LIORA Watching Adam and Henry play-fight on the bed, I think about when Luke and I used to wrestle like this. We were both an only child, our parents deciding one pup was enough. Growing up as neighbors just five minutes apart, we became like siblings, even with Luke being two years older. I need to call him. It’s been a week since we left Stormclaw, and I promised in my letter that I’d reach out once my number changed. “Penny for your thoughts?” Miss Maya’s voice startles me. I hadn’t noticed her and Dan returning with breakfast. Some beta I make. “I was thinking about Luke,” I say, taking the McDonald’s bag and thanking her. “About what?” she asks, handing Lace her meal. “I need to call him and give him my new number. He won’t share it without my permission.” I take a hash brown, shoving it into my mouth. Lace giggles, catching me in the act, while Miss Maya just rolls her eyes. “You should do it when we drive. Dan found a pack he has friends in—we might be able to join them.” My heart leaps. After seven days of being rogue and constantly chased away, the thought of belonging again feels like an unanswered prayer. “How far?” I ask, desperate to be done with motels and endless driving. “Three days away. Think you can last that long?” Dan answers while corralling Adam and Henry, the pups devouring their breakfast. Lace quietly watches a movie on the ancient motel TV. “What is the pack’s name?” Adam asks through a mouthful of a sausage and egg McMuffin. “Don’t speak with your mouth full!” Miss Maya chides him, as I hide my laughter. I think I am becoming a bad influence on these pups. “It’s called Moonfire,” Dan answers his son. The name sounds familiar, and I wrack my brain trying to find why I know the name of it. “Isn’t that the weakest in the country?” I ask once I manage to remember where I heard the name from. It was during one of Alpha Kazil’ rants about wanting to expand Stormclaw. About him wanting to attack Moonfire and claim the land, but my father reasoned with him. Moonfire is a ten-day drive from Stormclaw, so even if Kazil attacked, the land couldn’t merge with Stormclaw unless he traded it for territory closer to home. “It is, but the alpha agreed to let us join if we help strengthen the pack. You know how to train pups, and Dan and I can train the adults,” Miss Maya explains. My blood hums with excitement at the thought of training pups again. Joining Moonfire will be good for us. “Well then, let’s finish breakfast and hit the road! Three days until our new home!” I declare. Lace throws her hands up, cheering, “New home!” over and over, making us all laugh. We finish eating and quickly pack the few things we brought inside last night. Lace pouts when I tell her she can’t ride with me this time, but after promising she can switch back at the first rest stop, she happily bounds to her father’s truck. “You sure you’ll be okay alone?” Dan asks as I open my door. “I’ll be talking to Luke,” I answer, surprisingly excited for once about leaving Stormclaw. If Moonfire accepts us, I know Luke will follow. “Call my cell if anything happens. I can’t wait to be in a pack so we can mind-link again.” With Dan’s protective grumbling over, he heads to his truck. The silence in mine is unnerving after seven days of Lace’s nonstop singing. I start the engine, letting the familiar hum ground me while I wait for Bluetooth to connect. Scrolling through my new social media accounts, I distract myself from the pain creeping in. When my phone connects, I take a deep breath and find Luke’s number. Thankfully, switching phones didn’t mean losing my contacts, and the company bought out my old number, cutting off Stormclaw’s ability to track me. Staring at Luke’s familiar number, nerves twist in my stomach. I never got to say goodbye. He was on patrol, and my mind-link was blocked before being severed when Kazil banished me. All I could do was leave a letter—and the deed to my house. Exhaling to calm my growing nerves, I click his contact. The dialing tone rings through my truck speakers. “Luke Thorn speaking.” I nearly cry at the familiar deep voice of the man I call my sworn brother. I love Dan, Miss Maya, and their pups, but they aren’t my Luke. The man who knows me better than I know myself. “Hello? Did you dial the wrong number?” his voice comes through again, and I laugh at how confused he sounds. Silence settles after my small laugh, and I debate on what to say. “Liora?” His voice is a whisper and I smile. All I have to do is make a sound and he will always know it’s me. “Hi, Luke,” I manage to state before he goes into a tirade. “Where are you? Scratch that, don’t tell me just yet. Are you safe? Did you heal from your wounds? Are Dan and Miss Maya okay?” His questions come one after another, and only stop when Dan pulls up beside me and honks his horn. I nod and watch as he drives off before I follow behind his trailer. “What was that?” Luke asks, and I laugh again as I realize that I have been missing his scatterbrained self when he is with me. “That was Dan. We are traveling to a pack that says they will accept us. No, I will not tell you what pack until I know if I will be a member or not,” I answer back, giving him this small happy news, a smile on my face as I picture Luke slumping on his bed with relief for my safety. “I’m glad. The pack hasn’t been the same since they banished you. I miss you.” His voice is quiet, and I can sense his sadness. We have never been apart this long since I was born. The two of us had been glued at the hip as pups. Where he went, I was there behind him. “I miss you too, Luke. When I am safely settled, I will let you know and maybe you can—” “Yes!” he cuts me off, making me chuckle. “I didn’t even finish what I was saying,” I retort, getting a signature Luke chuckle, so deep it has dropped many of the pack whores’ panties. “Don’t care. When you find a new pack, I will follow.” My body relaxes as I take in his words. I have never had a more loyal friend than Luke, and I know that what he says is the truth. Wherever I go, he will follow, and vice versa. “Okay, Luke. I have to go, but know we are all safe and okay. We are staying closer to the small human towns so that we don’t get attacked at night.” I know our call needs to be cut short. I can’t risk Stormclaw—risk him—finding me right now. “Good. I will keep your number saved under a new name for now. But I expect a phone call every day, Liora.” The thought of being able to talk to Luke every day brings a wide grin back onto my face. Seven days away from my best friend is too long. “Deal. Keep me under Lilac.” “Like the damned bush you dug up from the ground. Thanks for that, by the way. Caroline screeched about wanting the bush to burn, and I got the brunt end of her tirade. I wish someone would kill the bitch.” I laugh again as my twenty-year-old friend complains about the woman who is to be his Luna in a few weeks’ time. “Look, Luke. I am moving on from Stormclaw and the wolves there. If you can keep this from him, I would owe you one.” My voice cracks at the word him. Luke knows who I am talking about, and I am glad I don’t have to say his name. “I punched him the day you left, so other than pack business, he and I aren’t speaking. Anyways, I have to go, but expect multiple texts.” Curious at Luke’s confession to punching my ex-mate, I make a note to ask him about it when I am ready. Instead, I tell him to have a good day, and I will look forward to his texts, reminding him that I am driving and might not reply right away. When our call ends, the truck cabin grows quiet, and for once since leaving Stormclaw, I feel hopeful for my future. I can feel the pain of the rejection and banishment pushing at the dam I made in my mind. I remind myself over and over again that I need to hold on just a little bit longer. In three days, I will be in Moonfire. In three days, I will be able to finally break, and allow th e pain to take over and bleed through my soul before I start picking the pieces back up.