His Abandoned Luna Chapter 49

|| Lilac's POV ||

But reality came crashing in when my phone buzzed loudly on the nightstand. I groaned, reaching for it, and saw Elara’s name flashing on the screen. My heart sank. I had completely forgotten to check in with my family last night.

“Hey,” I said, my voice still thick with sleep as I answered the call.

“Don’t ‘hey’ me,” Elara’s voice came through the phone, sharp and exasperated. “Where are you? Do you have any idea how many lies I’ve told your parents? And Ezra almost showed up at my doorstep!”

I sat up abruptly, the sheets pooling around my waist. “What happened?” I asked, my voice tinged with guilt.

“Your mom and Ezra thought you were out on a date, and when you didn’t come home, they started freaking out. I told them you crashed at my place last night,” Elara said, her tone a mix of frustration and relief.

“Oh, shit,” I muttered, running a hand through my tangled hair. I could only imagine how worried my family must have been.

“Yeah, ‘oh shit’ is right,” Elara shot back. “But then Ezra insisted on picking you up. I had to tell him we were having a girls’ night and that you were still asleep.”

A small, guilty laugh escaped me. “You’re a lifesaver, Elara.”

“Damn right, I am,” she huffed. “Now, spill. Where are you exactly?”

I hesitated, my gaze shifting toward Alaric. The golden morning light played across his sharp features, making him look almost peaceful— almost vulnerable.

I swallowed hard.

“I’m… ummm…” I stammered, my brain scrambling for an answer.

A beat of silence.

Then Elara gasped. “Don’t tell me you’re with Alaric.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself. “Yeah…”

Elara screeched.

I yanked the phone away from my ear as she launched into a flurry of shocked exclamations.

“Are you insane?! What the hell, Lilac?!”

I groaned. “Elara— ”

“No, no, don’t Elara me! This is Alaric! Broody, dangerous, Alaric! The guy who— wait. Did you sleep with him again?”

My cheeks flamed. “Elara!”

“Oh. My. God.” I could practically hear the smirk forming on her face. “You totally did.”

I buried my face in my hands. “I did not!”

“Uh-huh. Then why are you whispering like you don’t want him to wake up?”

“Are you two dating or something?” she asked, her tone now filled with excitement.

The question hit me like a punch to the gut. Are we? My heart dropped. We weren’t mates. The Moon Goddess had made it clear I needed to find my true mate, and Alaric wasn’t it. The thought made my chest ache, but I pushed the feeling aside.

“Not really,” I replied, my voice quieter than I intended.

“Alright, I need all the details when we meet,” Elara said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“Sure, thanks again,” I said before ending the call.

I sat there for a moment, the weight of Elara’s questions and the Goddess’s words pressing down on me. Then I turned to Alaric, who was now stirring awake. His face masked the uneasiness from our previous conversation.

“I need to get home. My parents are worried sick,” I said, my voice soft but urgent.

“Sure, I’ll drive you back,” he replied, sitting up and running a hand through his tousled hair.

I quickly changed into my dress, the fabric clinging to me in a way that made me feel self-conscious. I washed my face, trying to shake off the lingering fog of sleep and the heaviness of my thoughts. When I stepped into the kitchen, Alaric was already there, leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in hand.

“Breakfast?” he asked, his voice warm and inviting.

“No, thanks,” I replied, my stomach too tied in knots to even think about food.

He looked disappointed for a moment, but then he nodded and grabbed his keys. “Let’s go.”

As we stepped outside, the crisp morning air hit me, filling my lungs and clearing my head. The cabin was even more beautiful in the daylight, surrounded by towering trees and the soft hum of nature. But what caught my attention were the other houses scattered in the distance. I hadn’t noticed them last night. Was this a pack territory? I wanted to ask, but the words stuck in my throat.

We got into the car, and Alaric started the engine, the low rumble filling the silence. As we drove, I couldn’t help but admire the scenery. The road was lined with vibrant wildflowers, their colors a stark contrast to the deep greens of the forest. The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground. It was like driving through a painting, every detail perfect and serene.

But the beauty of the landscape did little to ease the tension in the car. My mind was racing, torn between the guilt of worrying my family and the weight of the Moon Goddess’s words. And then there was Alaric, sitting beside me, his presence both comforting and confusing.

“Can I ask you something?” Alaric said suddenly, his voice breaking the silence.

I turned to him, my heart skipping a beat. “Sure,” I replied, my voice steady despite the storm inside me.

“Who is Runa?” he asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp with curiosity.

My breath caught in my throat. Runa? How did he know about my wolf? We had never talked about her. “My wolf,” I said slowly, my voice trembling. “But why did you ask?”

“Nothing much. You called for her in your sleep,” he said, a small smile playing on his lips.

I stared at him, my mind racing. Had I been talking in my sleep? What else had I said? The thought made my cheeks burn with embarrassment, but there was also a flicker of fear. What if I had revealed too much?

“Oh,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I looked away, my eyes fixed on the passing scenery as I tried to steady my breathing.

Alaric didn’t press further, but I could feel his gaze on me, heavy and questioning. The rest of the drive was quiet, the tension between us thick and unspoken. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions guilt, fear, longing, and the ever-present ache of knowing that Alaric wasn’t my destined mate.

"Can you please drop me by the coffeeshop by our house?" I asked

"I am meeting Elara there and she can drive me back," I explained.

"Sure," he nodded.

As we pulled up to the cafe, I felt a lump form in my throat. I turned to him, my heart aching with the words I couldn’t say.

“Thanks for driving me back,” I said, my voice soft.

“Anytime, Dove,” he replied, his tone warm but his eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite place.

"Just let me know once you are home," he said.

I wanted to say more, to tell him how much he meant to me, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, I forced a smile and stepped out of the car, the weight of my destiny pressing down on me as I walked toward the cafe.