36

“Yeah, right…. Shower him with love and then smack him in the face for putting me through all this and stupidly getting himself caught in this fog. Does he have any idea what an idiot that makes him?” Her sass pushes through the tears, the outrage that he abandoned her, and I giggle at her turn in mood. She’s still quietly sniffling but the lightness of her words has me squeezing her tight as Med’s composes herself at an impressive speed and shows me that tough lady, I met so many months ago.

“Tell me about it. I owe Colton a strangling for this one.” I smile but it doesn’t reach my heart. Talking this way is helping though, like its temporary and just a blip we are going to fix. That it’s not serious and they are out there intentionally giving us a hard time like naughty boys looking for attention.

Meadow seems to find strength from somewhere and straightens up, pushing her shoulders back, lifting her chin and wipes her face clear of the mess of tears.

“Right, this time I mean it. Bed, Chica. You have looked exhausted for days and this can’t be helping. Come on, we can cuddle as long as you know it’s not going to second base. I don’t do girls.” Meadow smirks wiping her face for a second time to fully dry it and I throw out my hands in mock exasperation.

“Ughh, I only agreed to bed share because I thought I was getting something out of it.” I wink cheekily, throw my hair over my shoulder as though I’m sulking and then beam at her with a smile I hope reaches my eyes. We both smile at each other, warmly, and I pull off my clothes and head to my closet to find my nightshirt. Normally I’m all about the sexy negligees for Colton’s benefit, but tonight I want to sleep in one of his t-shirts. I need him around me in some kind of way. I need his smell, his presence, his aura. To give me strength to get through this trip and something to hold onto to keep me sane.

Meadow is already in casual wear; she pulls off her hoodie that I only now realize is Cesar’s because his scent is subtly lingering around it. I hadn’t even noticed her complete change of style until she pulled it off to reveal a shirt I’ve seen him wear, over baggy grey sweats that are too big for her. She’s more of a flaunt what you’ve got girl, so I guess much like me she is using his clothes in place of her mate.

We climb into bed and I clap my hands to kill the lights. Something Colton insisted on in our room given how reluctant he is to ever get back out of bed when we get into it.

“This witch better have some answers, I swear.” Meadow snuggles down into the duvet on Colton’s side of the bed and curls closer to me, catching my hands as I lay beside her to turn on my side, so we are face to face mirroring positions. It feels weird to be like this with her, somehow intimate, and in a bed that most definitely has seen some embarrassing scenes between my mate and I. I try not to think of it.

“The fates are sending us to her, given my previous experience with their hints…. I think it’s our best chance at breaking this spell. They never steered me wrong before.” Despite cursing the fates out earlier I still believe they will put me on the right path. I pray so anyway.

“I hope Sierra is right, and she’s wolf friendly, else we might end up in a worse state than our boys.” Her hushed tone injects a hint of seriousness sin the air between us and I shiver a little.

“Yeah, as long as it’s quick and painless, I don’t think we will care.” I giggle to lighten the mood, ignoring the real chance that this may not go well and refusing to ponder on it, and Meadow sighs heavily.

“I’ve been thinking this afternoon. We should take Carmen; she might be useful, and she can drive. She’s going to be useless here and just a weight to Sierra’s load while we’re gone. With us it might take her mind off of this and give her something to do. I know I never liked her, but the girl is a fighter, and her skills made her a good fit for our pack in the past. She can hold her own in a battle and we don’t know what we are driving out into tomorrow.” Meadow’s gaze locks on mine, that shrewd mind seeing a plan that she thinks will give us our best chance. I stay silent for a long while, thinking it over and weighing it up before nodding slowly. Seeing the why in her suggestion and respecting that Colton always values Meadow’s input in all things like this.

“Yeah, I think you’re right. There’s going to be a part of her that tries to take on the responsibility of this, because it was her mom. Maybe helping will listen that weight and focus her on something else while it’s still so raw.” I know Carmen has skills and before there was a ME in her pack, she was seen as capable and tough.

“You’re amazing you know that? I don’t think I could show the same kind of compassion and care to Cesar’s ex, almost mate. You really are a born Luna. You and Colton, you’re a perfect fit.” My face warms at her words and I intertwine my fingers in hers. My heart throbbing with so many conflicting emotions but right now, my focus is on taking one step at a time.

“I don’t really have a choice. We are all in this together, bound by blood and bonds. She’s one of us. The pack needs all of us top survive. Even her.”