Chapter 429

Nina

Enzo had left last night to rally our pack, and although the distance between realms made me nervous, I had been too busy helping with the preparations for the Moon Goddess Festival gala to think much about it.

Polly and I were sitting in the kitchen, stringing together handmade garlands for the party. It felt a little bit like my mother had really just set us up here to force me to make a friend, but I didn’t mind. Polly was sweet, and she was good company.

Polly, with her bright blue eyes and infectious enthusiasm, looked up from the ribbon she was tying and smiled at me. “Nina,” she said, her voice filled with curiosity, “tell me more about you and Enzo. You two seem so perfect together.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Enzo and I have been married for a little while now,” I said. “He’s my fated mate. We’ve got a baby on the way, actually.”

Polly’s eyes lit up with excitement as she reached for another ribbon. “That’s so cool,” she said. “You’re so lucky to have found your fated mate, and at such a young age, too.”

I nodded, choosing not to elaborate on the entire convoluted history between me and Enzo—how I hadn’t even known I was a werewolf, and yet I somehow managed to find him nonetheless.

“Yeah,” I said with a smile. “It’s been great. We’re both really lucky.”

Polly sighed dreamily, her gaze distant for a moment. “I hope to find my fated mate someday,” she said softly, a wistful look in her eyes. “Someone who will love me unconditionally and be there for me no matter what.”

“How old are you, Polly?” I found myself asking.

“I just turned nineteen,” she replied.

I nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. “You’re still so young,” I said. “You’ll find someone. I promise. Just enjoy being young and single.”

Polly’s face lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically. “I will,” she said. “My mom didn’t meet my dad, who’s her fated mate, until they were in their thirties.”

“See?” I said. “You’ve got time.”

Polly and I continued chatting as we finished up the garlands. But, eventually, with all of the hustle and bustle in the house, I wound up getting a bit overwhelmed. It seemed as though my help was no longer needed once the garlands were finished, and so I stepped outside to see if I could find that offering yet.

But as I stepped out into the gardens, something caught my eye. It was Tyler, sitting on a bench with his head in his hands. Again.

I approached him, concern evident in my voice. “Hey, Ty, what's going on?” I asked, crouching down beside him.

Tyler looked up, his usually bright eyes filled with a sense of sadness. "”Nina,” he said, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy, “Angie and I broke up after all. She said she fell in love with that other guy. So I guess we’re done.”

My heart went out to him. The timing couldn’t have been worse, with the Moon Goddess Festival just around the corner. “I’m so sorry, Tyler,” I said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “That’s really tough, especially with the party coming up. I’m sure you were looking forward to going with her.”

He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Yeah,” he replied. “I was angry at first, but… Now I’m just sad. This sucks.”

I knew how much he had cared about his relationship, and I wished there was something I could do to cheer him up. And then an idea struck me. “Hey,” I said, a mischievous grin forming on my face, “how about we go for a little adventure? It might help take your mind off of things.”

Tyler’s eyes widened with curiosity. “Adventure? What do you mean?”

I leaned in closer and whispered, “Follow me, but don’t let mom see us. I’ve got an idea.”

His curiosity piqued, Tyler nodded eagerly. “Lead the way.”

I got up and motioned for him to follow me as we made our way towards the dense woods behind the mansion. Once we were deep enough into the forest, I stopped and turned to face Tyler. “Okay, Tyler,” I said, a mischievous glint in my eyes, “you ready?”

And with that, I began to shift into my wolf form. The transformation was quick, and in a matter of seconds, I stood before him as a majestic red wolf. Tyler’s eyes widened with amazement, and he took a cautious step back.

“I’ll never get used to that,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s so… freaky.”

I smirked inwardly, even though I knew he couldn’t see it. Then, crouching down, I motioned for him to climb on.

“You want me to ride on your back or something?” he asked.

I nodded. Tyler hesitated, glancing over his shoulder as though our mom would come running at any moment. But then, seeming to come to the conclusion that it was an opportunity he simply couldn’t pass up, he made his way over to me and scrambled onto my back.

Once he was securely in place with his fingers tangled through my fur, I took off running through the woods. The wind rushed past us, and Tyler let out a wild yell of excitement, his laughter echoing through the trees.

We raced through the forest, the thrill of the moment washing away Tyler’s sadness—and my own reservations. It had felt like too long since I had shifted and had a good run, and the wind blowing through my fur felt like a breath of fresh air.

For a brief time, both of us were able to forget about whatever was hindering us and could instead just focus on the forest, the blue sky, and the feeling of the wind in our faces.

But all good things must come to an end, and after a while, I slowed down and returned to our starting point. Tyler hopped off my back, his face flushed with excitement.

“That was amazing, Nina!” he exclaimed, his eyes shining with joy.

I shifted back, a bit out of breath but exhilarated. “Told you,” I said with a smirk. “Feel better?”

Tyler grinned and went to respond. But before he could utter any words, the sound of twigs and leaves crunching underfoot alerted both of us, and we jerked our head up to see our mother approaching.

And her face was red with fury.

“What are you two doing?” she asked.

“Shit,” I whispered to myself, knowing that she’d freak out over Tyler’s condition, despite his recovery. “Mom, it’s not a big deal,” I said, stepping forward.

“It absolutely is a big deal,” she interrupted. “Tyler, get inside.”

“But mom—” Tyler began.

But our mother wouldn’t hear it. She shot Tyler with a warning glare, and he obeyed, stalking toward the house. We both watched his tall form disappear; the ease in his shoulders had faded once again, turning to stiffness and anger.

“Mom, it was just a short run,” I said. “Angie broke up with him, and...”

She turned her stern gaze on me, and my voice trailed off. “Nina, you need to start thinking like an adult,” she hissed. “You’re pregnant, and your brother is still sick. You should have asked me.”

“Mom—”

“No, Nina,” she hissed again. “I don’t want to hear it. If you can’t even be responsible with your nineteen-year-old brother, then how can you be responsible with a… with a… baby?” she finished, gesturing toward my belly.

I gasped, clutching my belly. Before I could come up with a retort, my mother took off, following Tyler back into the house with a determined stride.

Tears came to my eyes as I watched her go. But I wasn’t mad at her—how could I be? After all, maybe she was right.

Maybe I was irresponsible after all.