Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

| doze off at some point because | hear a rustling sound. | jump up with a start to see Bronx trying to get out of bed.

"Oh no, Buster," | scold, "back in bed."

"| gotta pee, Kas,” Bronx whines at me.

"Okay, well hold it for just a second," | push the call button for the nurse.

| hear a little voice come over the intercom on the wall and ask them to send a male nurse to help. Cause Hell if I'm letting a female nurse help him. The nurse comes in quickly and helps Bronx to the bathroom. When he is back in bed and we are alone again, he reaches his hand out to me.

"You look so beautiful right now, Kas. Please come here, Baby, let me breathe you in," his eye looks a little glassy. | am sure the pain medicine is influencing his words, but smile at him anyway.

| crawl up on the bed but | don't let him wrap his arms around me yet, "Before that, let me see if | can heal you more. Lean back."

He obeys and | put my hands on him. It is much less effort to heal him this time, “ There. They should be able to stop giving you pain medication now."

"| already feel it working. Thank you, Kas," he puts his hand on my forearm before I’m able to take my hand off his chest. | feel the familiar sparks where he touches me. | close my eyes and take a deep breath, reminding myself that he and | have a lot to discuss. | look at him in that gorgeous Granny Smith apple green eye of his and do something | never thought | would in my life. | take control of the situation and stand up to my mate, Alpha Regent Bronx Mason.

"Bronx, | spent time thinking about what you said. Not gonna lie, Sweetheart, I'm still pissed but here's what | have to say in return, "| take the note card out of my back pocket. "You brought notes?" he asks with a knit brow. 3

"I've got a lot to say, so just hear me out. | will give you time to speak too. Don't worry," | say, then look down at my little card.

one who doesn't treat me like a Luna. You don't make feel like an equal partner to lead this pack. You treat me like I'm too fragile to take on responsibilities. That couldn't be further from the truth. Before the fire, | was hitting my stride, feeling like | finally belonged somewhere and that | was valued here. Then it all went south and | didn’t understand why. Everyone turned on me, shunned me, and made me

keep my composure. | swallow hard before | continue, cause | know the next part is going to sting

to Lady Camille. You coerced people who care about me to treat me badly. You treated me badly and you knew you were doing it. You wanted me to feel that way to ailenate me. You wanted to hurt me, Bronx. How does that make you different from the

at the comparison to Alpha Graham but doesn't

things, Bronx. You don't get to make decisions about me without talking to me. When you have meetings related to the pack or Elder Council business, I'm involved, moving forward. I'll help you make decisions that affect all of us because this is my pack too. I'm by your side every time as the Luna Regent of Blood River...not to mention a goddess. I'm not sure

him

me a nod of understanding that

to her to hold her back from being who she truly is. | love her so much and what happened the other day shows how much she’s struggling too. She

pulls it to his face and kisses my palm before placing it on the side of his stubbly face. | feel my resolve soften, but | take

permission every time | want to buy something for myself or feel like I'm being a drain on the

behind and agree with, then I’m here. I’m in it for the long haul. You're my guy and | don’t want that to change. | love you with every fiber of my being. | love

put my little notecard down and look at

over, thinking how to respond. | just threw a lot at him, so! give him as

put yourself so far out of your comfort zone. Coming here, trusting strangers when life has given you every reason not to, going to a witches’ coven to train, learning to manage your abilities, all of it. You

thinking carefully about his next

is give you my word and | mean it this time. It isn’t an empty promise that | have not thought about. As your mate, as your Alpha, | will never, ever put you in a position that makes you feel inadequate or unappreciated again. | will never put you in a situation that makes you feel dependent on other people

one thing to be a successful business owner but if you want to set an example, you need to set it for everyone. Especially the youth of our pack. That's what leaders do. Lead by example. |

will even stand out of the way so

There is something humorous about the thought of being on the training