Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 325

Talia’s POV

Nolan got to Annie before I did. He walked across the grass with his hands open and stopped a few feet away so he wouldn’t scare her.

“You are safe. We are taking you to Moonbrook,” Nolan said.

Annie kept her eyes on Nolan. Her arms stayed tight around Marco's neck, and when Nolan reached for her, she jerked away.

“Annie, this is Alpha Nolan. He’s my real mate. He won’t hurt you,” I said, hoping to comfort her. Annie looked back and forth between us but still held onto Marco. “Come here, sweetheart. Everything is okay.”

I opened my arms. Marco moved forward and gently encouraged Annie to come to me. When she reached out, I hugged her, and she held me tightly, pressing her face into my shoulder.

"Do not leave me at Moonbrook. Please, Luna, please. Do not leave me there. I don’t want to be alone," Annie pleaded. My heart hurt for her. I was the only person she trusted now that she thought her father was gone, and he might really be gone this time.

“It is only for a little while, Annie,” I said softly. “Alpha Colin is a good man. He will keep you safe until everything is resolved.”

"Will you come back?"

“I will come back. The moment the war is over, I will come back for you, and I will take you home with me. I am not abandoning you.”

Annie’s voice was hushed against my chest while she breathed. After a moment, she nodded against my shoulder. "Okay, Luna."

Colin met us just inside the wall. As soon as he saw me, he hurried down the steps, crossed the courtyard, and hugged me so tightly I had to lean in to keep my balance. “Nice seeing you too, Colin,” I managed, breathless.

“Thank the Goddess,” Colin said while releasing me. “We thought for a moment that…”

"I’m alive, that’s what matters,” I said, cutting him off.

Colin nodded. “We were so worried,” he said, and then he stopped. “We can talk about that later. I had rooms made up for both of you. Once you’ve cleaned up, come to my office. We have a lot to discuss.”

An hour later, Annie and I were clean and ready to speak with Colin. I wanted more time to just decompress, but I knew we had to speak on this now, as Jason was probably already planning his next move. Annie went and sat near the window with her hands in her lap.

Colin sat at his desk. Nolan sat next to me and wrapped his arm tightly around my shoulders, like he was afraid I might disappear.

“Tell us what happened, Annie, from the beginning,” Colin instructed. “Start with the morning Robin disappeared.”

Annie lowered her gaze to her hands and paused, collecting her thoughts before she spoke.

"Father went on a trip. He left Silverfang with some others. They were going to Fangvale. He told me he would be back in a few days."

"And then?"

"He did not come back. I waited for a week. One night, I overheard that Father had been injured in a rogue attack on the road and had vanished when they returned with help. The next morning, I decided to go look for him myself."

"Annie, why didn’t you tell anyone?”

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