Ella’s POV
“What do you mean by we are always home?” Kevin turned to me and asked.
He looked confused as he looked at the road and I knew that he must feel more confused by what I had said and the excitement on my face. The men also mirrored the expression on his face. I tried to wipe away the smile on my face for their benefit but it just wouldn’t come off.
“This isn’t the way home.” Damien argued, shaking his head.
I smiled. I wasn’t crazy. He was trying to be polite about it but I had no doubt that was what was on his mind. He didn’t really know how to hide his emotions well.
I cleared my throat before I began talking because I knew that I was going to talk a lot if I wanted to convince the men that I knew what I was saying.
“You see this place-” I said, pointing at the road. “-leads to the land of the blue river pack but it also leads home. If we turn left, we get to the blue river pack and if we go to the right, it leads to the blood moon pack. It is a route that connects both packs.”
I doubted that many people from both packs knew of the route because the way they were all looking at me was strange.
“I stumbled on this place while I was still with the blue river pack and touring the place looking for new herbs to make potions. I took a wrong turn and saw the land of the blood moon pack ahead, that was how I knew that there was a way there.”
“You were almost home and yet you didn’t.” Kevin muttered under his breath.
I smiled at his words. He didn’t seem like he was judging me for not making it home but he sounded like he wouldn’t have minded it if I had gone home that day instead of him thinking that I was still dead or having to find me.
I wondered what would have happened if I had gone home that day. I shrugged my thoughts away, knowing exactly what would have happened. Kevin would have been excited, welcomed me when love, guilt, relief and kisses and the ladies there would have wished that I never came back.
My heart rang with conviction that was what would have happened and I was glad that I didn’t make the return trip home then. I had more time to bond with Kevin like this and stall on the ill treatment that I was going to get from the female werewolves.
“Are you mad at me?” I asked, smiling shyly at him.
“I am not.” He shrugged.
I nodded at him.
“We can get home from here?” Andre asked, taking my mind off worrying about Kevin was thinking of at that moment.
I smiled at him in gratitude. “Yes, we can.”
“Are you sure you know the way?” Damien asked, looking doubtful.
“Are you sure you are a werewolf?” I asked him with a sly smile.
He grinned, getting the message and nodded. “I’m sorry. Can we go now?”
“Sure.” I said, leading the way.
We continued on our journey with me relying on my memory to get us home. I stopped once in a while to pick flowers and herbs that could be used for treatment. I figured I would be able to settle in faster among the wolves of the blood moon pack if I showed an excellent knowledge of medicine and they had to come to me for treatment. I doubted that the old healer they had was still able to run up and down to help them heal faster and didn’t think she had apprentices.
Even if she was still strong enough to run to meet their needs and had apprentices, I was certain of my skills that I couldn’t be overlooked when I got home. I had advanced knowledge of medicine and had singlehandedly formed new potions that others didn’t know of. I had no doubt that that would give me an edge when I reunite with the blood moon pack.
After all, being a healer had helped me to bond faster with the wolves of the Blue River pack and be accepted by them. Even though I had been raised by the mad granny and being a healer like she was shouldn’t raise questions others would have known that I wasn’t her actual granddaughter and wondered what my origin was when I joined them but they didn’t bother me because I was a terrific healer and I didn’t pose any problem to them.
I smiled at the memory and the plan forming in my head. Human beings were the same everywhere, regardless of if they were wolves of different packs. I just had to be good at healing as I was and I would be fine.
I considered telling Kevin to open a clinic for me when we got home. I believed that would work better in helping the pack accept me. He wouldn’t even have to stress himself by trying to force them or talk them into accepting me.
I wouldn’t have to sit cooped up in his house, waiting for them to know of my presence and warm up to me. If they see a clinic, eventually they would walk in if they needed help and we would get talking and they would see me for who I am and be convinced that I was worthy of being the Luna of the pack and being a part of them regardless of their misgivings about me.
That was a brilliant idea. I smiled as I watched it in my head and wondered why I didn’t think of it earlier.
“Is there a problem?” Liam asked.
I was startled and jumped at his words, breaking out of my trance. I winced, having no idea that I had gone into one.
I blushed as I realized that I had stopped walking, bending over a flower and gotten lost in thoughts.
“I’m sorry.” I cleared my throat and moved forward. “Let’s go.”
The men all nodded in agreement and walked after me.