Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

We stay like this for a while until he says, ''How about we get you something to eat? You haven't had

anything solid i n almost a week.”

I pull away from our comfortable position and think about it.

"Yeah, I'm pretty hungry," I agree. I don't actually feel hungry, but I don't want to make him upset with

me either. Not when things are starting to go so well.

“Alright, I'll make you a little snack. Then we can get the kitchen to bring something up for you.”

“Thank you, I'm just going to freshen u p real quick, if that's okay?”

“Of course. The bathroom is through that door," he points to a door at the back of the suite. «

He helps me get out of his lap and I make my way to the bathroom. I look in the mirror and realize I'm a

mess.

My face is visibly dirty and there is still some dried blood in my tangled hair. I look down and see my

hands and arms are just as gross as my face. I sniff the shirt I'm wearing. I smell terrible. UGH! How

embarrassing! |

I wash up at the sink as quickly as I can. At the very least to get the dirt off my face, arms, and hands. I

don't havea hair brush or a hair tie, so I try just running my fingers through to smooth i t out. It ends up

looking worse. Oh my Goddess! The hottest guy on the planet i s just outside the door. Of course I look

like a feral child! I swallow my pride and head out to the kitchen.

Alpha Bronx is standing in the kitchen cutting berries with a much smaller knife than he had the last

time he was in the kitchen.

“Feel better?" he asks, not looking up from what he is doing.

“Umm, better enough for now, I guess," I reply shyly.

He smiles as he looks at me and nods. H e doesn't seem to notice my messy appearance.

“Umm, just out of curiosity, did you call me 'Baby' earlier?" I lean against the counter and ask as he

prepares the bowl of fruit salad for me. A guilty look crosses his face and he rubs his hand on the back

of his neck, "Uh, yeah, I guess I did. Is that alright?”

“T think so. I just wasn't expecting it.” He has me sit at the breakfast bar of the kitchenette and puts the

bowl of fruit in front of me. I smile as I take a piece of strawberry. It tastes amazing. I eat more fruit

when all of a sudden, my stomach feels like it is in a weird knot.

"Oww!" I push the bowl away and grab my stomach.

"What is it, Baby? What's wrong?" Alpha Bronx comes around the counter and kneels in front of me.

''My stomach," I grimace.

His eyes glaze over as he mind links someone. A moment later, a doctor comes to the room. He gets

there so fast that I wonder if he was waiting outside the apartment. He starts checking my pulse,

looking in my eyes and mouth, and asking me questions.

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He tells us the fruit is too much for my stomach right now. I need to eat bland foods and work my way

up to exciting foods, you know, like fruit. Toast with butter and crackers until I can slowly tolerate more.

"I'm glad to see you up and about, Luna, ' he says with a smile as he packs up his bag.

My head snaps up. He just called me Luna. He pats my hand and tells Alpha Bronx to call him if there

is anything more. The Alpha takes some Ritz crackers out of the pantry, arranges them on a plate, and

hands the plate to me.

"Bon appétit," he says with a shrug. "Alpha Bronx, that doctor called me Luna." :

"Okay, first things first. It's just Bronx. My name is Bronx Mason. You, of all people, never need to call

me Alpha. Got i t?" He says with a smirk. It's kinda a sexy look.

"Okay, Bronx," I emphasize his name, playfully, "What's the second thing?" The doctor was right to call

you Luna. You're my mate and as long as I don't completely fuck things up between us, one day you'll

be Luna of my pack." I can feel my face flush.

"Now eat your crackers, Baby. I slaved away all day, on them," he dramatically puts the back of his

hand on his forehead. I giggle, looking at the little plate. °

"T love that sound," he leans against the counter, putting his chin in his hand.

I smile at him before clearing my throat, "Um, Bronx. I was wondering if anyone picked up my clothes

before we left Silver Moon? I have a pair of leggings and a couple of t-shirts."

"What? You don't like my favorite shirt? " He looks offended.

"I-I'm sorry. I j-just meant..." I stammer trying to figure out how to backtrack.

“Kas, it's okay. I'm just teasing. It was a bad joke. I'm the one who should apologize. Not you. I'll get

Lenora. Hopefully, she has some clothes that fit you. We'll get you to the mall tomorrow s o you can

buy new clothes. I'll be right back," he caresses my cheek lightly, then leaves the room.

Crap. I can't go to the mall. I have no money. Obviously, he doesn't know that. "Lex, is this real or are

we having some kind of bizarre dream? Like, are we going to wake up in my bed in the dungeon?"

"No, I don't think this is a dream, Kas. I can feel his wolf. I can't wait to meet him! And Bronx called you

Baby. So romantic just like always!"' Lex says excitedly.

I munch on the crackers, and listen to Lex gush over our mate.

Always? I'm not sure what she means by that but I just munch on the crackers and chat with her.

Without warning, Lenora barges into the room with Bronx close behind her. They both plop giant piles

of clothes on the bed.

"Well, you're about eight inches shorter than me and from what the doc says about sixty pounds lighter.

Soooo...I brought my niece Elle's clothes,’ Lenora says with a shrug. |

I pick up a few things. There are a lot of neon -colored leggings and shirts with kittens and unicorns.

"Sorry, she's ten," she cringes.

"Uhh, it's okay. There must be something in here I can wear," I shrug. I don't want to admit the clothes

are a lot nicer than anything I've owned before. I find a pair of jeggings and a white t- shirt that says

'Girl Power' in sparkly pink letters. Good enough for me. There's a couple of pairs of clean underwear

but no bra. Not that I have much of a chest but I do prefer to wear one. I keep digging until I finda

spaghetti strap undershirt in the pile. It will have to do. Aside from smelling like I have a dead animal

stowed away, Bronx's shirt is huge on me, it comes down to my knees like a dress, so anything is an

improvement.

"Don't worry, Kas. There are some stores with petite sections at the mall. W e will find adult clothes for

you,'' Lenora reassures me.

I feel myself flush with embarrassment, "About that. I-I, um, I can't go to the mall."

"Why not?" Bronx and Lenora speak at the same time.

"T don't have money for shopping. Alpha Graham never paid me. Getting to live in the packhouse was

my payment," I say, looking at the ground, red-faced.

"Oh, Baby, you don't have to worry about money," Bronx pulls out his wallet and hands me a black

credit card. "T-I, what-," my eyes go wide. I have never been to a mall, let alone used a credit card. I

barely know this guy and h e is just handing me his?

Lenora grabs the card out of Bronx's hand, "T'll handle that."

Bronx groans and rolls his eyes as Lenora puts his card in her pocket.

"Um, Lenora, can I talk to you fora second...umm, alone?" I shift my eyes away from Bronx's gaze. He

doesn't ask

why I need to talk to her, he just squeezes my hand and steps out of the room.

"What's up, Kas? Everything alright?" "Oh, yes. Yes. It's just...before you leave, can you help me wash

my hair and back? Everything is still sore and umm...I haven't had a proper bath in literally months. I

don't want Bronx to think I don’t take care of myself."

"Of course, Kas. I'd be happy to,” she smiles warmly.

We go into the bathroom and she runs a bath for me but I'm hesitant to take off my clothes.

"It's okay, Kas. I saw your scars when you were in the hospital wing," She has tears in her eyes as she

speaks.

"I'm sorry for everything you had to go through that caused them. You should know that in this pack,

from the time we are very young, we're taught that scars are actually a sign of strength. It means

you've survived something your wolf couldn't help you through. You had to endure it on your own.

“T can't even begin to imagine everything you’ve been through, Kas. I have so much respect for you,

as does Bronx. You've gone through things that no one should ever have to endure and you did it

alone...for years. Your wolf wasn't even awake to support you through any of it. The mental fortitude

that must have taken is unreal. To me, you are a superhero." :

She shakes her head and pauses as she composes herself. She wipes a tear from her eye and sniffs.

"Kas, if you choose to stay with Bronx as his mate and I really hope you do, I will b e proud to call you

my Luna and my sister. So will the rest of the pack, when they hear your story. You're the perfect

example of what we're taught growing u p. Those scars don't show a weakness you should be

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ashamed of. They show strength you should be proud of." Man, does she have a way with words.

Suddenly, Iam not self conscious anymore. I undress and she helps me get in the hot, bubbly tub. The

water almost comes up to my shoulders, so I'm pretty covered. The water feels so good against my

skin.

“T put in some oatmeal bath in the water to help soothe your skin," she smiles. “Thanks. It feels

amazing. The only time I have ever gotten a bath is when I was in the hospital wing at Silver Moon.

Unless you count the times I got pushed into the pool at the packhouse," I say, adding, "Oh, but don't

worry - the pool isn't that deep.”

Lenora's face looks concerned but she doesn't say anything.

She lets me soak in the relaxing water for a bit as we get to know each other. She can't believe I've

never seen a movie in a theater or gone to aconcert. I can't believe she has never used a stove before.

I laugh and tell her I would love t o teach her some easy things she can make for her and Milo to have

a quiet night in.

After I'm cleaned up, she wraps me ina towel so big and fluffy it almost wraps around me twice. Then

she leads me toa vanity to dry my hair.

"Lenora, did you say sister, earlier? When you were talking about my scars?" "Oh, yeah. I'm Bronx's

sister. Milo is Bronx's best friend, which is how he became Beta. I'm his mate, so I became Beta too."

"Whoa. You mean sister, sister, like the same parents, sister? And he was okay with his best friend

being your mate? Wasn't it awkward?"

Yep, same parents sister. And Milo being my mate went over like lead balloons," she laughs, "I turned

seventeen about six months after Bronx became Alpha. I came out of my room the morning of my

birthday and blamo! Milo walked by smelling like strawberries and lemonade. The rest was history," she

gently pulls the brush through my sparkling hair.

“Speaking of birthdays, you said you had to hide your wolf from your pack. When exactly did you turn

seventeen? It seems like your wolf must be new to you.”

“June twentieth. I never knew exactly when my birthday was until this year when she woke up.”

“Oh, summer solstice! Cool. We always have a big party that day. Now we will have even more reason

to celebrate!”

I look at how sparkly my hair is without dirt or blood on it. It makes my violet eyes stand out even more.

Lenora notices me admiring myself.

So, what's up with the hair and eyes anyway?"

"Well, my wolf Elexis, I call her Lex. Lex says it's because the Moon Goddess is m y mother. Not like,

the Moon Goddess is the mother of all werewolves but like, she actually thinks the Moon Goddess

gave birth to me."

"What?" Lenora looks at me through the mirror.

I just shrug, "I don't know. Obviously, she's confused but I never met my mother. The man who they

called my father was a rogue. He was killed before they realized I was in his jacket. There is no proof

he was even actually my dad." “Huh, a mystery," she says with a smile as I change into the clothes I

picked out, "Let's get you back to your mate. Based o n how many times he has mind linked m e since

we've been in here, I know he's anxious to spend time with you.”