Hunted (War of the Covens 1)

“Right … and you know about Lunarmorte?”

“Lunarmorte. Moon Death. I can’t believe you fought one.”

He felt a sharp pain in his chest at the reminder and was curt. “I don’t like to talk about it.”

“Of course. Sorry.”

He waited but she didn’t push. She just accepted his boundaries.

Interesting.

“Do you know why we have Lunarmorte and other packs don’t?” he continued in her easy company.

“I didn’t know it was something only we did. I know we’re the only ones who call it that, but I assumed the concept was universal.”

“Not really. It has to do with where our pack began.”

They walked farther into the woods until he touched her shoulder and indicated for her to start in a different direction. She accepted his touch with more ease than before. It pleased him.

“The pack’s story really began with our ancestor, Aurelio Lorenço,” he began. The words came easily to him as he’d told this story a million times to the pack children, who, for some reason, requested it as a bedtime story more often than not. “Many, many years before Aurelio’s time, the blood of the lykan found its way into the family gene pool. We’re not sure who, or when, as these things have a tendency to become warped over the centuries. What we do know is that the Lorenços were a prosperous family of aristocratic lineage. Aurelio was the brother of a baron, Godofredo Lorenço. They were lykans but … two very different kinds. Godofredo, like the rest of his family and his ancestors, did not harm humans—in fact, he married one. Aurelio, on the other hand, believed humans were beneath the touch of his family and hunted them like game. He was furious when his brother married a human girl and soon began causing trouble.

“Before, his murders had been committed outside of their county. Godofredo knew of his brother’s crimes, and other than some fervent pleading, he did nothing to stop him. He loved him, wanted to protect him. When Godofredo married, however, Aurelio took humans from their local village. The people only began to suspect the Lorenço family after Godofredo’s wife became a victim, and Aurelio publicly reveled in her death.

“Godofredo was devastated and banished Aurelio from the county. But it was too late. The people had grown suspicious of the true nature of the Lorenços, and they drove them from the county, and eventually the country. Our pack became nomads, visiting everywhere and settling nowhere. That’s one of the many reasons this pack forbids marriage to humans.”

He held her gaze. “We were settled before the Hunter, of course. And now, we’re settled again. But the history of the Lorenço family gives you an idea of why we have the rituals we have. With some nobility, and as was with the Lorenço line, the line is held through primogeniture. However, as seen with human nobility, sometimes a firstborn son never comes along. That’s why the Lorenços created what we call Lunarmorte.”

Caia shook her head, seeming amazed.

“What? What are you thinking?” he asked, surprised by how much he wanted to know. Ryder was right. Unique was fascinating.

She laughed, a light, feathery laugh that hit him low in his belly. “I’m in awe, I guess. I can’t believe how old the pack is. I always thought we were pretty young.”

“Well, we are.” Lucien grinned. “We’re early modern. There are packs out there that can trace their ancestry back to Charlemagne.”

“Wow.”

“I’ll say. But that’s nothing compared to how old some of the families of the other supernaturals are.”

“I always liked history in school.” She covered a yawn with her mouth, looking suddenly exhausted.

“Should we turn back?”

Caia nodded. “I’m pretty beat.”

“Tomorrow will be a better day, Caia.”

She nodded but looked longingly behind him into the woods.

Lucien felt his breath catch, watching the play of emotions cross her face. He sensed a growing restlessness in her. A need to run.

And not come back.

She really didn’t want to be here with the pack. With him.

Well, too bad.

Without thinking, he gently took hold of her elbow and started guiding her back to the house. He let go when she complied and ignored her questioning gaze.

7

Friend or Foe?

The rest of the week passed in a blur for Caia. There were so many members of the pack who came over to discuss their problems with Lucien, some even to introduce themselves to her again. It eased her concerns. With the exception of Alexa, who hadn’t spoken to her since their last exchange in the lunchroom, and Yvana, who she hadn’t seen again, the pack had so far been friendly and welcoming. Ryder hung around a lot and always made her feel like a friend, joking with her, bringing her movies to watch. It felt nice.

By the end of the week she was exhausted. But she had one more performance to put on because Jaeden and her family were coming for dinner.