Tish POV
I don't speak to the truck driver, but that doesn't stop him from asking me every question that runs through his head. He hasn't stopped talking since we got on the road. I only catch about half of what he is saying. The rest is just gibberish. I didn't think it was possible for someone to have more to say than me, but I have met my match.
The trucker pulls down a road that looks vaguely familiar, and I let out a sigh of relief. He looks at me out of the corner of his eye and chuckles. "You thought I was going to kidnap you."
"It wouldn't be the first time I have gotten in a vehicle with a strange man, and it ended badly for me," I grumble.
"Why do you keep getting traveling with strange men?" He asks.
I scoff loudly. "A woman would never pick me up, and my luck with men is horrible."
"One would think you would have learned a lesson by now," the trucker smirks.
"I am not a quick study," I mutter under my breath.
The man pulls the truck to a stop beside the road. "This is as far as I can take you," he whispers. "I will stay here until I see you have safely entered the gate."
I look ahead of me and squint through the darkness. I can see the entrance of the South Pack just ahead. As much as I try, I cannot make myself get out of the truck. It is as if I know I am going to find something horrible on the other side.
"Have you changed your mind?" The man asks.
"Yes… I mean, no," I shake my head in confusion. "I don't know what I am supposed to do."
"March in there with your head held high," the man replies. "You are the Luna of the pack. It is time you start acting like it."
I reach for the door handle, but I pause for just a second. "I didn't catch your name."
"It would be better for both of us if we don't exchange names," he sighs. "The Luna Queen is in there. She can flip through your memories, and I would rather her not know my name."
"But you helped me," I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "Doesn't that count for something?"
"Maybe in the human world, but not in ours. Now go get to your mates." He offers me a weak smile, and I wonder if I will ever cross paths with him ever again.
I climb down from the truck and turn in the direction of the South Pack gate. A loud roar rumbles through the air, and I don't have to guess who it belongs to. Kai is losing control.
Not looking back at the truck, I run toward the gate. Much to my surprise, there are no guards to stop me from entering. My heart is thumping loudly in my chest, and my ears feel muffled. I haven't run this much in ever, and it really shows. I make a mental note to work on my fitness.
As I pass through the gate, I am stunned by the scene around me. Bodies litter the ground, and pack members are desperately searching for their loved ones. The pack house is on fire, and firefighters are desperately trying to put out the flames.
I don't even know where to start. The chaos and bloodshed are making me feel light-headed, or maybe it is because I ran too far. I fight against the tunnel vision that threatens to take me down, and I slowly move closer to the pack house.
As I weave in and out of the bodies, someone grabs a hold of my ankle. I look down and see Cedric lying in the dirt. Chunks of his flesh are missing from his body, and blood is pouring from the wounds.
I kneel down beside him and take his hand. He attempts to squeeze it, but he is too weak. "You came back," he gurgles, and blood spills from his mouth.
"Shh," I whisper to him. "Don't talk."
I brush his graying hair out of his face and try to ease his passing. He lifts a hand to my cheek and cradles it gently.
"Take care of the bar and the twins," he whispers. "They need you."
"Don't talk like that. You are going to be fine," I lie to him.
He tries to laugh, but blood spews from his mouth. Cedric tries to inhale a breath, but he chokes on the blood in his throat. Sitting on the ground, I rest his head in my lap as he struggles to breathe.
"I am going to be okay," I assure him. "You can let go."
His hazel eyes meet mine, and the hand I am holding falls open. Cedric is gone. I sob loudly as I cradle his head to my chest. I don't know how I will live here without him.
As I hold him close, tingles spread across my shoulders, and I look up to see Kaden staring down at me.
"I smelled you," he whispers. "As soon as you returned, I picked up your scent."
"I heard what was going to happen, and I couldn't leave," I whimper. "I am sorry I ran."
"I don't care if you run a thousand times," Kaden replies. "As long as you always come back."
Another roar fills the air, and my eyes widen. "Where is Kai?"
"He is volatile right now," Kaden warns me. "I don't think you should get too close."
Looking down at Cedric, I carefully move his lifeless body off my lap. Kaden helps me to my feet, and I rush toward the sound of my other mate.
Kai is on his knees in front of the burning pack house, refusing to move. Every time one of his warriors gets close, he snarls in their direction, causing them to stumble back in fear. Slowly, I inch closer to him and lay a hand on his shoulder.
The growls reverberating in his chest cease, and he looks up at me. His blue eyes are full of anger, and I fear that he will take it out on me.
"Hey," I whisper softly. "I am home."
Kai gets to his feet and glares at me. Sucking in a sharp breath, I wait for his wrath, but it doesn't come. He wraps his arms around me and holds me close to his chest.
"They took my parents," he cries into my neck. "I am not ready to be an Alpha."
"I am not ready to be a Luna," I admit. "But here we are."
I pull away from Kai and gesture to the crowd that has gathered around us. Kai wipes the tears from his eyes and looks at his pack.
"They need you," I whisper into his ear. "I need you."
"You are here to stay?" He asks.
I nod my head, and Kai scoops me into his arms. I squeal loudly and look over Kai's shoulder. Kaden is following behind us quickly.
"Where are we going?" I demand to know.
"You are not spending another moment without a mark on your neck," Kai growls possessively.
"I hardly think now is the time for this," I say, struggling against him to get free.
"Not another moment," Kai shouts.