Page 46 of The Barren Luna

Aside from the innate athleticism and love for the outdoors every shifter had, I truly didn’t know whether hiking would be something she would enjoy, but it was the first joint activity that came to mind. Well, second, but you know, trying not to be a creep.

“Just an impression I got based on how you climbed your personal mountains - your strength and endurance, yourdetermination. If you discover you don’t like it, we’ll stop doing it,” I turned to look at her and couldn’t read her face.

Maybe I shouldn’t have brought that up. But Dylan said it was better not to sweep it under the rug.

“I see,” she said, but I knew that she did not, in fact, see it.

Her testimony let me know exactly how she saw her actions and it broke my heart. She had survived and endured what some of my more seasoned males wouldn’t have been able to, and she'd emerged victorious.

“If you had your wolf back, we could skinny dip in the lake,” I wiggled my eyebrows, hoping to make her laugh.

“Feel free to freeze if you want; I wouldn’t get in even if I could shift,” she was back to defiant, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Defiant was good, even angry was good.

“I can’t wait to see your wolf,” I said wistfully.

“Hopefully soon,” she ran her teeth over her tongue, the way she did the few times when she contemplated not sharing something at the trial. “I know I made a fuss this morning about you choosing a kiddie trail for me, but seriously, thank you. I don’t know what it is – the altitude, my atrophied muscles, the wolfsbane wearing off, whatever, but I am so tired already. Do you think we’re at least halfway?”

I gently rubbed her back as she bent over, holding her knees with her hands.

“Yeah, we’re almost there, Gina. This is a 15-minute walk.”

“Oh, thank God!” she laughed, but it was really strained.

That night, at dinner, we sat together again, but her eyelids were drooping already. She efficiently cleared her plate, which I didn’t think she even noticed had been filled by me, and excused herself. Later, when I snuck into her room on silent paws, she was passed out on the covers, still wearing her day clothes. Ichuckled at her starfish pose and was struck by a longing to scoop her up, drape her body over mine, and sink into blissful sleep myself. I resisted and simply curled up against her before resting as well.

“Ready for another hike?” I yelled out in lieu of a greeting upon seeing her the next morning. She looked well rested but held herself somewhat stiffly.

“Good morning to you, too,” she winced slightly while sitting down.

“Are you sore?” I immediately got serious and my hand gripped her upper arm without my permission.

“I’m fine, will you relax?” she rolled her eyes but smiled. “But to answer your initial question, I don’t think another hike so soon would be a great idea.”

“I was only messing with you anyway, I wanted to take you into town today if that’s okay with you?”

“Sure, I’d love that! I can’t wait to see what kind of shops and restaurants you guys have here,” she clapped her hands together but then her face suddenly dropped. “By the way, is there any way to get my documents and my money from Spruce Mountain? I came here with the clothes on my back, and while it’s nice that you keep buying me stuff, I would like my own money back, please.”

“Shit, I forgot,” it felt like being hit by a train. Fuck. I hated that she'd had to ask me for her money, I hated that I had dropped the ball. “I’m so sorry, Gina, I asked your former Beta to get your stuff when he came up for the trial, but in the midst of all that was happening, the suitcase remained in one of the guestrooms. I should have thought of this earlier. It will be delivered to your room after breakfast.”

I felt like shit, but she seemed overjoyed.

“So my stuff is here already? Yes! That’s the most important thing, I don’t care about the rest. Thank you for having the foresight to even think of it.”

“I’m always thinking of you,” I said quietly, but I could tell she heard it. Her hearing was getting sharper.

“How old are you anyway?”

Where had that come from?

“What?”

“I just realized I had no idea how old you were.”

“What made you ask? I’m 26,” I told her, and she made what I interpreted as a slightly surprised sound. “What? Why are you surprised? How old did you think I was?”

“I don’t know, honestly! You seemed so much older during the trial, and, well, you seem so immature now.”

I threw a sugar packet at her in response and she laughed. She was doing that a lot these days.

---