Page 88 of Crystal Luna
“Sorry, his AA meeting was yesterday,” she said coldly as she walked past them and ascended the stairs.
When she didn’t close the front door behind her, Ash took it as an invitation. “We’re not alcoholics.”
“Surprisingly, but the meetings are for alpha assholes.”
‘We may have a lot of work ahead of us,’ Isaiah said to Ash.
‘Who is she?’
‘Definitely not the girl we used to know.’
‘That shitty alpha was right.’
“Did Alpha Heath ever attend one of those meetings?” Isaiah asked in an attempt to keep up the conversation.
“No.”
“At least I’m going with you,” Ash chuckled, elbowing Isaiah in the ribs. “Guess you’re in the doghouse with me for once.”
Vel didn’t say anything. She simply kept her back turned to them as she walked over to the kitchen and turned on the stove. She stirred whatever was in the pot, then left it on low heat before disappearing into her bedroom.
Curiously, Isaiah glanced around the living space, surprised to find it basically empty. He’d expected her to have decorations and memorabilia around with pictures on the walls, but the room was bare. There was a small, yet cosy couch decorated with pillows and a fluffy blanket, an armchair, a breakfast nook, and a small kitchen. There was nothing personal about her cabin.
Ash shrugged his shoulders and sat on the couch. ‘He did say she spends a lot of time outdoors.’
Isaiah took the seat next to his brother and they sat patiently as Vel took a shower, neither of them wanting nothing more than to be with her. When she stepped out of her bedroom, she’d changed into grey sweatpants and an oversized hoodie that hid her figure completely. From what he’d been able to see, she’d gained some healthy weight. Her hips were wider now and her thighs gorgeously thick.
She returned to the kitchen and poured herself a bowl of what smelled like chili. Silently, she grabbed a bit of bread and sat on the armchair to eat.
“How did you end up becoming a Howler?” Isaiah asked.
Slowly she lifted her gaze off the bowl to meet his, clearly debating if she should engage with him. “I was starving, they gave me food. I had no roof over my head, they gave me a home. I had no one, so they gave me a family.”
“Did you come here right after you left us?”
She re-focused on her food and shook her head.
“Did you always intend to come here?” Ash asked, trying and failing to mask his jealousy.
Vel had noticed it too. Her head snapped up, eyes shooting daggers at Ash. “Yes. I looked up which alpha was widowed and then came here with the intention of seducing him.”
“That’s not what Ash—”
“Stop defending him.” Vel’s tone was razor sharp, nearly making Isaiah flinch. “Of course that’s what he meant.”
They’d never seen such a temper from Vel, even before her parents had died.
“So,” Ash pressed. “Tell us what really happened then.”
“I told you.”
“That simple, huh? You just stumbled across the only living widowed alpha?”
“Even if that was my intention, why do you suddenly care? You’ve spent your entire life fucking everything that moved. You wanna know how I know that? Because I was the idiot cleaning your sheets afterwards so your father wouldn’t figure out what a whore he’d raised.”
“You really think he willingly gave you food and shelter because he wanted to?”
She laughed, her eyes now turning dark. “You know, not everyone is a bastard like you.”