AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Quinn puts her arms around me and gives me a hug. "Do you want me to kick his ass?"
I laugh so loud and so hard tears fall from my eyes. Quinn is smiling, knowing she has made me smile, and I am reminded again how glad I am to have her.
"I love you, Quinn, but no, don't kick his ass. Use your Luna powers for good, not for my past trauma."
"Paige Vata, I will defend you with everything I have." Another moment passes before Quinn speaks again. "Can I tempt you with supper…in a house…that is warm? Or just going inside in general. How are you not freezing right now?"
"I guess I am a little cold."
"Oh, thank Seluna! Come on, I'll make you hot chocolate with Baileys. That'll cheer you right up."
"I could use a little alcohol, so yes, count me in."
"I'm not cooking tonight; Eli can take us out. Executive Luna Desicion."
I laugh and stand up, helping Quinn stand in the process.
"Is Maddie ok? I'm sorry I bailed."
"Stop it; Darlene was happy to help. She was very concerned about you, but I said I'd get you going again." She winks, and we walk toward what I assume is the pack house.
"I'll make it up to her. I don't want Maddie to think Auntie Paige flakes on her responsibilities."
"Ha! That girl loves you immensely. No way she thinks badly of you. Now, come on, let's go spend a ridiculous amount of money at a restaurant in town. It's no city restaurant, but it has damn good pizza."
We laugh and lean on each other, heading back to her house. I just need some good food and rest—that will fix everything.
Chapter 7 - Liam
After the meeting, my head feels heavy; maybe I just need to go to the gym and expend some energy. Before I can make it out the door, Dominic stops me.
"Hey man, you okay? I noticed you were having a hard time focusing in the meeting. Should I be concerned?"
Leaning up against the wall, I think about it for a minute.
"I don't know," I say honestly.
"I heard about what happened before the meeting. How do you know Paige?"
"We came from the same pack. My old pack was a toxic place to live, so I left and came here. The problem is that I did some terrible things while part of that pack. I regret it, but I still made some bad choices. The Alpha wanted a strong pack, and his idea of accomplishing that was by having us compete against each other to build each other up. The thing was, his version of that included beating the weak and bullying them to 'make them stronger.' It was a messed up idea, but unfortunately, I played the game. Not willingly, mind you, but I played anyway, and Paige…well, she wasn't the strongest, and she was ostracized for being who she was. It made me sick, but I joined in and made fun of her along with everyone else. I should have stopped it; I should have stood up for her." It didn't take long after I turned eighteen for me to leave the pack. I knew If I had stayed, it would have turned me into a horrible person; I had committed enough sins, and by that point, I wanted a new start.
"It sounds like you were young and taught this was the right way, or maybe the only way. You can't take on all the blame for what your pack made you and others do. We all know that as shifters, we follow pack hierarchy; not to say some packs don't need to be challenged, but you were young, and that needs to account for something. That being said, you can own your own actions. Maybe that's what you should do."
Maybe he is right; maybe I should find her and apologize. Really, it's the least I can do.
"Thanks, Dominic."
"No problem. Now, how about we go out and get supper tonight in town? Get some space from the pack for a bit."
"Yeah, that sounds good."
We head over to the community living building to get ready. I feel a pang of guilt in my chest; she must hate me. I mean, I still hate myself from that time. Dominic is right; I need a bit of space. Some time to breathe. Maybe a trip into town will help me organize my thoughts. I just hope Paige is okay.
Chapter 8 - Paige
The town of Twilight Meadows is very charming. Its main street is filled with small boutiques and various shops, including two cafes. Although I'm not entirely sure how they manage to stay open, it's likely because of the tourists who visit the town. You can see the lake in the distance, and the trees that surround the town make it feel isolated yet comfortable. I can understand why someone would want to live in a place like this; I'm certainly tempted myself.
"Jim's has the best pizza in town. They always put extra cheese on, which, let's be honest, makes or breaks a pizza." Eli has been going on and on about this pizza place in town. I could personally go for a nice big slice of pizza right now. Emotional eating? Maybe.
