Nova and I ran until she physically couldn't go any further. At that point, we shifted, and I dressed, taking over. Nova had gotten us close to a little town. I walked into the town until I found a bus station. I wasn't sure where I was going to go. I lived in a small town in Idaho. I always hated the cold, so looking at the map, I decided to go to Arizona. I remember a time when my dad was really drunk; he had mentioned my mom was from Arizona. I wanted to see if Nova liked the idea of going to Arizona, but she was asleep. She was exhausted from running so far.
I bought my ticket and boarded the bus. I didn't have any friends I was leaving behind. The only people who will probably even notice I'm gone are my teachers and the people I work with at the diner. I won't be able to reach out to them, though my dad will be giving everyone a hard time trying to find me. That's one thing I can be sure of. Luckily I hadn't opened a bank account because my dad could never be bothered to go with me and I hadn't been old enough to open an account on my own. So all my money is in my backpack. I should be okay for a little while.
The bus only had three other people on it. I was exhausted. I took a lock out of my backpack, locked the zipper shut, put one strap around my arm just to be safe, and used it as a pillow to get some sleep. It took two days to get to Arizona. I spent one day in Phoenix. I had never been to a large city, and it proved to be too much for me, and it made Nova really anxious. We ended up going further north. We went further north. We needed to be somewhere with space where Nova would be able to run and somewhere I could be a little more comfortable.
The town we ended up in is super cute. Nova has been so quiet, though. I was giving her space, but I need to talk to her.
"Nova, are you okay?"
"I will be." She said solemnly
"What's wrong?"
"It was our mate who attacked your dad. He saved us. He was there, which means he did want us." She says I can hear the hurt in her voice.
"Maybe he will find us here," I say brightly, trying to exude confidence in my words.
"I hope so, Lila; he would need to be a really strong wolf to track us, though. Most wolves wouldn't be able to track their mate across multiple states, especially when they took a bus. He won't have a strong scent to follow."
"Well, I guess we will just have to hope he's a strong wolf or clever enough to find a way to get to us." I don't know how I feel about having an instant soulmate. I might not even like the guy, even if he is the most attractive man I have ever seen. I don't want to upset Nova, so I don't mention that I'm nervous about what will happen if he does find us.
We both let the subject go. We need to find a place to stay, which is proving to be really difficult. I'm newly eighteen; I don't have a job, no credit history, no high school diploma, just a driver's license, which doesn't really help with anything.
I go into a little diner, which instantly makes me feel at home. It's so cute and smells like cinnamon rolls. I sit down at an empty table and order a coffee, and start using the prepaid phone I bought to look up available rentals near me. My mouth almost hits the floor when I see the cost. It is definitely going to be a challenge finding somewhere to live. I may need to get a tent and a gym membership. At least that way, I'll have a place to sleep at night, and the gym would have shower accommodations.
I was just looking at gyms nearby when I heard two women at the table next to me talking about how they were having a hard time finding a full-time caregiver for one of their mothers. They think it'd be a great opportunity, as the job comes with housing. This could be just what I need.
"Hi, my name is Lila. I'm sorry to intrude. I overheard you talking, though, and I am new to town, and I would love the chance to talk to you about the job." I sound more enthusiastic than I should.
The women give me a strange look.
The woman whose mother needs help answers. "You're a rogue."
"Yes, ma'am. I do not have a pack. I actually just learned what I am a couple of weeks ago." I say honestly, thanks to Nova, I know what packs and rogues are now, and I'm not about to lie to a potential employer. Nova said she could sense lots of wolves nearby and thought we could be near a pack.
Both women look at me in shock. "You just found out you were a wolf, or you just found out you were a rogue?" She asks with curiosity on her face.
"Both, actually," I reply simply.
The women continue to stare at me more intently now, like they are trying to see if I'm being truthful. After what felt like at least minutes, she speaks again. "Do you have experience as a caregiver?"
"No, ma'am, but I am a fast learner. I won't make you regret taking a chance on me." I state promisingly.
The woman I have been speaking to introduces herself as Stephanie, and her friend is Alice. Stephanie has a lot of questions, which I answer as honestly as I can and without having to go into too much detail. I tell her I just turned eighteen and needed to move because my father wasn't accepting of what I am. They are also wolves, and there is a pack just twenty minutes outside of town. They want me to consider talking to their alpha when he returns and potentially becoming a part of their pack. I tell them I will think about it.
"You will need to meet my mother. If she likes you and approves, then the job is yours," Stephanie says.
Stephanie drives me to her mother's house. Her mother is a spitfire, but I like her instantly. Her last three caretakers quit because Betty can be so difficult. I think we get along really well, though. For the first time in a week, things are finally looking up, and the little room I will have is absolutely beautiful. There is a queen-sized bed with white linen, the curtains are pale yellow lace, and the bedroom set is dark oak. Until this moment, I never knew the house I grew up in didn't ever really feel like a home. Something about this house is so comfortable, and I feel at home here and in this sleepy town. It's different from anything I've felt before. Nova loves it. We sit down on the bed, and I grab a cute little stuffed wolf on the bedside table and pull it close to me, and there it is. The smell is faint, but I smell paperback books and rain on the desert ground, with hints of honeysuckle. It smells like our mate.
Since discovering Lila is my mate, I have been following her around as discreetly as possible. Jake has been looking into her and her father in as much detail as possible. Donte has been speaking to people around town to try to dig up what he can. I return to the hotel, trying to control my temper. I am getting really irritated by Keith, Lila's father, because he seems to be guarding her, and I can't get close to her. I need to be near her more than I have ever needed anything.I barge into the room. "Luke, I've got something on her." I have never been so happy to have Jake as my beta."What did you find?""She did have a birth certificate to enroll in school. Someone just went into their system and wiped it. I was able to pull it from the state records, though. Lila Anneli Parker is her full name. Her parents are Kieth Parker and Gemma Woods.""Gemma. Her mother is Gemma. I need to call my father.""Wait, dude, there's more." I brace myself for what else Jake found."She came here wi
Betty is wonderful. She is the grandmother I wish I had growing up. Stephanie said she could be difficult, but I haven't found that to be true. Betty is opinionated and likes things a certain way, but who doesn't? Betty doesn't need a lot of care, more, so she needs companionship. I go out and do all the shopping, I keep the house tidy and tend to Betty's garden. Betty likes to cook. I have never had such good food. My dad didn't cook often, so we ate microwave meals and ordered out a lot.I tried cooking for Betty but was horrible at it. She tried one bite, stood up from the table, and dumped the dinner I made straight into the bin. I almost started crying, but Betty laughed and said she's had a lot of bad meals in her time but that my burnt yet raw chicken was probably one of the worst things she's ever been served, and from that point, she's been determined to try to teach me how to cook.After spending time with Betty, I can proudly say that I can now make scrambled eggs only, som
I just bit him. I literally bit someone. I feel Nova is absolutely delighted with herself. I, on the other hand, am completely mortified. I step back from the beautiful man I just physically assaulted and he is smiling down at me."Well, hello there, my sweet little mate." He chuckles, looking down at me."I... I... am so sorry. It's my wolf."He is all smiles, though, as I realize I am still standing much too close to this man he pulls me into a hug and plants a gentle kiss on the top of my forehead."I see you have met my grandma." I hear Betty coughing behind me.Betty is still where I had just walked past her when trying to leave. I told her I had met my mate, but we hadn't discussed it yet. That's one of the things I was hoping to ask her about before things fell apart today."Good thing you arrived when you did, Luke. Your mate is a runner. You caught her just in time." She has a lightness in her voice as she says this, and I see a smile in her eyes.My eyes dart between these t
I sighed and knew I needed to tell Lila everything. Her wolf chose me, but I want her, the woman, to want to choose me as well. I have been watching Lila for weeks, and she is an incredible woman. She is strong, hard-working, kind, and gorgeous."I came to your town to find Gemma."Lila let out a gasp. "My mom?""Yes, I was supposed to be looking for her to see where she might have gone. My dad has been searching for her for years.""Well, I can help with that. My mom died during childbirth." Her voice is quiet, and it quivers as she holds back tears for a mom she never had the chance to know, and my heart aches for her, knowing her world is going to be turned upside down yet again."That's not exactly true. Me and the two men you saw me with at the diner, Jake and Donte, we've been looking into her. We also looked into it once we saw you at the diner." I looked at her, and she didn't seem surprised."Okay, what did you find out?" She bit her lip, a nervous gesture I guessed. If this
I feel as though I'm living in a movie. Nothing feels real right now. I want answers to my questions, and I'll take time to process them later."Well, your wolf bit me because she has chosen me to be her mate. What this means is that she has committed herself to me. It will be very difficult for you to leave me now. Your wolf will pull you toward me. There are a lot of things that come with being a wolf and being mated. Your wolf has linked you to me. I can feel your emotions." Did he seriously just say he can feel my emotions that can't be possible? He is miscommunication.I interrupted him, "Can you elaborate on the feeling my emotions bit?""Well, your wolf is tethered to me, so I can feel what you feel, but not quite to the same extreme because we aren't fully mated yet. My wolf hasn't bitten you yet. Once that happens, you'll be able to feel my emotions too and more." I can tell he's hesitant to tell me everything. So I just move on to my next questions."My wolf, Nova, can I get
I wake up to the most delicious scent and feel so content in this bed. As I start to wake up more, though, I feel something hard against my backside. That's when I remember where I am and who is behind me in this bed, and I know what I am feeling is Luke's erection pushed against me. I try to ease myself out of bed, but his arms are wrapped around me.I try to wriggle free, but to my dismay, I'm stuck, and I don't want to wake him, so instead, I find I can roll onto my back, and I turn my head to look at Luke and get a better look at him.Nova took this moment to purr. "I thought you were a wolf, not a house cat," I say flatly to her."Our mate is perfect, Lila. Just look at him." With that, she purrs again, and that's when I see Luke smirk.I move to shove his arm off of me with a huff."Well, hello there, my sweet little mate," Luke said in a sexy, gruff tone."How long have you been awake?" I demand. I tried to sound annoyed, but if I'm being honest, I haven't slept that well in pr
When I gave birth to my daughter, it was a very difficult experience. I remember it so clearly. Keith and I were so excited about meeting our little girl. We painted her nursery and picked out all her clothes.Keith knew I was a wolf and that he was my fated mate. I explained it all to him, and he was okay with everything. He was even excited when he was able to meet my wolf, Sky. We have been traveling a lot. Keith wanted to make sure we settled in a place where we would be safe, but he wasn't comfortable staying in my pack. He isn't a wolf, and it was too much for him. I was okay with this, though, as I would follow him anywhere.We had rented a little house in North Carolina. No packs were anywhere nearby, so we thought this would be the perfect place for us. Our little girl decided she wanted to come sooner than we expected, though. There were complications during birth, though. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue because pack doctors can help treat you. I couldn't go to a regular
After speaking with Betty and Luke together, I just felt exhausted. There is so much I have been through recently, and I think it's finally catching up with me on an emotional level. I tried to excuse myself back to my room, but Luke insisted I come back to what's called the pack house. That's the primary home for the pack. It's where the alpha lives, and Luke is the alpha.I tried to stay, stating I was hired to be with Betty, but she said I should go, and Luke stated he would send someone over to be with Betty. Betty, being his grandmother and knowing we were mates, helped convince her I should be with him. I don't think I'm ready to live with some man I just met though. He must have seen the hesitation on my face because he said I could stay in the room across from his but that it made him more comfortable to know where I was and know that I was safe.I was too tired to argue, and so here we are, in the most massive home I have ever seen in person. Luke said he needed to check in o