Page 76 of The Strongest Wolf

She draws me into a hug. “Come back and visit anytime.” After leaning back, she meets my eyes. “Not that being Luna will leave you much free time, but come when you can.”

My stomach roils at the thought of stepping into a role that still terrifies me, but I swallow down the fear that wants to rise and make me change my mind.

No, a life with Galen is what I want. And my wolf deserves a fresh start after I’ve deprived her of one for so long.

If that means being Luna, then so be it. I survived the Stone pack. I can survive whatever else life throws at me.

Hugging everyone goodbye proves to be as hard—and as emotional—as I thought it would be. I never imagined that two weeks after arriving here to reunite Galen with Eden would have ended with me making such close friends.

Nathan hugs me so hard I gasp for breath. “Sorry about—”

I hug him harder. “No need to apologize. I know you didn’t mean it.”

He pulls back, and for a rare moment, his eyes aren’t smiling. “It was dumb, and I wasn’t thinking. If you like the car, you can keep it.”

I gape at him. “You’re letting me keep your car because you scared me?”

His smile is surprisingly serious as he shakes his head. “No, I’m letting you keep it because that’s what family does.”

“But we’re not family,” I remind him.

“Sure we are. Just think of me as the annoying little brother you never had.”

“That’s kind of hard to do when you’re older than me,” I sniff, barely holding my tears at bay.

“So, the wise older brother, then.” He grins before backing away.

I won’t keep his car, I know that. But for him to have made the offer and mean it is something I will never forget. “Thanks, Nathan.”

He salutes me before turning to take Angel from Talis. For a second, I watch him as he gently rocks her. He’s a joker most of the time, but sometimes he’s not, and I wonder what else lies beneath the surface of his smiles and jokes.

I hug Eden last, my eyes so filled with tears I can barely see as I squeeze her tight.

“Come back and visit soon, okay?” she whispers in my ear.

I nod. “I’ll try. But you and Luka have to come and see me as well, okay?”

“We will.” Her voice is thick with tears as she squeezes me back just as hard. “And drive safely. Marshall saved our numbers in your cell, so call and let me know when you get there.”

“I will.” Why is it so impossible to let her go? “What if—”

“Everything will work out,” Eden interrupts. “And you’ll find the same happiness as I have with Luka. I feel it in my bones.”

Finally, I find the strength to let her go and take a step back. Her cheeks are wet, and it’s through sheer force that I’m not a teary mess. “I’d better go.”

Nathan’s car, a dark green Honda Civic, purrs to life the moment I turn the key in the ignition. A glance reveals the fuel gauge is nearly full. I don’t know how far it will take me before I’ll have to stop for gas, but a good long way, I hope. With the thermos of coffee and snacks in the seat beside me, I have everything I need for my drive to New York.

When I spot the bulging white envelope at the top of the duffel, my eyes widen at the cash stuffed inside. I’d assumed Dayne was talking about lending me a few bucks, not the hundred or more there has to be. Turning, I roll the window down. “I don’t need this much money,” I tell him.

“You might if you have to stop for the night. I’m not expecting it to be paid back, so use it to buy what you need. Nathan will collect the change when he comes to collect his car.” His lip twitches. “Or just the credit card.”

I want to argue, but there’s a firmness in his ice-blue stare that warns me it’s not an argument that I would win. So I lift my hand in a wave before I pull away from the pack house.

The built-in GPS has plotted my journey out for me, so I don’t even have to think about figuring out directions.

They thought of everything.

Driving for over twenty-four hours makes me a little nervous, but with the adrenaline and excitement thrumming through me, I know I won’t be sleeping anytime soon.

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