Chapter Four

Eris' POV

I rejected my mate. I blurted it out as fast as I could before I lost my resolve.

When I just woke up from his arms, I could feel his hug was powerful, electric and addictive. I had to fight not to crawl back into his arms and ask for more. A LOT more. But I knew that once the red-haired man found me and Enid, he would kill us all, and I couldn't afford to lose anyone else. The best thing to do was not to start.

Calli whimpers in my head, but I ignored her. I know that some pain is unavoidable. A sharp pain shot through my chest, I gripped my shirt tightly, sucking in a breath. I saw Gideon's eyes widened and flashed with anger. The man in the front seat actually gasped in horror.

"First," Gideon said, trying to restrain his anger, "I reject your rejection."

I glared at him.

"Secondly," he paused for a moment, then sighed and tried to reassure me by saying that, "You and your sister are very weak now, my brother and I are taking you back to our pack. That will your home too."

As if he was afraid that I would refuse again, he quickly continued to say, "did you just say Oakenfire? Like the lost pack Ice Moon Oakenfire's?"

I pressed my lips together, not willing to answer. To my dismay Enid chimed in, "Yes, we're the only survivors of the massacre of our pack. The two daughters of Alpha Gaylon and Luna Ceres."

The man in the front seat arched his eyebrows and what he said next left me reeling, "Well, not the only survivors."

"What?!" Enid and I both yelled and turned to him as we pulled through the gates and onto the pack grounds.

We finished the ride at the circle driveway of the biggest, most luxurious looking pack house I had ever seen. It was a mansion, with white pillars framing a large stairway leading up to the front doors. The yard was perfectly manicured and deciduous trees surrounded the building, boasting their beautiful fall colors.

I remembered learning about Gold Moon Pack when I was training to be Alpha. They were a large pack, one of the big three in the realm next to Diamond Moon and Ruby Moon.

Their pack lands were rich with natural mineral deposits including gold and silver, hence the name. Our much smaller pack was their ally before we were destroyed and I can remember being counseled that it was best to always keep it that way. They were very rich and very powerful.

"I mind-linked him to come down, immediately," Gideon told us. Enid and I looked at each other and jumped out of the car, staring at the huge front doors.

It took agonizingly longer than I expected, probably due to the enormity of the building. He came bursting through the doors, breathing hard from running. I choked down a sob, feeling lightheaded at the enormity of who was standing in front of me. He seemed nearly as stunned as I was, mouth opening and closing like a fish as he searched for words.

Gideon placed a hand on my back to steady me and I let him, greedily enjoying the comfort of my mate that I had just tried to reject five minutes ago. This mate bond was something else, that was for sure.

Enid was the one who spoke as she walked into his waiting arms, "Oh Thad, we've missed you."

I found my legs and stumbled forward, his other huge arm catching me and pulling me in tightly. I allowed myself, for the first time in years, to sob into his shoulder. It was as if I was seeing again in the scene of Thad guarding my mother's side.

Gideon's POV

I had to quiet Ivailo's jealousy as we watched our mate hug another male.

Thad was a bear of a man, standing taller and outweighing even me. He had a curly mess of hair and a large beard that was salt and pepper brown, and soft, kind eyes. He was old enough to be Eris' father and I could feel the love she had for him was not romantic.

He had come to us after his pack was annihilated and relayed the story. It had been disturbing to say the least. We accepted him into Gold Moon and he quickly climbed the ranks to become an elite warrior, he now trained the newest warriors and was a valuable asset to our pack.

Finally, Eris pulled her head back and looked at him, confused. "I came back, I searched for survivors."

Thad shook his head. "I was probably already gone, little wolf. I was knocked out during the fight and fell into the river. I floated downstream and when I returned everyone was...gone. I didn't see your mother or your bodies among the dead, so I came here, hoping one day you'd find your way here as well."

His eyes grew distant as he remembered what I'm sure was the horror of finding his entire pack decimated. Suddenly, he perked up and looked behind me at the car, searching for someone.

He looked back to Eris, "Your mother?" He asked hopefully. Eris shook her head and he closed his eyes and nodded, adding, "I thought maybe there was a chance."

Enid shuddered and spoke muffled into his chest, "A red-haired man killed her in front of us. He tore her head from her shoulders."

I balked and felt a sear of pain from my mate as she, too, recalled the memory.

'We will kill this-red haired man. He hurt our little mate,' Ivailo growled in my head.

'Yes we will,' I agreed.

Despair crossed Thad's features. He whispered, "I failed her, and you. I will never forgive myself."

"You couldn't have done anything to help, Thad." Eris comforted him. "He was a monster. Too powerful for even the strongest wolf to stop. He wasn't anything that I've ever known to exist. I don't know what he was."

Thad nodded, "He was definitely there for her—your mother."

"My mom?" Eris showed a puzzled expression and asked after her, "Why?"

Thad sighed, "I think it's time to tell you what I know."