She frowned, appearing confused. “What?”
“It’s a long story,” I said while joining her on the bed. “Kaleem and I met two weeks before he banished my pack from Wolfcreek.” Marian’s eyes widened, but she remained quiet. “He and I snuck around for those two weeks because we knew the issues that would arise if anyone found out about us. At the time, Colin was reigniting an old conflict between the packs, and then, Kaleem rejected me.”
I laughed, but it lacked the sound of humor. “Everything happened so fast and also not.”
Marian covered my hand with hers, and I continued speaking. “He rejected me because he saw our secret’s strain on me. He thought he was sparing me the heartache of our mate bond and being from two packs that hated each other.”
“He gave me a choice, my pack or him, and I chose my pack, then he chose his. I chose to stay by my father’s side, but the truth is I’d believed we were doomed from the start. Ithoughtwe were.” I took a breath. “Kaleem and I being together is something that would have and will still anger Colin.”
“I’ve carried so much hatred for years, Marian, for Kaleem, Colin, myself. We lost each other, and it was hard coming back to Wolfcreek and seeing Kaleem, but—we’ve found our way to each other again, and I just want this time to be better than the first.”
It was already better than the first, and for weeks, a terrible fear had settled on my chest like an immovable weight. I knew it wouldn’t go away until Dad and I successfully joined our new pack.
“I know the sting of a rejection for wolves is painful,” Marian said softly. “I know that much, but I’m glad you were both able to rekindle your love. So,” she drawled with a grin. “I’m sitting with a Luna?”
I laughed. “Girl, I’m not at that stage yet. We haven’t officially rekindled our mate bond. When Kaleem marks me, our bond will—return? But yes, I suppose eventually I’ll become the Luna of his pack if they don’t riot.”
“They won’t,” Marian replied. “It doesn’t matter what pack you came from, Diana. Who wouldn’t want you as their Luna? Isn’t a Luna meant to be a mother of sorts for the pack? A source of guidance, strength, and all that while the alpha is the protector?”
I nodded, and Marian shrugged. “You came all this way to see your ex to help your pack, plus what you did yesterday for those kids and hiring their mom today was proof enough of your heart. It shouldn’t take a lot to help others, but sometimes it does, and you always make it seem easy. You’ve always protected me, Diana. I was the skinny human girl with an accent, and you always stood up for me.”
“Hell, you lost the love of your life to stay by your father’s side. I’m human, and I know a mate bond is an incredible pull, and you lost that and have been on the run for over eleven years. You’re the strongest person I know. You’ll be a damn good Luna, so stop doubting yourself.”
I didn’t realize I was crying until Marian wiped at my tear. “Please don’t ruin your makeup. It’s my best work.”
I laughed while holding my head back and fanning my face. I was lost for words at Marian’s kindness. I hadn’t thought anything of protecting her when we were younger. She was smaller than me and sometimes picked on, which didn’t sit well with me. But I never once thought she saw me like this.
“Thank you, Marian,” I whispered. “You have no idea how grateful I am to you.”
I pulled her in for a hug, and we held each other. I was happy she wasn’t angry at me for keeping Kaleem a secret from her back then. But, I was glad to have a friend again and someone I could talk to.
When the doorbell rang, I inhaled Kaleem’s scent, and Marian and I stood up quickly.
“Okay, have fun and do everything I would. I want to know everything tomorrow,” she whispered, and I chuckled while walking to the door to head downstairs.
“I’ll call you first thing in the morning,” I replied, and she winked.
***
Kaleem got out of his truck, and I watched him walk around to my door. It was taking all my strength to not drool.
He was dressed in a black suit without a tie, and the first two buttons on his white shirt were undone. I’d never seen a man look so good in a suit. He looked wealthy without even trying, and I had to check myself when he opened my door because why was I attracted to how intimidating he looked? He commanded attention by simply existing, and I loved it.
Perhaps I was drawn to it because women wouldn’t dare approach him. That was just the territorial side of me.
I eyeballed him shamelessly, and Kaleem shook his head, smiling.
His eyes roamed up and down my body when he closed the car door before his lips curved with a mischievous grin. “You look stunning, Diana,” he said while giving me his arm, and I looped my hand through. “Drop dead gorgeous.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “You look pretty good yourself, Alpha.”
“I love it when you call me that,” he growled, and I bumped him with my hand while we walked towards the restaurant together. “Say it again, and this time a little slower.”
“Behave now,” I chuckled. “We’re in public.”
He looked at the restaurant, and I arched a brow because it was one of the most expensive restaurants in town. He hadn’t been kidding about having a fancy date, and before we were close, the circular doors were opened for us.
Since the restaurant was in the middle of town and in a plaza with various stores and other restaurants, there were many people about.