Page 56 of Crystal Luna
“Oh, please tell me you went back?” He handed over one of her favourite chocolate bars and sat down next to her, crunching obnoxiously on a cookie.
“I did. It took me a while to work up the courage, but I eventually grabbed my book and walked back. When I saw him in his office, I asked if I could stay and read. At some point I fell asleep. I sort of remember him telling me he’d let me sleep on the couch. Apparently, I asked him to stay and cuddle, so that’s exactly what we did.”
“And?”
“Well… I panicked again when he woke me this morning and said the kids were up. I left before they could see me.”
“Walk of shame, huh?” he chuckled.
“It’s not like that,” she said, adding a shove when he only laughed harder.
“Have you talked since?”
“Just now. We’re taking it slow. He wanted to make it clear that he doesn’t want me doing anything because I feel I have to.”
“I guess you’re our alpha’s new sweet spot.”
“Seems like it.”
“Well, I’m happy for you.”
“Now where’s my tea?”
He laughed and stuffed another cookie in his mouth.
“You promised, Rayan,” Velora scolded, teasingly raising a brow at him.
“Okay, fine. It’s nothing serious but I meet up with this girl from high school sometimes.”
“What’s her name?” she asked, relieved to have the spotlight off her for a while.
“Anna. We get together when we feel like it, but neither one of us gets upset when the other finds someone else.”
“Saucy,” she laughed.
“Gosh, where did you pick that up?”
“One of those trashy TV series you guys watch when I’m around.”
Eventually, the dating conversation dropped and they spent the afternoon planning their hike for the next morning. Velora still had trouble believing this was her life now. Those first few months of struggling all seemed worth it. For the first time in a while, Velora was happy.
Velora had trouble focusing during her next training session. After the attack, she made it a point to be more involved with the group’s training. She’d hoped that she’d feel more comfortable around them since taking on the rogues. Dinners and small groups were fine, but with so many of them stuffed in the gym she almost couldn’t hear herself think.
“See? That was better,” Rayan praised, releasing her from the chokehold she was supposed to break herself out of.
“Stop lying,” she panted, more irritated with herself than anyone else. She scanned the room, making sure no one was watching her struggle.
“Look at me,” Rayan demanded. “Don’t worry about them.”
Easier said than done. She was so terrified of failing—of them witnessing that she wasn’t worth defending their pack. Her mind swirled with every nightmarish outcome.
“It’s okay. You’re still learning.”
Issac—the other new pup—was still learning. Besides her, he was the youngest warrior. And he’d just thrown Dan’s ass to the ground and twisted from his grip, making it look easy.
If she couldn’t keep up, they’d kick her off the warriors. Then what? What was she supposed to be if she failed?
Rayan took her face between his hands and forced her to look at him. “Breathe.”