Page 118 of Alpha's Revenge Luna
Dion’s gaze lingers on the kitchen door where she wandered off to, his brow furrows in contemplation.The pensive look on his face concerns me; it is as if he is piecing together a puzzle.He turns to me, and there is a gravity in his eyes that paralyzes me to the spot.
“We need to leave,” he whispers, his voice barely a breath, ensuring the words are just for me.The urgency in his tone is unmistakable.
I nod, feeling the layers of expectation I had built up about this visit crumble within me.My stomach twists into a knot—the kind that no amount of rational thought can untie.This is not the familial reunion I had envisioned.The warmth of the hearth did little to stave off the cold realization that something is amiss.
My thoughts churn, a whirlpool of confusion and worry.
Dion comes over to me, hand grabbing mine as he pulls me to my feet, his movements deliberate.Rising from the couch, I peer up at him.
“Are you okay?”I ask, though what I really wanted to ask is a thousand different things.Like if he felt the same pervasive sense of wrongness that is gnawing at me.
“I’m fine,” he says, but his eyes dart to the hallway where Grandma has disappeared.“Just thinking.”
“About?”I prod.
I cast a backward glance at the mantle, at the photo of Grandpa wondering why a photo had upset him so much.But there is only the echo of our footsteps and the faint, distant sound of a phone being placed back onto its cradle.
Grandma reenters the room, her hands fidgeting with thehem of her cardigan.
“So where is he?Can I have the address to stop in and see him?”I ask, my voice steadier than I feel.
Her reply comes swiftly, slicing through the air with an edge sharper than I remember from her.“I’m not giving you the address,” she says flatly.“I won’t have—your mate—” she cast a fleeting but pointed look Dion’s way, “—frighten off the friends he’s made.”
Dion doesn’t flinch at her words, but his jaw is clenched, the muscle ticking.The sting of her barbs course through me, and I bite back a retort, knowing it will only wedge the divide deeper.Instead, I pull my gaze away, feeling the cool rejection settle like frost on my skin.
I step closer to Dion.“Well, we better—” Grandma cuts me off.
“Wait, you’re leaving already?”she asks, glancing between us.
I chew my lip nervously.One second ago, she didn’t look like she wanted us here and now she wants us to stay.
“But Caleb is on his way.I just asked them to drop him off.”Excitement fills me and I glance at Dion when I feel the mind-link open up.
“We need to leave, Emery.”
“But Caleb?”I mind-link back.
“No, we need to leave,” Dion urges, and I feel his worry and my brows furrow as he drops his arm across my shoulders.I glance up at him.
“Don’t fight me, I will explain once home and after I verify a few things,” he adds.
“You haven’t even finished your tea,” Grandma urges, moving to the coffee table.I sigh and take a step toward her, but Dion’s grip tightens on my shoulder, stopping me.
“We must get going, we were only passing through,” Dion says, “We were hoping Caleb would have been home by now, but we can stop by next week,”
“Maybe Emery can stay the night?”Grandma asks, and Ifeel his grip tighten on me, his arm slipping to my waist, tucking me closer.Why is he acting this way?
“Perhaps, but we should get going if we want to get home before dark,” Dion tells her, and I don’t miss how Grandma’s eyes narrow slightly.
“Go with Dion,” Elara urges me, and she must feel my confusion.
“Whatever Dion is thinking, he is worried for our safety.Something is off and when he looked at the photo, I didn’t like the way he or his wolf reacted,” Elara tells me.
“Okay, Grandma,” I plaster a fake smile, reaching out to her, and signaling the end of our visit with a heavy heart.She steps closer hesitantly and I give her an awkward hug because Dion doesn’t let me go.
“Drive safe,” she offers, her voice devoid of warmth as we turns to leave.Dion ushers me out of the house and to the car.
He opens the back door for me, and I pause, turning to wave to Grandma when he blocks my view of her.“I need you to get in the car, love.Now!”Dion says, forcing a bit of his aura over me, not enough to hurt me but enough to show he will use it if I don’t listen.Kyrio, feeling it, jumps off the hood looking alert, and immediately climbs into the driver’s side.I peer up at Dion and I can see he is only a moment away from tossing me in the car.Sliding into my seat, he shuts the door, climbing in the passenger seat.Kyrio takes off, leaving a dust trail while I glance at Dion, plugging my seatbelt in.
