Long Run

~ 4 ~

My wolf the usually the calm one, she is now pacing back and forth in my mind. I feel her hurt. I have an overwhelming urge to shift. I need a run. My wolf needs a run. This is all overwhelming to me. I am consumed with a lot of feelings that I never felt before. I need to get a hold of myself. My dad will know that there is something wrong. I can not jeopardize my Miami move.

"Devon, I know you are hurting but please for me, keep it together," I beg my wolf. My wolf wants to shift and tear Daphne apart. My mind is racing, my mate's scent is mixed in with Daphne's.

Daphne is Alpha Simon's girlfriend.

She came with Luna Evelyn. She helps her bring my birthday cake.

My mate is Alpha Simon!

Alpha Simon looked for his mate for two years. He traveled to almost all the packs trying to find her. Daphne was his very good friend besides Cole the Beta. She was there to comfort him and soon after, they started dating.

Daphne is beautiful, kind, and, approachable. Everything that a Luna should be. Some people in this pack have accepted her as their Luna. Daphne herself wants this. To think about it she never travels to the other pack or attends our yearly mate celebration where she might run into her mate.

Alpha Simon attends them every year still hoping to find his true Luna.

I am his true Luna...

No, no this can not be happening. Do I want to be a Luna? I am well familiar with what it takes to be one. I spend enough time with Luna Evelyn.

"Ivy, are you okay" My dad comes close and brings another chair to sit next to me.

He knows me so well. I need to compose myself.

"I am fine Dad. I guess overwhelmed with everything. I guess you hear me telling my friends that I found an apartment today." I tell him trying to distract myself and also him from the main issue.

"Yes, I heard. So you are all set for the start of your July classes?" he asks me.

"Yup," I tell him with a forced smile even though my heart is aching.

"Ivy, it looks like you are done with your food. Here is a piece of cake." Luna Evelyn offers me a piece.

"Thank you Luna but I am full, I will have some later," I tell her. I have lost my appetite and the food I just ate is now making me nauseous. It's like my whole body is aching, I am weak of a sudden.

"This is a special cake. I was looking through my old recipes when I found a recipe that was written in your mom's handwriting. Your mom would get spurts of inspiration and she must write it down before she forgot. Luna Evelyn gives me and my Dad plates with cake.

The cake looks like Napoleon cake. This is my favorite cake. Not a lot of people know about this cake. It's really hard to make. I look at the cake and it has berries in it. I take a piece and put it in my mouth. This recipe is different, the dough and the cream are so light, more sweeter than the original recipe but it is balanced out by the tartness of the berries.

I see Luna Evelyn bringing over a big gray box with a pink ribbon on top.

"Ivy, I want you to have this. I feel guilty having them. They belong to you." Luna Evelyn says.

I place my cake plate next to me and take the box from Luna Evelyn. I open it and inside is a custom-made leather book.

I open the book and it has all my mom's recipes, even the Post-its notes that said.

Caesar dressing

2 small garlic cloves,
minced 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt/pepper

Everything is in my mom's handwriting. All the pages are neatly laminated.

I am so overwhelmed with emotions. I go back to the front of the book and run my hand on the laminated page. My fingers are tracing the words on the page. Luna Evelyn squats in front of me. She places her hands on my knees and says.

"This is the cake recipe I made today for your birthday. Look at the date when your mother wrote that recipe."

I look at the date, it was the month my mom found out she was pregnant with me. I was her inspiration for this cake. My tears involuntary start to fall on my cheeks. The bitterness and the hurt consume me. This is so unfair, she was taken away from my dad and me.

"Ivy, my sweet girl. I am sorry my intentions were not to make you upset." Luna Evelyn says wiping the tears from my cheeks and moving in for a hug. She hugs me tight and lets me cry on her shoulder.

All of a sudden a strong smell of honey, vanilla bean, and chamomile calms my whole body. I take in the smell through my nose and breath out.

"Mom, what's going on? Why is Ivy upset?" I hear a strong, worried voice.

I turn my head and I see Alpha Simon.

My wolf goes crazy. She is bouncing off the wall in my mind. She is acting like a wild animal that just became caged. She is forcing me to shift. I become overwhelmed. This is the first time in my life I am about to lose control.

All eyes are on me, but my main focus is on my mate, Alpha Simon. We do not break eye contact.

Then I see in the corner of my eye Daphne comes close to Simon and takes his hand and asks softly. "Babe, what's going on?"

My wolf loses it, she is so angry. I lose all control of my body and I shift. Everyone backs away from me except my dad, Alpha Greg, and Alpha Simon. They form a circle around me.

"Devon, easy girl, bring Ivy back." My dad tells my wolf but she ignores him and doesn't not brake eye contact with Alpha Simon. Daphne is long gone and is now next to Luna Evelyn.

Devon takes long slow steps and approaches Alpha Simon. He reaches his hand out to her to pet her but she growls and shows her teeth, snapping at his hand. Alpha Simon does move his hand but comes even closer.

I am in shock, I am begging Devon to stop. He is her Alpha, this is disrespectful. I am definitely going to get punished for this.

Alpha Simon doesn't say anything but brings this hand closer and pets the side of my wolf's face. I feel the mate band, I feel his amazing touch, I feel the tingling go through my body. I blocked him so he can not feel anything.

"Simon! What are you doing?" I hear Daphne's voice.

This makes Devon even more mad. She suddenly turns her head and bits Alpha Simon's hand hard. Blood fills her mouth. The taste of his blood is so sweet, it runs down my throat, and she takes a big gulp.

I hear shocking expressions all around me. I am ashamed of my actions. I don't want to turn around and face everyone. I back away from Alpha Simon and start running.

I hear my Dad's voice calling me but I don't listen, I do what I do best and that is Run.