Freeing Starr
Chapter 22 ~ Leaving

It was time.

I mentally prepped myself as I kissed Zion on his way out.

"When will you be back?" I asked curiously, watching as he slung a duffle bag over his shoulder.

He and a few other Betas were going to solidify our pack's first deal with the dealer. I didn't know the specifics but I was positive that the deal was more than just medical supplies.

"Three days," he said.

I nodded my head and tried keeping up the conversation, "Is it fine if I order some furniture for the house?"

He glanced at me and nodded, "make sure you use the address I wrote down for the delivery and ask Niah to send someone to pick it up."

I nodded obediently, "Alright."

He opened the door and stepped outside but paused to look back at me. "Can you order some clothes as well? For Nadi."

For Nadi.

My already frozen heart grew colder and my face soured.

He couldn't be serious.

"What?" I asked tentatively, doubting that I heard him right. My eyes briefly flashed as my wolf growled out her complains at me.

Zion's eyes narrowed, as if he sensed the murderous air coming out of me and warned, "if you kill her, I will hurt you so badly that the only thing you'll be able to do is sit up right."

But you wouldn't kill me.

My fear decreased slightly as I confirmed my place in his twisted heart. If it came down to it, he couldn't lose me. I felt slightly better at that thought.

I turned my head away and nodded, wrapping my arms around myself.

"I'm serious," he insisted.

I murmured, "I know," then watched as he closed the door behind him and left.

I immediately dropped the bitter act and released a sigh of relief. I didn't expect things to go this smoothly, but that just hinted at how high Zion's trust in me was.

I didn't know if I should feel relieved or burdened by that fact.

I waited for two hours, to make sure that he was really gone before going towards the end of the hallway. I knocked on the door and called out, "it's time."

Footsteps quickly padded across the wooden floors before the door quickly opened up to reveal a doe eyed Nadia.

"Hey," she breathed, swinging the door wide open.

"Did Zion come visit you lately?" I asked, scanning my eyes across her body for any bruises she might have. There was none.

As much as she tried to hide it, a pained look blanketed her face as she shook her head, "No, he didn't. You must have been keeping him really busy," she muttered, a bitter undertone to her voice.

I ignored it awkwardly and took out my phone, "I'll get our transportation right now. I placed a bag with some clothing and necessities for you in the living room, go get them."

She nodded and quickly left.

I dialed Michael's number, thanking the goddess that I was smart enough to take it the last time he was here and placed the phone to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey Michael, it's me."

"Oh Luna? Is there something you need?"

"I'm sorry to bother you like this but I was wondering if you had a truck I could borrow? I wanted to move the mattress from our front yard and take it to the dump."

"You? You're gonna do that by yourself? The dump is outside pack territory, I can get someone to do it for you."

"That's why I'm calling. I need you to help me of course. I haven't been doing much lately so stretching my hands don't seem like a bad idea. Zion said as long as I have company it's fine so Michael," I deepened my voice playfully, "I choose you."

He chuckled, "I gotcha. I'll be there in an hour. Let me go wrap things up over here."

"Oh, I hope I'm not bothering you."

"It's fine. Anything for our Luna."

I smiled gratefully and bid him goodbye, hanging up the phone.

I went to tell Nadia the good news, "we'll be leaving in an hour."

Nadia glanced up at me from her seat on the sofa and grinned with bright innocent eyes, "Thank you!"

My heart softened as I returned her smile, glad that I could finally be of help to someone.

"Aren't you bringing anything?" Nadia asked, glancing at my empty hands.

I shook my head, "I don't need anything. I'll just drop you off at a motel then come back. You're gonna be on your own from there."

She nodded her head and fell silent.

A little over an hour later, we heard a truck pull up outside and I hurriedly peeked out to see Michael sitting behind the wheel of an old blue pick-up truck. There was someone else in the passenger side.

My eyes brightened as I smiled and waved hello at him, "you're right on time. If you're not careful, I might make you my go to handy man."

Him and his partner hopped out of the truck as he came around to greet me, "Luna, this is Alex. I brought him along just to be on the safe side. I hope you don't mind."

I smiled cheerfully at Alex, "Hi, it's nice to meet you."

Alex nodded, "likewise."

Both of their eyes then shifted behind me in surprise.

I turned to glance at Nadia who came to stand next to me and introduced them, "Michael, this is Nadia, my cousin and Nadia, this is Michael. He's the one giving us a ride out of the pack."

Michael's wary eyes strayed down to Nadia's stomach and I could literally feel the unease radiating off of him.

"Luna.... why do I get the feeling that your goal isn't just to dump the mattress?" He said cautiously, narrowing his eyes.

I shrugged at being caught red handed, "You're not from this pack are you Michael?"

Michael froze.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You're not originally from this pack, right? Your former pack was probably attacked and you were forced to join. I could tell by the way you're so opening that you're not like the others."

Alex crossed his arms and squinted at me, "what are you getting at? We came from the Reliance pack."

I put up a finger and smiled innocently, "One favor. I'll owe each of you one favor. No matter what it is. If it's to save someone, I got it. If it's to kill someone, I'll arrange it. As Luna, I'm giving you my word."

"I don't rea-"

"What do we have to do?" Alex cut in.

I grew serious, "drive us to the Star field motel and then drive me back. That's it."

Michael glanced at Nadia, "you're leaving her there?"

I nodded, "Yes, she wants to try her luck at living as a regular human and I'm giving her the opportunity."

"But the Alpha doesn't approve? Why else would you behave so sneakily?" Alex pointed out.

I shrugged, "I'll accept all consequences for my actions. You just have to do what you're told."

"We'll do it," Alex nodded.

Michael looked over at him in surprise as his eyes slightly glazed over. They were mindlinking.

After a few seconds, Michael sighed and gestured towards the truck, "fine, we'll do it. Get in while we load the mattress."

I smiled in thanks and guided Nadia towards the truck.

☆☆☆

Everything was going smoothly.

So smoothly that I was anticipating a pissed off Zion chasing behind our truck in his wolf form. However, none of that happened and as we drove down the dirt path leading out of our pack, I stared absentmindedly out of the window with a dozed off Nadia at my side. She was exhausted, I understood that much. She was leaned up against me, her head resting on my shoulder.

As much as I wanted to speed this up and hurriedly drop her off, something uneased me. I've met kind people before but her behavior was just so... reliant... so innocent for someone who's been through what she has. I wouldn't suspect anything if she was more wary of me, after all, I was the chosen mate of her soulmate. I could be planning to kill her for all she knew. However, after that first time we broke down together, her guard completely disappeared and she listened to everything that I said to do. As someone who could relate to her pain... I was beginning to get suspicious.

"Luna," Michael glanced back at us from his seat up front and hesitated as he eyed Nadia's stomach, "that baby..." he trailed off.

I narrowed my eyes at him and grew serious, "the less you know the better."

He grimaced and turned his eyes back on to the road, "my bad."

"Well since we're already half way through this, I might as well name my favor," Alex muttered, causing me to shift my attention to him.

He met my gaze through the rear view mirror and said, "when this pack gains the recognition it needs. I want you as this pack's luna to write up a recommendation letter for me to enter another pack of my choosing."

"Alex!" Michael growled, "that's treason!"

Alex growled back, "don't act like you weren't considering it as well. This pack is fucked up. I want out."

"But you can't just say something like that so carelessly! You need to have a better reason than that to even g-"

I shook my head bitterly and interrupted them, "it's fine. I understand why he'd want to leave this pack. Consider it done."

Alex relaxed at that and smiled gratefully at me, "thank you Luna."

Michael fell silent at that but I could literally hear the wheels turning inside his mind. After about another half an hour on the road, he spoke up.

"Well... I have a mate and daughter at home waiting for me. I don't want my daughter to grow up in a place like this..."

I nodded in understanding, "you want me to recommend not only you, but your family as well, correct?"

He nodded, "is that possible?"

I smiled reassuringly as he glanced back warily, "Of course. I gave you my word and I'll stand by it. I will get you and your family out of this pack safely. I promise."

The atmosphere immediately brightened as everyone relaxed and thought about their future days to come.

The promise I had made weighed heavily on my mind and it made my shoulders even heavier. I wasn't confident that I could keep those promises. If they knew that I held almost no control over my own decisions, would they have even dared to help me?

I wouldn't dare to admit such a thing.