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Adrian sighed. “What did you do?”
“Nothing you wouldn’t want me to,” she replied honestly. “You left a bit of a mess in the kitchen, so I helped her clean it up.”
“And you didn’t get the vibe at all that maybe she wanted to be left alone?”
Sasha coughed. “Not at all, actually,” she said. “She has this whole guarded exterior thing down to a tee, but I know better.”
Adrian rubbed his face with his palm, looking down as he balanced his phone on his ear.
“What are you talking about, Sasha?”
“Your mate’s got some big-time trust issues. We talked for hours, and she didn’t spill a single relevant thing you wouldn’t see on a dating profile or a social media feed.”
“So?”
“So, she drank a lot, and usually, the point of unwinding is, you know, unwinding. But she’s wound super tight.”
Adrian sighed.
“Be patient with her,” Sasha said. “And if you want to get her to go along with anything, you’re going to need to really fight for it. Because it seems to me like she wants to run for the hills.”
Adrian tapped on the doorframe, partially convinced now that Luna wasn’t coming back up after all.
“I just …” Adrian started. “It’s not supposed to be this hard. We’re supposed to be destined for each other or something.”
“Oh, waah, waah,” Sasha replied. “The only things that matter in life you have to fight for, big bro. If it didn’t take a lot of work to get her, you’d be super bored, just like you always are. In a way, it’s perfect,” she continued.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, think of it this way. If your fated mate just showed up in the middle of the training grounds, and she was all over you, wouldn’t you be scared shitless?”
“No. I’d be grateful.”
“That’s a load of crap. You’d be panicking and trying to find some way out of it. I know you. I’ve seen how you emote with women.”
Inhaling deeply, Adrian replied tersely. “Goodbye, Sasha.”
“You’re welcome, big bro. The truth hurts sometimes. But that’s why I’m here looking out for you.”
That resolved all his questions. He might as well leave, but still, Adrian had hope and stayed glued to the spot. He hadn’t heard any windows open, meaning she hadn’t snuck out. Worst case scenario, she’d gone back to bed and had fallen asleep.
So, as Adrian stood there, again looking down at his watch and confirming that he only had forty minutes left, he was surprised when Luna appeared fully dressed, her eyes halfway closed, wearing a blue dress picked from what was provided in the wardrobe.
He was relieved the clothing fit her.
“I’m going to need lots and lots of coffee,” Luna said a little groggily.
“That’s fine. There’s coffee.”
Adrian almost couldn’t contain his joy at seeing her, which he sensed made Luna uneasy.
“Yeah … well, there’d better be.”
In spite of her easing grumpiness, Luna seemingly still had to get the final word in. Adrian chuckled as they walked along, the morning prickle of the sun contradicting the cool blowing air.
The walk back to the village was tense at first, with neither of them wanting to say anything. Adrian had to be the one to break the silence.
“Seems like you had an interesting night last night,” Adrian said, the green of the trees, vines, and bushes strong in his vision, illuminated by the overbearing sun.
