Chapter 14

Reed is visibly upset with me. “I’m sorry.” I put my hand on his face. “You should have told me.” He turns away from me. “Ava told me not to. She convinced me that the pack would want me dead if they found out.” He looks at me and then back to the sky, “She’s right.” I walk towards the bar with fear in my eyes. “There’s only so much I can do to protect you Aster.”

Instead of going in I walk around the side of the packhouse. “Where are you going?” Reed asks me. “The ocean.” I say as I head to my car. “But Alpha Wes just told you to work With Ava in the bar.” I look back to Reed, “I need to clear my head. The last twenty-four hours were a lot. I’m going.”

Ava walks out of the back door. She looks at me and then to him, “Hey Reed you think you can cover for me for a couple of hours?” He looks confused, “Why where are you going?” Ava smiles, “To the beach.” My stomach just flipped. Reed looks at me. “It’s okay. We have some catching up to do.” He looks at us like we’re both insane, “Whatever. Go, but come back before the rush.”

I start my car. Ava hasn’t said a word to me yet. I’m not sure how to break the ice. “You could start by telling me how you go from being mine to marked by him.” I pull out onto the main road. “I didn’t plan this Ava. Something happened in the bar last night when he came up to me.” She puts her foot up on the dash, “I told you not to look at him.” I don’t remember her saying that. It’s all a blur.

The last thing I wanted to do was come out here and hurt anyone’s feelings. I guess I failed, “I’m sorry I hurt you Ava.” She points ahead, “Take a right and then hook a quick left into the lot.” The smell of the ocean wafts through my car windows as I roll them up. Ava and I step out of the car together.

We walk down to the cove as the ocean roars. “This is beautiful.” I say as I take it all in. “Why him?” She asks me. “I’m not sure. Something happened that I can’t quite explain.” Ava wraps her red curls into a messy bun. “I thought we had something real.” She says. “We do. Or we did. I don’t know what the fuck just happened to me.” Ava looks out into the ocean and says, “Fate.”

I’m not sure what to expect. I’m scared and unwilling to admit it. “I know you are but you don’t have to be.” Ava looks at me. “What do you mean? Even Reed said I’m not safe from the pack. When they find out I’m a witch they may kill me.” She shakes her head, “No Aster they won’t.” I’m confused, “How do you know that?” Ava lets out a big sigh, “There’s a lot of things that I know.”

Chills rise up along my arms and neck. “What are you talking about?” Ava’s eyes open wide, “Aster I have to tell you something that you won’t like.” I brace myself, “Spill it.” I say. “The Luna sent me to find you. She knew you were coming.” What? “None of this makes any sense. How could she know? Alpha Wes said nothing about-” Ava interrupts me, “The Alpha doesn’t know who you are.”

“Does the Luna know I’m a witch?” Ava nods, “Yes, and she knew your mother.” I fall to my knees in the sand. “I’m sorry Aster. I swore I wouldn’t tell you.” With tears in my eyes I look up at her, “Why are you? To hurt me back?” Ava kneels next to me, “No Aster. To reassure you. You’re going to be okay. The Luna will make sure nobody hurts you. But you can’t tell anyone you know a damn thing. Do you understand?” I’m not sure I can promise that.

Ava takes my face into her hands, “Aster if you tell anyone she will kill me.” I pull away. The revelation hits me, “So meeting you in Arizona wasn’t an accident? The fight with that dude was all staged? You knew I would save you.” She looks down at the sand and nods, “Yeah.” I stand up and yell to her, “So everything we had was a lie?” Ava jumps up, “No Aster. I care for you deeply and what we shared was so special to me.” I can’t think straight.

I put my hand out to stop her from coming closer, “You had multiple chances to tell me the truth before you fucked me.” Shame reads across her face, “My job was to get you here. Falling in love with you was an accident.” Love? “You don’t love me Ava. If you loved me you wouldn’t have lied to me.” She shakes her head, “That’s not true Aster. The lie was to protect you and I’m sorry.” She cries.

To protect me? “Protect me from what?” Ava wipes the tears from her face, “If you knew you would have ran into the packhouse with a death wish.”

Why would I be so mad that the Luna knew my mother? Slowly my brain starts piecing everything together. “Does she know how my mother died?” Ava hesitates. “Does she!?” I need to know. “Yes.” She admits as more tears cascade down her cheeks. Somehow she looks even prettier when she’s upset.

I get right up into Ava’s face, “What did she tell you Ava? What am I missing here?” Ava shakes her head, “The Alpha doesn’t know.”

“He doesn’t know what?” I beg. “Aster a long time ago your mother and Alpha Wes were a thing.” I’m still not understanding, “What does that even mean?” Ava takes a step towards me, “They were together but he had no idea.” She tries to grab my hand but I pull away, “What didn’t he know?” I yell in her face.

Ava divulges the truth, “The Alpha doesn’t know that he’s your father.”