Ch. 341..350
Chapter-0341
As Professor Chance wraps up the lesson he tells us that he will run our final next week so we can spend the rest of our class time outside doing things that are practical. Once he dismisses us the general rumble of books and supplies being packed fills the room and the general noise of voices increases in volume as the students leave the lecture hall. I take my time and so does Tyler. “Can I walk with you?” He asks shyly.
“Sure.” I say on a breath out. I take another breath in to calm my temper and let it out slowly as I stand up with my bag and turn to face him. “What you said is not something that is easy to forgive. It was purposely hurtful. You don’t deserve to find out anything about me after your accusations. But, I am going to try. You are not the only person who has suffered through life.
Don’t ever assume you’ve had it the worst. There is always somebody suffering more than you. Some of us are just better at moving forward with life. I don’t let my past hold me back. It definitely motivates me and my actions, but I would never consider taking it out on someone else.”
He just nods and starts to shuffle out of the top row, checking every few steps that I am following him. We make it outside and his friends are nowhere to be seen, he’s all mine for the time being.
“Mina, I have Tyler with me, take your time. I’m going to see what he has to say.”
“Got it.”
We walk towards the center of campus again not really aiming for anywhere in particular that I can tell.
“So your mom really died?” He asks the ground in front of him.
yep.” We just keep walking.
“Is Mina really your sister?”
“Not by blood, but sometimes life brings you people that are closer than that. She and Nickolas are those people for me. It’s easier to say we are sisters, cause that’s what she feels like and it;s what people understand without a lot of explanation. I don’t like my story or retelling it. I don’t like the victim pity in people’s eyes when they hear it. Mina and Nickolas have never looked at me like that. We get along a majority ofthe time. We have similar interests and goals in life and she has been there for me. This was an opportunity to start new and I took Just ike you.”
He nods his head again. There’s always a cost though.”
“Every decision has a cost. It’s just a matter of if you are willing to pay the price.”
“How are you so young and yet can talk like that?”
“I’ve had to suck it up more than a few times. I had to decide to stay stuck and let other people control my life or move forward, learn from what happened and be an example for others in a similar situation. I decided that if I can help even one person to not go through what I have then the pain and suffering and irritation was worth it. I will not let anyone control me or my life again.”
He looks at me sharply. “But you will let the Moon Goddess choose your mate for you? You would give up that control?”
“I never said that. Ijust said I’m willing to wait for my mate. There is a reason we can’t find them until we are 18. It gives us a chance to ive a little. How we choose to ‘live’ is up to us. It is possible that our mate isn’t chosen until we are a bit older or that our mate changes based on our life experience. No one knows how the Moon Goddess works. But I do want to know who she chose for me and then I will decide, because what everyone forgets is that we have the choice to reject our mate. So it is still a choice.”
“What about family obligations or social status and things like that?”
“What do you mean?”
“A lot of packs are choosing mates for their future Alphas and Betas based on blood line and other things like that. I even heard the next Alpha King has a chosen mate lined up for him.”
I laughed out loud at that. “I’m sure there are Elders who would like those rumors to be true and spread them widely. I’ve seen Elders try, but what they forget is they are no longer in an actual position of power. They are advisors and only around to help guide and give opinions based on their experience and if the future Alphas and Betas are worth their title they will think through the decision and effectively make the best one without being coerced into a decision that benefits someone else while making them miserable. Leaders have to see through the bullsh*t, part of that is mating matches and manipulation.”
Chapter-0342
“You are going to make an excellent Luna one day.” He huffs and rubs his face. “But will enjoy your time as long as I have your attention.” He finally smiled his charming smile at me and I gave him a small one in return.
“I am nobody’s Luna. I’m an advocate for my pack, even a fighter, but I couldn’t handle the politics and the backstabbing that comes with being a leader.” grimace and stick out my tongue at the thought. ‘That is why you will be a great Luna. You’re not looking for the title.” He grabs my hand and kisses my knuckles softly and we continue walking like that for a while until we come up to the coffee shop I work for “I believe this is where I leave you.” He’s still holding my hand even as he takes a step away from me.
“How did you know I have to work today?” I raise an eyebrow, but smile.
“I might have been keeping an eye on you from a distance when you stopped talking to me and you always work the afternoon shift on Tuesdays.” He tries and fails to look at me. “So you have been following me? I thought I caught your scent a couple of times.”
“You seem to be a hard person to let go of. I can’t explain it, but I want to be near you but I also know it’s not a mate thing.”
“How do you know it isn’t a mate thing?’ I ask playfully.
“I already told you that you are going to make a great Luna someday, that means you will be with some great Alpha… and I already found my mate..” He trails off and looks at the ground. “What?! Why didn’t you say anything?”
“It wasn’t the right time. It’s never the right time, but I wil explain that on our next date.” He smiles at me and winks. “When will that be exactly?” I tilt my head.
“Tomorrow?” He says, like a question. “Can I take you to lunch in between classes? I know you have a full day and then I would like to take you to the run on Thursday. It’s not the same without someone to actually chase.
“I guess I can handle lunch. We’ll see from there.” He nods just ooking at me still holding my hand ike he can’t let go.
I make a split decision that is either going to be great or a total disaster. I step forward, wrapping my arms around his waist and tucking my head to his chest. He doesn’t even hesitate to wrap me up in a tight hug. I can feel him press his lips to the top of my head and take a deep breath in then kiss my hair before he lets go.
“I’ll see you tomorrow Sky.”
I nod “Tomorrow.”
He doesn’t wait an hour before he starts to text me.
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: Thank you for today.
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: I have missed you.
Me: I just needed time. Still do
Me: Thanks for being patient.
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: Anything for you Me: promise?
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: Definitely yes!
Me: I will hold you to that.
I make it through my shift with a few more flirty texts from Tyler and Mina and I head out to have dinner at the Diner near the gym. t has become our go to spot to people watch. It seems most of the werewolf population comes here. It’s probably because the owner is a werewolf and his wife is human. This is probably the best compromise for both of them, since He doesn’t smell like any pack I have come across, but he doesn’t have that feral smell from rogues who spend too much time away from civilization.
“So are you going to go on the run Thursday? Apparently it’s all Tyler has talked about all day.” She smiles at me.
“How do you know that? He literally just asked me right before my shift and didn’t even say yes.” I can’t decide if I am pleased he is so ready to jump right back into this weird ass friendship or irritated that he thinks I have forgiven him this easily.
“He’s hot. you’re hot, and people talk when two hot people stop speaking dramatically for a month and then are spotted making out in front of the coffee shop.” We both roll our eyes.
“You know that’s not what happened in front of the shop.” “But something did happen?”
“I gave him a hug. That’s all.” I switched to mindlink since there are many advanced ears in the room know need him to bring me back into the group and the run is the best way to do that.” “He works fast. doesnt he?” She winks at me.
“Shut up!” I say, but smile at her.
Chapter 0343
Wednesday I woke up to a text from Tyler.
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: Good Morning Beautiful
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: Can I still work out with you?
Me: No normal person is up at this time.
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: You’re up…
Me: Like I said no normal person is up at this time
Me: People usually yell at me for getting up this early
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: I couldn’t sleep
Me: Why?
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: I thought you talking to me might have been a dream
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: I needed to check, and you never answered the question
Me: Sure, I’ll be there in about 10 min
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: Can I pick you up?
Me: I usually run, I like getting my warm-up in before I get there
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: Can I run with you?
Me: Sure, how long will it take you to get here?
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: I’m outside
I hop out of bed and start rushing to get ready, what the hell is he already doing here? I throw on sweats over my sports bra and shorts, grab my bag so I can actually shower this time and race down the stairs and open the door to Tyler’s smiling face. The look is cocky and smug. He could hear me racing around to get ready. Well, at least he thinks I want to see him really badly.
“What are you doing here?”
“I thought I was picking you up so we could run over to the gym? I thought you said I could join you. Was I mistaken?” He’s trying to be playful, but there is a look of uneasiness that crosses his eyes briefly. He’s not as confident as he’s pretending to be. Good.
“I mean why are you here now? How long have you been outside my house?”
“Would it make me sound crazy if I said all night?” He shoves his hands in his pockets and looks at the ground, kicking invisible dirt around.
“How long have you been camping out at my house all night?”
“Since your birthday. I stayed far enough away so I wouldn’t make you or your uncle uncomfortable, but being too far for too long was terrible. There is definitely something about you that makes me calm.”
“Huh.” I raise an eyebrow letting him know I very much think that is a line. “So what do you want to talk about first, the flirting like I am your mate when you told me yourself you know I’m not or what you and your buddies actually get up to in the woods, cause it’s not just to run?”
His head shoots up at me and I raise both of my eyebrows at him, daring him to lie to me. He opens his mouth. Closes it. Opens it again and then looks at the sky blowing out a huge breath.
“Seriously, you are too perfect and observant for your own good. This was not supposed to be this hard.”
“That is going to require another explanation, but I will let you get your thoughts in order.” I swing my small one shoulder backpack over my head and signal for him to follow me.
We don’t talk at all and are in no hurry to get to the gym. It takes about fifteen minutes and neither of us have broken a sweat, but move right into training, both avoiding topics we don’t want to or can’t discuss, but I’m pretty sure he implied that he wasn’t supposed to get involved with me which can mean so many things.
When we are done, we both head to the locker rooms to shower and change. I still have classes this morning, so I don’t have a ton of time.
We head to the diner and grab what has become our usual booth in the back corner.
“Alright, why don’t you start with the easiest topic. What is this about you already meeting your mate?” I don’t even hesitate to ask right after we place our order. “And just to clarify, I’m not mad or jealous.” I gave him a look. “I am genuinely curious because you and Mike and mostly Robbie seem to have this big issue with mates being a stupid or ridiculous concept, yet you know who yours is, or I guess maybe ‘was’ is a possibility.”
Chapter 0344
He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. “‘Is’ would be correct. She chose differently and rejected me, but not without making sure that I felt the pain of her being with someone else.”
“Oh sh*t! That’s awful. Why would she do that?”
“Because the person she chose decided that I needed to be put in my place. He was the Beta of my pack before it was attacked. I was an Omega training to be a warrior, but to him my rank made me unworthy and she believed him. He was just as power hungry as the Elders, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had something to do with our pack getting attacked. Anyway, she chose him and rejected me, but I wasn’t allowed to accept it. I had the pain of the rejection and then the pain of feeling them being together, Every. Single. Time. I can still feel it, so I know she’s still alive. So like you figured out I do not have a high opinion of fated mates,neither do Mike or Robbie. Their stories are different from mine, but we aren’t fans. I don’t have anything against the Moon Goddess making us stronger through our mates, but I do have a problem with mates still having the choice to reject without any good reason. She wanted to hurt me and even if you don’t love your mate you shouldn’t have the desire to harm them on purpose.”
Our food comes which gives us a break from the deep discussion. Neither of us really look up from our food, but don’t eat with the same gusto as the first time we were here together.
“Tyler, I’m sorry she did that to you.” I set my fork down and look right at him. “She doesn’t deserve you if she couldn’t see the kind of guy you are and appreciate it.” I can at least understand him a bit better. I don't know what I would do if my mate rejected me.
“Maybe she was right. Maybe she knew me better than I knew myself. She knew what kind of person I would become.”
“Stop! Don’t do that. You don’t know what was going through her head at the time. Maybe she was being held against her will and forced to reject you. You never know and you can’t ask her about it
right now.” I really don’t enjoy comforting him, when I think he is a coward for the way that he treated me over a birthday gift. “I have to go to class, but I have been doing an evening jog around campus after classes if you want to join me. Just text me.” I got up to leave and he called me back.
“Sky, thanks for this. You really are going to be a great Luna someday.”
“You keep saying that, but have no idea if my mate will be an Alpha or not.”
“I do know, I just hope we can still be friends after you find your mate.”
“You’re asking to stay friends with me after I find my mate even though you threw a tantrum about the exact same thing a month ago and we weren’t even a thing.” I cocked an eyebrow up and his cheeks turned a shade of pink.
“That is exactly right and if your Alpha loses his temper about it all I have to say is I knew her first.” He winks at me and gives me that charming panty melting smile of his and I just shake my head and walk away.
Chapter 0345
I walked to class going over what Tyler had told me about his mate. She chose a higher rank and then allowed him to suffer for it. The question is, is the story true or something for him to use to try and relate to what I told him on my birthday? He’s had plenty of time to come up with something to make me feel bad for him.
This is what Sam and some of the trainers were talking about. I am young when it comes to so much of this stuff. But I don’t know if any of them would see through a lie if they were in my shoes either. What I need to do is catch him running off somewhere looking suspicious. Make him take me with him in a spur of the moment situation. So far all of our meet-ups have been mostly controlled by him, even our first encounter at the gym could have been orchestrated by him to get closer to me.
The rest of the day is kind of a blur. I go to class and take notes and talk to people, kind of. But my focus is going through every conversation I have had with Tyler, Mike and Robbie. Robbie was easy, he says about 3 words to me. Not sure why he doesn’t like anyone outside his very small circle, and I don’t really care, but it makes it hard to know his motivations. Mike is about the same as Tyler, just not as flirty.
“Sky!” Someone pulls me out of my round and round thoughts as I am walking home. “Sky, wait up.” I turn and see Robbie jogging up to me and he looks mad.
“Hey Robbie, what’s up.” I slow but don’t stop walking. I want to have forward momentum to get away if I need to.
“I thought you weren’t talking to Tyler anymore, what’s this I hear you’re coming on the run Thursday?” He doesn’t sound angry, but the look on his face says he wants nothing to do with me being there.
“Not that it’s really any of your business, but I am planning on being at the run.” I go to move away from him, but he grabs my arm. “Guys whoever is nearest to me, I might have a situation with Robbie, stand by.” I turn to face him. “For whatever reason, you don’t like me and want nothing to do with me, so just avoid me. There are a lot of people on this campus, go find someone else to bother.”
“You’re dating my best friend,kind of hard to avoid.”
“We aren’t dating, again, not that it’s any of your business. We are just friends and if I want to run with my friends I will. If I want to avoid the world for a month then I will.”
“It’s not safe, the run isn’t safe, Tyler isn’t safe for you. Why can’t you see that?”
“If he’s so unsafe, why is he your best friend?” I’m still walking, but I have slowed down. Now we’re getting somewhere.
“It’s not unsafe for me, I have no other choices, this is my life. But, you do not belong here, you don’t belong with us. I was hoping you figured that out after the way your birthday ended. Just go back to wherever it is you came from. You are a distraction and you are going to get hurt and get others hurt protecting you.”
I never knew someone’s eyebrows could connect so closely in the middle of their face, but he is trying to squish them into nonexistence.
“I am confident in my ability to not get myself or someone else hurt, but thank you for your concern, I think. If you don’t want to see me on the run, you can avoid it, but I will be there.”
“Sky, just think it through is all I’m saying.” He looks like he wants to say more, but he lets out a grunt and just turns and runs off.
Chapter 0346
“What the hell was that all about?”
“He was trying to get you to avoid the run for some reason.” Mina chimes in. “But what does he have to lose or gain if you don’t go?”
“He seemed overly angry for something so small.”
“It’s possible you are getting in the way of something he is trying to accomplish. Maybe he wants Tyler to get involved with another female and he’s distracted by you. Maybe you are keeping them from bringing in girls. There haven’t been any missing persons reports in a while.” Nickolas chimes in.
“Whatever it is, now I have to go, don't I? It’s too suspicious to stay away.”
“Something is going down and either you are going to be in the way or a distraction or they don’t want you to see whatever it is that they are doing.” Osiston says. “Keep communication going with Tyler, make sure he knows you’re going tomorrow and don’t give him any reason to uninvite you.” The threat in that statement alone had me moving faster to get home.
I walk into a fully mobilized kitchen. The entire island is covered in screens and wires with five people I have never seen before surrounding it clicking rapidly through different camera views. I can smell coffee, fresh and slightly burnt which means William is here somewhere. He likes it thick like tar and there is always an acrid burnt smell for days after he’s been here. It’s both endearing and terrible.
“Hey Midge!” I turn to a familiar voice I haven’t heard in a very long time.
“Wyatt!!” I ran to give him a hug. I wrap my arms around him and hug him like the teddy bear he is. “What are you doing here?”
“Sounds like you got up to some trouble and need back up.” He winks at me.
“Are Lillian and Nathaniel here too?”
“Not here, but on this mission too, somewhere. I didn’t realize how big this op was.”
“I still don’t really know and apparently I’m in the middle of it.”
“Little One, over here.” Osiston calls me. I can’t even make the smile disappear off of my face knowing Wyatt, Lillian and Nathaniel are here for me.
“What are we doing?” I ask.
“Getting ready. We think we have figured out where the concentration of this scent mask is coming from based on your runs and sensitivities to the block. It’s coming from the east of the forest preserve like you thought. We have scouts out now circling the areas the group runs in North of the campus though. They wouldn’t have two camps going in such close proximity, but there is a reason they run up there and keep a perimeter going at all times.” I nod my head trying to keep up with all of the information. “You need to message Tyler tonight, make sure he doesn’t change his mind. We don’t know what Robbie was up to trying to get you to not run tomorrow. He’s never been a huge fan of yours, but he also has never been negative or aggressive towards you either. Something is up and we have to plan for as many possibilities as possible.”
I nod again. “What can I do to help now?”
“You need to stick to your normal. Get ready for your evening run, we already know that Tyler follows you everywhere. I didn’t sense him near you when Robbie approached though, that is something that confuses me. Then you can meet Tyler in the morning to work out and do your regular class routine with him. You are going to go to the run solo though.” My mouth drops open.
“What?! Why? I can’t go without her, it will look weird. She’s always with me.”
“But they have targeted you and if my hunch is right they will make a move if they think that you are completely alone. She has a date tomorrow. She’s already been talking about it with girls on campus so many of them will be able to back up the story.”
Chapter 0347
I don’t know about this. I have never been with the group alone before. I don’t know why it scares me, but I have a really bad feeling about it. But, I guess if I have a bad feeling then maybe it’s better that Mina is away from the mess if something happens. It’s one less person to keep track of. All of the warriors only have to focus on one target instead of multiple.
I nod, after a few minutes. I love that Osiston just lets me be in my head and process things the way that I need to. He doesn’t rush my thought process at all, even when I am sure he can guess what I am thinking and knows I am wrong. He lets me learn.
“So what should I do now? I don’t know if I will be able to sleep with all of this going on after my run.”
“We won’t be here when you get back. Tyler only watches the house when you are here. He’s waiting or watching for something, I just don’t know what it is yet. Maybe invite him to run with you tonight, see what he says.”
I nod. “Okay.” Then I get up and head to my room. I have butterflies and I can’t tell if they are good or bad omens. This is really happening, something is happening tomorrow and I hope I get to be on the right outcome of it.
I text Tyler.
Me: Care for a run?
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: Sure, you okay?
Me: Not sure, just antsy and I don’t want to run alone
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: Where’s Mina?
Me:Too busy with a new boy.
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: I heard, Tell her to be careful, He’s a player.
Me: And you aren’t…
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: Ouch! And No, you cured me of that.
Me: Back to the good lines you need to save for someone who will fall for them.
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: Still wish it was you.
Me: How long will it take you to get here? Or should I meet you somewhere?
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy:Haven’t you figured it out yet?
Me: What?
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: I’m already here.
Me: Seriously?!
Me: You do know how creepy that is right?
Tyler Hot Ecology Guy: I’m just glad you called me and not Robbie
Me: So you are following me? I’ll be out in five.
I change fast and run downstairs and the team is already packing up. I walk into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and toss it into my small shoulder bag.
“Tyler is already outside. He did see me with Robbie this afternoon. Are you sure you didn’t smell him near me?” I ask Osiston as quietly as possible, assuming Tyler is listening in on my
conversations inside the house and I might have to come up with an excuse for why a ton of people are here when Nickolas is supposed to be gone.
“There was no other scent around you and we haven’t scented him around the house for two days now even though we’ve had eyes on him the whole time. He’s a big part of this. Be careful. Nickolas, Lillian, Wyatt and Nathaiel are all going to be following you tonight, but at a further distance than normal since they are messing with scents, we don’t want to blow our cover yet.” He mindlinks me and only me. I nod and head towards the door.
I take a deep breath and step out.
Chapter 0348
“You know it’s not less creepy when I know you’re here somewhere and I can’t see you or smell you right?” I say out into my yard. I figure he’s being extra strange because he knows Robbie talked to me today. And I have to play along like it’s cute and not a major red flag.
Tyler steps out from the shadows of our neighbors house. It’s not quite dark yet, but he obviously knows the blind spots well. I’m just glad that Osiston said they have had eyes on him whenever he is trailing me. So I at least know he’s not as sneaky as he thinks he is.
His smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “What did Robbie say to you today?” He stops just short of my porch steps, a dark look in his eyes. I don’t think it's jealousy though. I can’t quite read him.
I step down slowly, approaching him like a skittish animal. “He asked me if we were back together.”
“And what did you say?” He doesn’t make a move towards me. His whole demeanor has changed since earlier today.
“I told him we were never actually together, there was nothing official, but I was working on being friends again.” I take another step towards him.
“Do you play with all of your guys like that?”
“So, you’re back to thinking I’m a wh*re. Good to know it doesn’t take much to change your mind about people. Just because one girl messed you up doesn’t mean we all will.” I take a slow breath and try to keep my emotions in check, I have to keep him calm. His temper is what has changed or maybe it’s slipping, now that I think about it. “You said you were patient, I called you, remember?” I reach my hand out to him, waiting to see if he will come back to the Tyler I enjoy hanging out with.
He grunts and gives a small shake of his head like he’s physically clearing his thoughts. “You did call me didn’t you?”
“I did and I think you need to run just as much as I do. Come on.”
He takes my hand and gives it a squeeze then we both go at a slow pace. I take the route I have done the last two nights and Tyler doesn’t hesitate or question where I’m going, which confirms Osiston’s report about him following me. I don’t say anything though, he seems to be calming down a bit.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I approach the elephant as gently as possible. Something has him on edge and it makes him a completely different person. I noticed the demeanor change the night of my birthday too, but I didn’t want to bring up something that might be painful. Now I just don’t care. SOmething is going on with him and I need to know what it is.
“Not really, but she’s been exceptionally active today.” He just looks at me with sad eyes, trying to get me to understand without saying more.
“Your mate? I’m sorry. I didn’t even think about you still going through that pain. Why don’t you accept her rejection and get it over with. Maybe the Moon Goddess would give you a second chance mate, someone who actually deserves you.”
“I can’t”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“It’s the same thing really. He said if I accepted her rejection, he would kill her. I know she doesn’t want me, but I can't do that and my wolf won’t allow it either.”
“Can she feel if you are with someone else? I’m sure it hurts her just as bad.”
“I haven’t been with anyone else. That’s the hardest part, I just can’t and believe me I have tried. The worst part is he hasn’t marked her yet. I know he’s using her for now and will kick her to the side the minute he finds someone he deems better. I have tried telling her that, but I just get the
pain in return as proof that he wants to be with her. What she doesn’t get is he sleeps with anyone that will open their legs for him. She doesn’t know because she isn’t his mate and she doesn’t carry his mark so she can’t feel it. But I’ve seen it, witnessed it first hand. He seems to like an audience and when you can hurt someone in more than one way why not right?”
Chapter 0349
“I’m sorry, I wish I could help you somehow.” We stopped running about an hour in and are just walking around campus now.
“But you can’t. You are destined for more than me.” I roll my eyes at him,
“You keep saying that, but you don’t have any real proof of that do you?”
“You are smart enough to be here at, well 16 now. You put up with me and all of these other guys like we are nothing more than regular guys…”
“You are just regular guys to me. Guys I get, girls are harder for me to understand. I like being outside, I like training and running. All the girl stuff is foreign to me. I’ve just been lucky enough to have some female friends who get me and decided to be friends with me anyway.”
“I should get you home, don’t want to keep you out all night, your uncle will probably kill me.”
“My uncle is not the person you should worry about, or did you forget when I tried to punch you so hard your head would fall off?”
“That is something I will never forget. And yes, you scare me a bit too.”
“Good. So, since Mina has her date tomorrow and you seem to spend a lot of time hanging out in my yard, do you want to pick me up for the run tomorrow, or will Mike be mad about that? I know you guys usually go together.”
“No , he won’t be mad at all, unfortunately.” He mumbles the last word under his breath, but I didn’t miss it. “We usually go early since we set everything up, so we actually get two runs in, would that be a problem?”
“No, just text me when I should be ready.” I say as we get to my front porch again. “Thank you for going with me. I just had the feeling I needed to have someone with me tonight.” I step in to give him a hug and for the first time he hesitates, but he wraps his arms around me and places a soft kiss to the top of my head.
“I told you, anything for you. I’m still glad it was me and not Robbie.” I giggle into his chest and squeeze him one more time before pulling away.
“I’m still going to hold you to that.” I point at him and trot up the porch steps and walk inside to a completely empty and put back together house. I wonder if he noticed all of the commotion going on before? I mean the team was secluded to the kitchen, but the house is an open concept so if someone was listening in, they could have heard all the voices inside. Just another thing on my list of ‘needs answers.’
He’s going to pick me up tomorrow and take me with him to set up the bonfire sight. I don’t have a time yet but I will try to get that from him while we are in class tomorrow.” I open the mind link to Osiston, Nickolas and Mina. Confirmed Mina’s date for tomorrow night too.”
“We’re all set, Midge, are you ready for this? You don’t know which of these guys is a victim or a villain. You may have to fight people who have been nothing but friendly. I need you to wrap your head around that so there is no hesitation tomorrow.” Nickolas asks.
“I can’t honestly answer that. Is anyone ready for betrayal, even if you see it coming?”
“That is why you are here, Little One. We will help in any way we can to protect everyone, innocence should not get hurt, but we can’t promise that it won’t happen. You need to call for help at the first hint of trouble. Your cover will no longer matter after the run starts tomorrow night. We are taking this group out and getting answers.” Osiston’s calm deep voice is stern and yet always soothing. His wise words are never harsh, but always direct and honest.
Chapter 0350
“Thank you. This has been an experience, I appreciate everything that you both have taught me so far.”
“Don’t act like we are saying goodbye, Midge. We have no idea what we will find tomorrow. We could bring down a whole operation, hopefully. Or we could just be scratching the surface and take in a bunch of brainwashed minions who have no real connection to their leader. No Thanks or Goodbyes yet.”
I smile as I make it up to my room with my bottle of water. I change into my pajamas and grab a blanket and pillow and walk to Mina’s room and knock.
“Yeah?” The muffled question comes out like a whisper.
“Can I stay with you tonight? It doesn’t feel right to be separate right before something this big.”
“Of course!” She sits up straight, then pops out of bed to run over to me and wrap me in a hug. I returned it. I have missed her. Her and Sierra have been my rocks the last year, helping me navigate the wide world around me after being in my own personal hell bubble. I needed the time I spent away from her, but now I know I need her. I need the people I trust most around me for this. It is calming and grounding to have something like this connection with them. It reminds me what is real.
“I know Osiston and Nickolas asked, but are you really ready for tomorrow? You’re going to be by yourself with these guys and we don’t know what their plan for you is. I know that you have Tyler permanently in the friend zone now, but something is still going on. You wanna talk about it?”
“Yes and no.” I laugh a little as we both sit on her bed.
“It would help to know where your head is at before we go into this. I know you haven’t told Osiston and Nickolas everything you and Tyler talk about.”
“The part that is the most confusing is Tyler keeps saying I will be a great Luna, like he already knows my mate is an Alpha, but when he says it he looks like he’s in pain. He also basically confirmed that he and his friends are up to something in the woods, he just didn’t say what that was. He also keeps saying ‘this wasn’t supposed to be that hard’ which doesn’t make any sense to me. Like he’s fighting against something. He also told me about his mate.” I launch into the story and we stay up way too long talking, but it feels good to be able to confide in her again.
She doesn’t have any different thoughts on Tyler’s behavior than I have, but she agrees that he’s keeping me close for a reason and something about Robbie approaching me yesterday set him off a bit too. She even asked if I wanted her to join us for training in the morning, which sounded like a perfect idea, but at the same time he’s been opening up more and more the longer I spend alone time with him.
In the end we decide that she should be up when I leave so he can see she’s watching me too, but that I should go alone to see if there is anything else I can get out of him, before sh*t hits the fan tomorrow night.