Sun & Moon

Chapter 13 - Astrid

My phone dies halfway through our flight over the Atlantic Ocean.

I'm on a fancy Lycan private plane yet there are no chargers in sight. But maybe it's for the best when I remember how Valentina was tracking Bianca. I never realized the extent of their relationship, but if it has resulted in Valentina privately stalking Bianca to make sure she's okay, however messed up that sounds, maybe they were more serious than I thought.

Rio, as I feel I should start calling him by his name, apologizes. It's been very weird to witness Alpha Smug's character development in the span of 12 hours, and I think I'm secretly growing to like the reveal of a gentler side, although he still has his moments.

He offers me a change of clothes from his suitcase and when I emerge from the bathroom with his clothes on, I fight the urge to blush under his hungry blue-black eyes.

He strides over to me coolly, his delicious minty scent following close by, and I stand firm expectantly.

"You look good in my clothes," he comments, with a grin that makes my stomach flutter. Naturally, I roll my eyes. He hands me one of the burgers we picked up along the way for dinner. "Eat up then rest up. We'll be reaching Midnight Shadow tomorrow around noon."

I take the burger and have a seat. Alex is already passed out in his little corner with a sleeping mask on.

"I've never been anywhere outside of Silver Bow," I confess as Rio and I eat.

"Not even a road trip to the East Coast?"

"Nope. But my aunt, Ellie, lives there. She, unlike my dad, was not born a shifter."

"And what about your mother?"

"My parents met when my dad was backpacking through Asia."

"Your mother is a tiger, too?"

"Yes. As a result, An and I—An's my older sister—we both have the ability to shift."

"I would have liked to have met your entire family."

"Well, I would have liked to say goodbye to my family, but you can't always get what you want." I pause and cringe a little at my blunt tongue.

At least Rio seems amused as he grins and shakes his head. I ought to change the subject.

"So, do you have brothers or sisters?" I ask.

"Yes, two younger brothers. Kobe and Leon."

"That explains your name. Rio."

His eyes light up at the mention of his name, the first time I've uttered it since we've met.

"Yes," he says, "My mother's name is Corinthia, after her birth place. She has a thing about that."

"You were born in Rio de Janeiro?"

He nods. "My parents were visiting the old Alpha of Violet Moon, the father of now Alpha Juliana Jiminez."

At the mention of the female Alpha, my memories sting a little. The events of the afternoon loom over this little distracting conversation between Rio and I. Suddenly, my appetite's left me and I wrap up the rest of my half-eaten burger to stow it away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Rio apologizes.

I sigh, exasperated, leaning back in my seat. I look up at the overhead light shining above me and turn it off. I sit quietly for a while as the rustling of Rio's burger wrapper is the only sound that penetrates through the hum of being up in the air. Something comes over me to confess the thoughts I've been holding back in my head over the past few days.