The drive home passes by in a blur as I watched the treeless hills rush by. When we get back to the packhouse, Korra is itching to touch Ethan and I can feel it through our link.
“I’ve got a few issues to deal with, little one. Otherwise, I would stay with you,” Ethan says looking a little down.
“Okay… Ethan. I’m just going to go up to my room.”
He lets out a little growl and grabs my hand and pulls me in for a hug. Breathing in his smell as the tingles shoot up my arms.
Korra purrs enjoying his embrace. “Hug him back!” She whines and her big white head drops to the ground.
“You do things to me,” he murmurs in my ear. His breath sending shivers down my spine. Yummy shivers. Ethan’s chest is pressed against my face and I’m so close to leaning into his embrace.
“Give me your phone,” he says as he moves back and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
I unlock my phone and hand it to him. He freezes for a minute when he sees my wallpaper. It’s a picture of Gabe and me the night he slept in my room. I watch him as he starts typing into my phone. He’s breath-taking… Korra puts thoughts of him bathing me into my mind… and I have to shake my head to clear the dirty thoughts from my mind. When he hands it back to me I see that he’s added his phone number.
“Call me if you need anything,” he says before heading back out and Korra whines like a lovesick pup. I also don’t want him to leave but I’m not going to tell her that.
I head up to my room and spot Nikki when the elevator doors open. She’s standing in front of my room. When she sees me she runs and gives me a big hug. “Oh my gosh, Chika! Are you okay? I heard the Alpha beat up Shane!” She says looking at me with worried eyes.
“What happened after the ball? You disappeared on us! Mavy needed us last night,” she whispers.
“Let’s go inside,” I tell her grabbing her hand.
When we get inside we sit on the bed and Nikki starts tearing up. “No one’s telling us anything. I was never a big fan of Shane but that doesn’t mean I want him to die,” Nikki tells me through tears.
I can’t believe I haven’t tried to reach out to Mavy. I’ve only been focused on my problems, the best friend of the year award doesn’t go to me.
“How’s Mavy?” I ask Nikki.
She wipes her tears, “She’s not doing good. Shane was taken to the pack hospital last night. No one’s allowed to see him and Mavy said they can’t reach him through her wolfy link. His parents and Mavy have no idea what’s going on.”
She scooches in closer, “What happened last night? I saw you and Gabe get into a car and leave. Are you guys… seeing each other?”
I take a deep breath and exhale. “Nikki… I found my mate last night.”
Her eyes widen in shock before a smile spreads across her face. “Oh my gosh!” She squeals. “You lucky dog! How was it? Who is he?”
Korra growls at the dog comment and I laugh. “Woah Woah, one question at a time! Honestly, it was overwhelming. His name is Ethan… and… he’s the Alpha of Desert Moon.”
Her jaw drops and her eyes move left and right as she tries to come to terms with what I just told her. “You’re saying… that your Goddess-given mate is the Alpha of this pack? Girl, shut up! I think I saw him yesterday, he’s fineeeeee!”
“Wait, I saw you leave with Gabe last night… and Shane is in the hospital right now… because of the Alpha…”
Realization crosses her face, “Oh my gosh… wait this isn’t bad… you can talk to him to see what’s going on… and why Shane isn’t allowed to have visitors!”
“Tell her Adea, she’s your friend,” Korra encourages me through our bond.
“Nikki….” I say trying to gather the balls to tell her about last night.
A knock at my door has both of our heads turned. “It’s me, open up!” Gabe calls from the other side.
Standing up, I rush over to the door and let him in. “Are you okay?” He asks with worried eyes. Gabe pulls me up in a bear hug and squeezes me tight.
“He’s getting his scent all over you!” Korra whines. Her white fur swaying as she shakes her head. “I don’t mind Gabe but Ethan and Elijah will.”
Pushing Gabe away, I hold his hands, “I’m… okay Gabe.” I give him the most convincing smile I can. “Ethan… took me to breakfast.”
I walk him over to the bed and we both sit next to Nikki. “As I was saying… maybe you could find out what’s going on with Shane?”
A loud low growl comes from Gabe and we both look at him wide-eyed. Nikki jumps, “Gabe? What’s wrong?”
Gabe closes his eyes and breaths deeply a few times before opening them again. “She will do no such thing. Ady….”
I squeeze his hand and turn to face Nikki. “You know that Shane and I haven’t been getting along… Recently the verbal niceties have turned into… something physical. And last night… he… " Come on… just spit it out. “Last night he did it again at the ball and Alpha… Ethan found us.”
Gabe squeezes my hand reassuringly and I feel a little better. “Alpha Ethan and I both went outside and found them at the same time. I couldn’t help Shane… and I don’t know if I wanted to.”
Nikki’s jaw drops and she seems at a loss for words. My tears are threatening to spill when there’s another knock at the door.
I let go of Gabe’s hand and walk over to the door. When I open it I’m met with the man who escorted Gabe and me to my room last night, only today he’s smiling.
“Good afternoon Luna, I’ve come to help you pack.”