The Luna That I Replaced (Book 2 of Witfall Pack)

Chapter 1

I took a deep breath and watched as the packhouse grew closer and closer. My heart pounded in my chest, and my throat started to close up while we made our way towards it. My hands were shaking from nerves because I had never thought I would be back here, not so soon.

Two years. It had been two years since I left the pack, and still, I was wondering if I had made the right choice to come back. A lot of stuff could happen in two years, and a lot of stuff changed in two years, especially to me.

"Titi?" Sam asked, looking at me through the rearview mirror. Concern filled his eyes while he looked at me; his lips were pulled into a frown. He studied me before he turned his gaze back to the road and the packhouse that started to loom over us. "Are you ok?"

I took a deep breath and nodded my head, clearing my throat. "Yes," I whispered, my voice cracking, and I tucked my hands underneath my legs to keep them away from view while they shook without my control. I cleared my throat and took in a deep breath. "Yes," I said again, this time louder than the last one. I closed my eyes and squeezed them shut, and tried to take deep breaths to calm my frayed nerves. However, it didn't work, and I was still nervous and anxious, not knowing if I should have come here at all.

A warm hand reached out to touch my arm before the person removed it. The person placed it back on me, this time keeping it there. "Mama?" a little voice asked, concerned. "Are you ok?"

I opened my eyes and looked to my left to see a young child staring at me, her head cocked. Her brows were furrowed, and she had a pout on her lips, worry filling her eyes. I tried to force a smile on my face so that my two-year-old daughter wouldn't know that I wasn't ok and that I was nervous as crap. "Yes, Didi," I said, making sure that I didn't sound so face. "I am happy that you get to finally meet your father."

Sam snorted, and I scowled at him. He didn't say a word, but we both knew that I wasn't really ready for this. He knew that I wasn't ready to face his wrath, still not liking people yelling at me.

"Mama," my daughter, Alexandria, said, and I looked at her. She scowled and furrowed her brows together. Her gray eyes stared into mine, trying to read me. "Not ok?"

I took a deep breath and offered her a small smile. "I will be," I said softly. I looked out the window to see both Michael and Avery come out of Karen's house and stand on the porch as they were waiting for me.

My heart ached when I didn't see Carter standing there with them, and wondered where he was.

Someone squeezed my arm, and I looked that way to see that it was Blue studying me and having his arm on my shoulder. His clear blue eyes were filled with concern and worry. There was a little annoyance in them, and I could tell that it was at Carter because he wasn't there. "If we need to leave, we will," he said softly.

"Ya, you can live with us," Sam said. He smiled and poked Alexandria's barefoot, and the young squealed out happily and kicked out at him. "I want to see this baby girl grow up."

I offered him a tired smile and shook my head. "I'm probably going to travel," I said. "On my own with Alexandria." I glanced at Blue when he cleared his throat. "And, Blue."

Sam nodded his head in understanding. He looked out the windshield and whistled in surprise. "Well," he said. "Look who showed up."

I looked out the windshield and saw him standing there, staring at the minivan while the minivan slowed to a stop. My breath caught in my throat, and my heart started to pound in nerves.

He was standing on the porch with Avery and Michel and his hand on his daughter's shoulder. He looked good, better than he had the last time I had seen him. Whatever he had been doing was working, but I had no idea how long it would last.

His dark brown eyes were on the car, and I had a feeling that he was trying to find me. He was frowning, and I could see the concern appear in his eyes because he thought I had not come.

I took in a deep breath and let it out, closing my eyes before opening them again. I licked my lips before I pursed them, not knowing how Carter would react. "Goddess," I whispered, moving a shaking hand through my hair when his eyes met mine. "Protect me."

***

I opened the van door when Sam pulled it to a stop and got out. I grunted when Avery ran at me and pulled her into a hug. "I am here," I whispered, feeling her start to cry. I rubbed her back soothingly and cleared my throat, happy to be with her again. "I am back."

"I have missed you... Mom," she whispered, her voice soft. She pulled away when she felt me stiffened and looked at me with concern filling her green eyes. She cocked her head and cleared her throat while she furrowed her brows. "Is... that ok?"

I offered her a smile and nodded my head. "Yes," I said. I cleared my throat and wiped her eyes. "I am more than happy to be considered as your mom." I kissed her forehead and stood when Blue came out with Alexandria.

"Mama!" Alexandria exclaimed, reaching for me. Her face was scrunched up, and she was about to cry because she thought I had left her, something that would never happen.

"Mama?" Carter asked while he and Michael walked over to us. He watched me take Alexandria from Blue, and fury started to form in his eyes. "Mama?" he asked again, coldly, and my heart started to pound in my chest. "Did she just say "Mama?"" Warning filled his tone, and I knew he thought that I had cheated on him. He thought that I had slept with someone else and became pregnant.

He thought that I had betrayed his "trust," or at least whatever trust we had in each other.

Alexandria rubbed her nose and sniffled before she looked at Carter. Her eyes were wide, and she grinned, reaching towards him. She was excited and happy, and she had no idea what dangers lay beneath the surface of this man, of this Alpha. "Daddy!" she exclaimed happily, bouncing in my arms. "Daddy!"