Moon Bound [Undergoing Rewrite]

Chapter 4

FOR THE NEXT couple of days, Ludovica's parents began to prepare everything for her wedding with Alfonso. Everyone seemed elated by the fact she was getting married, everyone except her. To not try to think about how her life would be as a trophy wife, she focused on pack business.

Even though nothing had changed in her pack, she still had the responsibility to send every name of the pack members to the council for the records. After she finished, she stood from the armchair and headed outside to help Jacqueline train everyone.

However, she stopped in the foyer when Caleb walked in. His eyes held her gaze for a brief moment before he headed upstairs, presumably to his room. She moved to follow, but a hand stopped her.

"May I have a word with you?"

Ludovica nodded and followed her mother back to the study. "Have you finally decided to give me back my memories?" Even if it had been too painful for her as a child to lose a close friend, now she could handle the pain. There was no need to keep her memories from her.

"That is not what I wish to discuss with you."

"Then what?"

"What do you feel for Caleb?"

The question caught her off guard.

"Do you love him?"

"Of course, mother. I love him as I love Jackson."

Her mother shook her head, brushing back her wispy bangs. "Ludovica, I'm not going to force you to tell me the truth and I'm not going to tell you how to run your life...but please think very carefully before doing anything that you might regret." She paused for a moment. "Your father told me how he found Caleb and you completely naked in the river...kissing."

"It meant nothing."

"Really?"

That kiss had meant a lot to her, but she wouldn't admit it. "It was a simple moment of weakness. It will not happen again, Mother."

"I hope not," she said. "Caleb might not have our blood coursing through his veins, but he is like a son to your father and I. We don't want any harm to come to him...That is why I will ask you to keep your distance."

Ludovica's lips parted, but she didn't say anything. She squeezed them shut as she turned her face away from her mother. Her mother grasped her chin and forced her to make eye contact.

"You know as well as I do how this will end." She cupped Ludovica's face in her hands and kissed her forehead before exiting the study.

For what seemed like eternity, Ludovica stood frozen at the center of the study. A couple of days ago, she had told Jackson how he had to walk away from Angie in order to keep her safe. She had to do the same if she didn't want Caleb to end up dead because of her.

To distract her mind from everything, she decided to head into Safire, the human city, with Jacqueline. As they walked through the crowded streets of the city, no matter how much she tried, she couldn't stop thinking about Caleb.

He was starved for three days.

When she had tried to sneak into the building to bring him food, a force field had stopped her. Alfonso was clearly not an easy man to fool. He expected her to try to help Caleb and had asked a witch to create a force field on the building to stop her.

"Ludovica, are you listening?"

"No. Sorry."

"Well, like I was saying..." Jacqueline's voice trailed off when Ludovica bumped her shoulder against someone. Electricity shot through her, stunning her. She whirled around, but in this crowd, it was difficult trying to figure out who had bumped into her by accident.