Shaking my head with a small smile, I mutter to myself, as if annoyed. But to be honest, I love having both Eddie and Layla here, and even more, I love the life that it brings every day. Sunny, my newest addition, has become loud too, running around and squeaking her toys. I pause outside my bedroom door, my hand resting on the handle as a thought runs through my mind. It is the reminder that this is probably the closest I’ll ever get to a full house.
The ruby-red seatsand shiny white tables bring back memories of my life before Eddie Enchanted. My life when I thought I was going to be forever single. Back when I was hanging out with Flora and Luxe almost every day. We haven’t had lunch for who knows how long, and it’s completely my fault.
“So, can we talk about what happened last night?” Luxe asks as she takes her seat at Eleanor’s Diner. The Luna isn’t happy, even through her smile, I can tell. The disappointment radiates off her as if it’s magic, right into my pores. Flora isn’t as headstrong, her face screwed with worry as she slides into the booth seat next to Luxe.
“I—” I say but cut myself off. Layla, my sweet, innocent Layla, went through so much and... I wasn’t there. I left, and she was going through hell. My eyes trail out the window, trying to process everything that was said last night. I don’t know what to think. “Can’t say we’ve been through this before, darling,” Flora says, rubbing a hand up and down my arm. It’s nice to be around my friends again; they are warm and comforting. Goddess, I missed them. I see now that nothing would keep them away for too long. Not even a killer on the loose.
“Willow, spill. What are you thinking?” Luxe says. Her short blonde hair is pulled up in a claw clip, and she’s dressed in a maxi skirt that drags slightly on the floor, and a white long-sleeve crop top covers her chest. I wish I could wear cute long-sleeve shirts in this summer heat, but I’d sweat right through them.
“I think I’m in love with Eddie,” I blurt out. “No, I’m absolutely in love with him.”
“But what about Milo? He’s not dead,” Luxe asks as her mood switches from angry to compassionate in the second it takes her to reach her hand over the table to take mine. Luxe is a Luna, after all. She’s built to handle crazy situations. To adjust to change and to lead. She is strong and beautiful, and I love her.
“I don’t know anymore. Regardless of if he was my mate or not, my mind pulls towards Eddie, and I can’t stop this pull. Maybe I got it wrong, or the Moon Goddess is giving me a second chance,” I say, unable to stop my rambling. With each admission, a weight is lifted from my chest, and I crave that lightness. I can’t stop the rush I get as the load gets lighter and lighter.
“I can’t believe I thought someone who could sell their sister to the BSM could be my mate? What does that say about me?”
“It says you’re a loving person,” Flora quickly supplies as a guilt eats away at my gut.
“I mean, I was going to mate that man! How did I not know that he could be so evil?”
“Do you believe your bites would’ve taken? Remember what Ms. Harrow said about bites healing when you’re not mates?” Flora asks, trying to be encouraging.
“I don’t know. I guess I’ll never know,” I mumble in a slight panic. At least they believe in my character. I just—wow, I can’t believe I loved a person who could do that.
“We don’t need men. We should be our own Pack. The three of us,” Luxe says, pouting her lips and grabbing our hands.
“I’m technically part of a Pack already, but Dylan will understand,” Flora says, nodding her head in agreement.
“We already are a Pack,” Luxe clarifies. “We have our Luna, me, our momma bear, Willow, and our business head, Flora. Layla could be a member too, and Remi. What more could we need?” Luxe laughs as she goes over our “roles.” I watch them laugh, and I start to feel better about the Milo thing. Not about what he did to Layla—that will never be forgiven, and I could kill him myself for that. My bear paws at the surface every time I think about it, but I don’t think that is my place anymore. Layla’s been clear that’s been her plan since she got out, and I don’t want to take away any sort of peace she could gain from that. She deserves that much. “So, back to Layla and Ghost.”
“My heart breaks for her. She’s young. I have no idea how to help her,” Luxe says, keeping a watchful eye on the window.
“What’s wrong?” I ask as she turns to stare fully out the window. I turn to see, but she stops me with a hand on my cheek.
“Don’t look now, but someone dressed in all black is headed inside.”
“I wear all black outfits all the time. That doesn’t make someone suspicious,” Flora says, trying her damndest not to look. I want to look so badly—it’s our weakness. I replace Luxe’s hand with my own to block my view.
“Is he a tall man with tattoos covering every inch of his skin except his face?” I ask, suddenly doused in a cold wash of fear from head to toe. Oh, my goddess. Would Ghost try to kill me here? With my friends here? Oh my goodness, what if he hurts them too?
“Yes.”
“It’s Ghost,” I say. My breathing becomes labored. Oh, my goddess. He’s here. He’s going to hurt me, hurt my friends, in our favorite diner.
“We don’t know that for sure,” Flora says.
“Ghost is here,” I whisper, slowly pulling out my phone to secretly text Eddie. I pray he has his phone.
Oh shoot, he’s at work. He has his presentation today! His phone should be off.
“Who should we call?” I ask worried my text ruined Eddie’s presentation already.
“You think I can’t handle this?” Luxe asks, slowly getting up from the booth. Her smile is sly and flirty.
Sly and flirty?
What in the world was this Luna thinking?
