Chapter 73

“Well?” Candido pressed after the man didn’t speak for a long time.

“I… don’t know,” he looked away.

Candido frowned, and I gasped. It all made sense now. Hadn’t Francium mentioned the fact that his father wasn’t a real descendant of the New Moon Pack’s founder? How had she faded into obscurity? Was she in the same position as my mother had been?

I worried my lip and glanced at Candido. Had Candido’s mother been the same position? Was she actually a member of the Blue Moon Pack?

Or was she the true descendant of the Full Moon Pack’s founder?

“This isn’t the time to hide things,” Candido said. “If you know something, say so.”

His shoulders slumped. “I haven’t seen his mother since I took Francium from her. I don’t think he’s there. He would know better… I’ve taught him better.”

“By letting his brothers abuse him?” I asked.

He sneered, “What do you know?”

“Enough,” I replied.

Candido looked at me and hung up. “You think he’s with his mother.”

“Where else would he be?”

Who she was and where she was, I didn’t know, but I didn’t have time to chase after that right now. I’d let Candido look for Francium and his mother for now.

I was in the middle of making preparations to go into the underground passage. Armageddon hadn’t given the all-clear for the plan yet, but it was only a matter of time.

I stood and Candido caught my hand. “Wait, Hedy. We should talk.”

I looked at him and considered it. I thought back to the last conversation we had about me continuing to live at the Estate. At that time, it had been to suss out who would have been responsible for the attack, but now, there was a much better reason to leave.

I lowered myself back into my seat. He looked hopeful.

“I’d like you come into town with me tomorrow,” he said. “To start seeing what I do.”

I frowned, “What does that mean?”

His lips twitched. “War is coming and I—”

I reared back. “You’re trying to groom me to take over if you die?”

He shook his head, “Not exactly. I just… You’ve made your point about being an adult, being close enough to an adult, at least. I thought, at the least, if this is to work, I should start treating you as one. You’ve been my ward for the past four years, but I’ve… never given you a place in the pack.”

My heart clenched.

A place in the pack. I couldn’t believe he was bringing this up now. Or rather, I could believe it. If I was training to be his assistant or successor or whatever he had in mind, he’d get to have me at his side.

A year ago, I would have jumped at the chance, thinking that would bring us closer, but now, I couldn’t imagine spending every day with him knowing he would never return my feelings.

“… no.”

He frowned. “What?”

I shook my head. “I don’t want you to groom me to be at your side. If you’re going to give me a place in the pack, a job, I want it to be somewhere else. Away from you."

His eyes widened. “Hedy—”

“Also, I’m moving out.”

He shut his mouth and went still as a statue. He worked his jaw. I could see the emotions warring in his eyes before he dropped his gaze.

“Is this about… your mate?”

I set my jaw. “I don’t think it’s any of your business.”

“Hedy—”

“Proclaimed by the Moon Goddess, right? No point in interfering. Doomed to fail. You’ve said basically all of this. Why are you turning back now?”

He swallowed. “I see no reason for you to move out. He is… welcome here.”

“I don’t want to have to look at you every day,” I said. “I can’t.”

“Hedy—”

“I’m moving out,” I said finally and turned to leave. “Tonight.”

Candido followed me back to my room. My heart was racing as I tried my best to keep on with my plan. It was an abrupt change, but with Candido trying to watch my every move, I had to get out if I was going to go on this mission with Moon Shadow.

More importantly, I had to get out so I could start to get away from my feelings for Candido.

“Hedy, don’t be unreasonable. It’s the middle of the night. What’s the rush all of a sudden?” Candido said, his voice was almost panicked as I put a few pairs of jeans in my bag. I grabbed my school bag and my Moon Shadow laptop, and a few toiletries.

“It’s obvious that if we stay together, I’m never going to get over you.” I zipped my bag shut. “Honestly, I may never get over you… No matter who this mate is.”

Candido grit his teeth. “You can’t.”

“I can,” Hedy said. “And if you’re going to insist on us following the Moon Goddess’ plan instead of… us, then I have to.”

“You can’t,” he said again. “Where would you go?”

That stopped me for a second and I turned from him. “On campus.”

Even saying it sent a pang of agony through me.

“A dorm room won’t fit all of your things.”

“If I really have a place in the pack, then I can come back.”

He groaned, “It would be easier if you just stayed.”

“Easier for who?”

“Easier in general,” Candido said, standing in my way.

He placed his hands on my shoulders. I tried to turn away, but he held me tight and drew me closer. I shuddered, unable to pull away from.

“You have to take a deep breath and think about this,” he said softly. “Think… Think about what it would mean for you to move out… Away from me…”

My jaw trembled. I was almost going to cry. He looked so miserable, but I had to keep my heart from it.

“Could you really move into the dorms?” Candido asked. “After everything…”

I closed my eyes. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I shook my head.

“I-I… I couldn’t.” He pulled me close as I shuddered and tried to stifle my sobbing.

“Could you… Could you reconsider it?”

I shook my head. “I can’t stay here.”

He held me close. I took deep breaths, trying to get myself under control.

“Okay,” he said, his voice cracked as he pulled me close. “I’m still… I’m still your guardian, your alpha, Hedy. I’m sorry that I… that I’ve let it happen this way. Let me try to make it right… Let me try to make it easy for you.”

I sniffled and pulled back, looking up at him.

“In an hour,” he said. “I’ll have Team Gamma-2 take you to a safe place to stay in the capital.”

I sniffled as he pushed my hair behind my ear.

“I’ll increase your allowance and send a staff person to keep the place up… When you’re ready to come home… Come home.”

I looked up at him and nodded.

“If you want a job with the pack, just ask,” he said. “But don’t feel that you have to find one before your graduate, okay?”

I nodded. I met his gaze. For a moment, I wondered if Candido was starting to understand that I wasn’t his little girl anymore. I wasn’t a little girl. I was a woman. He walked me down to the foyer then left me alone.

I listened to him in the other room. My eyes burned with tears, but I knew I was making the best decision I could.

He came back and walked me out to the jeep, and opened the door. There was so much longing in his eyes. I wanted to pull him down for one last kiss. A kiss to the cheek, something, but I couldn’t give in to that urge.

I got into the car, and Candido closed the door behind me. I watched him watch me leave as the jeep drove away.

The condo was beautiful. It was one of the buildings that Candido owned in the capital city. I set my bag down and looked around.

“Do you like it?” The leader of Team Gamma-2 asked.

“I do.”

My eye caught on a frame on one of the tables. The photo was of Claire and I.

“Why is this here?”

“His Majesty planned it as a surprise for… you and Miss Claire.”

My jaw trembled as I held the photo, and tears slid down my cheeks. How long had he been planning for me to move out? Had he always been planning for this? How could he have planned this and accused me of growing up too fast?

Candido texted me. Do you like it?

I looked down at it and replied.

I do.

Sleep well, Hedy.

I set the phone down as Team Gamma-2 left the condo.

My laptop chimed with a message from Armageddon.

We’re going into the tunnels in three days.