Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Lyra was surprised to find Donovan sitting at the kitchen table when she woke up the next morning. He was pushing some cereal around in a bowl, giving her barely a glance as she dug around for something to eat.
“Where’s Dad?” she asked as she started frying an egg at the stove,
“Out helping install some windows on a house,” he muttered, still not looking up.
“What’s your plan for today?”
He scoffed. “I don’t have plans anymore.” He glanced up at her. “You going to see your precious mate again today?” he sneered.
Lyra frowned. “It’s not like I chose for him to be my mate.”
“You were out with him for a while last night,” he said sharply. “Complete the mate bond while you were out?”
She shook her head and turned back to the stove. “You don’t need to be such an ass, Donnie.”
“Are you going to see him today?” His voice had lost some of its anger.
“Yes,” Lyra sighed. “He asked me to come to the pack house around ten. Wants to talk about introducing me to the elders as his mate.”
“And you think they’re just going to accept you with open arms?” The sarcasm was back.
“No, Donovan,” she snapped, turning around. “I don’t think they will. And neither does Jake. We both know the elders, and probably most of the pack, don’t want me as Luna. I’m still not even sure I want to be Luna. But I agreed to give Jake a month, so that’s what I’m doing.”
“And what happens when he breaks your heart in a month?” Donovan shouted.
Lyra wanted to yell back, wanted to tell him he was wrong, but the words caught in her throat. Her face reddened as her chest tightened. She wanted to believe Jake’s actions the night before had been real, that they reflected who he was now. But part of her still doubted. She still remembered the smirking teenager who laughed along with everyone else when she was shoved into lockers.
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“If it doesn’t work out, we’ll leave, Donnie,” she said at last, her voice shaking just slightly.” There’ll still be time to get to Chicago. I’m going to call the landlord today and let him know we won’t move in right away. I already paid for the first month’s rent, so the apartment is still ours. My internship doesn’t start until July, so we’ve got time.”
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Chapter 17
“What if he doesn’t let you leave?” Donovan asked more quietly.
“…” She sighed. “I think he will. We talked about it a little. He said I need to start shifting again to strengthen my wolf. If she’s too weak, the rejection could kill me. So I think he’s still open to both outcomes.”
“Do you want to leave him?” There was no sarcasm now, only concern. When she looked up, she saw genuine worry in his expression.
She thought about walking with Jake in the woods, hand in hand. The way he had pressed his lips to her scar, how he called her brave. She remembered the sparks that danced along her skin when he touched her and how his scent was the most calming thing she had ever
known.
“It’s complicated, Donnie.” She pulled the pan off the burner and sat down across from him. The mate bond is… it’s hard to explain. Everyone says it’s intense, but that doesn’t even come close.”
She dropped her head into her hands. “I don’t want to stay in this pack. I don’t want to be Luna. I know that much. But I…” She looked up at her brother. “There’s a part of me that feels like it needs him. When I’m with him, things feel… right, I guess.”
Lyra braced for a snide comment. For teasing or mockery.
But Donovan just tilted his head and studied her. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt. And I don’t see a way this ends without that happening.”
Lyra arrived at the pack house early, so she decided to stop in and see Megan before heading to Jake’s office. Megan met her in the sitting room, waddling toward the couch as quickly as her swollen ankles would allow.
“Goddess, girl,” she exclaimed as they sat down. “What is going on? Donnie comes down all upset yesterday, saying you’re mated to the Alpha. Callan confirms it, but won’t give me a single detail. Asshole insists it’s for you and Jake to explain. Normally, I respect his integrity, but yesterday was not the time.”
Lyra smiled, relaxing into the cushions as she began recounting everything that had happened the day before. Megan listened intently, her eyes widening as the story unfolded.
“Wow,” she breathed once Lyra finished. “You’re going to be Luna.”
“No.” Lyra shook her head. “I agreed to give Jake a month, but I really don’t think I want to be Luna. I don’t see how this could possibly work.”
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Chapter 17
+25 Points “He’s your mate, Lyra.” Megan shifted to rest her hands on her belly. “You can’t just walk away from your mate. This is a gift from the Goddess. She chose him for you and you for him. You don’t just reject that.”
“The Goddess hasn’t done much for me most of my life,” Lyra said flatly. “I don’t need her gifts now.”
“Lyr,” Megan hissed, “you keep that up and she’s going to smite you.”
“She’s had twenty–five years to do it,” Lyra muttered. “If she was going to, I think she’d have gotten around to it by now.”
“Maybe she’s waiting for dramatic effect. Like, right when you’re giving a speech as Luna.” Megan grinned. “Boom. Smote. The elders would be thrilled.”
Lyra laughed despite herself. “You’re terrible.”
“I’m hormonal and bored. I have to get my entertainment where I can.”
“You’re weeks away from giving birth. Shouldn’t you be nesting or something?”
“Oh, I nested,” Megan said, waving her hand. “Callan came home and found me rearranging every drawer in the bedroom. I threw out all his old underwear and that nasty shirt with four holes and pit stains. It was a threat to the baby’s health.”
“That poor man.”
“Don’t feel sorry for him. He brought it on himself. He told me I was glowing, then asked if we could go over baby–proofing again. That’s how you die, Lyra. That’s how they find your body.”
Lyra laughed again, more freely this time, and sank deeper into the cushions. Talking to Megan felt good. Familiar. Easy.
Megan’s smile softened. “So, are you okay? Really?”
Lyra hesitated. “I don’t know. Last night with Jake felt good. But this morning, Donovan said a few things, and all my old doubts came flooding back.”
Megan nodded. “That’s doubt for you. Like weeds. You think you’ve cleared them, and then one good rain and boom, emotional overgrowth.”
“I
“I just need time,” Lyra said. “I’ve barely been back. It feels like I’m trying to handle ten things at once.”
“Well, if it helps, at least Jake is hot.”
“I’m aware,” Lyra said dryly.
Chapter 17
“Just saying. If I didn’t have Callan, and I wasn’t currently shaped like a beach ball, I might try to fight you for him. Very slowly. Probably while seated.”
Lyra laughed again, though the amusement faded quickly. “What if I can’t be what he needs? What if the bond makes it harder to leave, even if I should?”
Megan reached over and took her hand. “Then trust yourself to know. If it’s safe to stay, or if you need to walk away. And Jake’s a good guy. If you need to leave, he’ll understand. But you owe it to yourself to find out what you really want.”
Lyra nodded. “Thanks, Meg.”
“Anytime. Now go see your hot Alpha mate. Just don’t let him distract you too much. I need regular updates. Preferably with dramatic flair.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Lyra said with a smile, standing up.
“And bring snacks next time!” Megan called after her. “The ones with the chocolate drizzle. For the baby!”
Lyra laughed on her way out, the sound lighter than it had been in days.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
