A Curse of Shadows

His smile is friendly, but his words still make me tense for some reason. “Not at all,” I reply, returning his friendly demeanor. “There’s just so much to read thanks to your wonderful mate’s help.”

Sosheena brightens next to him. “I’m so glad to hear that. If I can be of any more help, all you have to do is ask.”

Dad nudges me with his elbow. “Same here, my girl. I’m all better now and you shouldn’t worry about me.”

“I’m more concerned with Estee now,” I admit with a frown. “Any updates from her?”

He shakes his head and looks away. “Sorry, Issie.”

He shouldn’t apologize. He’s not the one who left without a word.

I love Estee. She’s my best friend and now my sister—nothing will ever change that—but I could choke her right about now for doing this. Right after I hug the hell out of her.

“Everyone, please eat,” Asher announces. “We have our monthly pack run tonight and you’ll want to make sure you have enough energy.”

My sharp gaze immediately goes to Asher’s and he’s clearly avoiding me, staring more at his plate than anywhere else. I kick him under the table and I catch a flicker of a smile that he seems to be fighting.

Oh, he’s up to something and I’m going to figure out what.

Right after I eat some of this delicious food.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

ASHER

While Isla has been busy with her own research, I’ve been orchestrating plans of my own, in hopes of helping. She still hasn’t felt her wolf and the lack of link there, I believe, is crucial, not only for integration back into our world, but also for unlocking the deeper parts of her memories.

At least I hope so.

Hoping to bridge this gap, I’ve organized a pack run under the twin full moons tonight—a spectacle of unity and primal energy that I’ve always found rejuvenating. It’s a time when the magic of our world becomes palpable, threading through each of us as we run.

Something that I’m eager for Isla to experience, to feel the electrifying pulse of the pack in full sprint, which, if all goes well, should spark something within her.

Until my mate understands who she is as a whole, I don’t know that she’ll truly be at peace.

I have a visiting elder coming from Selaris who is known for her healing abilities. It’s not often that wolf shifters have other gifts, but our older generation, the ones nearing one thousand years of age, have a history of teaching even those who have lived multiple lifetimes a few lessons.

The longest wolf shifter known to live here died at the age of one thousand and eleven. She could barely walk in the end, but I met her a few hundred years ago and her mind was the brightest I’d ever encountered.

I’m hoping for the same from Elyn, the one I’ve invited here. I’ve never met her myself, but I’ve heard the stories from King Theo—a recently crowned alpha and chosen by the Gods since the previous ruler had no heir.

He’s been a good addition to Lunara as a whole, something I can’t say about all our monarchs. I should have invited him here as well to meet my mate, but that formality will have to wait until things are less complicated.

Leaving breakfast, I expect Isla to go back to the room to continue reading, as she’s preferred to do daily since the incident at the Academy. Instead, she starts to follow me.

“We need to talk,” she says and I’m instantly on guard.

“Did something else happen in that hallway?”

She rolls her eyes. “No, I already told you everything about that. I’m talking about the way you avoided looking at me earlier and failed to tell me about a pack run tonight. What am I supposed to do while everyone else is out frolicking in the woods?”

She’s not wrong about me avoiding her. While I’m eager for Elyn to arrive, I’ve been uncertain how Isla will receive my plan. She might shut me down and I haven’t been ready to accept that possibility, so I’ve yet to tell her. Now, it seems I’m out of time.

Though I can’t deny it’s adorable seeing how she’s trying to be annoyed with me, but she can’t hide the fact that she’s jealous, thinking she can’t go with us tonight on the run.

“You, my precious mate, will be by my side,” I tell her with a smile. “I was waiting until Elyn got here before I told you my plans.”

“Who is Elyn and why did you need to wait for her?” Isla asks with evident suspicion as we head toward my office.