Page 9 of Crystal Luna
Dinner consisted of the kids chatting along with Evelyne about how excited they were for her baby to arrive. They’d gotten an update from her parents, letting them know they didn’t want to drive at night and would arrive the following morning.
Mia and Curtis enjoyed the dessert, even stealing their father’s to share with each other. He was very reserved, just as he’d been the day before.
After dinner, Velora helped Wayne and the children clear the table while Evelyne returned to the couch. As soon as the kitchen was clean, Velora felt the urge to leave. It was odd saying her goodnights to Wayne and Evelyne—no one ever cared before if she was around. No one ever noticed when she left a room.
Curtis followed her outside while Mia gave Evelyne a good night hug. Alpha Heath was standing on the porch, his gaze slightly drifted off as he conversed with someone through the link. Curtis taking his hand was what made him look down, his face softening barely visible.
“Take Mia home and put on a movie. I will be there in a little bit.”
“Yes, Father.”
Alpha Heath’s eyes then rested on her. “May I walk you?”
She nodded and swallowed hard, a dreadful feeling washing over her.
Curtis took Mia’s hand and Alpha Heath watched his two children head home. Once they were safe, he stepped off the porch and walked to the outskirts of the village, opposite of her guest house.
He must have felt her hesitation. “I won’t hurt you. But I thought you might want some privacy while we talk.”
Again, she nodded and followed, always a step behind him.
“You didn’t grow up rogue.”
It wasn’t a question, but she nodded anyway.
“Why did you leave your pack?”
She wasn’t sure how much she should say, or how much she even wanted to share. But she knew he deserved some sort of an explanation. After all, he’d offered her a place to stay when she’d shown up on his territory without permission.
“I grew up believing I was human. My adoptive parents didn’t have any children of their own so when my father found me abandoned he brought me home and raised me as his own. I didn’t know how the pack truly felt about me until they died.”
“They treated you badly?”
“Yes.”
“What happened when they figured out you had your own wolf?”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t welcomed at their moon celebrations, so they weren’t with me when I turned. My wolf gave me an escape and I took it without thinking.”
“That’s how you ended up rogue?”
“I had no intention of returning to the pack. My bond was broken anyways. No one ever linked with me so when I crossed the border, I couldn’t feel them any longer.”
“No one ever came to look for you?”
“They don’t care enough.”
“Is your plan to stay rogue?”
“I wanted to settle at some point but humans are… different. I couldn’t find a job, so I just kept moving.”
“Have you ever thought about being part of a pack again?”
“No.”
“Because you didn’t think anyone would want you?”
Yes. Even the thought hurt, and she couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud.