Page 258 of His Sunshine Baby

I wipe my tears and take deep breaths. I don’t need a nervous breakdown now, it’s not the time for that.

He takes me by the hand and pulls me to sit next to him on the couch. The rest of our little group spread around in the room, sitting or still standing, but no one’s willing to leave. My cousin, Orpheus, and the Lewis siblings are all looking at us, waiting for what’s next.

“It’s good to see you back,” whispers Clark.

“I know. I didn’t think I’d be so happy to be back, to be honest. I guess I missed home more than I wanted to admit.”

Everyone around us chuckles.

“Stubborn as ever,” says Chris with a sneer.

“As long as you’re back, I’m happy. Forget the banishment, we don’t have any borders anyway, and–”

“Clark, you know it’s not that simple.”

My seriousness seems to pain him, but we have to set things straight. There are some things we won’t be able to avoid.

“I’m no longer part of the White Moon, it’s over.”

“Elena…”

“No, listen. I’m saying this because I need you to know, and because now, it’s okay. I’m fine with that.”

“So you’re with the… Blood Moon now?” asks Levi.

I shake my head.

“No. I’m my own wolf. I’m fine with not belonging to any pack. I’ve never liked answering to anyone, anyway. Alpha or not, I’m better off being a rogue. It’s better this way.”

Maybe because I’m voicing it out for the first time, I’m more convinced than ever.

I’m my own wolf. Not a White Moon daughter, not a Royal, not an Alpha. I’m just me, Elena Whitewood. Selena Bluemoon. I’m half-human, and half-werewolf, and a warrior. I’m different from my cousin, different from my peers.

And that’s okay. I don’t need a clan’s backing, or a Royal’s entitlement. I just need my family and my friends. I think I finally understand Reagan’s feelings a bit better now, and that freedom she always cherished. She couldn’t be tied down, she was a free wolf. I think I’m just like her.

For a while, I explain to Clark everything he may not have heard of already. From when I left the White Moon, to the attack, and the Dark Witch’s threat. Levi and Daniel told him most of what he needed to know already, so I’m just filling in the blanks from my perspective. I stop at the point where I decided to get back with Nathaniel, so we could raise our daughter together.

“I know it’s not what you would have wanted, Clark, but it’s the decision I’ve made. It’s better for her, too.”

“No, it’s fine, Elena. I’ve lost all rights to tell you what to do with your life, or your baby girl’s. I would just like to meet her someday, if you’ll allow it.”

“Of course,” I say with a smile.

I’ve been dying to show Estelle the streets I grew up in. I never had the chance to know much about my mother, so I want to do that with her, so she knows where I come from, and why our family is like it is now.

“Clark. I wanted to talk about the Dark Witch too. I want you to cooperate with the Blood Moon clan. Unconditionally.”

He sighs.

“To be honest, we won’t have much choice. We already lost too many people back then, four and a half years ago. If anything bigger than that is coming, I want to do anything I can to protect our clan, everyone. We’ve been watching the north for a while already. We will move first if anything happens. I just don’t like to think we will be on the front lines, but–”

“We don’t know that for sure,” says Levi. “It might come from the east.”

“Our clan will stand at the border no matter what,” replies Clark with a dark expression. “We have always been. Everyone is preparing for what’s coming. But even if I agree to it, Elena, it won’t be easy to convince everyone. They haven’t forgotten how the Blood Moon clan killed Diego. He was a criminal, but your mate had no right to kill him like a dog.”

I take a deep breath.

“Nathaniel didn’t kill Diego.”

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