My face twitched. I stared at Nonna, my wolf stirring uneasily beneath my skin. She could never know about Jack Hudson. The Alpha King himself. The father of my son. That one night had changed everything, and now that he had found me again after all these years, the secret felt heavier than ever.
"No." I shook my head. Nonna squinted at me, and I added quickly, "I wish I did. I would have gone to him already and punched his face."
"Do not worry. One day you will meet him, and when you do, take me along for a good punching." Nonna grabbed my hand.
"Why should we even waste our time on someone like that?" I tried to sound dismissive.
"But you said you do not know him. How did you know what kind of wolf he is?" Nonna pulled me into a hug.
"Who else would be at a gathering house at night looking for she wolves?" I held her tight, grateful she could not see my face.
My phone buzzed. Richard. The pack healer had been checking on me since I returned from the northern territory. I answered, and he asked if we could have lunch together at the Silver Moon tavern. I told him Nonna would come along. He said that was fine.
"I want you to come with me to have lunch with a friend of mine." I looked at Nonna.
She nodded. "I dedicated my day to you, remember?"
As we drove toward the tavern, I glanced at her hand. No mate mark. No ring. "How about you and Analdo? Why are you not mated yet?"
Nonna pulled the car to the side of the road. She placed her head on the steering wheel, and I heard her sniffle. Then she raised her head and laughed, but it sounded wrong.
"Analdo is having his second pup in a few months. Does that answer your question, girlfriend?" Her eyes turned red.
"I am sorry, Gene. I did not mean to bring back old memories. I did not know he was also an asshole."
We arrived at the Silver Moon tavern and walked inside. Richard stood when he saw us, smiling. He looked healthier than when I last saw him in the northern territory.
"Aurora." He hugged me, and I caught his scent. Pine and something medicinal.
"Good to see you again, Richard."
His eyes moved past me to Nonna, and he stopped. Just froze. "Hello."
Nonna smiled. "Hello."
They shook hands, and I noticed how his gaze lingered on her. We sat down across from him, and throughout our meal, I kept catching them looking at each other.
"How is Cody? I saw him when he was two months old." Richard smiled at me.
"He is doing well. I hope you guys meet soon. Maybe you will be his godfather after all."
"My honor, Aurora. You have no idea how happy I would be to have him as my godson."
"Sorry, my manners. This is Doctor Richard, my good friend from the northern territory." I gestured between them. "This is Nonna, my best childhood friend."
"Nice meeting you, Nonna."
"My pleasure."
The food came, and I was actually starting to relax when I saw them walk in. My wolf whimpered. Ethan and Daisy. My ex-fiancé and my former best friend. The two wolves who had destroyed me.
They sat at the table next to ours. Nonna reached under the table and squeezed my hand. Reassurance. But my hands were already shaking. My wolf wanted to run.
"Are you alright, Aurora?" Richard asked.
"Yeah. I am fine." The words came out wrong, stuttered and weak.
Richard turned to look behind him, then back at me. His expression changed. He must have sensed my distress through my scent.
"Aurora, please calm down," Nonna whispered. "Four years have passed."
I nodded. "I have to be strong." But even as I said it, my eyes filled with tears.
"Aurora, will you just stop this?" Nonna frowned. "If they see you like this, they will think you are still in love with him."
Richard held my hand. "If you do not want to stay here anymore, we could go somewhere else."
Then I felt it. Ethan's wolf reaching out, sensing mine. Our bond had been broken, but there were still traces of it. Phantom pains.
"Aurora." He said my name quietly, but I heard it.
I turned, and our eyes met. His wolf looked surprised. Daisy saw us too, and for a moment, guilt flashed across her face. Then it disappeared, replaced by something cold.
"Let us leave please." I looked at Richard, my eyes apologizing for ruining his lunch.
"Okay. Let us go somewhere else." Richard stood and called for the waiter.
But Ethan was already walking over. "Good to see you again, Aurora." His eyes went straight to my hand. No mate mark. No ring. I could feel his satisfaction, and it made my wolf snarl inside me.
I glared at him but said nothing. If I spoke, I would sob.
"She does not want to talk to you. So Ethan, get the hell out of her sight." Nonna stood between us.
"Let us forget about the past, okay? I do hope you have moved on with your life." His tone was mocking.
"What past? The past where you betrayed your fiancée and fucked her best friend? Is that a past that should be forgotten?" Nonna' voice rose.
Everything clicked for Richard. I could see it on his face.
"Watch your words, little Nonna." Daisy walked over, standing in front of Ethan.
"Are you hurt that you are that shameless supposed chief bridesmaid who opened her legs for her friend's fiancé and eventually became the bride? The next time you use that word little for me, I will ensure you lose a tooth."
"Why are you taking medicine for someone else's headache?" Daisy shot back. "You should get yourself a mate if you do not want to be addressed as little."
"Your womb will never carry a pup, Daisy, because karma is right there, as a forever guest in your home." Nonna laughed.
Daisy raised her hand to hit Nonna, but Nonna caught it and shoved her back into Ethan's arms.
"Let us go, darling." Ethan pulled at Daisy, but she would not move.
"You know what, Aurora? You are a fool not to notice that Ethan and I were dating each other right under your nose. I was the smart type, and I got him. Yes, I gave him my body, and I gained his heart. So I wish you nurse your wound forever, Aurora."
I started sobbing. I could not hold it back anymore. The pain broke through, and tears streamed down my face while everyone in the tavern watched.