Chapter 33


    Walking up to the house, I nce behind me at the two guards waiting in the car before ringing the


    doorbell. An array of speedy footsteps and squeak-like cheers erupts from the other side, and I spot


    Kendra peeking through the side window. I smile and wave. The door is swinging open in a matter of


    seconds.


    "Isabe!" She shouts and clings onto me. My arms wrap around her, a barrier between her and the


    world. "I''m so excited!"


    I squat down and brush the stray hairs from her beautiful face. "Did you do your hair yourself?"


    "Yes, Moms with the Luna. She told me not to open the door unless it''s you. I brushed it and tied it up


    like you used to," she exins and twirls the crooked pigtails between her fingers.


    "Alright. How about I braid it? My friend Caroline taught me how to do a Dutch braid, can I show you?"


    Kendra''s eyes beam.


    The house is the same. Nothing has moved beside shifted magazines on the coffee table and a new


    living chair beside the couch. Kendra leads me upstairs as if I am in a strangers house, and we sit on


    her bed while I weave the strands of her hair together. ncing to the side, I see her packed bag. "You


    know, I was thinking that we could leave tomorrow. We can have a sleepover here."


    "Why can''t we go?"


    "We can, I''m just a little tired that''s all. If we leave tomorrow I''ll have plenty of energy and we can do


    stuff all day."


    Kendra''s head bobs in all directions, making the braiding more difficult than it was on Caroline. "Like


    what?"


    "Well we can get you unpacked, we can say hi to Caroline, my friend, we can go swimming in theke


    if you like."


    "I want to swim."


    I tie the braid at the end and hop off the bed. "Then we''ll do that."


    While here, I grab some clothing I left behind in my bedroom along with some other things. Being in my


    room, staring at my white sheets, gazing at the old photographs, it all makes me anxious. Maybe I am a


    stranger in this house.


    Kendra asks to go outside and we do. My heart jolts when I find the guards leaning against the car


    while their arms crossed, chatting. I rush towards them and apologize. "We''re staying the night. I-I need


    rest, so we''ll leave in the morning if that''s alright. I''ll get you two set up in guest rooms when we get


    back, for now, go on in and make yourselvesfortable."


    Kendra pulls me towards the training grounds, which confuses me. I repeatedly ask her why we are


    going there, but she ignores me. Finally, I catch a glimpse of my mother in the distance, walking with


    my old Luna. Kendra shouts for them and I almost feel the need to hide. My mother''s eyesnd on me


    and soon enough we are too close.


    "Isabe," she says my name, and it is unpleasant to hear, not like when Eric says my name. "I thought


    you two would be gone by now?"


    "We''re staying the night and leaving in the morning."


    The Luna smiles at me, shifting the mood. "Well, it''s lovely to see you again, especially since you are


    now a Luna yourself. Who would have thought."


    "Not me," I mutter and look around the sparsely filled field.


    "How is your mate, Alpha Tate?"


    A sensationes over the pit of my stomach as I nce back at her. "He''s good. Everything is good."


    "That''s nice to hear. Causing no problems I expect? Attacking any othernds?"


    My brows furrow together. "No. Not attacking any othernds, Luna. We should go, it''s almost time for


    dinner and I was going to make Kendra breakfast."


    "My favorite," she grabs my hand, wanting the meal right away now. "I love when you make pancakes


    at night."


    "Go on," my mother releases us. "I''ll be homete tonight. We have much nning since the Alpha has


    fallen ill."


    "What''s wrong?"


    "He has bronchitis I''m afraid," the Luna informs me, "it''s taken a toll on him, so I''ve volunteered to


    manage the pack until he''s feeling better."


    Kendra and I rush home, as her stomach is rumbling loudly, a fact from Kendra herself. She sits up on


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    the kitchen counter and watches me cook, just like we used to. Her little fingers dip into the pancake


    mix and I watch her as she oddly tastes it. "I like it," she mumbles.


    Pancakes, eggs, orange juice, and toast, Kendra''s favorite meal, breakfast for dinner. I grab the house


    phone and wander into the hallway while she munches away. Holding the device up to my ear, I lean


    against the wall as it rings.


    "Isabe?" His calming, smooth voicees through and my knees be weak.


    "It''s me. I''m just calling to tell you that I''m staying the night here. We''ll leave in the morning. Kendra is


    just too tired and I think it''s best if she rests before the drive. She''s never been one to sleep in cars."


    There''s a short pause. "Alright, let me know when you leave in the morning."


    Our conversation is minimal, and when it''s over Kendra and I watch some T.V. before bed. The guards


    are set up in the guest rooms and I tuck Kendra in, doubting she will sleep at all, as excitement for


    tomorrow is sure to keep her awake for awhile.


    Slowly, I end up back in my room and I shut the door behind me. Opening the windows, the cool breeze


    caresses my body and sends me into a sleepy state. The bed looks ratherfortable, so I reluctantly


    climb into it and ce my head on the pillow. From the bed I can see the tops of the trees outside, they


    hardly reach the glowing moon. Stars clutter around the bright light, and my eyes scan each one of


    them before drifting closed.


    Laying on the bed, I hear the bedroom door open. Without ncing back, I smile. "Eric, turn off the


    lights."


    The lights stay on.


    "I said turn off the—" Looking back, I do not see Eric, but Alpha Kenn standing in the doorway, a hungry


    look in his eyes. He stalks towards me, and I fly off the bed, meeting him in the center of the bedroom.


    "What are you doing here? Where''s Eric?" My eyes wander to the ce behind him.


    Alpha Kenn says nothing as the room begins to spin.


    "Why are you here?"


    He moves closer.


    "Why are you here, James?"


    His hands grip my shoulders and shove me back, my body tumbling onto the bed behind me. Before I


    can question and panic, James climbs on top of me, caging me in against his body. I breathe heavy as


    he leans down, his lips leaving delicate kisses against my neck. My eyes squeeze shut.


    Shooting up with a sharp inhale, I gasp for air in the familiar setting of my old bedroom. What has my


    mind conjured up? Touching another, chest to chest, on my mates'' bed?


    I throw the covers off of me and knot my fingers through my tangled hair. The room''s temperature has


    dropped significantly, leaving a strong chill lingering in the air. I get up and frustratingly slide the window


    shut, harder than normal. My hands stay on the window, bringing warmth to the frigid ss, and a soft


    fog forms around my fingers. Letting them drop to my sides, I groan and sit back on the edge of my


    bed.


    My once cozy sheets have released any hints of warmth, leaving my bed cold.