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CHAPTER 31
LILY
The drive to Shadow Creek was short and quiet. Raiden sat next to me in the backseat of an SUV, eyes glazed over and thoughts elsewhere. I didn’t want to interrupt whatever he was dealing with, so instead, I focused on my own emotions. I was caught somewhere between excited for a new future but also sad for what I’d left behind. Everything had happened so fast that it still felt unreal. It felt as though I was watching it happen to someone else instead of living it myself.
I gazed at Ray again where he sat facing the window. He looked tense, serious. Whether it was because of me, or other things happening in his pack, I wasn’t sure, but decided to let it be. He would surely tell me if there was something I needed to know.
Although Ray and I had been reunited for a few days now, we hadn’t been able to spend any alone time together, though, the tension between us grew thicker every hour. We shared heated glances from time to time and Ray even stole a few kisses around corners, but that was about as far as it went.
“You can park in front of the packhouse,” Ray said to the driver, eyes finally back to their stormy grey.
“Of course, Alpha.”
My hands began wringing in my lap as scattered buildings came into view along with a magnificent castle. Like Hollow Stone, Shadow Creek has been around for ages and their grounds and castle had been labelled as a national heritage site, protected by law. Even the old cemetery, dating back hundreds of years, was to be preserved.
A castle made for an excellent packhouse, since everything was gathered under one roof: including the infirmary, kitchen, dining hall and dungeons downstairs. It was believed that the two castles, Shadow Creek and Hollow Stone, once belonged to the same family, brothers, who’d built it together. One the mirror image of the other.
Gravel crunched beneath the tires as we pulled up to the front. My heart began to race, but all around, people moved about unfazed by our presence. Raiden’s hand landed on my thigh, gently squeezing. “Are you ready?”
The car had stopped, the driver already clutching the door’s handle, waiting for Ray’s signal.
“I-yes, I’m ready.”
He smiled, but his smile didn’t reach his ears. A nod and the door clicked open. Cold air came rushing in immediately and a hand hovered in the air, palm-up, waiting for me to grab it. Behind me, Raiden climbed out of his side, walking around the car. I gripped the hand and smiled. A young man with lots of freckles and a friendly face greeted me.
“Welcome to Shadow Creek,” he said and held firm, helping me out of the car and shut the door behind me. When I turned, Ray was already there, my two suitcases in his hands.
As we made our way up to the front entrance, not a single wolf stopped or even turned a head in my direction. It was both strange and welcome at the same time, after having been treated like an anomaly back in Hollow Stone. I did find it odd, however, that no one even spared us a second glance. They greeted Raiden, but he was walking with an unknown female towards their packhouse, carrying suitcases and no one thought it strange? Weren’t they even the least bit curious about whether he’d found his mate? Were they used to seeing him walking around with different women? I stared at the suitcases in his hands as he walked ahead. He could’ve taken my hand and given the bags to someone else to carry…
Maybe I didn’t look like someone who would be mated to an Alpha. My courage sank at the thought. A joke of a Luna. Pathetic and undeserving.
Upfront, I saw Gunnar standing next to a tiny woman with shoulder-length red hair. The look on his face was grim and serious, extremely uncharacteristic of him. Gunnar. Here. Alive and well. My stomach fluttered, and a smile broke out over my face. I ran, flying past Ray.
“Gunnar,” I yelled, stretching my arms out for our embrace. His face lit up and he took a few steps toward me, but as soon as he did, the tiny woman stepped in between us. With arms folded across her chest, her face held a murderous scowl.
About to collide with her, I stopped dead in my tracks, skidding over gravel and lost my footing, falling onto my ass. I didn’t dare pull my eyes away from her. As I gaped, a growl escaped her lips, promising death. Her eyes glowed a vibrant yellow too, a sign that her wolf was livid and very close to the surface. Gunnar’s mate, then.
“Babe, calm down,” I heard Gunnar murmuring from behind her, but I didn’t look away to see where he was. A moment later, arms snaked around the woman’s waist, hoisting her up. She struggled in his arms, kicking and clawing, trying to get out of his hold. Growling like an animal, she bared her teeth; her breathing harsh. She was tiny compared to Gunnar.
“Hello, Lily, welcome home,” Gunnar said, peering over his mate’s head.
She continued squirming in his hold and I couldn’t help but stare.
“Uh-thank you,” I replied hesitantly, slowly getting up and dusting myself off. I didn’t try to approach him again.
“I’m sorry,” he said, smiling awkwardly. “My fiery mate hasn’t completely warmed up to you yet.”
“Uh-yeah. I can see that,” I mumbled, still staring.
“Mia,” he said proudly, manoeuvring the violent woman to give me a better view of her.
I didn’t know what to say. How to say it. Charmed? Pleasure to meet you? It certainly hadn’t been a pleasure so far.
“She’s my mate,” he said, puffing out his chest and smacking her on the ass.
Mia went holly-still in his arms, turning her face to look up at him, “are you fucking kidding me? Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something here?”
My eyes must have been as wide as saucers, because she snapped at me next, pointing an index finger, “what are you looking at?”
