Chapter 60

“What’s wrong?” Grace asks me, a little crease in between her brows. “The mean lady is gone now.”

I give Grace a smile and remind myself for the tenth time this morning that the child is perceptive. She sees a lot even when I’m trying to hide it.

I’ve been feeling lost in thought a lot over the last few days. The relief of Vanessa and Glenn’s banishment was short lived.

After the pack had run them out of the woods, they had returned to their home, packed a few belongings, and left in the night. According to Adrian, they would be required to leave the city and never return or make contact with anyone inside the pack without risk execution.

Leon would never see his father or sister again and inherited the entire estate. Adrian assured me that even if he did occasionally speak to them or send them money, he would never punish him for it. I think he’s feeling compassionate in the wake of Julian’s disappearance.

Julian had chased after Vanessa and her father once their sentence had been read. The Beta reported that he had left with them. Adrian hadn’t looked surprised, but I knew he was devastated. There was a small part of him that I knew had hoped he could someday make up with his son.

Grace is looking at me more intently now and I realize that even though I’m smiling, I haven’t answered her.

“I’m okay.” I assure her. “Just needing to think for a bit.”

“About what?” She presses, ever the nosy child.

How do I explain it to her? How in the aftermath of the storm, when everything is quiet and calm, I’m forced to confront that I don’t even understand who or what I am anymore. Now that there is no threat, no Vanessa, no Julian, I have no choice but to turn my attention to the fact that I’m not human. That I never was.

“About what comes next.” I finally say. “I’m just feeling a little lost and confused. I’m not sure who my family is anymore.”

Grace looks pensive. Then finally says, “But Daddy and I are your family.”

My smile becomes genuine, and I wrap her in a hug. “Yes, you are.”

“Do you feel better now?” She asks hopefully.

I laugh, “Yes, I do.”

It’s not entirely a lie. Grace has always had the ability to make me smile. I don’t have the heart to tell her that it’s not so simple. But she is right. They are my family.

Adrian appears at the door and Grace beams at him before turning back to the painting assignment her art teacher left her.

“It’s about time that you and I went on a proper date. How about we go to dinner tonight, just the two of us?” He asks. He’s looking at me with such tenderness, my heart warms.

I blink and think for a moment. He’s right. For all we’ve been through, we haven’t had the chance to actually go on a proper date.

“That sounds lovely.” I agree with a smile.

He steps forward and presses a kiss to my brow. “I’ll see you at six.”

Getting ready for a date with Adrian turns out to be more stressful than I expected. I knew he would take me somewhere nice and as I looked at my clothes, nothing felt right. Once I managed to settle on a blue dress that had been hiding in the back of closet, I fought with my hair.

Once I had gotten it into a loose bun and fussed over my makeup, I was mostly satisfied with the results.

My heart is jumpy with nerves. I haven’t been this excited about a date in ages. I need it to go well and I’m nervous that we will be awkward and he will regret everything.

But as I walk downstairs and see Adrian waiting for me at the door, my heart settles, and a sense of calm washes over me. I’ve never felt safer than I do when I’m with Adrian. Looking at him now, I don’t know why I was so nervous earlier.

He escorts me to the car, ever the gentleman, and opens the door for me.

It is easily the best date I’ve ever been on. Adrian takes me to a small intimate restaurant on the lake. It’s quiet, out of the way, and we can sit outside on the patio with a view of the water without the media disturbing us.

Adrian is the very picture of a courteous gentleman, pulling out my chair and listening attentively when I speak. He shares some of his own life with me too, telling me about his childhood and his parents.

Time went too quickly and before I knew it, we were driving back to the house. Adrian had given the driver the night off, saying he wanted us to be truly alone together where we could talk freely.

I don’t mind. The quiet drive back is pleasant. Adrian’s arm is across the center consol so he can rest his hand on my leg.

As we drive down the poorly lit road, I stare out at the stars in the night sky and the three-quarter moon wishing we were home again so the hand on my leg could do more than just sit there.

I look over at Adrian, studying his attractive profile and wondering how I got so lucky to have this man for my mate. He looks back at me, his eyes full of a promise that tells me I’m not the only one wishing we were home.

A sudden, disturbing sound brings both of attention back to the car.

“That doesn’t sound good.” Adrian comments before pulling off to the side of the road.

He gets out and walks to the front, opens the hood, and frowns down at the steam emitting from the engine. I get out and join him. He pulls out his phone and starts dialing a number.

“Why don’t you sit back in the car, darling. I’ll call the driver and have him come out and take a look.” Adrian says.

I start back to the car when movement catches my attention. A figure walking slowly down the road away from us. It looks like a woman. I stare out at her.

My wolf is singing to me again. Telling me to follow her. Something about her says she needs me to help her. I look back at Adrian, he’s on the phone speaking to the driver. I could shout out to him, but he’s busy and it’s only one woman alone in the road.

“Excuse me! Miss? Are you alright?” I call out. The woman keeps going, as though she can’t hear me. It’s dark out and the area isn’t well lit. She really shouldn’t be out here alone.

“Excuse me! Ma’am?” I call out again and she keeps going. I start to follow her, my heels slowing me down on the uneven road.

The image before me morphs, and before I can so much as blink, there is another figure coming out of the trees to my left, and then another. The woman turns and meets my eyes.

“Hello, Lily.” She says and then something is pulled roughly over my head, and the stars disappear.

Adrian POV

The driver is twenty minutes away, but I’m not complaining too much. I’m a little annoyed that the car I pay him to keep maintained just broke down on the side of the road, but the poor guy seemed genuinely shocked and assured me that he had just serviced it.

Something like this has never happened before, so I’m not angry at him. Besides, it’s a beautiful night and Lily loves looking at the stars.

Speaking of which, I look around for her, about to invite her back outside with me, except she isn’t there. She isn’t outside either.

“Lily?” I call out, expecting her to answer, but I hear nothing. My heart speeds up. She should be here. She wouldn’t just walk away. Not without telling me where she’s going.

“Lily!” I call again, fear creeping into my voice. She doesn’t answer.

I focus on the air, searching for her scent. I catch it, but it’s leading down the road and away from the car. Then I hear a sharp startled cry that’s cut abruptly off and my heart lurches in my chest.

“Lily!” I yell and dash into the dark after her.