Shifters - The King of Wolves - Book 1

CHAPTER 42 - THE PLACE THAT IS CALLED HOME

My eyes remained fixed on a single spot on the horizon, anticipating the moment it would reveal what I was searching for. My relentless fixation was driving me mad, and I made myself look away for what felt like the hundredth time, but my eyes kept drifting back to the same spot in the distance.

A wave of conflicting emotions crashed over me, each one tugging at my heart and mind in different directions. I tried to control them, to push them down, but it was like trying to hold back the tide.

Karina's cheerful chatter did nothing to soothe my mind, nor did the books I'd tried to lose myself in. I even resorted to Karina's scandalous little red book, but nothing helped. No matter how hard I tried to push down my feelings, they surged back, stronger and more overwhelming than before. And now, as we neared Amsellhein, the intensity only grew.

Karina had told me that the first thing we'd see would be the high blue towers of the castle, peeking out from behind the mountains. I'd been staring at the spot she'd pointed out for what felt like hours, but all I could see were the same grey tips of the mountain peaks. It was maddening.

The thought of seeing my father again after all these months overwhelmed me. I'd never been away from him for this long. The only other time we were apart this long was two years ago, when he spent two weeks in Dohm fixing a stranded ship in the harbour. I had missed him terribly then, but it was nothing compared to how I felt now. My heart was pounding with anticipation, knowing that soon, I'd be able to hold him again.

But it wasn't just the reunion with my father that had me on edge. Everyone of Arvandor now knew of my existence, including the people of Amsellhein. Knowing this was Egon's home only added to the pressure. I desperately wanted the people of his hometown to accept me.

His pack had been kind and welcoming to me so far, but what about the people of Amsellhein? What if they had imagined Egon's mate to be someone else—a Lycan or a Werewolf, perhaps? And what did they expect me to do? I was getting used to Egon's world, but was I ready to stand beside him, ruling over a land and its people?

The responsibility I felt was overwhelming. What if people came to me with problems I couldn't solve? What if they looked at me with hope and expectations I couldn't meet? Would I fail them all right from the start?

Frustrated, I wiped my sweaty palms on my dress.

"Nervous, Luna?" Karina asked, her voice filled with concern.

I gave a small, tense laugh. "Nervous doesn't even begin to cover it."

"Come on, Luna," she said with a bright smile, her eyes full of encouragement. "You have nothing to be nervous about. The people of Amsellhein will love you. They've been waiting for a Luna for centuries. Their wish has finally been granted."

I knew she meant well as she tried to reassure me, but her words only added to the pressure. I forced a smile, but inside, the anxiety continued to burn.

I glanced out of the window again, searching once more for the castle towers, but still, there was nothing but endless mountains in sight.

Would I truly be their Luna if Egon might never be able to mark me? I had kept my insecurities in check for so long, but ever since our visit to the temple of Insehhan, it felt like the walls I had built had crumbled, and now those insecurities were screaming inside my head.

It was just one more emotion to add to the overwhelming list I was already dealing with. I couldn't help but feel dejected. The disappointment of leaving the temple without answers was more intense than I had anticipated. Karina, Kamilah, and I went through the books we had borrowed from the temple during our carriage ride, but it was all in vain. The books held no useful information.