Imperial Moon [Complete]

Chapter Twenty Three - Change

The next morning, Kat and Cal joined the rest of the pack for breakfast.

Kat pulled her hair into a tight ponytail as she waited for food.

Cal glanced at her neck. It had become a habit, checking the status of her mark. 

He frowned, taking in its red form. It wasn't getting worse. It wasn't getting better either.

Usually, if you marked a wolf that was not your mate, the bite would become infected, spreading like poison through the veins. It would become excruciating. Only a mark from your true mate could heal it. Many wolves ran out of time, dying before the mark could be rectified.

But their marks weren't infected. They knew that they were true mates. Something was wrong.
When Kat had asked, Cal had brushed the subject away. Now he was growing concerned. 

"Alpha. Luna." Cal looked up, a red haired woman stood between him and Kat, smiling.

Kat gasped, joy lighting up her face. Cal loved it when she smiled, it set his soul on fire. He mirrored Kat's grin, looking at her quizzically.

"Saff!" Kat jumped up and threw her arms around the woman, "I wasn't sure you'd made it out!" 

The woman laughed, embracing Kat.

Cal smiled to himself, happy that Kat had a female friend. All the males around her set his jealousy on edge.

"We can't believe that your mate is the Lord Alpha." Saff gushed.

Kat raised an eyebrow at Cal. He rolled his eyes. Nerves fluttered in his stomach. 

"Sit, please." Kat gestured to the seat next to her. 

"Lord Alpha you say?" She asked Saff as she took her seat.

Luckily her reply was interrupted by Tate yawning loudly as he took his own seat. 

"Long night, Tate?" Kat laughed at him.

"Couldn't sleep. Stressed." Tate barely held his eyes open, chewing on a piece of toast slowly as he talked. 

"Tate, this is my friend Saff. She came here with our new wolves."

Tate raised his hand in a thumbs up in Saff's general direction. 

Kat frowned, "Sorry, he's usually more sociable."

Vilkas dropped into his seat.

"Who's usually more sociable?" He asked, as he poured milk over his cereal.

"Tate."

Vilkas laughed. Saff stiffened slightly.

"You've never seen him this early in the morning before."

Saff laughed, loud and borderline hysterically.

Kat turned to look at her, perplexed. 

She saw the sheen in Saff's eyes. She followed it to Vilkas.

He'd stopped, completely still, spoon hovering in mid air, dripping milk into his bowl, his mouth slightly agape.

Kat grinned, nudging Cal.

He looked up from spreading peanut butter on his toast, seemingly oblivious.

"Is this what we were like?" She whispered.

He shrugged, "Pretty sure I was smashing a wolf's head up at this point in our relationship." 

Kat grinned.

"How are you finding the pack so far, Saff?" Cal asked, smirking.

"It's wonderful, Alpha." She breathed, deep blue eyes fixed on Vilkas' bright ones.