Page 45 of Crystal Luna

They spent the day relaxing. While Rayan helped Dan in the garage fixing up a bike, she sat down with a book Evelyne had loaned her. There had once been a time when her nose had been constantly hidden in a book, but that was years ago. After a few hours of the men working away, the bike roared to life.

“Jump on, little pup!” Rayan called. “We’re going for a ride.”

Her head snapped up and the book nearly fell out of her hands. “What?”

“Grab that helmet and get your ass over here.”

“I…” she stuttered.

“I thought you trusted me?”

“I do.”

“Well then come here,” Rayan laughed and held out a helmet for her.

Hesitantly, she walked over and pulled the helmet over her head. Rayan was eager to help her tighten the strap and showed her how to mount the bike. Instinctively she held onto his waist and fisted his shirt tight.

“When I lean you lean. Just follow what I do.”

“Okay.”

Then, he softly drove off the engine roaring and letting the bike vibrate beneath her. Dan was right behind them, following them out of the village and onto the road that would lead them to the highway. The farther they drove the more she relaxed and followed Rayan’s lead.

Once on the highway he told her to put her visor down and sped up. The wind whipped around her and let her hair fly. Her stomach churned with butterflies and the grin on her face was so big that it hurt her cheeks. Dan overtook them and sped up, goading Rayan to do the same. She wasn’t sure how long they raced, but it ended far too soon with Dan pulling into a gas station.

“That was fucking amazing,” Rayan cheered and turned off the engine. “How about we get ourselves a treat and keep going after?”

She carefully climbed off as soon as his feet steadied the bike. Her legs started to wobble with the fading adrenaline. Dan laughed as he saw her stumble, his hand gripping her upper arm.

“You okay there?”

“I feel high.”

“I think we got ourselves a speed junkie,” Dan chuckled, putting an arm around her to keep her stable.

They both waited for her to be able to walk before they piled into the gas station. Velora only grabbed a chocolate bar for herself, but Rayan deemed that unacceptable and dragged her around the store until her hands were full.

They sat down on the curb with their hauls and simply talked the night away. She felt like she was in heaven, her own little dream come true. She’d always wanted to be part of a group like that and sitting there between Dan and Rayan, it felt as if she finally belonged somewhere.

The ride home was just as thrilling as the first, leaving her surprisingly disappointed when they entered their territory once more. Her heart raced with pure joy, the grin on her face beginning to feel permanent. When Dan helped her off the bike and to her wobbly feet he grinned just as bright as she did.

“I guess we have to do this more often.”

“Next time she’s driving,” Rayan insisted. “Velora can take the small one—at least she’ll be able to touch the ground.”

A few hours ago she would’ve declined, but now knowing what it felt like, she couldn’t wait to feel the wind in her hair again…

Chapter Fifteen

Velora

With each week that passed, Velora felt freer—happier. It was as if she was discovering a completely different version of herself. Slowly but surely, she unveiled new pieces to her personality that she hadn’t even known existed. Rayan not only pushed her to new depths with training, but with socialising as well. He heavily encouraged her to attend outings, dinners or movie nights at the den. But at the same time, he knew when to leave her to herself.

It was one of those days she needed to be alone. She’d left the village before sunrise and found a quiet spot by a small reservoir near the southern end of the territory. She stood with her feet in the shallow water, the breeze ruffling through her dress and her hair. The sun beamed down on her face, spreading the warmth through her soul.

A twig cracked behind her, making her whip her head around. She froze instantly as she saw a large, broad man appear from the woods. A tight black shirt and jeans stretched across his features, his feet bare as he dropped a large camo bag beside him. Having acquainted herself with her new pack, his foreign scent hit her immediately.

‘Rogue,’ she linked to Marvin.