“No it isn’t. Your pack is massive, ours is small. Beth has her gamma whenever she’s out in the city here for small errands and two if she’s out all day and that’s only if she’s not with Uncle James. I didn’t really pay close attention to stuff like this because it didn’t pertain to me. I’m always with warriors, just not as the one being protected. It shouldn’t be a big deal that I ask questions.” I shrug as we reach the coffee shop and he holds the door open for me. “Not if I am supposed to ‘act like a Luna.’ I don’t actually know what that means.”
Kennedy
“I don’t know what I am allowed to tell you. A lot of your questions are going to be better answered by the Alpha.” He pinches the bridge of his nose, but I can’t tell if he is frustrated with me or the situation.
“The Alpha? Who spends so much time with me and enjoys long drawn out conversations?” I raise my eyebrow again as I slide into the booth and look around. “Speaking of, is anyone else joining us, or are we the only ones who didn’t eat?”
“Everyone else is fine. You will always have hidden warriors around as backup. That is protocol by the way. Sometimes even the Alpha will patrol if we think there is a threat. He will want to keep you as safe as possible and that may include luring a potential problem away while it looks like you are just going about your day.”
“I’m sorry for that by the way.”
“What are you sorry about?”
“I feel like you got the short end of the stick with me. You had to sit out in the hallway all night, had to run down a rogue wolf and take him into custody on basically no sleep. Now, you have missed meals just to be my babysitter. This is not what you signed up for.”
“It’s not a problem. It is my job to be your main protector when the alpha isn’t around.”
“Did you know? When we were visiting Dark Moon, did you know what I was then? Is that why you were with me everywhere?” I need to know if he’ll give me a real answer.
“I had my suspicions, but it was because I was drawn to you but it wasn’t a mate pull for me. My wolf and I had a need to know where you were and that you were safe. Ryker never confirmed or denied it, I don’t know when he figured it out. This last month has been really hard too. I didn’t realize that a gamma could have separation issues from their luna.
“What if I can’t do the job?” I whisper. “There are so many things I don’t know and more that I can’t do because I’m human.” It feels weird and comforting to say my fears out loud.
“I don’t think you will have a huge learning curve and we’ll figure things out as we go. I’ve never known a human luna, but you can’t be the first. You’re certainly not the first human mate I’ve heard of. What’s good here?” He changes the subject and I let him drop it. We order and our food comes out quickly. That must be a perk of being associated with the Dark Moon pack. Then we eat in a happy surface level conversation. He doesn’t let me ask any more luna or pack questions, even though I try to sneak them in.
By the time we get back to the packhouse the vehicles are loaded and lined up on the street. There are four in our caravan, and everyone is milling around, most likely waiting on me. Jeremiah rounds on me and pulls me into a tight hug, lifting me off the ground. I haven’t hugged him like this since he brought Rayna home.
“There you are! Please don’t be mad at me. Don’t leave mad. You have never been mad at me and I don’t know if I can handle it. Especially now that you are leaving.” He whispers in my hair. “We should have fought my parents harder, I should have figured out how to bring you in, I am so sorry. I didn’t realize.” I can hear him on the verge of breaking down. So I squeeze him tighter.
“It’s okay, Jer.” I mumble into his shirt. “I’m sad and disappointed that’s all. There isn’t a whole lot we?can do about it now.” What I don’t say is that I will be starting this whole ‘become a pack member’ thing with a new alpha. And it will most likely result the same way.
He pulls back and sets me down then holds my face in his hands. “Just don’t shut me out okay? I thought you trying to go away for a couple years to college was bad. This is so much harder.” He kisses the top of my head. “I love you Ken.” He pulls me in for another hug.
“We’ll still talk all the time. We’ll figure this out.” I pull back and pat his cheek, trying for a smile. I don’t believe a word I am saying, but for him I will try. Thug Rayna next. “Take care of him, we don’t do? separation well.” Then Ben, Jason and Tommy. “You guys are going to be so bored without me. What are you going to do?”
“I for one am going to sleep. Do you know how much sleep I have lost in my life because of you?” Jason laughs at me and I give him a small smile.
“We have to head out, we’ve delayed as long as we can.” Ryker says behind me. I have to fight to not roll my eyes. I can’t avoid the deep breath and sigh that comes out though.
I walk over to hug and thank Aunt Beth and Uncle James for everything they have done for me. I take my time just to be annoying. Aunt Beth says she’ll keep tabs on the studio while I’m gone and another pang of sadness hits me. She said it like she expects me back for it, like a sweater.
I can’t decide if the thought of coming back makes me more happy or sad. I would be happy to have the life I planned out for myself. But, if I came back it would mean that I wasn’t good enough for Ryker and his pack and he rejects me.
I have no idea what I am going to do about the business that my mom left for me. It’s the one thing I have left of her and I can’t take it with me. It’s been my dream to run it for as long as I can remember. I take a deep breath and stuff the emotion. I can feel Ryker becoming more irritated by my goodbyes the longer it? takes.
Bennet comes over and leads me to the second SUV. He seems to understand that I need help walking away from my family and friends, unlike my mate. I hop in and find myself alone in the plush black leather backseat. The driver is a warrior I don’t recognize and Bennet takes the passenger seat.
“Where is everyone else?”
“Dispersed in the other three vehicles and running a patrol. The Alpha had some business to attend to and he generally likes to get work done while we’re driving, so…” He shrugs.
“So, he wanted to be in a car I wasn’t so I don’t learn what he does when he says ‘business’ and can’t bother him with any other questions. Got it. Still being kept in the dark, good to know. If he’s the only one I get to learn from, I am not going to learn a thing. You do realize how problematic and frustrating this is right?”
“It’s not like that. It’s… He’s…” Bennet takes a deep breath. “We…” Then he grunts, closes his eyes and thumps his head back on the headrest and stays silent.
“You can’t say anything can you? Gotta love that Alpha command.” I let out a sarcastic little laugh and the driver follows suit. Good to know he trusts me as much as I trust him. “Can I have my phone then since this is going to be a relatively quiet trip.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.