Gabby looked calmer and better than she had when she slammed the door leaving Adrian’s office. It was almost like it had never happened.
By the time it was evening, Ava had packed her bags and her parents hadn’t gone off to fight Adrian. They had accepted her explanation although they were still wary and called Alex to confirm his story. He’d covered for her since she’d informed him about the probability of their parents calling him.
Gabrielle on the other hand had chosen to lie to their parents. She gave them some cock and bull story of wanting to know their people’s suffering so she’d gone to beg Adrian to demote her for the time being. Ava shook her head in thorough amusement and disbelief. It had been easier for her parents to believe Gabrielle’s bogus tale than her somewhat honest one.
“Are you sure you can do this? You don’t need to Ava. He can’t force you to leave your home.” Jonny said as she sprawled across Ava’s bed. She had come over to help with the packing reluctantly after Ava contacted her.
“It’s not about him. It’s about me.” Ava sighed. “I’ll miss everyone terribly but it’s something that needs to be done. Something that I want to be done.”
Jonny hugged her from behind. “You’re going to be fine.” Ava heard what she didn’t say. She was going to be fine even after the mating bond had been broken. They couldn’t speak freely because of her family’s enhanced hearing but she could feel Jonny’s unsaid assurances just the same.
“Thanks, Jonny. I’m going to miss you so much.” Tears prickled in Ava’s eyes.
Jonny pulled away and came in front of her.
“Hey, don’t cry. You are going to come back for visits and stuff.”
“Yeah. I guess so.” Ava lied. She couldn’t come back until Gabby and Adrian were mated.
As Jonny hugged her again and Ava’s shoulders shook with laughter, she noticed Gabby standing by the door as though she wanted to speak with her but before she could call out to her, she was gone.
******
The night was cold and more than a little windy and Ava inhaled deeply perched on a boulder near the lake. She would miss this place. She would miss the entire pack lands where she had grown up. Ava had spent the rest of the evening saying her goodbyes and eating her last dinner with her family before she left. Ava had been unable to speak to Gabby because she had pretty much barricaded herself in her room after dinner.
Ava knew it was because Gabby was still sensitive about what Adrian had done but she felt weird about travelling without properly bidding her sister goodbye because she had an early morning flight to catch so she would have to leave really early to make it to the city in time for it.
Adrian really couldn’t wait to get rid of her. That was why he had chosen such an early flight.
No matter she would call Gabby. It wasn’t as good as talking to her in person but it would do.
Shar was quiet almost contemplative. It seemed like she would keep her promise about abiding by whatever Ava chose.
“Ava.”
“Adrian.”
She had felt him coming miles off but she had stayed for some reason. Maybe that was why she had come here. Because she couldn’t leave with the memory of the office being the last one she had of him.
Breanna turned to look at him. He looked tired, more vulnerable in the moonlight.
He wore just shorts and his black hair was mussed. Adrian sat next to her on the boulder. And for a moment, all they did was breathe, his body heat warming her up even with the distance between them.
“I’m sorry for all of it Ava. I’m really sorry.” His voice broke and Ava’s fingers found his, she turned to face him finding tears in his eyes that mirrored hers.
“I know. I am too.”
Ava remembered all the moments they had shared and realized she would miss him too. A tear dropped on her cheek and she looked away from him suddenly shy to look at him with her pain so fully displayed.
His hand went to her cheek wiping her tear and she looked up at him again unconscious of her actions. Their gazes locked a question in his eyes. She nodded and he leaned in pressing his lips against hers.
Ava’s eyes fell shut and she opened her lips to him. It felt like this was their first kiss. Maybe because this time they couldn’t blame it on the mate bond. Their tongues and lips met and parted again and again. Ava could feel the bond in her chest tighten and loosen as they moved together.
When he pulled away, it felt like the kiss had ended too soon. Ava fought back tears. She wanted… no she didn’t know what she wanted anymore. Adrian stood up suddenly about to leave as though he couldn’t bear to see her anymore.
Ava caught his hand and he stopped. She stood up and faced him before embracing him. She didn’t say anything. She couldn’t say anything. When next they saw each other, they would be very different people.
He would be mated, she would have survived him.
He returned her hug.
2 Years Later
Spain
“If I move your leg this way, does it hurt?”
“No.”
“How about this way?” She rotated the leg slightly to the left and felt him wince.
“Yes, definitely.” Mr Wheeler said, his voice breathy.
“Okay. You have a twisted ankle and because of the initial swelling because of your diabetes, you’ll need to do some bloodwork and scans to make sure your diabetes isn’t affecting the injury before we can give you an all-clear.”
“So more needles.” Mr Wheeler deadpanned and she fought back a laugh.
“No.” She said with a smile. “Just a bit.” She indicated a small space between her thumb and index finger.
“It’s going to be fine though. You are going to be just fine.”
“Just not in time for my girl’s wedding. Don’t think I’ll be walking anyone anywhere anytime soon.”
She thought for a moment. “I don’t think your daughter will mind if you wheeled there instead. She’ll just be happy to have you.”
“Bah. You are just flattering this old man.” But beneath his beard, Mr Wheeler blushed and Ava’s day was made.
Ava had four more patients to go and the day had barely begun yet.
Working in a human establishment was vastly different from that of her pack. The humans seemed so breakable in comparison and healed more slowly. In the two years she had spent partly in school studying for her LPN exams and partly at work, she had seen them die over the smallest blunt trauma that a wolf cub would have walked away from with mere scratches that would last seconds before healing.
She had also seen them overcome extreme situations that would have bent strong wolves. Humans were weak yet strong, versatile and constrained, cowardly yet brave and Ava loved it.
She loved the hustle and bustle that accompanied her transit to work every day. She loved meeting and relating with new people every day with unique problems that she could help out with.
Being needed wasn’t something Ava was familiar with but she had gotten used to it in such a short span of time that she didn’t see herself going back to anything else.