A Tale of Three Lunas-Completed

Chapter 42

Topaz' POV

Things seem like they cannot be going better than they are right now. I'm staying in a beautiful castle, I have a strong lead on the other two pieces of the obelisk, I have permission from the King to travel within the Realm of Goodwill and I have a way to get to the West Moontrail Pack.

So why can't I help feeling that something isn't right?

My feelings were hurt a bit when I found out that Zinnia left before we could talk again and without even saying goodbye, but since the Alpha King is being weird about it, that makes me think something else might be going on.

I think I'm on edge because I don't know if Zinnia is okay. The King said she wasn't in a position to talk when she left. What does that even mean? I have to find out.

I pick up my phone to text Kaipo.

Can we meet up to talk?

Of course. Just tell me when and where.

So, I go to meet my final ally, the one person left in this pack who I can hopefully still trust.

"Deep in thought, I see."

Kaipo walks up to me as I sit on a bench just outside the castle. He wears a t-shirt and basketball shorts and his long hair falls below his shoulders.

"Do you have Zinnia's phone number?" the only question on my mind exits my mouth.

"I have her mate's."

I nod my head in understanding, feeling frustrated that we hadn't spoken one last time. I don't know if I can trust her mate, so I don't want to alert him that I am trying to get in contact with Zinnia.

"Do you think she will be at West Moontrail? She said her mother had the necklace when she died there. How can we look for it if she isn't there?"

"Lorenzo has located it and he should have it here in a few days." he smiles.

"You swear?" That would make things so much easier, but I'll believe it when I see it.

"Cross my heart."

"Answer something else for me. What is the deal with the Alpha King here? To have made this pack what it is, he would have to be smart, emotionally intelligent and accomplished. But when I met him, he just seemed incompetent. But he did just get the title of Alpha King, right? So everything is probably going to fall apart under his rule." I say annoyed, before I even realize what just came out of my mouth.

Kaipo bites his lip, trying to hide a laugh, but just bursts out anyway, grabbing his stomach as he hoots, making me chuckle as well. He's so handsome and he has a beautiful laugh. I can't help but imagine us together as I twirl the ends of my hair in my fingers.

I just wish I knew if he was my mate.

"So, the Alpha King said that I could go to the West Moontrail Pack." I tell him.

"Oh, great."

"And he said that you can come with me if you still want to." I look up to him when he doesn't respond. He has a big smile.

"I'll go pack then."

~~~~~~~~

Kaipo knocks gently on my door before dawn a few days later. I had spent the last few days speaking with Ford about what was going on in Lunaria and walking the grounds of the New Moon Pack.

I open the door and Kaipo takes two of my suitcases and puts them in his room and brings the other one and myself to his car. We had talked about the game plan for entry into the pack as well as how I would bring up the subject of the necklace in the first place. Zinnia had said that the girl who owned the necklace was most likely the Luna now, so hopefully she would be easy to locate as we didn't know her name. Kaipo has been checking on my wolf everyday just like he promised and I have been talking to her too, even though I know she can't hear me.

Kaipo puts my suitcase into the car, then opens the passenger side door for me. A few guys come out of the castle and after he exchanges a few words with them, he sits in the driver's seat.

"What was that about?" I ask when we take off.

"Just reiterating the plan. If all goes well, we'll be back with that necklace in a few days. They are going to make sure we have Zinnia's necklace by the time we get back."

I nod in understanding, looking at my hands in my lap.

"You're really upset that she didn't say goodbye, huh?"

"Yea, I know she and I just met and I'm sure she just wanted to go home with her mate, but I thought I finally had someone on my side."

"I'm on your side." Kaipo says.

Yea, I guess he is.

"And why is that, Kaipo?" I ask, suspicious.

He smiles and looks over at me.

"You know why."

His statement makes my heart pound in my chest. I wish my wolf was more help because I still don't have the courage to ask this gorgeous man if he is my mate. We sit in silence for a bit before Kai asks me about life in my pack.

"Agh, it's not great. The stress made me lose my wolf. I don't have any regrets, but I didn't realize how nice it would be to live in a place where everyone isn't against you."

"So that means you'll stay here when all this is over?" he asks. I deflect by asking him about his family and he asks about mine. I find out about his nephew that he adores and I tell him about my parents and my research and how elated I was when the Lunaria King said I could come.

"Wow, you're a tough girl. I'm sorry you had that stress on you for so long."

He squeezes his eyes shut and rubs his head while pulling over into a private parking lot.

"We'll be there in about 40 minutes. Wanna go get something to eat?"

Already?

We go into the restaurant and when I ask him about what his responsibilities are in his pack, his answer surprises me.

"Paperwork."

"Paperwork?"

"Yep, just a lot of paperwork. Surprised?" he smiles.

"I mean yea, you don't look like you sit around doing paperwork all day."

"What do I look like I do all day?" he asks, leaning forward and biting his lip.

I don't know what you do all day, but I'm sure whatever it is, you're probably dripping sweat while doing it, straining your perfectly crafted muscles, giving it your complete focus and not relenting until the job is done.

Then I feel something I haven't felt in years.

"What's wrong?"

"My wolf, she-she's...stirring."