To Rule the Alpha's Heart

22. A Luna's Duty

CALLA VORONÍN

Cyril's warning festered in Calla's mind, causing her to fall silent throughout the remainder of their breakfast.

She chewed on a slice of impossibly tough elk meat, her eyes studying the wet mark on the dirt where the old shifter had spat at her feet. Calla was not bothered by the Onyx Craven's hostility. She was more worried by the prospect of King Rangvald stealing her away to harness her Seer gifts.

Of course, having spent nearly twenty two years without a glimpse into the future by the will of the Seven gods and goddesses, Calla knew that her mother's gift of precognition had likely not been passed to her. She wouldn't dare to reveal her inadequacy to anyone, not even the humans sitting around her.

The forest floor crunched behind Calla, and she turned in time to see Idoneah approach, saving her from another bite of elk. The brunette shifter bowed her head in greeting, while several of her packmates watched with curious eyes from a distance.

"Luna," Idoneah said by way of greeting.

Calla mimicked her movement, nodding her head in respectful greeting.

"I hope you slept well, Idoneah." She turned her head to Iva and Lucia, who were staring at the newcomer with wide, eager eyes. "These are my companions, Lucia and Iva," Calla said, gesturing to her human friends accordingly.

Idoneah did not reply. The stunning brunette did not so much as acknowledge the two human girls that sat beside Calla. Instead, she kept her unreadable dark brown gaze on Calla before changing the subject.

"It is Luna's duty to lead hunt," Idoneah replied, her words stiff and cool.

Calla blinked. "Hunt?"

Her stomach guttered. Surely Idoneah was mistaken... Calla hadn't hunted a day in her life. She couldn't be expected to lead a hunt. Especially not a hunt alongside a pack of werewolves!

Idoneah frowned. "We need last kill before the herds migrate."

Calla's mouth opened and closed like a beached river trout. She wondered if this was some cruel joke– Idoneah's ploy to make her pay for taking her place beside Einarr. And yet, there was no hint of malevolence in Idoneah's expression. Only seriousness.

Mercifully, Cyril stood from his spot on the log to rescue her from the situation. The blonde translator plastered an easygoing smile on his lips. "I do not believe that Alpha Einarr would want his human mate to lead a hunt, Idoneah."

For the first time since her arrival, the female shifter turned her attention away from Calla. A frown was etched on her thin lips. "It is Luna's duty."

The good-natured smile slowly faded from Cyril's mouth as he addressed Idoneah again. "Luna Calla will be given a different duty."

Calla swallowed, growing aware that more shifters had stopped their morning routines to observe their interaction. She stepped forward, eager to put an end to the dispute before it garnered any more attention.

"Let me take on another task," she interjected.

In Eatrela, Calla's duties were always clear. She followed her mother to the temple, prayed and spoke to the Seven, and received visitors who sought the intervention of the divine. In her time training to become the next Seer, Calla hadn't been given much opportunity to cultivate other skills. Still, she was certain she could find something to do that might benefit the pack, if only to keep the Onyx Craven members from regarding her as a useless human.

"There is no other duty for a Luna–"

Before Idoneah could proceed, Calla blurted the first chore that came to mind. "I can help take care of the children– or the pups, I mean."