Moonlight In Chains (Trinity and Asher) novel Chapter 163

**The Day He Forgot He Hated Me** by Evangeline Marrow

I found myself standing beside the magnificent wolf, its powerful body heaving with each breath, the rhythm gradually slowing as exhaustion took hold. Asher, Gage, and I had done everything within our means to soothe the creature, though deep down, we were acutely aware that we couldn’t afford to let our guard down. Despite its current state of fatigue, we understood that shifters and predators were notoriously unpredictable, especially when they were injured or feeling trapped.

“We need to ensure it’s properly contained,” Asher murmured, crouching down to examine the wolf’s immense form. His brow furrowed with concern. “If it wakes up with its full strength, things could escalate quickly.”

I nodded, casting a glance at Gage, who was already lost in thought. “We’ll require reinforced cages. Something robust enough to withstand its weight and power. No shortcuts here—safety is our priority.”

Gage grunted in agreement, his mind racing through the logistics. “I can modify the old training pens we have outside. I’ll strengthen the bars and make it secure enough that even a fully charged animal will find it impossible to break free.”

Asher rose to his feet, stretching his limbs and rubbing his shoulder. “Sounds like a plan. Let’s tackle that first thing in the morning. For now, our focus should be on keeping it calm and maintaining our watch.”

The wolf remained motionless, its eyes half-lidded, muscles occasionally twitching as it battled the remnants of exhaustion. I reached out tentatively, my fingers brushing against its thick fur. It flinched slightly at my touch, but then relaxed, as if it could sense that we posed no threat. Yet, there was no denying the truth of its sheer size and strength; it was extraordinary, defying all logic. This creature had never shifted into its human form—not once. There was something about it that contradicted every rule we had come to understand.

“I still can’t wrap my head around its size,” I murmured, taking a step back to better appreciate the creature before us. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever encountered… even larger than Eryx’s training wolves, bigger than any rogue I’ve ever faced.”

Asher’s gray eyes narrowed as he scanned the forest beyond us. “Whatever has caused this… it’s unnatural. And the timing is suspicious. It appeared just after the scent of blood reached our noses. It’s almost as if it was testing our territory.”

Gage snorted, irritation evident in his tone. “Testing? Lucky for us we were here, or someone could have lost an arm or worse. I swear, Trinny, we can’t allow things to wander into our territory like this anymore.”

I shook my head resolutely. “No, we need to handle it. But right now, the wolf takes precedence. We stabilize it, contain it, and we’ll sort out the rest tomorrow. No reckless dashes into the forest.”

Asher nodded, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Agreed. We must ensure Crescent Vale is prepared as well. If this wolf—or whatever else is lurking out there—escapes, we’ll need ample space. And the old packhouse can no longer accommodate our growing numbers.”

“Yeah. I’ve been meaning to ask about this pack,” Gage said, his brow furrowing. “It felt different when we drove in.”

“Crescent Vale was beyond repair. We couldn’t salvage it, so we moved everyone here to Moonflare. It was an adjustment for those who were new to this pack, but we had no choice but to expand to accommodate everyone,” I explained, feeling the weight of our decisions.

Gage frowned, his expression thoughtful. “It’s definitely larger. You accomplished a lot while we were… preoccupied.” He smirked playfully at me, but I could sense the pride behind his teasing.

“I know. But everything seems to be running smoothly,” I replied, my heart swelling with a mix of pride and relief.

Asher grinned, his enthusiasm infectious. “Exactly. Bigger, stronger, and safer. That counts for something right now.”

“Still, I’m curious how this creature managed to cross the border without our patrols noticing,” I said, casting a sidelong glance at Asher.

“I’m going to find out. That’s an excellent question,” he replied, stepping out of the room with purpose.

The evening unfolded as we laid out our plans for the wolf. Blankets were arranged, and stacks of reinforced metal bars were positioned beside the training pen. We marked safe paths in case the creature woke and became aggressive. The three of us settled in the living room for the night, taking shifts to keep an eye on it. Each twitch or groan from the wolf sent jolts of tension through us, a stark reminder that its power was not merely physical.

Emily, who had remained quiet throughout the commotion, finally spoke up as we monitored the wolf from the safety of the house. “You really have your hands full, don’t you?” she said softly, her concern evident.

I managed a faint smile. “You could say that. Even without this wolf, life in the pack is… complicated.”

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