Forsaken by the Moon Goddess novel Chapter 15

Sloane

Scarlet has a LOT of friends. I love my friend and I’m not at all surprised that she has so many friends. I’m just not good being around them. She’s my only friend and I don’t know how to interact in such a large group of people.

Scarlet has never cared about what others thought of me, though. Or at least, she doesn’t care if they don’t think as highly of me as she does. Goddess forbid they say something about me or Slade within her hearing. My friend has always been a passionate person. She’s honestly as much a sister to me as Aria is. I love Aria, but she’s nine years younger than I am. When we do things together, it’s more family time, or girl time geared toward things she wants or can do, since she doesn’t have her wolf yet.

When Scarlet and I spend time together, we share secrets, talk about how amazing her life will be when she’s mated to Will, who we think will be mated to whom, and what we want to do with our lives.

Throughout the night, while everyone showers my friend with attention and gifts, I let my mind wander to my Grandpa Waylon’s pack.

Could I do it? The immediate answer is yes. Aisling is insistent that we could.

Do I want to do it? That’s a great question. Do I want tocontinue to fight against everyone and everything in mỳ life? Will there ever be a time when my life is jüst peaceful?

‘Is that just a cop out and an easy excuse so you don’t have to step up and become an Alpha of your own pack?’ Aisling asks, as always, listening in to my thoughts.

‘Of course I’m listening in. The idea of you getting some boring, mundane job that you drag me to day after day is repulsive to me. Or worse, are you going to go work for Slade when he becomes Alpha? He wouldn’t want that any more than you would, Sloane.’

I have to agree with my wolf. I’d be bored in a job where I wasn’t challenged mentally or physically, preferably both.

Helloooooo, being an Alpha would challenge you every day, Sloane, Aisling says in a sing-song voice.

“I think that’s all the gifts, Scarlet,” Luna Elizabeth says.

“Actually, Luna. I have one more,” I say, walking up. My gift was special so I wanted to make sure Scarlet knew it was from me when I gave it to her.

“Ohhh, what could it be?” Scarlet says, dancing up to me. I hand her the box, hoping that she likes it.

She grins at me as she opens it, putting the wrapping paper on the table and frowning when the box is covered in tape.

“Aria and Jessica helped me wrap it,” I whisper, letting herknow my sister and niece are responsible for all the tape.

“Of course they did. It’s not a glitter bomb is it,” she whispers back. They went through a glitter bomb phase and Scarlet and I found glitter EVERYWHERE for months.

“If they did, I didn’t know about it.”

She opens the box and pulls out the necklace, frowning at it.

“It’s… beautiful. What is it?”

I pull the matching one I got myself out of my pocket to show her.

“I had them made. Yours has your birthstone at the bottom and mine has mine. When you put them together,” I say, connecting the two crooked parts of the necklace, showing that they fit together perfectly. “It’s makes a Bestie Promise.”

Everyone is quiet while Scarlet stares at her gift. She stares so long I shift uncomfortably.

“If you don’t like it …” I begin.

She throws her arms around me. “It’s the best gift I’ve ever received in my life, Sloane. I love it!”

I wrap my arms around her and I realize that she’s crying. ” Those better be happy tears,” I whisper.

She nods against my shoulder, then steps back quickly,brushing her tears away.

“Put it on me!”

I unhook the pinkies, which is what the crooked parts of the necklace are, then put her necklace on her.

“Now you,” she says, swiping her cheeks again before taking my necklace from me. I turn around and she hooks it around my neck.

When I turn back, she holds out her pinkie. “Bestie Promise to never take it off.”

“Bestie Promise,” I say, hooking my pinkie with hers.

“Yes. Most people know where the packs are in relation to each other, Sloane. You’re one of the few who has never paid any attention to that.”

“I’m sure you know about Grandpa Waylon’s proposition,” I say.

“I do.”

“So, I’m considering it and I agreed to go back next weekend. Since I’ll be right there, I’m going to go to Benedict’s party.”

“‘ll be interested to hear how it goes,” she says cryptically.

I snort. “I’m sure I’ll stand around, kind of like l am here, but instead of getting to watch my best friend enjoy her birthday, ‘ll have to watch as women throw themselves at Benedict all night. One of Grandpa Waylon’s warriors told me that the she wolves in their pack are calling him the Alpha King, as if his already massive ego needed to get any larger.”

“I’ve never known Benedict to have a big ego. But then, I don’t know him like you do. It’s his mother who has always been a piece of work. Watch yourself around her. She’ll smile to your face and the moment you turn your back, she’ll stab you with her claws.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, thanks Luna.”

“Thank you for coming tonight, Sloane. I know you have a Lot going on, and I know you didn’t get to spend a lot oftime with Scarlet tonight, but it really meant a lot to her that you were here. Honestly, you were the only one she cared about making it tonight. It’s why she changed the night, you know, so you could be here.”

“I do know and I wouldn’t have missed it. Besides, she made me Bestie Promise to show up,” I grimace.

Luna Elizabeth bursts out laughing. “That sounds like my daughter.”

We could have stayed the night, since both our packs go to the same schools, but my aunt and uncle know how uncomfortable I feel in this pack. Thankfully, they agreed to go back to our pack.

I hug my friend, wishing her a happy birthday again, before saying goodbye to her friends and leaving with my family.

The car ride home is much quieter with the younger pups and even Slade falling asleep. I take advantage of the quiet to go back to thinking about my future and the direction I want to go.