Omega Bound Chapter 136

Ayla

"Tell me again why you were so insistent to spend time with me today? The truth this time." I ask a quiet Raven as we make our way down to my first stop today, a meeting with Sarah, the owner of a Linen and homemade goods store. Of course, I jumped on the opportunity to have Raven spend the day with me. I also can't drive. It would be nice to know the real reason she wants to spend time with me today.

"I told you. Girl time and you know, all of that stuff." she waves her hand around at all the imaginary girl stuff I suppose. "I haven't known you very long, but I have known you long enough to know that 'girl stuff' is not your cup of tea." "Fine. You are right. I am obviously hiding something." "What is it?" I ask, hoping she will tell me. "If I told you, then I wouldn't be hiding it now, would I?" "You wouldn't be hiding from your mate, would you?" "I am not telling you anything." "So, I am right." I state rather than question because of course I am. Her cheeks blush with the mention of him.

"Can we please just do whatever it is that you are going to do?" "Who knew you would be so eager to meet with the owner of a linen and homemade goods store?" Raven turns and scowls at me. "That would have been nice to know before coming down here." "Then you wouldn't have come with me." "I know." she whisper growls as I pull open the front door and enter. "Good morning. I am Sarah, you are Luna Ayla, correct?" "That is correct. This is my...well my bo..dyguard. My bodyguard, Raven." Raven turns toward me, her eyebrow arched in the air, questioning. I shoot her wide eyes back hoping my facial expression does its best to convey 'I'm sorry I panicked not knowing if friends can legally sit in on pack business meetings and we never talked about you being in my inner circle so maybe if I place you there you will agree when Thane asks you and now you have to stay and be with us and take your mate' look.

"Welcome. I have a room in the back we can sit in. I am eager to find out how I can be of assistance for the pack." Sarah states while leading us through her store to a back-room area. We take seats around a table, and I start in on my tangent about the heat clinic and its lack of comfort, in my most dignified rant, trying to keep my emotions in check. "We all understand the need for comfort during out heats; the alphas wouldn't naturally. They think about it when they are caring for their own mates, but they wouldn't necessarily think of it in regard to running the clinic. I mean it's in the name. Clinic. and it is run as one. I agree with you that maybe it shouldn't be. You would want waterproofing, soft fabrics that hold up with washing. Fleeces, I could come up with a lot of ideas. Whether it is a building or like you mentioned, or something else, I would be able to help. I can come up with some samples and some ideas and we can meet next week?" she asks, and I feel very good about how this meeting went. Hello Sarah, welcome to Operation New Heat Clinic That Isn't A Clinic. Wow. Maybe I have been talking to Cyrus too much. I noticed I am getting sassier. Maybe it's hormones. Maybe I am just becoming more of who I am supposed to be. Not sure, but I am enjoying it.

We leave the clinic and hoping into Thanes, once again stolen car before we head for our next destination. "You know, if you didn't burn your mate's car, you wouldn't have to steal mine's car." "Everything you own is his, so I am just driving you around in your car, but you did just give me a great idea." I don't know why, but the way she said that makes me feel like she is up to no good. "What are you planning to do?" I ask her, not sure if I want to know. "Oh, I plan on going car shopping." "Wow. Replacing Cyrus' car? That's a great idea." I smile and she rolls her eyes. "You aren't replacing it are you?" "Nope." she pops that P for emphasis as I shake my head. Thane is right. These two need to get this figured out.

Our next stop is the library. I had looked over the books in the packhouse, but this library has more text, potentially more answers on all things fates gifted. I have some answers I am looking for. Well, anything that could help me keep our pup safe. I also want to learn more about Thane's lineage, and we can either spend all of our free time together, being one with each other, or have serious conversations and see where it the information leads, but the moments we are together, I find myself wanting to do a lot less talking and more of......other things. So, instead of creating extra work for Thane, I decide to try and answer some questions on my own first, and I think it would help me with questions to ask Aramana. She has been quiet lately and I sense a low-lying fear. I think she is in fear for our pup, and I think it is time we start formulating some plans. Like how to keep said pup safe. Unfun conversations I don't want to have with Thane until I absolutely have to. We are enjoying each other, and he has the trafficking ring weight on his shoulders, and I like to pretend that my once beloved father is not a monster and this ring doesn't exist and how I do that, is by not thinking about it. Thane can think about it. I will think about fixing this for him. One less thing for him to have to do.

We arrive at the large concrete building, easy to find based on Monica's directions. You couldn't miss this place. The thought of so much information at the tips of my fingers almost has me giddy. "You brought me to a library?" Raven asks and I furrow my brows. I thought she liked to read. "Don't you like to read?" I ask. "Yes, but I doubt they have the books I like in there." "Oh, I know about those. Cyrus told me. You two are naughty by the way, but Monica says they are here." I open the door and climb out as she exits herself. "What are you looking for here?" "Some information on Thane's lineage. Some other stuff. Oh, and a map of the pack itself. I want to look at the land and see if we can relocate the 'heat complex.'" "Heat complex?" She repeats as we take the steps into the building. "Just trying out names for the 'heat lodges'." I say as we round the corner and enter the largest collection of books I have ever seen in my life.