The Luna’s Choice by Kat Silver

Chapter 46: Theo

I went to the apartment after getting back to the packhouse to check on Ayla. Maggie had sent me a text that she had been a bit off throughout the day. She said it didn’t seem like anything serious, just that she wasn’t in the best of moods. I understood what she was talking about as soon as I got close to the suite. I could feel her anxiety through our connection.

I walked in to see her sitting at the dining table, chewing on a fingernail as she hunched over books and papers strewn across the surface. I rested my hands on her shoulders, kneading the tense muscles with my thumbs.

“What’s wrong, baby?” I asked as I kissed the top of her head.

She sighed. “I think I need to quit school.”

“What?” Now I was worried. I pulled the chair out beside and sat down, turning her to look at me. “Why would you think that, Ayla? You were so excited to go to college.”

“I don’t want to give it up entirely,” she said but there was still a sadness in her tone. “Just for this semester or this school year. I just feel like I can’t keep up. There’s so much going on. I’ve had to miss so much and we’re not even a month in.”

“Then we take some other things off your plate,” I said.

“Like what?” she asked sardonically. “Your mother is still doing a lot of the Luna duties, plus planning our solstice ceremony. I haven’t been working with her nearly as much as we had planned. I’d like to do more for Zeff and the magazine. I’m still having to translate Harry’s

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Chapter 46: Theo

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journal and figure out Dad’s books and research. Plus the Waar Pak investigation. Now the rogue attacks.”

–

and tossed it aside — “you can

what he was doing could help us find…”

stress,” I interrupted. “We can handle the investigation and the Waar Pak and the border attacks without you for a while, okay? I’ll keep you updated on everything, but you just let

do on

my own,” I said. “I have a whole pack behind me. Just like you do. We have a good team, babe.

who’s under

I stated. She still looked like she was on the verge of tears. “Babe, it’s okay. I swear, it’s perfectly fine for you to focus on school for a while.”

that’s part of my job,” she said. “I want to help. I want to be a good Luna and take care of my pack. I want to help get

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Chapter 46: Theo

more than you want to go to school, then?” I

before shaking her head. “No,

you’re staying

huffed, turning away and resting her

her hands.

to me, rubbing her back

to me, babe,” I said. “I want to understand.”

leaned into me. “I just feel overwhelmed, and I don’t

Ayla,” I said. “You’ve taken on so much and so much has been put on you.”

she replied. “I once worked four jobs withour a car while writing a book. I’ve handled a lot before. I don’t know why I can’t do this.”

your family starving pushed you. There was no other option for you, Ayla. That was

like I’m failing,” she murmured.