Panic and Truth
"No way," I argued. "That old turkey only resigned because he knocked up some twenty-four year old waitress."
"No!" Kaylie gasped.
I nodded and popped another French-fry in my mouth. "It's true, but his son, the current Alpha, kept it under wraps. Probably too ashamed to admit that his father could land a younger woman than him."
"Oh my God," Kaylie said laughing. "I don't want to know how you know all of this."
Jared kissed Kaylie's cheek. "Well his son has since found his mate and that beats any twenty-four year old waitress."
"Says the most disgustingly happily mated couple ever," Cole said bumping my shoulder. "I've seen penguins that aren't that cute. It's revolting."
I shrugged. "You know male penguins aren't all that faithful."
Everyone turned to look at me. "What?"
Kaylie shook her head smiling. "How do you know all of this stuff?"
"I'll never tell," I vowed dramatic, earning me chuckles from round the table. "Besides, it's my turn to ask you a question."
Kaylie nodded and took a quick sip of her strawberry milkshake. "Ask away."
"Why did you guys invite me to a meeting of officials? I'm not just a low on the totem pole but I'm new to your pack. It's not very secure."
My question seemed to stump them all for a moment. Then Kaylie's eyes flickered towards Cole. So he had something to do with this. Interesting. I cleared my throat. "Never mind. You don't have to answer. Someone pick a new topic."
Jared was the first to speak. "Well, going back to the topic of mates. The new Alpha requested to come here again."
"New Alpha?" I asked, confusion pushing my brow down in the middle. "What new Alpha? And why would any Alpha bother you guys."
"It seems that the kid lost his mate," Cole answered. His tone suggested that he didn't think much of their newest nuisance. "He's been searching every pack he can to try to find her."
"He's been nagging us for a couple days," Kaylie said picking up where Cole left off. "He's convinced that she's here. I think we would know is an Alpha's mate was hiding out here."
I swallowed uncomfortably. "So you guys have been turning him away?"
Cole nodded. "I don't know how someone just loses his mate though. It's so irresponsible."
"It may have been her choice to leave," Jared retorted.
Kaylie raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Why would she choose to leave? Being an Alpha's mate is a pretty good deal. You get status, respect, and increased protection. I mean why would this girl run from that?"
"Maybe she freaked at becoming the Luna of her pack," Jared offered. "I mean when we met and you became Luna you were a little hesitant."
"Wait," I interrupted. "What do you mean? About her becoming Luna when you guys met?"
"Well when the future Alpha finds his mate power of the pack is transferred over to him," Kaylie said.
"Yeah," Cole chimed in. "It's about keeping the power with someone in their prime. Once a mate is found they become the Alpha pair. Though for the first couple of years the former Alpha pair is coaching them."
"So this girl is a Luna?" I repeated. "I thought that they had to, um...." I looked down too embarrassed to finish.
"Finish the mating process," Kaylie filled in with a smile at my expense. "You are so innocent, Violet. And no, technically the moment the mate bond is formed the power is shifted regardless of the mate bond's completion."
I had to force air down into my lungs. If this is true then that makes me the Luna of Nightshade. Oh my... If this is true then that also makes Peter... an Alpha.
"Violet?" Cole asked. "Are you okay?"
I couldn't speak for a few seconds and when I could my voice came out strangled. "What pack is this? The Alpha who's been bugging you, where is he from?"
"Uh," Jared seemed to fumble in his concern for me. "It's, um, Nightshade. Alpha Patrick or something like that."
"Alpha Peter Slade," Kaylie corrected. "Violet what's wrong?"
I shook my head unable to answer. It felt like the air was too thin, it wouldn't fill my lungs. Dark spots moved across my vision like a sadistic lava lamp. I dimly noted that I was probably having a panic attack.
"I have to go," I gasped before bolting out of the restaurant like a bat out of hell.
I ran until I was surrounded by the trees of one of the national parks. I collapsed against one of them on the verge of hysterics and hyperventilating. No, no, no, no! How did he find me? I was so, so careful!
"Violet! Violet!"
I looked up to see Cole running towards me. No way could I outrun him, not when I was in the middle of a meltdown. Cole stopped and knelled down in from of me.
"Breath Violet," he coached. "In and out. Put your head between your knees. Take long deep breaths."
I did as instructed and after a few long minutes I started to calm down. I closed my eyes feeling exhausted and clammy. It'd been so long since my last panic attack I forgot how to deal with it. When I was no longer freaking out I looked up at Cole with shame on my cheeks.
"Peter Slade," Cole said softly. "He's the same Peter that you left behind. The one you mentioned when you first came here. You said he died with your parents."
"I may have fibbed a little," I said in a small, weak voice. "Peter is my mate."
He gave me a smile I could only describe as sad. "I kind of figured that part out by myself. Would you care to explain?"
"Do I really have a choice?"
He shook his head. "I'm afraid not. I'm also afraid that we will have to break the Blue Thorn tradition of not digging into someone's past. "I'm really sorry, Violet."
I nodded. "It's okay Cole. I understand."
He stood and helped me up. "Jared and Kaylie will be waiting for us at the pack house."
"Let's go," I said with a heavy sigh.
§§§
True to what Cole said, Kaylie and Jared were waiting on the front steps of the pack house. They looked at me expectantly.
I sighed. "Yeah, I have some explaining to do. Just, please deny his request."
"Request?" Jared repeated.
"Peter Slade's request to come here in search of his mate," I clarified. "Please, reject it."
"Perhaps we should talk in your office, Jared," Kaylie suggested.
Jared cleared his throat and led the way. I was reminded of my first day here in the Blue Thorn pack. I sat in the overstuffed leather chair facing Jared's desk like a child in the principal's office. Jared, playing the part of the principal, sat at the desk. Kaylie stood at his shoulder and Cole at mine. Two teams on a battlefield.
"I am going to ask you some questions," Jared started in an ominous voice. "You are going to answer them honestly and when we are done I will decide how to proceed."
Cole, in his eternal kindness towards me, spoke out. "Why are you making this out like it's an interrogation, Jared?"
"Because it is," I answered in Jared's place. I meet Jared's eyes. "This is an interrogation. I will do my best to answer you honestly, I owe you as much. Please, ask away."
"What is your name?" Jared began.
"Violet Saint," I answered.
"Where are you from?"
"The Nightshade pack."
And back and forth it went for almost an hour until finally Jared asked the big money question.
"Are you the mate of Peter Slade, Alpha of the Night?"
I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. "Yes."
I unsealed my eyes and glanced up to see Jared looking at me sadly. "I am sorry, Violet. We have no choice but to turn you over to him."
"Wait!" Cole exclaimed. "Jared, you can't be serious!"
"We don't have a choice," Kaylie said repeating Jared. "She is an Alpha's mate. Keeping her here is worse than harboring a fugitive. It would start a war."
"You can't just hand her to him. We don't even know why she left!" Cole argued.
"Then ask her," Jared interjected calmly.
All three turned to look at me, the question burning silently in their eyes.
I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I can't answer that."
Kaylie's expression shifted into motherly concern. "Violet, if he's hurt you‒"
I stood up in horror. "No! Peter would never!"
Cole touched my arm. "Violet, if you tell us the truth we can protect you."
"I am," I snapped, shaking his hand off roughly. "Peter would never hurt anyone. He is not the bad guy in all of this, I am!"
Cole shook his head. "I'm sorry, I just can't believe that."
"It's the truth," I said. "Whether you believe it or not, it's the truth. Peter has done nothing wrong. But I can't go back to him."
Kaylie stepped towards me. "Violet‒"
"I know you guys can't hide me from him," I cut her off. "I'm not asking you to."
"Then what are you asking of us?" Jared asked.
"I just need a little time," I answered. "I'm asking you to delay Peter long enough for me to disappear."
"Violet, that's still asking a lot," Kaylie remarked softly. "You want us to help keep an Alpha's mate from him."
"Yes," I confirmed. "Please."
"Why?" Jared asked.
I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I really am, but I can't tell you that. You just have to trust me."
"That's pretty hard considering you've lied to us for the past month," Jared replied.
I grimaced. "I know."
"We'll help," Kaylie said before Jared could reply.
Jared turned to her in surprise. "Kaylie, we can't just‒"
"We'll help," she cut him off. "Whatever you need, a car, money, we'll help."
"All I need is a little time," I said softly.
§§§
"Are you sure you don't want a car?" Cole asked for the umpteenth time.
"I can't drive," I answered for the umpteenth time. "Besides, I don't want to put you guys out any more than I already have."
I spun around looking for anything in the room that I didn't want to leave behind. Cole stopped me, placing his hands on my shoulder. "Violet, you don't have to leave. We can convince Kaylie and Jared‒"
I cut him off, "I can't do that to you guys. As it is you'll get in a lot of trouble for helping me. If I stay... I can't have that on my conscious. I'm sorry. "
He kissed my forehead, "I know. You're a good person, Violet."
I couldn't help a small sniffle. "I have to disagree. Cole, can you do something for me?"
He smiled encouragingly, "Anything."
I grabbed the envelope from the desk and handed it to Cole. "It's a letter to Peter. When I left Nightshade I didn't really say anything to him. I kind of owe him a proper goodbye. I thought if I gave him one maybe it would help him let go."
"It won't," Cole murmured. "If he has even half a clue of how amazing you are then he won't even think about letting you go."
"For someone I've spent the past month lying to you have an awfully high opinion of me," I replied.
He grinned. "I'm a good judge of character. And I'm right. He won't let go, Violet."
"I still have to try," I whispered. "Thank you for everything, Cole. You've been a far better friend than I deserve. I really do hope I see you again. One day."
"Any day," he said against the top of my head. "If you ever want to return I'll do whatever it takes for you to stay."
"Thank you," I repeated. I sighed and stepped away from him. "I should go." Before I can't bring myself to leave. "Goodbye, Cole."
I started to leave but stopped at the doorway. "Cole, I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" he questioned.
I turned around with a nod. "I should have told you that I've met my mate."
He smiled and shook his head. For a moment I was caught by the way his dark hair sucked in the light. Then he spoke and broke me from my trance, "I actually found my mate as well."
I looked up at him surprised. "What?"
His smile turned apologetic. "I met her a little more than a year ago."
"What happened?" I asked unable to curb my curiosity.
"In the end, she left," he answered.
"Oh." I looked down at my feet. "Could you ever forgive her?"
I had to know. I had to know if there was even a chance for Peter to forgive me. It would probably easier for him if he hated me but I couldn't stand it, the thought of my one friend hating me.
"If your Peter is trying this hard to get you back then there is nothing he would let keep you from him," Cole informed me. "As for my mate, that is a really long story that I'd rather not get into."
"Fair enough." I walked back to him and hugged him. "I really hope I can come back one day."
"You will," he said. "Goodbye for now, Violet."
I nodded. "Goodbye for now."