Lewana POV
Today is the day Conrad has all of his scheduled dates with the candidates. I wait around as I know Cordelia is first and he is going to need to see me afterwards. That’s when I tell him my plan. Unfortunately, he is not going to like it.
“What do you mean you are going into the forest unescorted“.
“You heard Princess Rose. She wants to talk to me. She not going to talk freely if I have someone with me“.
“Then you’re not going. You remember the rogue army right. The ones that attacked us and tried to take you a few days
ago“.
སོགས 1:|: ཀ ན ན ན ན ན ན ན
I look at him with loving eyes and I can understand his panic and see the fear beneath his. “Shadow. I am going to stay within the territory. I will avoid being close to any boundaries and I will stay in contact. Also Rose has her own ways of protecting me as well“.
I give him a kiss on the lips and make the promise. “I will always come back to you Shadow“.
I turn and walk off to the forest knowing he is watching me walk away.
I never really know where Rose will be. You can’t exactly track a Fae but I know she will be waiting for me and watching.
I’m walking for about an hour when I smell her perfume. I turn around and see her with her wings on full display.
“My friend”
“Hi, Rose“. We share a hug and she grips me tight. It must have scared her when I didn’t go home for the full moon.
“We were very worried that the wolves had tried to steal you again. How did you end up here by choice“.
We make ourselves comfortable on the forest floor and I tell her everything that happened in the past six weeks while she
braids my hair with flowers.
“So, this Alpha King wants to fix the balance“.
“He doesn’t know about the balance or that it needs fixing. I wanted to check with you first before I tell him anything“.
She just laughs. “You always were a smart little moon“.
“What does your mother say. I figured asking for dinner was more of her idea than your father’s“.
“Right again. She can feel the night shifting. The earth is trembling preparing for it but it is uncertain whether it brings change or destruction. What is clear is that energy is gathering in the forest. In his territory. It is in the clearing we mentioned that she wants to get a reading“.
“Understood. Just signal me for anything you need as Conrad has asked me to organize everything. I do have to warn you about the other candidates though as one in particular will upset your father“.
I say my goodbyes to Rose and head back to the kitchen for lunch. I’m greeted by Mary and two takeaway parcels.
1/2
“I thought Conrad was having lunch with Valerie today. Who is the other parcel for as I know Liam would have eaten by
now“.
She smiles at the thought of her Liam. “Yes, that wolf will never be late for a meal. I have made one for you and the other
chat about him“. for Arthur. We need to have a bit of
“I know. I’m sorry. He struggles a bit like I do but I’m sure he will get there with time“.
She turns and raises her eyebrow. “He is not the problem sweetie. You kind of are“.
I’m just shocked. “What do you mean“.
She ushers me over to have a seat with her at the table. “When was the last time you spent some time with just Arthur“.
I thought about it and it is something I have been avoiding. “He has been through enough because of me. I just want him to have the freedom to do whatever he wants and know I can look after myself“.
She starts laughing. “You can be such a silly girl sometimes. Honey, you are everything to him. He’s not just the man who helped raise you, or the man who did his best to protect you for years, or the man who considers himself your father. He is your Beta. He took a blood oath to you as a newborn to serve you until his dying breath. If you don’t give him something to do or include him in your life he will always be waiting for you on the outskirts of it“.
I think about it and start to feel very conflicted and confused. “How do I get him to have his own life. To have some freedom in it instead of waiting for me“.
“Old farts like us want to be useful. I know my boys can hire a Michelin–star chef if they want. They could also order takeout for the rest of their lives or live off sandwiches. I could also work in the barn cooking for the pack but I don’t as I love and want to care for my boys the Arthur wants to care for you“.
“But I don’t know how to do that“.
“Well, you can start to think about it from a management perspective. The clinic is opening soon right. Have you organized how the health checks will work? Look at what the medics can handle or what training they might need. Have a roster for research time or clinic hours. How will the medics escalate needs to you?“.
I stare at her completely blank–faced. I haven’t done anything yet and it opens in a few days.
She slowly pats my arms, “You see. Take these lunches and have some time with Arthur. Work all that stuff out“.
I thank her and start to head out when she calls me again. “Also word of advice. You might want to turn down the affection a bit as I have a feeling he is uncomfortable watching Conrad have mouthfuls of jellybeans with his dinner every
night“.
I freeze and can feel the heat rising in my ears and I turn pink. I don’t turn around and I just race out of the kitchen.
Chapter 75
