CHAPTER 38: MR. HALE

Night settled over the pack lands like a soft blanket, quiet and heavy.

It was the first night after Lewis and I got married.

Earlier that day, I watched Julian and Camilla get taken away by the pack enforcers.

I saw the Morrigan elders break down, their sadness echoing through the clearing like lost howls. In front of us, their whole pack structure fell apart.

And strangely... that confusion brought a calm to my chest. Finally, the weight I had been carrying for so long for two lives came off. It didn’t erase what happened to me, but it eased the sting.

For the first time in many years, I thought:

I might be able to sleep tonight without being afraid.

Even though this wasn’t my old den, I didn’t feel uneasy.

My wolf may have known Lewis wouldn’t hurt me because it could smell his steady, cool, and controlled scent.

Lewis had already set up my room when I got there. The covering was a soft pink, the kind a young she wolf would find warm and sweet. The kind i liked before life took that away from me. White lace edged the covers. The whole space felt gentle like a dream-den.

I was twenty again, a young wolf reborn...

That could be why I was drawn to light colors that I never used to like.

In my past life, I wore stiff clothes and pulled my hair back. I was always trying to be "mature" and be the perfect Luna Julian wanted me to be.

Even though I died at twenty-eight, I felt old...

Quite worn out.

Burned out from trying to be everything except myself.

but now?

Now I didn’t owe anyone anything.

I picked a long sleeved pink lounge wear set from the closet a modest, soft outfit. Since Lewis and I shared a den, I needed something comfortable but also proper.

The only weird part was the shared bathroom, which I quickly got used to.

It was big, functional, the kind a pack Alpha’s house would have. A big bathtub was in one corner. And two mirrors. There are two sinks. The wet and dry parts were separated for ease.

His side of the bar was built a little lower for his wheelchair.

His things were simple just soap, water, a razor.

My side looked like the pack’s training hall had exploded:

Body balm, oils, cleansers, skin care kits...

Towels are soft.

Warm lights.

Soaps with scents.

Lewis had a cool, detached wolf look, but inside he was very warm. The more time I spent with him, the more I realized this. A thoughtfulness that most people would miss if they didn’t pay close attention.

After taking a shower, I put waterproof pads over my cuts to help them heal.

Very carefully dried off.

Applied lotion to my skin.

After that, I put on my clothes.

Lewis was by the window when I came outside.

He sat in his wheelchair and looked out the window at the snow falling on the moonlit plains. He stood with his back to me and was calm and still.

He wasn’t paying attention to me yet because he seemed to be so deeply involved in his own thoughts.

I moved closer and stood still because I didn’t want to break the moment too soon.

In a past life, Lewis could always feel me as soon as I walked into a room.

Too sharp were his wolf senses, and his gaze would hold me like a shadow I couldn’t get away from.

At the time, it scared me.

Sometimes I’m even scared.

Now, though, something felt different.

I slowly approached him and put my hand on his shoulder.

A soft touch.

This is how wolves say "I come in peace."

My voice was soft.

A little wary.

"Mr. Hale, it’s late." Aren’t you ready to rest? "My touch scared him."

At that moment, he blinked and woke up from his thoughts.

His shoulder moved a little away from my hand, and his voice was calm but far away.

"The room is down the hall." Call Gune if you need anything.

I gave a soft nod. "All right."

After some thought, he added:

"Because someone in the pack has died, our mating ceremony will have to be put off." I hope it’s okay with you.

It was almost like he could read my feelings by the way wolves can read each other’s heartbeats. He kept his eyes on me while he said it.

I laughed a little. There’s no problem with that.

To be honest, I wasn’t excited about any of the ceremonies.

My last effort to connect with Julian during my almost-Luna ceremony broke me.

I only decided to become close with Lewis so Julian would feel so guilty and ashamed that he would drown in it.

The wolf in me would not forget the wound from that day, though. It was like a scar that would not go away.

I said, "I fully understand," and this time I meant it.

Lewis looked at my face for a short time.

His eyes became a little less hard.

After that he just said:

"Relax."

"I will," I said in a whisper.

Maybe they were too tired.

It’s possible that my wolf finally felt safe.

But I went to sleep so fast that I didn’t even dream.

..

After some time, I woke up with a sore throat.

I slowly got up and reached for the glass on the nightstand, but I stopped moving.

Someone stood at the foot of my bed.

Lewis.

He stood there in silence, with shadows and snow light from the window casting a shape around him.

He had an awkward look on his face, like he felt bad that I had woken up and caught him.

His dark eyes met mine, and they were focused and hard to read.

We both kept quiet for a moment.

The air seemed denser.

The quiet was broken when I swallowed.

"Mr. Hale, what’s wrong? "