Chapter 88: Chapter 88
Katie POV
I step away from the wall just in time before Gabriela exits the café. I stand with my back towards her, pretending to take in my surroundings. I do not know much about pack rules, but I guess eavesdropping is a no-no.
“Come on, Katie,” Gabriela calls, and I turn to face her. “Monroe’s waiting.”
Only when she says his name do I notice a guard. Did he see me eavesdrop? Goddess, I hope not. But he does not say a word, and I sigh in relief. Surely, he would have told his Luna if a rogue was out of line.
Monroe holds the door open for us, and I climb in behind Gabriela on the backseat.
“So,” she turns to me as Monroe starts the car. “What do you think of our town?”
“I like it,” I smile, at least it is not a lie. “All the people I’ve met were friendly.”
“Oh, dear,” she laughs softly, resting a hand on my arm. “You’ll make a perfect Luna.”
“Excuse me?” I frown. She is not making any sense.
“You have the gift of diplomatic answers,” she smiles. “You’ve met one waitress and gone to one café, yet you call it nice. It’s handy when you’re in a position of power. I have an idea if you’re interested.”
“What is it?” I ask apprehensively.
“As you now know, Kane and Axel no longer have a mate,” she turns to look at me. “And this means that I no longer have a Luna-in-training to help with tasks concerning the house and caring for the pack.”
“I was wondering,” she eyes me closely, “If you might be interested in helping me out. It will allow me to reintroduce myself. I feel like we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot.”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes. She is obviously making this offer to soften the blow of my being trapped in the mansion. But some kind of instinct tells me that I can trust her, that she is here to protect me, too.
“What’s the use?” I frown. “I am a rogue and will never be Luna.”
“Katie, why do you think Mason came here?” She grimaces.
“To confront his father,” I reply bluntly.
“And to claim his birthright,” she adds.
“I don’t ...”
“Don’t be naïve, child,” she cuts me off. “He could’ve told Orion off over the phone. Mason wants to be a part of the Alpha household, and you’re his mate. Even if he never becomes the alpha, you’ll have to step it up as Luna until Axel and Kane find another mate.”
I bite my bottom lip and play with my fingers. I am not entirely sure if I agree with her regarding Mason’s motives.
“Don’t answer me just yet,” she smiles as Monroe parks in front of the mansion.
“I want to introduce you to someone,” Gabriela says as I follow her into the mansion.
“I need to get to Stella,” I protest weakly.
“I’ll get her while you two get acquainted,” she replies, as she leads me out back to a greenhouse where a petite girl is fiddling with some kind of vine.
“This is my other pair of helping hands,” Gabriela announces, waving toward the girl. When she turns around, my throat tightens.
“This is ...”
“Mindy,” I cut her off. “We’ve met before.”
“Oh,” Gabriela says, surprised. “How do you know each other?”
She looks taken aback, almost worried. Meanwhile, Mindy is giving me a shaky smile, but her eyes are full of shock. I should have known I would run into her. I forgot her mates were Kane and Axel’s High Guards.
“We met at the regional pack gathering,” Mindy says in a tight voice. “She was there with Mason.”
“Well, that’s good, you already get along,” Gabriela replies, some of the uneasiness sliding off her face. “I’ve got a project for the two of you to work on today.”
“These moon berries are ready to be harvested,” Gabriela walks over to a group of bushes. “There’s a bout of fever going around, and our healers use them to make into tonics.”
I walk over to the bush and finger the beautiful cerulean-blue berries.
“I’ll be right back,” Gabriela says, walking away. “I’ll care for Stella. Thank you both for your help.”
Flabbergasted, I watched her leave. What the hell just happened? Why is she looking after Stella while I harvest shit?
“Your baby is in good hands,” Mindy says beside me. “You shouldn’t worry.”
“It’s just,” I sigh, shaking my head. “Doesn’t it strike you as odd that a Luna is so eager to care for a stranger’s baby?”
“Sounds like a nice break to me,” Mindy giggles.
“But I’m a rogue,” I protest laughingly. “My baby should repel her or something.”
“That’s Gabriela for you,” Mindy shrugs. “She does things her way.”
“Right?” I roll my eyes. “I mean, she’s the L.U.N.A. There’s a swarm of Omegas who will wipe her ass if she asks them to, but she makes breakfast, care for a rogue baby and pick berries for healers. That’s weird.”
“Correction, we’re picking the berries,” Mindy snorts.
“Oh, yeah,” I frown. “I guess we’re the Omegas doing her chores.”
“She’s delegating with a smile, while kicking ass,” I say theatrically.
“I like her,” Mindy shrugs. “I learn a lot from her, and nobody messes with me out of fear of what Gabriela would say or do if she hears about it.”
“Are you being bullied?” I ask casually.
“Not at all,” she laughs heartily. “But this one time, I overstepped and was confined to my room. She got me out of it.”
“Your mates locked you up?” I ask in horror.
“Oh, no. Maxim and Monroe are great,” she replies, plucking a handful of ripe berries and plopping them into a bucket.
“Alphas Kane and Axel did,” she rolls her eyes. “They’re way too hotheaded sometimes. Kane especially. And they do this mind link communication thing so they can talk shit about you right in front of you.”
My breath hitches in my throat. Can they communicate with each other silently? What the hell have they said about me when they saw me naked yesterday? My cheeks suddenly burn fiercely, and I turn away toward one of the bushes and pluck a few berries so Mindy cannot see.
“Oh, shit,” Mindy exclaims. “My hands are blue. Would you mind grabbing a towel?”
“Sure,” I smile. “Where are they?”
“Inside, down the hall,” she points with her finger. “The closet with the grey door. It’s after the showers and sauna, but just before you reach the gym.”
I slip inside and walk down a long hall, following Mindy’s directions. The smell hits me first, Kane and Axel. The smell is carried through steam from the shower room next to the sauna. Dammit, I must pass the showers to get to the towels. I can do it, I know I can, but oh, they smell sooo good.
I take a deep breath, steel myself and walk towards the closet. But to my horror, Kane and Axel yank open the door and block my way.
