I assured her, “We will get you there.” Freya laughed, “I know. One day wolves will without a doubt sense our presence. You and me both.” I agreed, “Sure.” Wolves could always sense other wolves without really trying. They must be having to try hard to reach Freya right now.
I jumped into the shower. I linked Sierra, “What the hell do I wear to Black Mountain?!” Sierra replied, “Something casual. Like you aren’t trying too hard.” That was not helpful. I ended up picking a white tight turtleneck with metallic jeans and knee high black boots. I curled my hair loosely, threw on my red lipstick, then ran downstairs.
Xander looked up when he heard me coming. He smiled and kissed me. He pulled back to say, “You look stunning. I’ll be back.” He popped away. I asked Phil, “Where did he go?” Phil answered wryly, “To shower. I’ll just bet it’s a record fast shower for him. That is a powerful smell. Not even a shower can hide that, little Luna bestie of mine.”
I frowned questioning, “What smell? I’ve always smelled like strawberries.” Phil laughed, “You’re so cute.” I didn’t like when people said that. It meant I’d missed something. Sierra came in explaining, “He means you smell like you, your Xander, and sex.” I blushed.
Xander popped beside me, and I glanced up at him. I had to gulp. His hair was wet which somehow made him even sexier. I inhaled noting he smelled like me too. He kissed my forehead then whispered, “You smell amazing. Sierra smells the same except she smells like Phil, not me.” Sierra and Phil smirked.
Phil opened a portal. Xander grabbed my hand and popped me into what must be his room. I gasped looking around, “This is your room?” I mean I had the schematics…for reasons…. But it was something in person. It was more like a penthouse.
He corrected, “It’s our room. You can change anything you want.” Ours? Holy crap. I ran over to the window to look out at the pack I’d been dreaming of coming to since I was old enough to have dreams and wishes. I whispered, “The mountain.” It was incredible. Heck, the whole territory was amazing.
There were people randomly throughout the pack. Everyone seemed so happy here. I spotted a family, and I couldn’t help but smile because I knew them because I’d sent them here knowing they’d shine. I caught the faintest glimpse of Paisley before she rounded a corner.
I couldn’t stop myself from choking up. I really liked Paisley. It’s why I helped her get out. She’d always been kind to me no matter what. I knew it was hard for her because sometimes Buck showed he had the potential to be a great guy, but he couldn’t do it for her. His way of showing her was getting her to reject him and have me get her out instead of manning up. He was a conundrum.
Xander pressed himself against me and lightly drew circles on my hip. He whispered, “What do you think?” I told him honestly, “It’s beautiful.” He kissed my forehead and whispered, “I need to go see Wes before I take you right here.”
I laughed, “Later?” Xander chuckled, “We might not manage to leave then.” We had to leave before Elise and EJ came home. Xander urged, “Help yourself to anything here.” He kissed me then popped away.
I actually squealed because I was in Black Mountain. In the Conners house. Life was so surreal right now. I walked around the room before I picked up a picture of him, EJ, and Elise. It was taken at her Luna Ceremony. My heart clenched and I moved on. There were dozens of pictures of the family all over. Several of him, EJ, Elise, Cassie, and Cayden.
I couldn’t help but wish I’d be in these pictures with them now that we’d found each other. I turned and another picture caught my eye. My heart stopped as I spotted my brother. Jason was in the photo. I ran over and picked it up. He looked so happy.
In fact, both Xander and Jason did. They were laughing at something. I found the more recent pictures of Xander and Jason. It was confusing because Jason looked tired in them. Was he worried about something? I’d have to help my brother if he needed it.
I walked over to the bookshelf and tilted my head. There was the regular bookshelf, then a second one almost hidden by the first. I squealed when I saw what was on the almost hidden one. The Thoroughbred books.
Honestly, I’d missed my personal copies. Jason had eventually admitted after a year of asking for them that he’d burned them all as my punishment. I’d gotten a library pass, but it wasn’t the same as the full collection I had once owned.
I pluckedA Home for Melanieoff the shelf. I studied the bookshelf realizing Xander had every single book in the series. Just like I did. Well, he wasn’t kidding when he said he liked these books. Freya said, “This is one of those times I need you to catch on. He has them for a reason.” Yeah, that was obvious. He liked the book series. She groaned.
I laid down on his bed and started to read. I was deep into it when he popped back into the room. He looked at the book in my hands. He asked, “How did you find that? Did I leave it out?” I laughed, “No. Your secret bookshelf behind the other bookshelf is crafty, but if you look closely... you can see the books behind it.” I got up and put his book back. Xander was looking at me strangely.
I asked, “Did you and Wesley get everything sorted?” Xander nodded, “Yes, he wants to meet you.” I nervously asked, “How does he know that I’m here?” Xander laughed, “Not unlike you smell like me, I smell like you.” I blushed, “Oh.”
Xander walked over and kissed me before he tapped my nose. He teased, “Yes, oh. He will meet us in the gym. He was just going to grab Buttercup. Phil just walked in with Sierra to show her the gym. Gage is there too. He’s very excited to meet you before he leaves to go look for his mate. We should go before Phil needles me about timelines again.”
Gage walked into the room. Xander snorted, “I was coming to the gym, where you were. So of course you come here.” He replied, “Sometimes the Gamma senses tell you when to get gone. You and Phil met your mates, and you approved me going to look for mine.”
Gage turned to me greeting, “Hello, Ashley.” I waved, “Umm hi… Gage… I mean Gamma Gage….” He cut me off, “You’re my Luna so let’s go with Gage.” I told him, “Best of luck on your search for your mate. I mean… you could check… umm…. Never mind… that’s silly.”
He asked, “What is?” I rambled, “Umm… nothing… it was nothing.” He snorted, “Your voice squeaked. You’re a bad liar.” I winced, “Me?” Xander nuzzled my ear, “Where should he check, Lovebug?”
I blurted out, “Maine. I mean… maybe not… but like… Sugarloaf Mountain, if we were being specific… I mean the pack… that lives near the mountain…called Sugarloaf Mountain Pack… It could be a good place to see… it’s pretty… I mean I hear that…”
He cut me off, “We know you did a workshop there. So, I know you’ve been there.” I hummed, “Right. Exactly… workshop….” Gage continued, “Right after a rogue attack took out their pack leadership.”
I agreed, “Yeah… no… you’re totally right… all that… uh huh… but like….” He asked, “And who should I meet?” I replied, “Obviously Alpha Granger, because… he’s the Alpha… now… But his Gamma’s sister is… umm… cool. You’d like her… and look cute together so…”
He grinned cutting me off saying, “I’m off, Alexander. I have to tell the pilot to change our destination.” I asked, “Where were you going?” He answered, “I was going to start in Beta Female Everly McAlister’s former pack.” My eyes widened.
He waved, “Now, I’ll be heading to Maine. Thanks, Luna.” I stammered, “Ummm it’s not… It’s just a… I think you’d be cute.” He winked, “I know.” He left. Freya offered, “You don’t need to panic about sending him the opposite way he was going. You’re right about who is cute together.” I was sometimes.
I stammered to Xander, “Umm he shouldn’t change his travel plans. Everly’s old pack… I mean Beta Female Everly’s pack, yeah, she has a title… will be expecting him and…” He cupped my face, “He decided he was leaving a few hours ago. It wasn’t a big plan. He’d been planning to look for his mate for months he just didn’t have the exact dates.” I gulped, “Umm ok… that’s… ok.”
Sierra linked me, “Serious bitch alert.” I asked, “Huh?” Xander popped us into the gym. He instantly stiffened. I heard Sierra snort, “You being Claire means nothing to me.” I knew who Claire was but not what she looked like. I’d forced myself not to look up her picture.
