SONIA’S POV

It didn’t work. Adelaide’s kind attempt to help me get my wolf back did not work.

First it was going fine. I could feel her wanting to come out, a faint stirring deep in my chest like the flutter of distant wings. But something blocked her passage. A heavy wall of fog or pain—I couldn’t tell which. If only I had my memory, perhaps I could see what made her leave.

I tried my best with all the strength I could muster, yet she didn’t grace me with her presence. The absence left a hollow ache in my chest that no words could fill.

I still felt empty. Like a very big part of me had disappeared forever. It was probably a drastic conclusion, but that was how I felt, as if a vital piece of my soul had been carved out and left behind in that dark valley.

As I sat alone in the middle of the living room, staring through the windows without actually looking at anything, the morning light felt too bright against my skin. Dust motes danced lazily in the golden beams, but they brought me no comfort. I felt sad, a deep, quiet sadness that settled heavily in my bones.

Moon was in the other room. He had not woken up yet. His breathing was steady but weak, a constant reminder of the violence that had touched us both.

Every other person had left because they had things to attend to. The house felt too quiet now, the silence pressing in from all sides like invisible walls. I was all alone with my thoughts, both the good and the bad ones swirling together in a confusing dance.

My stomach grumbled after such a long silence, a loud, insistent sound that broke the stillness. I looked down and discovered it had gotten even flatter than usual for obvious reasons. Hunger was never something I experienced before in this intensity. My body felt fragile, demanding attention in ways I wasn’t used to.

So many new feelings I never thought I’d ever feel. In a way, being forced into Bloodmoon was a discovery. In another way, it was a battle for survival.

But the biggest feeling I had at this moment was loneliness. It felt too quiet, like everyone had left me alone in this strange new world. Even my wolf, who I usually disagreed with on so many things, was nowhere to be found. The absence of her presence left a cold void inside me.

"I miss you," I whispered to the empty room, my voice small.

"Me?" The door suddenly opened, and I watched Ivy come in with a smile on her face and a tray in her hands.

"Ivy!" I jumped up and ran towards her.

I couldn’t hug her because her hands were full, and behind her, Daniel had entered too.

"I’m going to stay here until Moon’s awake. If he’s doing fine, I’ll take him back to Alpha’s quarters."

"Is that an order from the Alpha?"

"Yep," he said, already walking inside the living room.

He plopped on a chair and spread his legs about, looking completely at ease.

"I have a feeling you two pretend not to love this place. I mean it’s a little isolated, but what’s not to love?" Daniel asked, as he looked around the room.

"Maybe the lack of food?" Ivy said, setting the tray on the floor with a soft clink.

She finished and dragged me down to sit beside her on the rug. The woven fibers felt rough but warm under my legs.

I laughed as I sat down next to her, the sound surprising even me.

"I brought food," she announced, lifting the covers with a flourish.

"Thank the moon goddess. I was starving."

"You know, you’re right about the food aspect. If it wasn’t for the Alpha’s chefs cooking up a storm, I wouldn’t have bulked up this much," Daniel said.

Ivy and I both turned at the same time to see him flexing his muscles dramatically.

"You’re really annoying," Ivy said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, watch your mouth, maid girl," he warned.

I held my breath in worry, hoping she had not crossed the line. He was still her superior within the pack.

"Shut up, Daniel," she retorted much to my surprise.

It even got more surprising when he did actually shut up.

No matter how hard I tried, I could never understand the dynamic Ivy had with the superiors of this pack. They all respected her a lot for a maid. The only other person that garnered such respect was Lorena. Except hers was more fear than respect.

The smell of the food hit my nose as she opened the covered plates—rich, savory aromas of stew and fresh bread and I salivated greedily, my stomach rumbling louder.

"You must be so hungry. I’m sorry it took me this long to bring the food. I had to make sure to join the chef in making something special for you."

"Thank you, Ivy."

I dug in, eating until my stomach felt like it was going to burst. The warm, spiced flavors exploded on my tongue, filling me with a simple, grounding pleasure I hadn’t felt in what seemed like forever.

"Wow, for a tiny thing, you sure do eat a lot," Daniel broke his silence to say.

"I’m not tiny," I replied with a mouthful of food, cheeks puffed out.

"Yes you are. You remind me of Ivy before she started to gain some weight. She was as skinny as a twig," he said.

"Watch your mouth, Daniel."

"Whatever, Ivy." He pushed his tongue out, and she rolled her eyes.

"Shouldn’t you be watching Moon?" She scoffed.

"You want me to?" He asked, moving to rise.

"Oh no! Just let him be, please," she said in a tone way different from the strict one she had been using all this while on him.

My head dangled back and forth at their little fight.

If I didn’t know better, I would swear they were best of friends.

"Why do you care about that weirdo so much?" He kissed his teeth as he reclined into the chair again.

"Because he’s nice? You should try being nice. Maybe you’ll finally find your mate."

"Who says I’m searching?" He asked.

I pushed down the food in my mouth with some cold water as I waited for a response from Ivy.

"Then I’d be happy for the poor girl who would have been doomed to be stuck with you."

"As long as she’s not you," he laughed mockingly.

"You couldn’t have me if you were the last man on earth."

"What if I was the first?" He teased.

"Shut up, Daniel!"

I laughed at the same time he did. Daniel was charming. He was also very funny.

"I think if I continue, I may just rip my stomach open. I’m done," I said, leaning back with a satisfied sigh.

"What do you mean you’re done? There’s not a grain left on that plate," Daniel scoffed.

My eyes went down, and they widened as I stunned myself.

"Wow, you’re right. I actually ate everything. Did you want some?" I gasped, turning to him.

"Hmph, such a greedy little girl. Thanks for asking when the food is all gone."

"Leave her alone, Daniel," Ivy said as my face fell pitifully.

"I’m not holding her. Anyway, I’ll go check on Mo—"

His words were cut off when Moon walked into the room.

"I think I remember somebody," he blurted out.