Reborn Luna (Hope and Keith) novel Chapter 43

Hope

I creep inside the pack house just after midnight. I just finished getting Leon settled in the warriors barracks. Though he was suspicious of my intent at first, he seemed to settle in fine. I would have to check on him in the morning and take him to Emma for a follow–up.

The door clicks shut behind me. My skin tingles with the night’s lingering warmth, and the scent of summer jasmine drifts through the cracked window. I drop my keys in the dish by the door doing my best to keep the jingling to a minimum.

Exhaustion threads through my bones like slow poison. Today was long and tomorrow will be longer because I have to convince my father to accept a loner into our past. Not that I believe my father would send a young, vulnerable juvenile away, but I’m more concerned with how it will look to Leon

After the trauma he’s experienced, any negative energy towards him staying here will likely make him want

to run for the hills.

I make for my bedroom, hoping to get at least 6 hours of sleep before I have to wake up and deal with the

world.

As I step inside the scent of the rain and smoke hit me making my body go rigid as stone.

Keith is standing in the middle of my room, broad–shouldered and angular in the dim lamp glow.

My heartbeat stumbles in my throat. “Why are you in my room? I ask.

“You’re home late,” he says, ignoring my question.

The words come without heat, but his voice hums with accusation, or is that worry?

I want nothing more than to sidestep this moment, to turn on my heel and disappear into the night again. But there’s no escaping him. No escaping the feel of his lips of mine and the way his body curled around

1. me.

I can’t let myself get sucked into the seedling of a bond. Anything with feed it, water it until those sprouts

grow.

Putting on my bitchiest face, I say, “Time flies when you’re having fun, or haven’t you heard?”

His eyes, slicked with emotion, track me. “We need to talk.”

I breathe in and let it out slowly. “Not now.” I dropped my bag by the coat closet. “I’m tired. So if you could kindly exit my space, I’d like to get some shit eye. I have an early morning.”

“I think we all do.” He leans forward, hands braced on the back of a chair. “You know, after you ran, I chased you. I tried to track your scent, but the trail went cold when I reached the black market. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

25 he mud of the

Hmm,” I tap my chin and pretend to think. “I

Would suggest better training, but I’m sure you’re far too busy for that these days.”

“Be serious.”

“I am,” I deadpan.

“I was worried about Hope. Anything could have happened to you in that state.”

The genuine look of concern ties my stomach in knots but I hold firm to my anger. This is still the male who betrayed me, even if it hasn’t happened yet.

“That’s funny coming from you. What do you think would have happened if I had stayed? Would you have taken advantage of me? Marked me?”

His face tells me nothing as he says, “I don’t know.”

“That’s what I thought. Now get out of my room.” My voice wavers at the end, and I don’t want to consider

why.

“You can’t–don’t pretend we don’t matter.” His voice threatens to crack.

My stomach coils. I can feel the gravity of the night pressing me under, and I stiffen. “I… there is no we.”

He stiffens, shoulders rising. “So, your plan is to avoid me forever? Avoiding our bond and hope that one day it goes away?”

I swallow. My throat is dry. “Stop twisting it.” I rub my hands down my arms. “I just-”

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