Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 324

Nolan’s POV

She was filthy, but it was her.

Blood covered her face, neck, and arms. Her hair was matted with dirt and blood. The smell of rogues clung to her clothes, but I didn’t care. My mate had returned to me.

“Thank the Goddess, it’s really Luna Talia,” Marco said behind me.

“Marco, take the child,” I ordered.

Marco rushed forward and hugged Talia quickly before picking up Annie. He backed up to allow me to get to Talia.

I closed the distance to Talia in three strides and wrapped my arms around her. My heart hammered in my chest, the world around me blurring until all I could see was her. I had rehearsed what I would say, but every thought vanished now that she was here in front of me.

Gently, I drew back and took her face between my hands, studying her. There was a cut along her hairline. It was superficial. Her eyes were clear. My hands moved down her arms and sides, searching for injury. She was thinner than she’d been four days ago, but besides that, Talia was unharmed.

For four days, I had pictured this moment, but reality was completely different. Relief warred with a hundred new worries. Would she be targeted again? Was she tortured again?

‘Stop worrying. We have her now,’ my wolf snapped at me, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted to shield her from every threat, but I knew that I couldn’t hide her away.

“Nolan, I thought I wouldn’t see you again,” Talia said as tears welled up in her eyes. Seeing her distraught made my heart ache. I kissed her forehead.

“I thought I lost you,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “I searched everywhere. I…” I couldn’t finish. She pressed her forehead to mine, and for a moment we just breathed together. Then the tears came. I held her as she wept into my shoulder. She pulled back this time, wiping the tears from her face.

“Are you hurt? Is any of this blood yours?”

“None of it. The blood is from a rogue. I am not hurt,” Talia said.

I pulled her in again and held her. I had not been sure I would find her. I told myself I would, but doubt never left me. I’d been running on neither energy nor adrenaline, but just the thought of bringing her back. Thank the Moon Goddess I had found her. If I had listened to Solon, there was a chance I wouldn’t have found her.

I had argued with Solon all morning about coming to Moonbrook.

"This is a trap, Nolan. Jason wants us on the road to Moonbrook, where he can ambush us,” Solon had argued.

"And what if you’re wrong? What if it was Talia?”

"It is not her. He is using your mate bond to get you to walk into his trap.”

“Then, it is a clever move because this is the only lead we have. We have to investigate,” I argued.

“You’re being reckless!”

“Talia would go if it were you,” I argued. “And if it was Leslie that was missing, would you not want to confirm if it was her?”

Solon cursed under his breath and said, “Fine. If you go, you’re bringing some of the best warriors we have. If anything appears suspicious, you retreat. Talia will kill me if something happens to you.”

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