64. Uncomfortable Feeling
I so badly wanted to ask him why he didn’t want to stay until Derek had woken up, but I was afraid if I asked him questions, he more than likely didn’t want to answer, that he would start asking me questions that I didn’t want to answer.
So I stayed quiet, letting him pull me along as we head straight to the center of town where everyone else was currently at.
“Hold up Benji, I want to go home first.”
He turns to look at me with a frown. “Why?”
Uh, well, I couldn’t very well state it was because my clothes were still slightly damp. He’ll want to know where I have been and the more I can get him to steer clear of wondering about that, the better. Right now he was consumed with knowing that Derek was healing and I prefer to keep him on that track for a little while longer.
“I just want to be sure I’m warm enough for the event tonight. I feel like it’s just going to get colder later.” I give a bright smile.
He squints his eyes at me, making me highly nervous. After long heartbeat moments he finally lets me go.
“Alright, meet me at Mom and Pop’s gift store, since I have to meet my family over there anyways. You have twenty minutes before I start searching for your ass.” With that he starts walking off.
Great, I really lost a little of his trust and I didn’t blame him one bit. I would be highly suspicious of me too. Not trying to overthink or overwhelm myself with worry of his behavior towards me, I nearly speed walk to my house to get changed.
When I enter the small dwelling it was completely quiet and empty. Guess the folks already left for the lighting, like most of the pack members have already done. The street was nearly bare of people, telling me I needed to hurry and get back out there.
After changing into skinny jeans and a long sleeve dark burgundy crop top, I gather all my hair into a high ponytail to get it out of my face. There were still some curls there, so I decided to just leave them be. Grabbing my phone, I slip it in my back pocket and head back out.
Everyone was now gathered around as they were purchasing lanterns or were writing down whatever it was they were writing, before fixing them up and lighting them. The sun was nearly gone now and the glowing lanterns gave the atmosphere a beautiful golden hue.
I search everywhere I could for Benji, thinking he would be at the shop. But he was nowhere to be found. Frowning, I keep scanning the area as some people begin to head through an open side gate and straight into the forest with their lanterns aglow as they talked among themselves. I stiffen when I see Nora and a few of her friends getting ready to head in as well. She didn’t see me, thank the goddess, and I quickly look away before she could.
But me turning in the other direction made it even worse as I stare at none other than Slater, who was standing a few dozen feet away, looking straight at me with a cold stare. My body freezes in place seeing the injuries that his wolf healing hasn’t completed yet.
Wow. Shane really did a number on him.
He wasn’t looking away from me and he was making me feel really uncomfortable now. With my heart pounding in nervousness I look away from him, hoping to find Benji somewhere. But he was still nowhere to be found.
Where the hell was he? He said to meet right here, so why wasn’t he where he was supposed to be damn it?! Slater starts heading my way and from the look in his eyes it was with a purpose.
Shit, shit, shit!
I did not want to face him right now.
“Hazel! There you are honey.” I turn to see Hazel’s mother beaming at me as she takes a hold of my arm.
I was so freaking relieved to see her that I hugged her tightly to me. “Oh!” She umph as she hugs me back.
“Sweetie, everything alright?” She asks in surprise.
I could only nod my head as I peek over her shoulder to see Slater stopping in his tracks with a scowl on his face, but he doesn’t move away. In fact, he just stands there watching me. Ugh, he’s starting to creep me out.
Looking back at her she hands me one of the lanterns she was carrying. “I got you this one. Sorry it’s a bit small, but it’s all I can afford right now.” A light shade of pink flushes her skin as if she was embarrassed by that.
I give her a tender smile. “It’s perfect, thank you.”
“Let’s go write our prayers and head into the forest with all the others. Alpha Spencer will be giving his speech soon.”
She places a hand on my shoulder, guiding me to a nearby table where others were quickly writing their own words as well. I stand there looking around not sure what I should put. Glancing down at Hazel’s mom’s, I scan what she has written to see she had wrote a prayer to late Luna Joyce as well as other prayers that were for her loved ones in the past.
I get it now. It was like a letter to those who had moved on and joined our Moon Goddess in the heavens. Taking a pen, I move slightly away from prying eyes, clasping the lantern to my chest. Looking slightly behind me I see that Slater was now gone.
Freaking out just a little, I quickly scan the area, but he too, was nowhere to be found either. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. I was hoping that maybe someone else had grabbed his attention and they proceeded to the forest with everyone else.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I head in the same direction. Once in the forest, people starts to fan out as if trying to grab their own spots from the cluster of trees. None of them stopped however and just kept moving deeper into the forest.
Was there a destination in mind?