Hunting Midnight

Chapter Five: To The Wolves

Chief Gavriel looks around, waiting to see if anyone challenges him, but the packs remain deadly quiet.
"Since your lands border each other," Chief Gavriel continues, "your merged pack will be responsible for all of that territory. When I come next week to perform the ceremony, I expect there to be a common pack house and for Kenna to be living in it with Ruhn."
"We will be ready when you come," Ruhn assures him with a nod. "We will do whatever it takes to defend ourselves against the wolf hunters."
"Good," Chief Gavriel smiles, although it seems forced. "Now I'd like Kenna to decide on a new pack name."
Caleb and I lock eyes, and at once I know exactly what to name our new pack.
"Vargr." 

After Chief Gavriel's announcement, I rush back to my tent. As soon as I get inside and sit down on the edge of my cot to take a breath, Ruhn enters.
"Why didn't you fight against the marriage?" I demand, looking up at him furiously.
"It wouldn't have made a difference," Ruhn says with a shrug. He takes no more than two steps into my tent and stands with his arms crossed. "I could tell the Chief's mind was already made up. It looked to me like he'd been thinking about the merge for a while. Drakon's poor leadership abilities just gave him the opening he needed."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you purposely sabotaged me," I shoot back with a glare. Ruhn growls and stalks toward me. My hands grip the edge of my cot as he draws close, towering over me.
"Sabotage you?" Ruhn demands. "I didn't ask to get married and if I was trying to sabotage you, it sure as hell wouldn't include marrying me."
"I'm still not sure you aren't responsible for our Alpha's death," I counter, standing back up and looking up at him with narrowed eyes.
Ruhn leans closer to me, his face only inches from mine. "Open up your wolf senses and listen to your instincts. They'll tell you everything you need to know."

As much as I despise him at this moment, I know he's right. So, I take a deep breath and connect with my inner wolf. Awareness spreads from my core outward as I open up my senses. My nerves buzz as my hearing becomes more acute, and my sense of smell is heightened. Almost immediately, I am overwhelmed by Ruhn's scent– dark and earthy, like the forest after a rainstorm.
"What are your instincts telling you?" Ruhn asks, his voice low. "Do they tell you that I'm a murderer?"
The moment Ruhn speaks, it's like my body wants to be near him. Involuntarily, I take a step closer, clenching my jaw in annoyance.
"How... how are you doing this?" I demand, meeting his eyes. "It feels like you're pulling my senses toward you."
Ruhn's eyes widen with intrigue and he raises a single brow.
"You pull me in as well, Kenna," he admits painfully. "Your scent is addicting and it's been distracting me since the moment I tackled you to get the compass. But you didn't answer my question: do you still believe I killed your Alpha?"
Closing my eyes, I inhale his scent. At that moment, I feel safer and more at home than I ever have in my entire life. Not understanding the overwhelming feeling, I close off my wolf senses.
"No. My instincts tell me that you didn't kill my Alpha."
Ruhn nods with content, and takes a few steps back, putting a safe distance between us.
"But," I add, "that still doesn't mean we should marry."
"No, it doesn't," Ruhn agrees. "But protecting the packs is a good enough reason for me. I'm surprised it's not good enough for you, considering you were going to marry Drakon."
"What about your mate?" I ask suddenly, the remembrance hitting me and that same feeling of disappointment and uncertainty washes over me once again. Ruhn studies my face for a moment with such intensity that I worry he can read my every thought.
"That will work itself out on its own. Trust me."
Trusting him isn't even on my bucket list, but I refuse to point that out. Not when there are more intriguing things to figure out. 
"How?" I ask curiously.
"You'll see." This is his only reply, and I shake my head with confusion, but he takes it as a rejection. "Don't tell me you'd prefer to lead with Drakon by your side instead of me? He was too cowardly to fight in the tournament himself, and then he lied about both of us to try and get me in trouble with the Chief."
I'm caught off guard by the offended look in his eyes.