Chapter 33

I threw on some old black leggings and a long white top before scrunching my feet into an old pair of trainers. Angrily, I stomped out of the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind me and nearly bumping into Hannah, who was exiting the closet, with an armful of clothes. Ignoring her, I continued to stomp towards the Beta.

“Move out of the way! Now please!” I snarled, glaring angrily at the Beta.

“We are doing this for your own good, you know. Do you really think we want to keep you from Xavier?” Beta Adam reasoned, or at least tried to.

“Well, quite clearly you are, aren’t you!” I snapped. “Now move out of the way!”

“Are you going to promise that you won’t go near Xavier?” Beta Adam pleaded.

“I won’t let her,” interrupted Hannah loudly. “I’ll make sure she gets straight into my car!”

Angrily, I rolled my eyes and let a loud snarl creep out over my lips. “Fine! I promise! Now can I go!”

Beta Adam finally moved out of the way, and I angrily stomped towards the staircase and hastily made my way to the lobby, closely followed by Hannah and Beta Adam. I sniffed hungrily, and I could smell Xavier close by. It took every ounce of strength in my body to not run towards him.

Just run. Take me to our Mate. I know you want to. They won’t be able to catch us.

You know I can’t. I can’t let the pack down. Everybody is waiting and watching, probably hoping that I fail.

Moodily, I kept on walking, ignoring my wolf’s pleas and somehow, managing to hold her inside of me. Deep in my brain, I could hear her howling mournfully for not being at her Mate’s side.

This is going to be a long 12 hours.

Soon enough, Hannah’s car soon appeared, and I slumped against the back door like a moody teenager, waiting for her to unlock the door. A loud beep signalled that the fob had unlocked the doors. I looked up to see Hanna marching towards me, armed with bags and cases of my stuff. I wrenched open the door as hard as I could, climbed into the front seat and slammed the door back behind me, causing the glass in the window to rattle. I could hear Hannah placing items in the boot before slamming it shut, and she carefully climbed in beside me, glancing at me nervously before starting up the engine.

“You sure you want to go to your parents?” she asked tentatively.

“Yes!” I snapped. “Before I change my mind! Just get me out of here!”

********

The familiar scene of a neat gravel drive next to a perfectly mowed lawn and a cosy looking house with red roses outside in pots by the front door soon become us. The car pulled up onto the drive, the gravel crunching noisily under the tyres. Without saying a word to Hannah, I unclipped my seat belt and climbed out of the car, slamming the door once again behind me, before stomping towards the front door. Without even knocking, I pushed open the door to be greeted by the warm sweet smell of cinnamon buns. My stomach grumbled hungrily, but my mind still could not forget Xavier.

What was he doing? Where was he? Who was he with? Is he okay?

“Mum? Dad? You guys home?” I called out.

A loud squeal echoed from the kitchen, and in a blur of blue and white, a small figure came darting out of the kitchen and cannonballed into my legs.

“Lee lee! You’re home. I’ve missed you!” the small figure gushed ecstatically.

The small figure was my little brother Lucas. Just standing there in the house bought back to me how much I missed my family. Bending down, I picked up my little brother and squeezed him tightly. It was good to be home.

“Hey Lu Lu, I’ve missed you too, buddy! Look how much you have grown!” I squealed in delight and spinning him around in my arms.

“I’m a big boy now. I can count to twenty. I learnt that at school. And I know all of my shapes and colours. Can I show you?” Lucas pleaded happily, looking at me in pure delight.

“Umm, maybe later, yeah?” I paused and looked around briefly. “Where’s Mum and Dad, Lu?”

“they are in the kitchen. We are making cinnamon buns. And we have made bread,” Lucas replied, scooting back off into the kitchen at top speed.

“Come on in. This way,” I muttered to Hannah, beckoning her to follow me into the kitchen to where the cinnamon smell was wafting from.

Once back in my old familiar kitchen, I looked around and saw Dad standing at the sink, scrubbing dishes in a sink full of hot, soapy, steamy water. Mum was stood at the oven, wearing her pink flowery apron, spooning large dollops of gloopy mixture into paper cases while Lucas stood beside her, watching eagerly.

“Hello, love! It's so good to see you!” Mum beamed, putting down the bowl and spoon and quickly making her way over to me, before pulling me into a giant floury bear hug. “We didn’t know you were visiting?”

She took a step back and focused on my face before she beadily eyed up the nearly healed wound on my neck. She looked happy but shook her head slowly.

“Hmm. I see that Xavier has finally gotten his teeth into you then,” she murmured sarcastically, folding her arms in mock disapproval.

“Quite literally!” I responded sulkily, before turning away and plopping down moodily into a kitchen chair.

“Hello, Hannah love. Care to explain what’s gotten up her nose?” Dad asked, drying his hands on a tea towel before joining me at the table.

“Lucas, can you go upstairs and wash your hands, ready for lunch please?” Mum quickly butted in, glancing at Lucas, who was happily licking the leftover cake mixture out of the bowl.

“Yes, Mum,” Lucas replied, quickly placing the bowl and spoon down and walking away into the hallway and out of sight.

“You can continue with the conversation now,” Mum nodded, looking at Hannah casually.

Hannah nodded her head in return and turned her attention back to my Dad.

“She has been claimed, as we can all see, so she is currently taking part in the 12-hour distance test. And she really isn’t happy about it. We have had to bring her here because if we didn’t, I think she would fail,” Hannah explained, leaning against the door frame, and folding her arms casually.

“Ahh, I see. I remember when I first claimed your Mother,” Dad chuckled gently, stroking his chin slowly and looking fazed as if he was trying to remember something.

“Please, I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to be mentally disturbed!” I scoffed, rolling my eyes, and staring moodily at the kitchen table.

“Easiest thing to do is keep your self-occupied and shut out your wolf. Find something to busy yourself with. Your Mum got that bad that she actually broke out of her bedroom through the window and came to find me on the other side of the city!” Dad laughed, glancing across at my Mum, who was smiling softly.

“And I still love you just as much as I did back then,” she giggled, waving a mixing spoon cheekily at him.

“Oh, please stop before I throw up!” I muttered. “Change the subject. Let’s talk about anything but love!”

Hannah walked behind me and dragged out the chair next to me and plopped herself down. “Well we could get you ready for the ceremony, but I don’t think it would take 12 hours. Do you know what you are going to say for your speech?” she quizzed.

Slowly, I swivelled my head and looked at her in panic. “Actually, I forgot about the speech. No, I really don’t know what to say if I’m honest!” glancing nervously at her and then across to my parents.

“Okay, well, let's start from the beginning,” Dad replied casually. “So once the ceremony has started, you and Xavier will come on to the stage from opposite ends, and you will both stand in the middle of the stage.”

“Xavier will say a few words and introduce you as his newly claimed Luna, and then you say your little speech and I’m guessing you know what happens next,” Dad continued, breaking off and looking at me intently.

“Yeah, I know all the details. Xavier told me all about it yesterday. I just haven’t thought of a speech yet,” I shrugged, chewing my lip in the process.

“Okay, well how about thanking the pack for accepting you as Xavier’s Mate and allowing him to make you his Luna,” Hannah suggested thoughtfully.

“That’s a good start,” Mum agreed, nodding her head in approval. “You could continue with something along the lines of that you can't wait to be the new Luna and be there to support the Alpha and help lead the pack to become stronger and better than ever.”

“And don’t forget to thank the pack for not giving up on you when you nearly died. Twice,” Dad butted in helpfully. “That will go down well with the rest of the pack.”

I nodded my head slowly, trying to take in all the helpful advice that I’d just been given, and trying to make up a speech in my head. “I think my best bet is just to wing it!” I shrugged casually. “I’m not good with pre-prepared speeches or whatnot. Anyway, can I ring Xavier?”

“No!! You cannot have any contact with him. What part of that don’t you get!?” Hannah snorted in annoyance.

“Okay, Okay! Jeeze!” I groaned, rolling my eyes and slumping further into my chair.

“Right, you know what, let’s just get your makeover started yeah?” Hannah offered helpfully. “By the time we have had a spot of lunch, got you to have a nice long soak in the bath, had your hair and nails done plus makeup, and your outfit sorted, it will be time to go back to the packhouse anyway.”

I nodded in approval. Sitting here talking about the Bonding Ceremony really wasn’t helping my mood. My wolf had calmed down a little bit, but if I had my way, I’d be running through the hills by now. Sliding my chair out from under the table, letting the legs scrape noisily against the tiled floor, I got up and turned to head out back into the hallway.

“Let’s get started. Mum, can you bring us up some lunch?” I asked, looking back over my shoulder towards Mum.

“Of course. Have fun girls!” she replied as she watched Hannah stand up and begin to follow me back up the stairs.