Chapter 31

"You found your mate?" Eva raised her eyebrows in surprise, hazel eyes as wide as saucers. "How?"

"It's a long story but yes I found my mate and right now she is probably wondering why I haven't been in touch." Kade replied.

A new day had come in and Daniel and Eva were officially mated. Ethan was dead and an investigation was about to be launched into what had happened. Some of the rogues were alive but no one was talking. It wasn't a surprise but the evidence was pretty damning so the trial wouldn't have to rely on confessions.

But for Kade it meant he could focus on his mate and her pups. He explained everything that happened to Daniel and Eva over seriously strong coffees. Everyone looked like shit but everyone was too wired to sleep. It would no doubt take a couple of days for everyone to get over the emotional impact of what had happened. Even then, the pack would be even more cautious of strangers. Kade wasn't sure if his pack could mentally handle a new wolf coming into the fold even if they were Kade's mate. It was something he'd worry about later. Right now his plan was to take some personal time so he could get back to Thalia and figure out what to do next.

"Have you called her?" Daniel asked.

"Frustratingly, I left my phone with Dagmar so I can't just call." Kade huffed. "I will grab it another time. Right now I just want to get on the road."

"Well now we know where you're staying, we know where to call if we need to get in touch." Daniel nodded and leaned back in his seat. "We will need to meet her eventually though, especially if she's to join the pack."

"Yeah I know." Kade sighed. "Just not right now. Thalia has been through a lot and I think neither she nor the pack are ready to meet strangers."

"Okay but how about if it was just Daniel and me?" Eva suggested. "We could come down to the holiday park in a few weeks."

Kade could help but smile at Eva's suggestion. This was why she was a brilliant Luna even if she didn't officially hold the title. Not only was she fierce, strong and smart but she also cared about people and their needs. She might not know everyone in the pack but they were her number one priority regardless. Kade also hoped Eva would be perfect for helping Thalia with her trauma and became another shoulder to lean on. It would be good for Thalia to have a friend and it was a benefit to the pack that the Alpha and Beta females were close.

"I'd better go." Kade finally finished his coffee and stood up. "It's going to be a long run and I want to get there as soon as I can."

"Yeah sorry we don't have any vehicles or bikes you can use. It's going to take a little time for the insurance to get sorted." Daniel frowned. "We will also get your motorcycle sorted as well."

"Thanks." Kade smiled.

The trio spent a few more minutes talking before saying their goodbyes. It was still fairly early but people were already up and about. All the excitement of the previous night still simmered in the air, pushing adrenaline levels up. Everyone was trying to go about their routines and yet it was obvious anything could set the tinderbox off. A few people stopped long enough to welcome Kade back and bless the goddess for his return. It was still hard to believe that just twenty-four hours before, he had been a rotting corpse. Now it was like nothing had happened. His heart was beating and blood flowed through his veins. He was even injury-free.

Eventually Kade made it to the outskirts of the township and undressed. It would take most of the day to get to the caravan site provided he only stopped a few times and for short periods of time at that. He didn't want to spend any more time away from Thalia especially when there was still so much to figure out.

With that thought in mind, Kade let Legion take control, shifting into his wolven form and taking off into the forest.

---

It had felt like an eternity since Thalia learnt that her mate was dead and yet the wound felt as fresh and as raw as the first day she had found out.

In reality it had only been a few days but it felt like every second stretched out, prolonging the grief. Thalia had barely left the confines of the static caravan. If she wasn't in bed, trying and failing to sleep, she found herself daydreaming. If it weren't for her babies, she wouldn't have eaten simply because she couldn't stomach it.

She still hadn't worked out what she was going to do. Thalia was safe for now but for how long?

Thalia found herself once again watching dawn break from the couch, her eyes dull and not really taking anything in. Maeve had been restless all night which conflicted heavily with Thalia's dark mood. The wolven spirit had been quiet recently, mourning the loss of her mate silently. Now though, Maeve was stirring underneath the surface, pressing to be released. Thalia had managed to ignore her wolven counterpart so far but now Maeve's agitation was becoming overwhelming. It eventually forced Thalia outside, the fresh air hitting her like a blast of energy. The scent of the woods and nature of the Yorkshire Dales was heady, lurring Thalia towards it.

With each step Thalia took, Maeve pushed for control more and more. Eventually Thalia relented. A run probably would settle Maeve down so Thalia could go back to trying to work out what to do next in peace. No sooner had Thalia removed her last article of clothing, Maeve took over, the red and grey wolf sprinting off into the trees. Her surroundings whipped past her as Maeve ran, the soft earth yielding under her paws and the wind whipping past her making the tips of ears bitterly cold. She didn’t know where exactly she was going but something was pushing her to run and to keep running.

She wasn’t sure how long she had been following the invisible thread but eventually the she-wolf dropped to a trot, ears and nose twitching as Maeve kept her guard up, listening out for danger.

It was a gust of wind that had her stopping in her tracks and crouching to camouflage herself against the forest floor. There had been a scent on the wind that didn’t belong to the thickets and grasslands she had been sprinting through. It didn’t belong to the forest either and yet, it was familiar.

The snapping of twigs had Maeve's ears perking up, yellow eyes trained on the area where she heard the sound come from.

A few moments later a grey form stepped out from under the brush. The wolf's black eyes mirrored the depths of the universe while the thick pelt glimmered like silver and mercury.

*Legion.*

Maeve let out a whine, leaping towards the giant grey wolf who was quick to greet the she-wolf with a chorus of chortles and growls, tail wagging just as fast as Maeve's. The pair met halfway, sniffing each other in greeting. It was the first time the wolves had met in this form and both Maeve and Legion were taking full advantage of the moment, especially as Maeve had thought she would never see her mate again. She whimpered as she examined Legion, breathing in a familiar scent as she buried her muzzle into his thick fur looking for any signs of injury. There was nothing except the faint hint of magic.

Legion was just as attentive, rubbing his cheeks over Maeve as he sought comfort in the presence of his mate. He gave a soft whine when he reached her belly, nudging it with his nose as he listened for the familiar rhythm of the twins' heartbeats.

Legion pulled away after a few moments, shifting into Kade just as Thalia took control of Maeve and regained her human form. Her heart was hammering in her chest. A maelstrom of emotions and thoughts were crashing through her but none more so than relief from seeing her mate now stood before her very much alive.

Thalia didn't think twice about crashing her lips to Kade, her whole body trembling as she clung to her male, wanting to feel every inch of him to confirm this wasn't a dream or her mind playing tricks on her. But she could feel the heat radiating off of him, she could taste him and she could breathe in his scent. He was real. He was alive.

"I thought you were dead." Thalia whispered, tear filled eyes staring up at Kade's face.

"I was." Kade admitted, cupping Thalia's face with his hands gently. "But I'm alive and I'm not going anywhere."

Their mouths collided once again, every ounce of emotion pouring between them as they clung to each other. Every touch sent sparks licking across their skin, driving their need for each other through the roof. The cool spring air nipped at them but they were numb to it and everything else. It was just them and their carnal need for each other which was accelerated by the mate bond.

Thalia felt the bite of bark against her back when Kade crowded her against the tree but she didn't care. Her moan was met with a lustful growl as Thalia's arousal filled the air between the. with a heady scent which teased the beta. Kade's mouth was on her neck, sucking and nipping before attacking her naked breasts, her nipples already pebbled and eager to be sucked and nibbled on. Kade was only too happy to oblige and soon Thalia's aroused cries filled the dense forest around them. Between them, Kade's arousal grew, caught between their bodies which rubbed together deliciously.

A shudder ran through Thalia when She felt the heat of Kade's fingers slip between her legs. She was already wet, her arousal making the insides of her thighs slick. Kade used it to his advantage, circling and rubbing the swollen bundle of nerves between Thalia's legs to drag her towards her climax.

"Ah! Kade please!" Thalia whimpered, hips bucking as pleasure licked through her veins like flames. "More! I need more of you!"

"More of me in what way?" Kade purred into his mate's ear, still teasing her clit.

"I want...I need…"

"Yes?"

"I want you to mark me " Thalia panted, espresso brown eyes wide with need. "I want you inside of me and I want to bear your mark."

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A/N: I hope everyone had a lovely holiday period and thanks for reading. more drama is on the way but i wanted to make you aware that I might be a little quiet until after the 4th January as I have an assignment to finish but then I will be back to finish this story and to release another story.