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“I’ve an idea.” He turned on the bed, sitting crisscrossed. I mirrored him, and our knees touched. “We haven’t had time for dates or doing anything but racing around hunting witches, dealing with fey drama, and trying to figure out my pack. Let’s take the time now.”
Take the time? I liked the sound of that. We’d been going a mile a minute for the last couple of months, but take time for what exactly? “What do you mean?”
He smiled, and it was as if the room brightened. “I talked to the pack before I woke you. The next full moon is eight days away, and I’ve already cleaned house. I’m giving them t
hat time to lick their wounds and talk amongst themselves. I’ve done what I can for now. I honestly don’t want to campaign for them when I don’t even know if I still want the job. So, the rest will be done at the full moon. Which means we have eight whole days. We’re taking a holiday.”
Warmth filled me as I thought about all the awesomeness of that word. “A holiday?”
“I nearly lost you. It’s going to take me some time to get over that. I’ve a need to have you all to myself for a bit.”
“But what about the pack?” I scooted away from him. “Do you think it’s okay to take time away when everything is so fragile here?”
“You were right. I don’t want to rule a pack from fear. If I stay on as Alpha, then that means leaving the Seven. They have to want me to stay. I’m not going to fight them anymore.” He grabbed my hand. “I’m old enough to know that you have to keep in mind what’s important. I forgot that in the rush to fulfill my job as Alpha and Council member. But things change. And to be honest, I’ve been doing the same thing for a long time. It took me a while to realize how tired of it all I was. This—” He waved a hand between us. “Is what life is about. Love. Family. I thought I had that in the pack.”
I felt horrible for him. He’d been betrayed not just by one pack member, but by everyone who’d allied with Saoirse and Vivian. They’d all come against him. “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “It’s not your fault.”
“No, but your pack…” I sighed. “You sure you’re okay leaving? Even if it costs you the pack?”
“Meredith. I’m not about being Alpha to a pack that hates me. It’s not the life I want. I’d like a family and some fun, which I’ve been sorely lacking. I didn’t realize how much until our chats while you were watching that God-awful American television.”
“Hey, now. You live with me, you live with my DVR.” I was quiet for a second. “What would you do with all your time if you weren’t the Alpha?”
“I’d still be with the Seven. So, that’d take up a good bit of time. But we could do whatever you want. I’ve had a bit of time to accumulate investments. We could travel. I know you fancied going to school for psychology. Right?”
I was a little speechless for a second. When I thought I was going to be cursed forever, I’d thought about going to college and getting a job like a human. I wasn’t fitting into the pack anymore, and it seemed like a good idea to explore my options. But I hadn’t told Donovan about my plans. “How did you know that?”
“A little fairy told me.”
I laughed. “Cosette will love that you called her a fairy.”
“I’m positively shaking in my boots.” He winked. “If you still want to pursue your studies, that’s grand, but I’m pretty open to suggestions. We’ve plenty of time to figure all that out.”
I nodded. I had one more question before I was ready to get my bag. “What happened to Vivian?”
“Ah. Now, there’s a story. Her madness was proven. That’s why Sebastian was here. We held a tribunal by the book, and her body was burned. She’s gone.”
God. I’d missed a lot while I was asleep. “I’m sorry. I’m sure that was hard.”
“I should’ve found a way to do it sooner. I let a mad wolf go free for too long. That’s something I’ll have to live with, but her death was just.” I started to say something, but he put a finger to my lips, stopping me. “No,” he said. “That’s enough of the heavy stuff for the moment. Let’s go. I don’t want to wait another minute. I’ve your bags ready. Everyone is out on a run. Let’s cut out before they get back.”
I looked around the room. “We can do that? Really? We can just go?”
“Aye. We can. And we are. Right now.”
He jumped off the bed, taking my hand and pulling me up with him. “Come on, a ghrá. Let’s have ourselves a wee holiday. I think we deserve it. Don’t you?”
I took a second to wrap my arms around him, resting my head in the crook of his neck and breathing his scent deep. He was my home, and no matter what we decided, I knew everything would be okay as long as we were together. “We’ve earned more than just a wee holiday, but that’ll do for now.”
Eight days in the country together sounded amazing. No pack or fey drama butting in. No beasts trying to kill me. Nothing but us. I fully intended to enjoy every second of it.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Hey.” Two arms wrapped around me, pulling me across the bed. “Why are you so far away from me?”
Waking up next to Donovan was officially the best thing ever.
