered over Ryan and me, A huge brown wold with a red sheen to her fur, she takes a step towards me but seems to crumple under her own weight.

She lays down on the floor whimpering, from the look in her eyes she didn’t mean to, I edge towards her placing a hand on her head in an attempt to calm her, her eyes close and it seems to do the trick.

She falls asleep in wolf form and it prompts me to move away from her and head to sit with Ryan, making sure she is never out of my view.

“Ryan, I think we should stay here another night we can head to Cynthia first thing tomorrow but for now I think this is going to take some time to convince her”

“Okay whatever you need Arti, I’m here for you always. We will stay a little longer but we can’t let them know our phones have been dropping in and out of signal since we got to this spot. I will keep trying though.”

“Okay sounds good”

I let Sekreta sleep while we set up the camp for another night, Aria refuses to let me go too far from her internally growling at me when we are too far to see her.

Four hours later she begins to shift back in her sleep I lay a blanket over her and place some clothes next to her head for when she wakes up.

Ryan and I are sat around the fire his back to her so when she does wake she doesn’t feel uncomfortable.

“Excuse me Artemis”

Her soft voice rings in my ear and I see her walking towards Ryan now dressed.

“Thank you for the clothes, may I sit”

I move over and she sits next to me.

*“I’m sorry about before” *

She drops her head and stares at the ground in front of her.

“You don’t need to apologise, but would you mind if I asked what happened?. What caused your wolf to come out ?”

“Well when you told me we are family I started to have a panic attack I’ve been alone so long and my mum always thought she was the only one. I guess I just freaked out”

“It took quite a long time when did you last shift ?”

“I haven’t shifted in around 8 years if him being honest, and when I just did my connection with Savea was almost not there I guess that’s why I ended up passing out”

I pass her some food and she eats it slowly, taking little sips of water.

“So Sekreta, Ryan and I are heading back to our pack. You see it’s not just me you have as family, I have two sisters and one is about to have a baby”

Her eyes light up for sure this time in the same way ours do although hers are red.

“Sekreta “

I take her hands in mine and hoping she can feel the sincerity of my next words.

“I was hoping you would come with us and I can offer you the family you never had, I’m betting there are things that you are able to do that no one has explained to you before. My sisters and I can help you with that.”

“Are you serious, you want to take me with you ?”

Her eyes are welling up and she squeezes my hand.

“I would love to come with you since my mum was taken family is all I’ve ever wanted”

“We are going to spend another night here so you can rest up some of your wounds are not healing very fast as you’ve been so disconnected with your wolf and we don’t have to be back until tomorrow morning so we have a little time”

We spend the rest of the evening talking with Ryan catching up on some much-needed sleep seeing as we now won’t be leaving today as we thought. She tells me about her parents and her mother, she sounds similar to our own, the way she cared for her and watched out for her.

It’s then that she starts to delve into her time with Arlo, It’s just like my father said he was trying to use her blood to change his own to take her power.

“The thing is, I don’t even know what powers I have. My mother didn’t have them but she told me her old pack did she taught me that if I ever found that I had some I should suppress them and pray to the moon goddess that no one finds out about me “

“Sekreta, how old are you ?”

I’m not sure what made me blurt it out in the middle of what she is saying but I remember my father saying she was my age yet somehow as I sit and stare at her she seems so much younger.

*“I’m 25, Why?” *

She seems taken aback by my question.

“I was just curious you’ve been through so much in your short life so far, I hope I can help make the rest of it better “

“Artemis, I’ve been thinking that book I stole I think I need to find it “

“Its okay Sekreta, we can help you find it. As soon as you are home and recovered we will head back out here with you to find it, Perhaps when you stay with us we can teach you a little self-defence too “

“Id like that, Is it okay if I lie down for a bit again?. I’m getting kind of tired”

“Of course sleep for as long as you need, ill be here keeping watch”

She takes the blanket and lays close to the fire Ryan lit, her breathing begins to slow and I know she has fallen asleep.

I think about all the things she has told me, all the things she’s been through and had to deal with thinking that she was all alone in this world.

It breaks my heart to think that she spent so long with that monster, he robbed her of so many opportunities. The chance to grow and learn her power instead of hiding it, never having the opportunity to find her mate.

I can’t help but wonder what would have become of her if Arlo had never attacked us.

How far would he have gone with her to get what he wanted, to be the most powerful? It seems as though the man truly didn’t have any limits.

I check on the two of them sleeping soundly on the floor and decide to try and link Sel and Cynth, I know it’s late but I think they would want to know I’m bringing her home with me.

I’ve tried it a few times but we seem to be too far away before, this is important though so I close my eyes and try again.

I focus on the link between the three of us but nothing comes of it so I try again, this time just focusing on Selene.

Once again there is no answer this way, I get up and rummage through Ryans bag looking for our phones, Pulling them out I see that both have no signal.

I accept defeat and just remind myself that I’m going to see them tomorrow anyway, and they will be happy I’ve found her I know it.

I keep watch looking out to the tree line to ensure there is no one there waiting in the shadows, the Unchartered lands are a dangerous place by Ryan and I have so far been lucky to not come across someone too unsavoury.

I get the feeling though, now Sekreta is with us we might not be alone for much longer. Whoever was chasing her before is going to try and come back for her.

Hours pass and Ryan half wakes from his sleep, we chat as he remains laid down on the floor, that’s when we hear it.

The distinct sounds of breaking twigs and leaves moving, I scan the tree line again but I can see no one. Ryan jumps from his spot and we stand either side of Sekreta who is thankfully still fast asleep.

There is an eerie silence surrounding us but then the sound of twigs breaking rings out again followed by a long growl.

Internally I’m telling myself we should have left, I should have tried to make Sekreta go as fast as she could and now I’ve put us all back in danger.

I can hear footsteps now coming closer to us.

“Ryan, whatever is coming towards us isn’t alone are you ready for this “

“Always Arti”

“Ryan we need to protect her at all costs she been through enough”

“Artemis ill do what you ask but if it is choice between you and her, I will choose you. You know this”

His words are firm and I know he means it, it has nothing to do with no caring for her ut everything to do with our mate bond.

The footsteps and growling get louder and Sekreta jumps up between us.

*“Artemis what’s happening “ *

Ryan and I close in around her.

“Sekreta, whoever was chasing you is coming you just stay between us okay, we will protect you “

She is shaking behind me her grip getting tighter on my arm.

“Okay I’ll do whatever you say, just please don’t let them get to me “

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you I promise”

My eyes are still darting into the trees looking for where these wolves will emerge and then I see them, around twenty wolves following a woman as she gets closer and closer to us.

Aria is on the verge of breaking out and forcing a shift but I try to suppress her for just a little bit longer, it’s not time for her to come out yet at least not until we get an idea of the true number of them.

As the woman gets closer my jaw drops to the ground and my heart rate begins to quicken, I’m able to make out her face her dark hair, her slender frame.

I’m so shocked with what I’m seeing it distracted me from the urgency of the situation until the sharp pain now presents in my side begins to throb pulling me back into reality.

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