Chapter 67


    Panicking, I shoot up and hurry back down the street, bumping into a few people and getting groans


    and muffled curses in return. I want to apologize, I want to fit in, but I can''t think straight anymore. My


    head can''t focus on anything and before I know it, I''m leaning against the wall with the car painted on it,


    staring out at the road, trying to make my decision.


    I can try and go back, or I can stay here.


    I can''t stay here, who am I kidding? I have no money, no friends, no shelter, no purpose? But I don''t


    have a purpose back there either. At least there''s a bed and food and a shower and my books and the


    diary.


    But he''s there. Alpha Grant. My pain is there. She''s there—that beautiful woman who creeps into his


    bedroom. What am I doing? I have nowhere. That woman has my ce in that world, the space in his


    bed, in his heart, in his pack—I wouldn''t be surprised if he keeps me hidden and announces her as


    Luna.


    How long have I been gone? Maybe he has already forgotten about me. Maybe he doesn''t need me to


    keep him strong after all. The sun begins to lower into the mountains and my eyes fall to my feet. I''ve


    been gone for an entire day and no one has noticed. Swallowing hard, I drift down the road as if I am


    walking towards the gates of Hell, preparing for the kiss of death. What else am I going to do?


    I could use a drink, that''s for sure. I could use my mother right now, too. Sure, she pushed me to be


    something I wasn''t, but she loved me. That I know. At least someone loved me. Sixteen-year-old me


    would be very disappointed. I''m sure she would have loved it out here in the human forest—buildings,


    people, freedom, independence—it''s what she lived for. It''s all she had to look forward to.


    Another cares rushing down the street, so I move to the side and ignore it until the vehiclees


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    to a halt at my side. I look up, worried, but feel the need to vomit when I see the guard—Theodore—in


    the front seat. "Get in," he orders, but seeing his face has me in shock.


    "H-How did you—"


    "Get in!" He presses, "trust me, you''d much rather be picked up by me than one of the other guys. You


    don''t know how much trouble you''ve gotten yourself into," he rolls his eyes, "Would you get in the car."


    I step back. "No, I-I won''t."


    "Look, if one of the others get to you first, they''ll report you. Alpha Grant has a search out, and if they


    see you on human territory you''ll be shunned."


    "Why aren''t you reporting me?"


    Theodore sighs. "Just get in."


    "No. I''m staying out here," I say, unsure.


    "Trust me," he looks at me closely, "you don''t want to do that. Who knows, he might juste hunt you


    down himself."


    Iugh. "Hunt me down himself? What a joke. I''m sure he''ll forget that I''m gone sooner orter. I don''t


    know if you realized this, but that Alpha doesn''t really care for me, even if I am his mate."


    Theodore looks as if he''s growing more and more impatient. "You can get in the car or be reported.


    What will it be?"


    I nce back at the foreign town and bite my cheek. "Where are you taking me?"


    "Back to the pack house. I''ll say you were off on the other side of the pack wandering around, he


    doesn''t have to know you were on human territory."


    "And why are you doing this for me, again?"


    He motions to the seat beside him, so I climb in all to hear his exnation. As he turns the car around


    and drives off, he exins. "This maye as a surprise, me being a guard and all, but I don''t care for


    Alpha Grant either. He took an interest in my younger sister and now she''s always off with him. I don''t


    trust him with her, I mean you''re his mate. I thought as soon as he found you, that he''d let her go. Sure,


    she''d be upset but she has her own mate to find, but now she''s convinced that he loves her and that


    he''s going to make her Luna. I try to tell her it''s a bunch of bullshit, but she doesn''t listen to—"


    "You''re sister''s the girl that goes into his bedroom at night?" I cut in and he gives me an ufortable


    look. "Sorry," I murmur, "but. . . Well, I didn''t see thising."


    "Well, I would really appreciate it if you started ying the role of his mate so my sister can move on,"


    he says and I chuckle. "What?"


    "Did you not hear me just a second ago? I said he doesn''t care for me. He couldn''t care less, actually.


    I''m sure he''d rather be with your sister."


    Theodore rolls his eyes. "Don''t you know how Mates work? Sure, he may act like he doesn''t care for


    you, but he can''t control it. There''s a thing called the mate bond? Remember? He can''t just ignore it. I


    mean, he did send out a search for you."


    "But that''s just because he needs me around to keep him strong, you know. All I do is sit in my room all


    day. That''s all he wants me to do," I exin, trying to make him understand. "I''m sorry, I wish I could


    help that situation with your sister, but if you''d think harder you''d realize that she brings me to the brink


    of insanity. And frankly, I hate her."


    "If you''d just—"


    "He doesn''t want me, alright!" I shut him up and sit back. "He doesn''t want me. You''ll have toe up


    with some other n, but I''m sure your sister is doing just fine. It''s not like he''s torturing her because


    he''s already doing that to me."


    We continue on in silence, no more questions from me, and he doesn''t mention her again.