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 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

may not be able to make the pain go away,” Kingston said. “But I will do whatever I can to help

because I thought I was going crazy. But I really didn’t see

do make the pain

to me. “What do

blush that crept up my cheeks. “I don’t know why, but whenever I’m close to you, whenever

stood up, moving behind me before sitting back down, his legs stretched on either side of me and his arms going around my middle. I wasn’t expecting that, but I smiled

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helps,” he whispered, “then

here all the time,” I teased. “I doubt your pack would appreciate you

gently. “Perhaps, but I’ll be here

of the bond fade away. I let his scent engulf me. Even sitting

you think this will help bring your wolf

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know,” I said solemnly. “I

do you say

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

reasons. She knows you meant well. And

for, she couldn’t take it. But in

it doesn’t make

but she still thinks it was

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“She’ll come around.”

“I hope so.”

time it was Kingston who

feeling

with

mean you’ll stay

have any better offers,”

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