Still Mercedes’ POV


    When John left, I took a roadmap out of my bag and put the piece of paper with the location he gave me on it. I map out the route I have to take. Actually, I would be there faster by ne, but my Bugatti is a fast one and if I look at the track like that, I can arrive at my destination within three days.


    I’m totally focused on my n that I don’t notice anyone bending over me.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    “Are you going outside the pack, Mercedes?” it sounds suddenly behind me. Staggered, I look around and see no one but rita. Her face is pale as if she has cried for a long time and her eyes are dull.


    “rita,” I exim. I jump up and hug her. “How do you feel? I know it was tough to lose your second chance mate. Why did you reject John first?” I ask her without batting an eyelid.


    rita is clearly startled. “Did he tell you about that? That fool! Instead of being ashamed, he is trumpeting that his mate dished him,” she sounds annoyed. She sits down next to me and looks at the roadmap.


    “Where do you want to go and why?” she asks. I’m unsure if I should confide in her, rita is mean and might undermine my n. She doesn’t really seem to be someone who desires happiness for others.


    “Didn’t you say earlier you knew where Alpha ry is with Saphira? Then why do you ask me where I want to go?” I confront her. “Are you lying again, rita? It seems like you never change, your life isn’t getting better either”, I bite at her. She smiles sheepishly, clearly not sorry for her behavior. Actually, John is right, I think. She fits right in with him, both have a terrible temper and have no intention of improving their lives. But then I wonder if the pack deserves a Beta couple like them, John and rita are a whole lot of trouble.


    “Listen, Mercedes. I know the way to Shadow Moon. The Alpha is a good friend of my father’s. Let me go with you, in mypany, they will be less suspicious when you arrive,” she ims, looking at me pleadingly. I frown, still not convinced I should include her in my n.


    “Why are you so eager toe along? Are you nning on making someone’s life miserable again? I’m telling you, rita. Zane won’t tolerate a second misconduct from you,” I warn her.


    Much to my surprise, she sticks out her little finger.


    “Pinky promise. I will not thwart your ns. To be honest, the Alpha son is already of age and he hasn’t found his mate yet. I thought I’d look for somefort from him, now that my second mate has rejected me,” she confessed. I roll my eyes, this is really rita now. She never lingers on setbacks for too long, happily carries on with life as if nothing happened.


    “Okay, no mess, rita. I want to leave right away. With a bit of luck, we’ll be there in three days,” I tell her. We look at the roadmap and calcte how many kilometers we must travel daily to be in Shadow Moon on the third day. We also make two hotel reservations online in advance. Then we head to the concierge office to arrange our leave from school. After everything is set, we jump in my car and I drive rita home to pack some things. Once I’ve also packed some clothes into a gym bag and left a note for my parents, we begin our journey.


    Without any dy, we reach the main road to the highway leading us through Human Town. We enjoy the nature that races past us. To pass the time, I put in a CD and we start singing along loudly to some popr hit songs.


    We reach our first stop at the hotel in the early evening. We check in and retire happily to our room, giggling along. We share a hotel room with two beds. After taking a bath, I grab my phone. There I see some miscalls from Zane and text messages.


    ‘Mercedes, I’m starting to get worried. Baby, where are you? Why don’t you take my calls?’ he texted. I can almost sense his desperation. I smile and press his number.


    At the first ring, Zane picks up. “Baby. I was already nning a search party for you. I’ve been calling you for hours. What is it, my love? Were you still at school?” he asks eagerly. Hearing this from my mate, I’m not sure if I should tell him my n. Certainly, he’ll try to stop me from going to Shadow Moon. But I can’t help it, Zane is my better half, I can’t lie to him.


    “Love, I’m on my way to Shadow Moon,” I say in a low voice, waiting for his response.


    “Shadow Moon? What are you going to do there, Mercedes?” I hear him get up from a chair he was sitting in and I know he’s now pacing through the room.


    “I’m going to meet Jace’s mate”, I let him know briefly. His breath is jerking out of his chest, I know he’s terribly nervous now. But I’m not a little kid anymore, he’s made sure I’m well trained and physically strong. Zane needs to trust me and believe that I can take care of myself.


    “Baby, listen. Come to Midnight Moon”, he tries to persuade me. “As soon as I’m done here, I promise we’ll all go to Shadow Moon together to see Saphira. But for now,e back, baby”, he gently coaxes me to withdraw my n. “I’m dying of worry here. What should I do if something happens to you, my heart? Pleasee back to me. I promise you we will do this together.”


    I know my mate is always true to his word. But this case is something personal.


    “Zane. I want to do this myself for Jace. It is a service in return. He, too, brought me the greatest mate every she-wolf dreams of eight years ago. This is a giveback for me”….