HOLDEN: Book Two of The Dark Moon Series

Chapter 19

RAELYNN'S POV

With my mother's story floating in my head and Ewan's cautionary words dancing around my thoughts I began to lose track of time. What was supposed to take a month to decide ended up taking much longer. So much had happened for our pack and so little had happened for me.

Yulia and that tall devilishly good looking Russian, Alexei mated. Zuri mated with a male from the Canadian pack and was eager to leave. Keegan and Kyle proposed to Tyffany and Marianne on their birthdays and Tyffany announced she's expecting again. Artemis and Jason had their baby shower for their twins. Tobias officially mated with Willow and created a pact between their two packs. And most importantly, I have been avoiding Luka.

After hearing that he was looking for me I became childish and played some hide and seek. I didn't want to see him because I didn't want to be hurt by him again even when I knew he only wanted to apologize. In fact this is would have been the first time in our history that Luka didn't wait more than a few days to say he's sorry and that's saying something.

But when he finally caught up with me I couldn't get away... hell I didn't want to anyways.

***Flashback***

"Raelynn! Goddess I shouldn't be out of breath chasing you." Luka says catching up to me. I wasn't running from him this time, I was running with Ralph. And now he's shot off into the woods.

"I didn't know you were chasing me in the first place." I say stopping by a tree to catch my own breath. Ralph still has so much energy.

"We need to talk." He's right beside me when he says this and I can smell his sweat and natural Luka scent like it's a perfume.

"Don't people usually say that when they're going to break up?" I ask sitting on the floor. The July weather has been so hot lately that coming out into the woods is one of the best ways to cool off thanks to the trees.

"We're not breaking up because we're not even together." Luka says sitting next to me.

Don't remind me, I think to myself.

"So what is it then?" I ask letting my hair out of its ponytail. I don't catch Luka watching me do it but I can feel his stare heat my already heated skin.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted at the party. I don't know why I flipped out the way I did but I know that it wasn't right. I'd later found out that you had a confrontation with that pup Colin and it made sense why you were so frustrated. I just... seeing you with Brayden... seeing the way he was looking at you and talking to you it made me–"

"Mad?" I finish for him but he shakes his head no.

"It made me jealous. Like seeing red jealous. And that made me feel so confused and conflicted with myself. Goddess if you'd only known the nasty thoughts going through my head at the sight of you... I'm still trying to get a handle on this today. I really just want you to know that I'm sorry. I was a dick."

"Yes you were. But it's ok. You're my dick." I say nudging his arm. Luka laughs at my corny joke and I join him. I'm still hurt but it's ok.

"I love you Luka." I say resting my head on his side. He turns slightly so I'm on his chest and I can hear his erratic heartbeat. He smells so good and feel so right and I feel so wrong...

"I'm so sorry Rae... but I love you too. Maybe too much sometimes." He says more to himself. I look up to him and smile.

"There's no such thing as too much love." I tell him as my eyes drift to his lips.