The Mates of Monsters
Chapter 43

"Let's go through things, alright? You need to get back into routine after being gone and taking a... break," Jeremy says, and I nearly forgot how quickly he speaks. "It was only two days," I drawl.

"First, most importantly, Alpha Nicodra will be coming at the end of the month-"

"David called? Nicodra said yes?"

Jeremy insists, "It's what I received. I receive the information, and I structure your schedule, that's all."

"I thought you knew everything?"

He holds my gaze for a moment before he takes a breath and sets down his papers on the dining room table. "Yes, Nicodra agreed to come and speak with you. The Alpha called yesterday." "Was he upset? Angry?"

"I wasn't the one on the phone, Brigette-I don't know."

I lean back in my chair and figure I'll have to ask David tonight. However, over the past two days I've hardly seen more than glimpses of my mate. The only time we're truly together is when he joins me in bed late at night, far past my bedtime. I feel the covers move, and I sleepily turn over. David whispers for me to go back to bed as he takes me into his arms.

Last night, I had the energy to ask where he's been. Just behind my ear he told me things would start to slow down-it's only because he's been gone. It's always like this after he's been gone.

"Moving on," Jeremy clears his throat, making me flinch. "We'll cover what you'll need to say during Alpha Nicodra's visit, but for now we'll focus on your endeavors. The Alpha also wanted me to include more training lessons with him, and he added that you might disagree. He said to ignore this."

I smile softly to myself. "You know, Jeremy, all of that actually sounds nice."

"Should it not? We are working on your project. Be ready for many phone calls, emails, meetings with Luna Godoy. There may even be trips in the future, far away ones which I'm sure would please the little runaway inside of you."

"Trips?" I question and rest my chin on my palm. "Far away; how far?"

"Across oceans, I'm sure."

A glimmer of hope tickles in my gut-hope that both pieces of myself will be unified. Jeremy and I get to work, drafting personal emails to send to those who were not present up North, a message from myself to pair with the information sent by the union. We also send an email to Bonny asking what role she would like to take in this campaign; how much time she has to dedicate to it. I still wonder about Aurora since she did have a part in the idea's formulation. I decide to offer her a place on our team if all goes as planned during Nicodra's visit. After all, Aurora is very different from her mate. Honestly, I wonder why on earth the Goddess mated them at all.

The handle of the front door clicks from down the hall. I jolt and look to Jeremy, but he doesn't seem as interested as I do. The door opens and closes, and I call, "Hello?"

Footsteps carry, and Jeremy glances to the entry. My face lights up as David enters the dining room. I push out my seat and stand with my fingertips kissing the wood of the table, asking, "What are you doing home? I thought I wouldn't see you until tonight."

My gleam of joy flickers when I notice a lack of his own. David takes me from the dining room and says we need to talk. I obey, and he takes me into the kitchen. I catch sight of Helena through the french doors, sitting on the porch with a glass of water and an old book. She glances back at the sight of us but promptly returns to her words.

"I have to leave for a few days," he says, still winding down from his trek here. My breath catches in my throat, and I stare wide-eyed. I blink for mental clarity. "It's my father."

"Your...your father?"

"I hate to leave now, especially as I'm just getting caught up again, but I don't have much of a choice. It's been years, Brigette. I have to see what he wants."

"No, no of course. You have to go," I mutter, resting my side against the counter. "Did he send something? Did you speak to him?"

"He called, actually. He said he needs to see me."

"That's all?"

David says, "He's a man of few words, but I know it must be important. I-I thought I would never hear from him again. And when I see him, I can tell him all about you, that I've found you."

He grins and brings his hands to my upper arms, looking me over with admiration-embers of a fire. "A few days?" I breathe. "Where to?"

"A ways down South. I'll travel shifted, so a day to get there, a day to get back-"

"And a day to see him," I finish. "When are you leaving?"

I pray he says tomorrow. I yearn for one proper night with him just as the four we had together up North. One night for him to tease me, make me churn with that ingrained want and climb another step of the ladder. My body has been calling for his addictive ways; when he strokes me, grabs me, and kisses my mouth-when he compels me to open for him. I twitch at the thought, but my wanting is crushed by three words. "I leave tonight," he says regretfully. "I have to leave as soon as possible. I'll run through the night; it might get me home to you sooner."

My chest inflates, filling and filling to smother the emptiness swaying in delight. I want to tell him no, you can't go, but maybe then I would truly be evil. So I'll lay alone in our bed and hope the emptiness doesn't consume me before he finds his way back to me. David packs a bag of a few things. I hear him talk to Tarlo in the bedroom as he does so; he makes sure everything will be done properly while he's gone-everything but me. I curse my thoughts and return to my work downstairs. David would think it odd if he found me lurking in the upstairs hall.

The sun beings to sink behind the tops of the tallest trees when I complete the draft of the email. I'll leave it for Jeremy to look over in the morning. Helena grabs my attention as she leaves for the night. She notices me in the dining room and stops for a second to say, "Dinner is on the stove. And please, tell David I left some food on the counter-for his journey."

She's gone before I even say my thanks.

Then it clicks; my coddling has come to an end. I am no longer the new helpless Luna who's tripping over her feet, not in the ways I was, at least. Jeremy has little to teach me, and Helena no longer needs to pop me out of my bubble. David trusts me to be on my own, and now I find myself preparing for a long night alone in this empty house.

David kisses me goodbye on the back steps of the porch. I cling to him and fist his shirt when he pulls away. The kiss was far too short, far too clean and proper, but I hush my needs and wish him luck with his father. When his arms tighten around me, I feel like I can finally breathe.

"Jeremy and Helena will be here," he says. "And you know Tarlo's number if you need him."

"I know. I'll be fine."

David gives me one last, hard kiss before he says, "I trust you."

My hands grip the smooth railing with white knuckles and a force strong enough to drive splinters into my skin. The exact second I lose sight of him, I let go.

I think maybe this is a test. My final test.

When I wake alone, I yank the blankets back to reveal nothing but relieving whiteness. My dreams are beginning to feel so real. My eyes stare at the sheets for two beats longer, then I grab my phone from the bedside table, seeing a text message from Jeremy informing me that he is unable to work today. I grin. It's the test-it's obvious.

I throw on a robe and let it swirl and flow behind me like a cape as I fly down the steps. "Helena?" I call and enter the kitchen. The only sign of human presence is the pot of cinnamon oatmeal on the stove with a note.

Will be back for dinner - Helena

I eat my oatmeal at the counter and talk to myself about how trustworthy I am. Maybe a part of David expects me to be frantically packing for a life on the road. "I won't leave him," I sing to the house. "You can't get rid of me now."

Once finished with breakfast, I make my way to the dining room where I left the laptop, so I can check my email for a response from Bonny. My phone vibrates in my pocket halfway, and I see Tarlo's contact on the screen. I answer and bring the device to my ear, "Good morning, Tarlo. Have you heard from David?"

"Good morning, Brigette," he says, rushed. "I haven't, but that's not why I'm calling. There is a woman at the border asking to see you. It's Luna Nicodra. Do you have an idea as to why she would be here?" "Uh-Aurora? She's here?"

"She's asking to see you. We usually don't accept visitors without prior notice. I can call David as well if-"

"No," I blurt. "No, don't do that. I'll see her."

"I can bring her to the house myself if you like," he offers.

"Yes. Please do. I'll be waiting."

I hang up and find myself frozen in place, not believing Aurora is really here at the pack. I don't even remember the last time we spoke-well, maybe it was at lunch on the first day. That doesn't leave much time between our last words to each other and her mate's hand around my throat. No, never mind, we didn't exchange words to say goodbye. She winked at me. The trusting, cryptic wink.

I resume in full force, running upstairs to make myself appropriate. If she's upset, I should let her speak, shouldn't I? I need to assure her that I never planned to hurt her in the process, but that isn't true, is it? Obliviously I didn't want her to get thrown out, but I didn't do anything to stop it. She and Nicodra were one and the same at that time.

What if it's the proposition she's upset about? Does she think I stole her idea, or could she be grateful that someone finally took action? An orchestra of possibilities plays away in my skull until one final note draws it all to silence. A knock on the door steals my last breath and leaves me like a deer in headlights.