The ceremony ended on a high note, with everyone experiencing the rush as healers led by Calla and Remi worked together to channel the energy of the Moon for the whole pack to feel.
Werewolves were sensitive to the moonlight, and some stories said how that was the source of their powers which provided them with the ability to shift between human and wolf forms.
Talia was high as the emotions pouring into her were overwhelming, and she completely forgot that it was time for the pack run.
Damon was glad to see that no one in the visible range was naked, but he knew it was only a matter of time. But more than seeing other people naked, he didn't want anyone to lay their eyes on Talia's bare flesh. That was only for him to see.
Damon stuck close to Talia. His grip on her hip didn't allow her to budge.
"Kitten", his breath splashed on her ear. "Let's go inside to shift."
Talia thought how he was silly. Everyone gathered and was waiting for Talia to lead the pack run, yet he wanted her to leave?
"We can't leave."
"Just for the shift.", he insisted.
It took her a moment to realize the reason behind his request. She was touched that the possessive Alpha wanted to protect the sight of her body. Werewolves were used to nudity, and she should be the awkward one because she grew up differently, but here was Damon, shielding her from prying eyes.
She smiled at him and gave him a firm hug.
"There is no need to leave.", Talia said.
Damon was about to protest but then he saw that Talia started glowing. The silvery light intensified and enveloped both of them, making them disappear in the blinding brightness.
"Will this work?" she asked, and he could imagine the smug smirk on her face.
"This is perfect."
The crowd could see their Alpha hugging Damon, and then they started glowing to the point of their forms disappearing completely. By the time light subsided, two human forms were gone, and instead, there were two majestic wolves, one black and one light gray, nearly white in color. A faint silvery glow pulsated around Talia, giving her an otherworldly appearance.
Talia looked at the people who stared at her with eyes wide open.
'What are you waiting for?' Talia's voice sounded through the pack mind-link for everyone to hear. 'I thought you were excited about the pack run.'
The crowd stirred, and a few seconds later, humans were replaced by wolves of different shapes and sizes.
'We didn't see a white wolf in a long time.' Axel's voice, full of awe, sounded in Talia's mind. 'Actually, I never saw one in person.'
Just like everyone else, Axel couldn't stop staring at her. Talia's wolf was unusually big for females, and it stood out by evenly colored fur. Most of the wolves had patches of colors and shades, yet Talia was nearly white, with her fur shimmering in silvery tones under the moonlight.
Her flawlessness was emphasized with the completely black wolf by her side, both majestic in their own ways and equally deadly.
Talia realized that the voice in her head came from a light brown wolf that had a diamond-shaped tuft of darker shades on his chest. It was Axel. More than recognizing his appearance, it was Yasmin rubbing his ears that gave it away.
Talia craned her neck to look at herself. Damon told her that her fur was light gray. Her sight fell on her paws, and she wondered if her fur became whiter or if she was imagining it.
'Does white fur mean something?' Talia asked Axel.
'It symbolizes the connection to the Moon Goddess.', Axel responded.
'Well, we have that going for us. I know the female personally. We are tight', Liseli said proudly to Talia.
'Our records keep track of white wolves in the pack. Your father was the last one.' Axel continued talking, and Talia focused on his words over Liseli's snickering at her own jokes.
'I guess I will need to make another entry.', Axel said.
Talia was happy to hear that her father had a white wolf also, but she didn't feel that the color itself was important. Maybe Liseli and abilities were special in the outside world, but in the Midnight Guardians pack, abilities were common, and even Damon had a wolf that could talk, so Talia didn't think she was standing out.
Talia lifted her head to look up at the moon, and then...
"AWOOOOO!"
Talia initiated a howl that shook the whole forest when others joined as if they were competing who could do it louder.
That was it. The pack run began.
Talia led the way with Damon by her side. Axel was on Talia's right with Yasmin riding him, and Meg, Kai, Tyler, and Sandy were flanking them. Keith, Liam, and James were also there, with Cornelia on top of him.
Cornelia was gripping James' fur so she wouldn't fall off, and James would jolt on purpose so that Cornelia's thighs tighten around him. Cornelia was riding James, and it was a good feeling… for both of them.
As soon as the leading group entered the forest, the other pack members spilled after them.
This run was similar to the one the Dark Howlers had, with the difference that unmated wolves were not looking for temporary companions. Once the run was over, the mated ones were happy to frolic with their mates, but the ones without partners gathered in groups to drink and chat without physical intimacy.
At some point during the run, Talia gave control to Liseli, who was happy to spend time with Sapa.
Talia used that time to disconnect and not think about anything in particular. She needed a mental break from everything.
By the time Talia returned to her senses, Liseli was following after a big black wolf, and the surroundings were oddly familiar.
'Why are we here?' Talia asked Damon through the mind-link when she recognized the cave that represented the location of one of the hardest moments in her life.
It was the cave where Talia cared for Damon while he was under the effect of dark magic and unconscious. When he woke up, he didn't feel their mate bond, and he didn't remember Talia. He pushed her away, believing that she was the enemy, and Talia really wanted to forget about that, yet here they were.
'Trust me, kitten', Damon said. 'We need to do this. I need to do this.'
Talia was not happy, but she could hear his determination, so she followed.
Talia looked around the cave to see that things didn't change. The cot was still there, and the backpacks and mess they left there were missing, indicating that someone had visited this place after the unfortunate event.
Due to her wolf form and nerves which were acting out, Talia found the scents suffocating, and the sounds of water dripping echoed in her head, making her disoriented. She shifted into her human form to ease the stimulation of her senses.
Talia observed that the white threads connecting her to the pack members were not visible, even though she could still feel them in general. Were they not visible because the energies dwindled or because she was not in the mood to share, or was there another reason?
But none of those managed to distract her from the pressing question, why were they back here?
