Chapter 61

Chapter 61

"Luna, what are you doing here?" As Gabriel noticed me, he appeared astonished and halted in mid-step while crossing a hallway.

"I'm looking for Derrick." I encircled my body with my arms and spoke softly.

Even though I wasn't prepared for any of this, I had no other option; therefore, it didn't matter.

I was running out of time.

"He didn't tell you?" My heart fell as he scowled and walked over to me. "He's helping with a situation at another pack; he's going to be gone for most of the day." Even though what he said was obvious, I couldn't help but feel sad. Our mate bond tugged at me, and all of a sudden, my enormous concerns became much less urgent.

Even though I was his friend, I was still refusing to accept his mark, so it wasn't like I had given him any reason to feel obligated to inform me where he was. He was free to go wherever he chose without informing me, but this had severely damaged my incentives.

It felt like minutes to me, but hours that meant nothing to him were vanishing from my grasp in uncontrollable waves.

The fact that he was absent was making me less determined.

Perhaps this was a signal to turn around and hide in order to escape the suffering. Perhaps this was a hint to keep pretending to love him and go away. Perhaps I could grant him his wish for three days, after which I would vanish from sight.

Both the mate bond and my wolf were giving me the creeps. I had nowhere else to go, and they both had the same desire.

"Oh." He took pity on me, and my shoulders slumped.

"Erica is in charge of the pack picnic today; if you have a moment, please lend her a hand. Derrick and Morgan will make sure to return by the afternoon because they always attend her picnics." My cheeks began to flush; was I really so transparent? Was my desperate attempt to stay visible on my face?

I gave a brief nod, a tiny smile tugging at the delta's lips as the shame made my body stiffen.

There would be a large number of people at the picnic, and the entire pack would be observing me. I could never make the same mistake twice with all those eyes watching me every step. Perhaps I would put off the heartache until tomorrow and attempt to mend the situation of our parting last night instead of trying to complicate things more.

"Come with me, and I'll lead you to her. Erica will be ecstatic to finally meet you, I'm sure."

The cottage's shadowing of the pack house, which contrasted sharply with its sleekness, stood out on the short walk to Erica's place. Gabriel didn't even bother to knock on the painted blue door before he went straight by it, ignoring the carefully tended flowers in the garden. He took me through a corridor to an open kitchen area, showing me that he understood the layout of the home far better than I had thought.

Though it didn't belong in the peaceful, comfortable house, my anxiety helped to calm my heart's irregular rhythm.

A youngster thrashed about in a high chair beside a woman standing behind a kitchen counter. I was somewhat relieved to watch her since she was so beautiful and exuded such joy. Her little frame was clad in vibrant clothing, her lovely hazel eyes were shielded by lengthy lashes, and her brown hair fell freely. I was amazed at how her presence could light up any space.

"I don't have time for your foolishness, Gabriel. I need your assistance to set up a garden and cook food, so please don't hesitate to help.

Gabriel interrupted her, rolling his eyes.

"My sister loves to worry; don't mind her." My eyes expanded upon learning of the revelation and the endearing goading.

If they hadn't explicitly stated it, I would never have realized that Gabriel and Erica were siblings. Gabriel was intense and pensive, while Erica was the polar opposite.

I couldn't help but chuckle as Erica threw daggers at her brother. Their connection was so absurdly straightforward that it briefly restored my sanity.

Erica turned to face me, her smile growing as she drew nearer.

She wiped her hands on her apron and turned to face Gabriel, excited, only to turn back to face me, a blush creeping across my cheeks.

"Gabriel, if this is the way you have chosen to introduce me to your mate, I'm going to be so fucking mad at you." Her attitudes changed so effortlessly between the two of us that it was amusing to see as she gave him a stern look and grinned brightly at me.

Gabriel moved a few steps away from me and coughed nervously.

"This is Kylie—Derrick's mate; she's come to help out." Erica's fingers moved to her chest, and her eyes widened in shock. She stepped toward me and pulled me into a tight embrace, and the amazement on her face turned into thankful admiration.

She embraced me, and I was at a loss for what to do.

"You have no idea how grateful I am that you got Derrick to drop Morgan's punishment." All of a sudden, everything began to make more sense than it should have, as she stated. This time, it was my turn to stare at her with wide eyes of disbelief as she withdrew from me.

"You're Morgan's mate?" I said, reasoning that the words would make more sense if I spoke them aloud.

She turned to her fussy toddler and chuckled at my outburst.

"I get that a lot; Morgan can be such a brooding idiot most of the time, but it balances us out." I just gazed as she cooed at her son.

It makes me wonder whether I could have had a relationship like this with Derrick and if our love may have eventually resulted in a house and a family.

"Now come on, I could use the help." She took me out of my pouting thoughts and put her arm around my waist before giving me a quick tour of her house.

While we prepared the feast of delicacies, which included pies, sandwiches, and everything in between, she spoke for the most part, and I listened. It completely relieved me of all of my obligations. I was her Luna, but the task made me think of the ten years I'd spent working in the kitchens at my last pack as an omega, so all of a sudden, nothing felt so large.

"Did the alpha get lucky with you? You two could not have been destined to be with anyone better—a baker for his sweet taste." Her compliment made my heart flutter, but then it fell. She was unaware of the error in our fates and that there was someone else who would have been a better fit for him.

When she realized the truth, she would also despise me.

"Sometimes I feel like all I ever do is make him mad." My abrupt realization caused her to furrowed her brow, but it didn't make her any less gracious.

"Men don't stay mad at their mates for very long; I'm sure we can fix that." She flitted through the garden with her son on her hip, her lightheartedness blooming around me as she winked at me.

She embodied all my desires and all I ought to have become for my partner.

I wanted to be as content as she was, but I knew deep down that I wasn't deserving of her happiness.