Page 14 of Destined Bear
Home. How laughable. I can’t consider Willow Grove my home anymore. How can I? I haven’t been here for years.
But under Emeric’s steadfast gaze, I hate to admit that it certainly feels like home.
A deep, burning desire almost chokes me as I silently beg Emeric to just say the right thing, apologize for the way he treated me all those years ago. If he would just say he was wrong, I might be able to forgive him.
But he’s already gone, walking away with his over-confident stride, back into the council room, and Heath reappears with Alessa in her fully dressed human form on his heels.
“So,” my friend purrs, batting her eyes. “How did it go?”
“I don’t need a ride home,” I tell the Beta. I nod toward Alessa. “I’m going with her.”
The two of us head outside, leaving Heath standing there helplessly. He keeps looking over his shoulder toward the council room, probably worried that Emeric will emerge and override my decision.
But I’m not waiting around to see if that happens. I just want to get out of there and check on Mom.
“Why did I let you talk me into coming to see him when I first got here?” I ask my friend.
Although I’m not really mad at Alessa. I’m mad at myself, and she knows it, too.
“Like you had a choice.” Alessa flips her dark hair over her shoulder, and a cool breeze rustles through both our hair as she leads the way toward the parking lot.
“They want me to take over Mom’s role on the council.”
Of course, she already knew that. She had been skulking around the council room the whole time in her feline form. She’s such a covert little thing in her cat form, she’s evaded detectionby even the Alpha. She knows full well she’s not welcome at the council meetings, but that doesn’t stop her from always pushing the rules.
“I figured as much.” She unlocks her convertible with her key fob, and the vehicle beeps twice, her graceful figure sliding into the front seat as I amble around to the passenger side. “Obviously, you’re doing it.”
I roll my eyes. She knows me too well.
Just like Emeric, it’s like no time has passed with Alessa, despite the years apart.
But Alessa and I had remained in contact, through text, at least. “To what end, though, Alessa? I mean, come on. We don’t even know what’s going on with my mom. I’m working on getting qualified healers to examine her, but this whole thing is starting to feel like an exercise in futility. Maybe there really isn’t anything to be done for Mom.”
“Why don’t we go find out?”
Alessa squeals out of her parking space, narrowly missing another car with her back bumper. The driver gives her a horrified look and flips her the middle finger as Alessa laughs.
“Alessa, you haven’t changed a bit.” I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I don’t tell her that, and I think she knows what I’m thinking even if I don’t say it aloud.
“Thanks!”
I laugh in spite of myself. I’m glad she’s on my side, even if she reports to Emeric. The sooner I let my guard down and accept that I’m in Willow Grove territory with Emeric at the helm, the less stressed out I’ll be. But it’s going to take time, especially with Emeric and the way the pack, save a few, are looking at me like I betrayed them.
Alessa weaves in and out of traffic like the maniac she is, and my heart swells with affection for her.
Living out in Nottery had been isolating, with only Mom and her prior nurse as company. It’s good to have friends again, especially ones as impulsive as Alessa. She changes up the mundane and makes life more interesting for sure.
She steers her car up the front driveway of the cottage, and I see yet another car I don’t recognize in front of the house.
Alessa casts me a sidelong look. “Now what?”
But I don’t answer. My eyes are fixed on the unfamiliar vehicle outside the stone house.
My stomach flips. “I told Millie not to let anyone in unless I approve them first.”
It better not be another one of Emeric’s healers trying to sneak past my new rules.
I jump out of the car. I don’t trust Millie to handle this situation properly.
