His Missing Luna

Chapter Fifteen

Amelia's Point of View

I tried to keep myself awake, I really did. But I was bone tired and in a warm car with a soft voice coming from the speakers. I just could not keep my eyes open. It also wasn't lost on me that, despite the fact I was sitting just inches away from my Mom's killer, I had never felt safer. And neither had Vae.

It was so strange. Vae had never given me the impression that she was unhappy with our lot in life, or that she was stressed about the fact that we had no home and no money. It was always her telling me not to worry about it. And yet, as soon as I made the decision to go with Peyton - Goddess his name sent shivers of delight through my treacherous body - I felt her physically relax and her shoulders drop as if she had been carrying the weight of the world.

'You've been keeping things from me', I'd accused her as soon as I'd got into the car.

'Because I needed to look after you first and foremost.'

'You've been missing his wolf, haven't you?'

'I couldn't figure out why he didn't come and find us. Now I know why.' I felt terrible for her when she confessed this. She must have wondered what she'd done wrong.

After that brief conversation, Peyton had thrown his driver out of the car and I couldn't communicate with her any further.

Now though, she was yipping away like a little puppy. When I focused on her, I could see her in my mind. Sitting up, ears up, eyes bright and tail thumping madly. She was excited about something. I tried several times to open my eyes. Each time I failed spectacularly. My head was slumped over to the right, resting against the window and I was pretty sure I was drooling. Which meant I had been snoring.

Inadvertently, I let out a huge snort which woke me up instantly. I looked around the car, startled for a second, until I remembered what was happening and who I was with. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. So I had been drooling. Lovely!

"Where are we?" I questioned Peyton as I rubbed my eyes.

He didn't answer.

I turned towards him to find his face going puce in color. He was trying his best not to laugh.

"What's so funny?" I demanded.

He shook his head from side to side. His whole body was shaking with hysteria.

I tutted. "You might as well laugh or you're going to explode."

And that was it. Peyton pulled over to the side of the road and roared with laughter. Behind me, Finn was laughing just as hard.

"You woke yourself up with your own snoring!" Peyton choked out between giggles.

"Yeah, yeah, the whole world's a comedian." His laugh was seriously upsetting my equilibrium. Hundreds of butterflies in my stomach flapped their wings and tried to escape.

"I'm sorry, my love. But I've not heard sounds like that anywhere in the entire animal kingdom." He wiped tears of laughter from under his eyes.

A chuckle escaped my mouth before I could stop it. Peyton was a funny guy. I didn't want to think about how the words 'my love' made me feel. My bones were turning to liquid. It didn't seem to matter how angry I was, I couldn't get my body to follow suit.

Peyton indicated back out onto the road, which I quickly came to realize was actually more of a single dirt track.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked in a panic, all my humor forgotten. This looked like the perfect place to hide a body.

"To our pack." He answered simply. "Why, where did you think I was-" He stopped mid-sentence.

"Oh, I see." His hands tightened around the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

'You need to apologize. That really hurt him.' Vae scolded.

'He'll get over it.' I snapped. But I wasn't cross with her, I was cross with myself. Which made no sense because I shouldn't really give a s**t whether I hurt him or not.

"If you look out of your window, you'll see there is nothing for you to be frightened of." His voice was sad.

We were approaching what looked like some sort of border. There was a stop sign in front of us and to either side of that fencing and barbed wire stretched for miles in each direction. It looked like we were heading into a military zone.

Four men stood the width of the road, shoulder to shoulder. They had no weapons, and were only just clothed. Each of them was dressed in combat shorts and nothing else! Not even shoes. And they were some of the best looking men I had ever seen!

"Are we going to be ok here?" I asked no one in particular.

Peyton continued to drive towards the men without any fear of the consequences. He stopped just short of the gate.

"Peyton please-" I started.

For just a moment, the Alpha shut his eyes. He took a deep breath in and then exhaled with a hmmmm noise coming from the back of his throat. A small smile crept onto his lips. One of the men started to advance towards the car. Peyton, still with eyes closed, held up his hand in a 'stop' gesture. And that is exactly what he did.

I was frozen to the spot. I didn't know if we were in danger or if Peyton knew these men. I also couldn't fathom why he looked so relaxed in his smile, and why I cared either way.

At a signal that I was completely oblivious to, he exited the vehicle and strode towards the border patrol. He walked with an air of confidence and power. I watched spell bound as he clasped the hand of each of the guards in turn and pulled them in close for a man hug. I tried to listen to what was being said over the radio and the sound of the engine but I couldn't make much out. He seemed to be asking how the men were doing, and then he pointed back to the car. Specifically at me. The men gave out huge cheers and I slid down my chair in total embarrassment.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked Finlay, feeling uncomfortable and totally lost.

"This is the border of Amethyst pack. Their Luna is home and they're celebrating."

Before I could ask anymore, the sound of joyous howls filled the air, as what sounded like hundreds of wolves joined in the toast of the Luna. Which I rather suspected they thought was me!