He’d seen many eyes of his fellow students fall on him as they realised they’d been wrong about him, and their words had been uncalled-for. He’d not said anything at all, didn’t really care to hear them apologise either, a select few had been on his side and not believed it. But the rest had all jumped to conclusions. It was not a nice feeling.
He’d simply told the ones that had not judged him that he was clearly gullible, and that it was his own fault for believing her, believing all she’d done to make it look like she was trying to hide she knew they were Mates.
He’d returned to his room after that, he was being punished, in his eyes, by their Goddess. She was showing him what it felt like to be betrayed by one that you trusted and loved. He didn’t blame Selena either, he thought he deserved it, knew it was so that he could kind of understand what Ori had felt or was feeling, on some level. Was just accepting it all, would let her punish him.
Life had moved on that evening and things had gone back to normal for all those around them, the morning of the full moon, that newly marked and mated couple who were now living in a dorm together, both parents of their respective packs happy and alliances made. Found out they were pregnant with their first pup.
They were so very excited about it, told everyone with joy and happiness, it was actually nice to see for the most part, but it just made him sad, for what he knew he’d lost. There was still no word about Ori. They now knew she’d taken a flight to Boston, Massachusetts and was now on the other side of the country to him.
Where she had gone from there; was anyone’s guess. She’d not boarded another flight, that much they did know, so had either taken a cab, or a bus, maybe even a train to get herself out of the city. Or she could be in that city somewhere making a new life for herself. She was just out there in the human world in a heavily populated city, a heavily populated part of the States at that.
Their hunt was not going to be easy, and he knew she was using cash they all did, but they had a time of landing in Boston, as well now, there were no buses running at that time, so they believed she’d called a cab to go somewhere or gotten on a train. The tech guys were still working on that one.
He stood in the dining room with all the others on the full moon, waiting for it to set as was protocol, though he was just standing by the wall, and a part of him prayed he found no one. Audrey was still out on the shaming post, and now she had to hear horrible words about herself.
He didn’t look at her when he walked passed her, but heard her sob softly, a part of him actually felt sorry for her, but that did not make him stop and try to comfort her. He’d had several of the other students here apologise to him for their harsh judgment of him. He’d just looked at them, not really say anything and turned and walked away.
There was no point in being friends with those that would judge and condemn him, so very quickly, without looking at the facts. He felt the moon set as did everyone, and thankfully his band did not light up. Though several others did, and one of the boys was walking around unable to find his Mate.
There was only one she-wolf in the college not here, and that would be Audrey herself, outside her dorm on the shaming post. That poor bastard had only been here a few days prior to what had happened with Audrey, and he’d been here for her punishment and crime to be listed.
Now he stood before her with the Alpha Council watching on to see what he would do; he couldn’t issue a rejection. It wasn’t allowed at this point. But as Slade walked passed, the boy didn’t look happy, and Audrey was sobbing on the ground. Understood he was likely to reject her knowing what she’d done while there.
His father did call him an hour after the moon set and asked him the question of if Audrey was his Mate, and heard the relieved sigh that came from him. They’d been informed of Audrey’s crimes, but there was still that possibility that she could turn out to be his Mate. He was just glad she wasn’t his Goddess-Gifted at this point, whereas just a week ago he had been looking forward to it.
Her punishment would now be sorted out. Her father was here on the council grounds in a cell somewhere himself, for having all his daughters coerce their Mates. Audrey’s punishment had been put off until after the full moon, to see if there was any chance it might be that they were Mate’s and could reconcile if they were.
He had no idea if he could forgive her for something like that, even if she turned out to be his Goddess-Gifted, and he’d not really want to think about it, so hadn’t.
Ana
Ana and Maddie had decided to go on a trip together before her daughter was born. She’d let Maddie talk her into a three-day weekend getaway, down to the beach. A place that Maddie herself knew, and had been to for day trips or weekends herself.
A place called Sand Beach in the Acadia National Park, which was still in Maine and only a three-hour drive away, so not too far, yet right on the ocean for a full change of scenery. They were going to leave at dawn on Friday morning, and spend the entire weekend down there and come back Sunday night. Just eat out at the local restaurants, and walk the beach, have a swim in the ocean too, if the weather was nice. Though it was just at the end of summer and the days were still warm, neither of them thought there would be an issue. They, as wolves, didn’t feel the cold like everyone else did either.
It was a nice scenic drive down through Maine to the coast and though she’d gotten a bit restless and uncomfortable in the truck at times, she was happy to be getting away before her daughter was born. Though her baby still did not have a name, she didn’t even know what she wanted.
Nothing seemed to feel right with her. She was hoping that on this trip they might find something that would feel right. It was a nice feeling to be going on a trip without so much as a care in the world, not having to worry about other wolves scenting them out as rogues. If one pure-blooded Alpha couldn’t do it, then none could. She was completely at ease with her new life now.
It was very freeing to be able to just move about inside the human world and not have to concern oneself with anything other than human troubles. She had really relaxed into life after coming across Alpha Austin and seeing for herself that the scent masking oil did work. Although she’d believed Maddie, because he’d not scented her as anything other than human. Deep down she’d had fears of Alphas being able to tell what they were. She no longer had those at all.
They were traveling as sisters on a vacation together, human sisters, something she’d never done before, even when traveling with the pack, you always knew when other packs could scent you. If you could smell them, they could smell you, and therefore, one ran the risk of aggression coming from unknown packs.
Right now, she no longer had to worry about that, there was no fear or stress of being hunted by other rogues, nor fear of even being recognised by a family of wolves out here on holiday if they came across them. Maddie’s oil with human pheromones was magic to her. It worked a treat on all other worldly creatures.
They did come across a family of wolves at that beach just hanging out. They had three small children all under six and were warrior ranked she’d smelled. They did not even bat an eyelid at her and Maddie, just presumed that they were human.
It was truly a nice feeling, she was truly free of the wolfen world and could understand why Maddie was so happy with her life, there was nothing out here to fear from their own Kind.
They strolled along the beach barefooted, carrying their shoes in hand, couldn’t check into their hotel until after 2pm, and it was only just after 10. There had been some stops on the way for food and bathroom breaks for Ana, whose bladder now felt like it was the size of a pea.
They spent the next day at the beach, had a picnic lunch, waded in the water and just talked and laughed. It was good to be doing something different. She smiled as Maddie took pictures of her and then of the two of them. Selfies and then they just sat and watched the sunset that night as the gentle waves of the ocean rolled ashore.
This was she found out Maddie’s favourite place to come and get away from things. It was the first beach she’d ever seen. Where she had stayed herself, hidden in wolf form during the nights out in the forests, and then sat for the most part in human form during the days, while waiting for her plan’s timeline to fall into place.
She still came down here every six months, and she was excited to bring Ana here, talked about the first time that she would bring her niece here too, in a few months’ time. Ana smiled at her. Maddie was or had been an only child and loved having a sister; was looking forward to having a niece.
Ana loved having Maddie as her sister as well. She was kind and considerate all the time. Genuinely liked her for who she was, and there were no expectations of her. Not once had Ana heard the word ‘irresponsible’ come out of the woman. That in itself was also nice.
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