Page 114 of Cost of Courting

“Can you just listen to me for a minute? I don’t want to fight with you, Luna. It’s just you and me-”

“But it’s not, is it?” Luna says in that same dead tone. “Because they are in your bedroom, and you’re dating him, aren’t you? Bailey? My ex? He’s in your room right now, isn’t he? And you’ve got Pack Dread, too. Don’t you think you’re being a bit greedy? Don’t you think you should just let me find my own happiness?”

I step back, shocked by the venom in her voice.

“I’m not stopping you from finding happiness, Lu, I just don’t think you know who he really is-”

“Of course!” She scoffs. “You would say that. Do you want him for yourself, too, is that it?”

I recoil. There’s nothing about her I recognise.

“No! No! I don’t want him.”

“Happy with the ones you’ve stolen? Are they even yours? Maybe they do belong to Octavia. She told me what happened.”

“No!” I almost shout. “They are mine.”

Wait! Wait a fucking minute.

“Yeah, sure. What’s so special about you, though? Why you? It all makes me think, and the more I think about it, the more implausible it seems. There’s nothing about you that is attractive or worthy of a pack like them.”

I press my lips closed, holding in the anger and furious words that I want to unleash on her.

“You spoke to Octavia?” I ask carefully.

“Yeah, whatever. I’m getting my stuff, and I’m gone.”

“Answer me, Luna.”

She flips me off.

“Don’t do this, Luna. You don’t know what he’s really like.”

“Are you fucking serious right now?” Luna screams. “Like, seriously. How about you mind your own damn business and leave me to live my life the way I want?”

I open my mouth to argue, but I don’t have anything left. Everything I say drives her further into that monster’s arms.

I stand against the wall, biting back the pleas I want to throw as she stomps around the house, gathering her belongings, and, in minutes, she’s gone. The silence presses me down, and I have failed.

Again.

Mael finds me and gently corrals me against the wall. The safety of his arms is all I dreamed of, but now, I don’t know how to have what I want without hurting those I love.

I wrap my arms around him and hang on.

“It will look better in the morning.”

“It won’t,” I whisper. “She will still hate me.”

“Tell her the truth.”

“She won’t even listen anymore. I can’t tell her.”

I shake my head as Mael moves back, revealing the pack. Edric is making hot chocolate, while Bailey has pulled out the biscuits, and Kingston has got a movie on and blankets on the couch.

Has anyone ever done this for me before? It’s such a small thing, but, to me, it’s huge.

I find myself allowing them to usher me to the couch and guide me down. Kingston wraps me in a blanket and then wraps us both in another one.

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