The Luna’s Choice by Kat Silver

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Chapter 20: Ayla

Instead of returning to the room, I made my way toward the back of the house. Floor-to-ceiling windows lined a large portion of the lodge and looked out into a beautiful, wooded area. I found the back door and let myself out.

The porch was huge. The house was built on an incline, so this deck sat about ten feet from the ground. I hobbled my way to the stairs. It wasn’t pretty, but I managed to make it down them to the bottom. I swung myself through the yard, plopping on the ground not far from the tree line.

I wanted to run. To shift into my wolf and disconnect from the world. But I still couldn’t sense Dasha. Even if I could, I wouldn’t try to bring her back yet. The ache in my chest reminded me why she needed time.

I caught Kingston’s scent as he approached me, sitting on the grass beside me.

“Are you okay,” he asked.

I grinned. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Did he upset you?”

I chuckled softly. “No, he didn’t upset me. He actually seemed nice. I’m kind of sad I won’t get a chance to know him better.”

We sat in silence for a while. It was a beautiful morning. The sky was so bright and clear that I could see far into the trees. The ground continued a slow and shallow descent, and I could see a lake off in the distance. It reminded me of my little

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pond.

“I miss Dasha,” I finally said.

“Can you sense her at all?” Kingston asked.

I shook my head. “She needs time.”

“What about you? How are you feeling about everything?”

“I’m still in pain. I’m still processing the loss of my family. I’m frustrated that I can’t heal and will be stuck like this for months. And I really want to go for a run. But I’m dealing, and I’m ready to push forward. However

may not be able to make the pain go away,” Kingston said. “But I

because I thought I was going crazy. But I really didn’t see any reason not to anymore. I liked

do make the pain go

to me.

but whenever I’m close to you,

me and his arms going around my middle. I

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he whispered, “then I’ll be

the time,” I teased. “I doubt your

laughed gently. “Perhaps, but I’ll be here whenever you need me

bond fade away. I let his scent engulf me. Even sitting next to an actual forest, I could distinguish his smell from

will help

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know,” I said

you say that?”

hurt Dasha,” I said. “I did, too. I made her accept the rejection in the first place. She loves Kylee and Evie as much as I do, but she didn’t agree that

She knows you meant well. And it’s not like you

who we gave up our mate for, she couldn’t

of who Kylee turned out to be, it doesn’t make your sacrifice any less admirable,

still thinks it was

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“She’ll come around.”

“I hope so.”

again. This time

feeling better?”

with a

this mean you’ll

definitely don’t have any better offers,”

kissing the top