I moved through a new pile of books, my frustration growing as I put book after book aside.
"Where is it?" I muttered under my breath.
Just as I reached down to yet another stack of books, a familiar voice broke the silence. "Who has broken in here?"
I jumped, my heart racing as I looked over my shoulder. Egon stood behind me, his eyes gleaming with amusement. I hadn't heard him walk in.
I brushed a stray lock of hair from my face, my eyes following his gaze as it swept across the room. My stomach dropped in embarrassment. The room was a mess, books scattered everywhere in my frantic search.
"Sorry," I muttered, feeling my cheeks flush. "I didn't mean to make a mess. I was searching for something."
Egon chuckled. "I can see that. What exactly are you looking for?"
"I can't find a book I need," I replied, attempting to clear the mess by pushing a few books aside.
Egon leaned forward, brushing a kiss against my forehead. "What does it look like?"
"It's small," I answered. "Blue, with gold lettering along the spine."
His eyes flicked around the room briefly before landing on a shelf in the corner. With a slight nod, he gestured. "Could it be that one?"
I turned to the shelf he indicated, my eyes landing on the slim blue book squeezed between two larger volumes. Frustrated, I rolled my eyes. Of course, he would find it in an instant, while I had been searching for what seemed like forever.
Egon chuckled at my reaction, and I stuck my tongue out at him as I reached for the book, though I couldn't help but laugh as well.
I glance down at the title. East of the Sun and West of the Moon. It was the book that Azura, the sister of Calista, had given me back when we were in the temple of Insehhan. The gesture had been kind, but I couldn't quite understand why she gave it to me, especially since it turned out to be a children's story. Perhaps she had given me the wrong one by accident. However, it was proving useful now.
With the book in my hands, I walked back toward the pile of books I had intended to bring with me.
"What are you planning to do?" Egon asked curiously.
"I'm going to visit Runelda and the other humans again today," I said, arranging the books carefully into a neat pile. "I want them to feel safe and welcome here. So I've asked some of the Omegas to bring clean clothes and toys for the children. I also thought it might be good to read to the children, to take their minds off things for a bit."
Egon's smile softened. "That's kind of you. I'm sure they will appreciate it."
"I hope so," I replied as I picked up a few scattered books. "And what about you, what are you doing today?"
"I've got a training session first," he answered as he mirrored my actions and gathered some books from the floor, before returning them to their proper places on the shelves. "Afterwards, I have a meeting. Haru's on his way to Amsellhein, he'll be at the meeting too."
At the mention of Haru's name, my heart skipped a beat. He had stayed at the temple to find out if Egon and I could truly be mated. I turned to Egon, my eyes wide with hope. "Did he find anything?" I asked, barely able to hide the anticipation in my voice.
Egon's smile faded slightly as he shook his head. "I'm afraid not."
I let out a small sigh, trying to hide my disappointment with a smile. "Guess we need to explore the other options, right?"

YOU ARE READING
Shifters - The King of Wolves - Book 1
FantasyShortlisted for the Wattys 2025! Living in a human town, Esmara has little knowledge of the seven kinds of shifters who rule the world outside of her safe walls. The horrific rumours and tales she hears from visiting travellers are enough to keep he...