The Last Royal Luna
(Book 2) – Chapter 53

By the time we got on the road I was losing control of my powers. Between the grief and my heat pressing forward I was becoming overwhelmed. My body needed rest but every fiber of my being wanted my mates touching me in some way. It didn’t matter where or what for. We all knew that and much more was going to happen sooner than we had hoped so we kept our distance and kept driving forward. We needed distance from the battle site and our grief.

‘Anyone know where we can hole up? I doubt a hotel would work for us so we need something with distance from the general public. I am scared to think of how bad this one will be since I have been suppressing it.’ I linked all of the guys including Alistair.

‘I may have a friend I can call but it is still a two-hour drive. Can you all handle that?” Alistair asked as he sped up like he knew our answer before we did. He has been one of the best Beta’s I have seen over the time of this trip and I am glad to call him part of our family.

‘Asher and Edgar have it the worst with her scent added with their and their wolves need to mate. There is a reason they are the only two with Ryder right now. Asher, do you think you guys can keep driving with her until we make it? We could switch it up and have Melissa with Ryder driving.’ Andrew growled out at us. We knew not to take it personally since all our wolves were on edge.

‘I may be strong but not that strong. It is like waving a chocolate cake at someone who had been banned from sugar for months. Let’s pull over at the next rest stop to take care of business and switch up the drivers. I know we all need to get some snacks and gas so we will be prepared for anything.’ Edgar sighed like this decision felt wrong, but it was necessary. I didn’t want to be away from them and their comforting scents either.

Everyone agreed except their wolves. I could feel my mates’ wolves ramming forward, pushing for control so they didn’t have to listen to the reasonings of their humans. They wanted to take me right here, right now and they didn’t understand why their human sides were being so adamant about waiting till we get somewhere. I could see the red haze around their eyes starting to get darker and their thoughts on us getting dirty enough that I may need to do laundry as soon as possible.

I looked in on Blue hoping that she could calm them down a bit with a wave of her tail toward them and maybe some quick fun of a run in our minds together but she was wiped out. She was laying on her side, panting trying to get some rest. I could feel how dehydrated she was and it was my own fault for not drinking more water after getting into the car. I had to help her so I grabbed a bottle of water and started drinking. It took a minute before it all clicked with us having our heat and no Charles to help us through it all.

I gasped and dropped my water onto the floor. Asher quickly reached back and picked it up. Edgar cut across traffic fast enough for my to go sailing toward the door. He parked on the shoulder of the highway and turned to face me so now I had both of them staring at me like I was going to tell them I was dying or leaving them.

“Charles was the saving grace with our first heat. How can we do this with all his help? He made the food and drinks to keep the fridge stocked. He guarded the cabin so we could focus on more sleep making it go easier on our bodies. He was there in case something happened between one of us so he could protect us even from each other. How can we do this with the pain and sadness from him being gone? It feels like I am moving on and forgetting him, but I would never do that.” I dropped my head to my hands not knowing how to push forward through the fog that was my life right now.

“We have Alistair and Melissa to help us as needed. Alistair has been fully mated to Melissa for almost as long as us. All of us have learned to trust his wolf and his to trust ours. We trust them with you and our lives no matter the situation we are in.” Edgar spoke softly trying to make me feel better since he couldn’t hug the pain away.

“We are your mates, Ryder. That makes all of us as close as brothers. It is you and Edgar who were the closest to Charles. The rest of us can push our feelings of grief to the side to help shoulder yours. We will get through this together like we have so many other things.” Asher spoke as he reached for my hand but remembering what would happen if he did at the last minute so he pulled it back quickly.

I wasn’t hurt by his or Edgars actions at the moment. I knew that any touch right now would make this live bomb, I call Boom Boom Time, explode. We could do this and when it was time we could safely explode together for however long this heat would last.

“Ok. I trust you and I know we can do this.” I hesitantly agreed. It wasn’t them I had the trust issue with. It was my crazy a*s. “It just….really….”

“Sucks.” Edgar finished for me with a small chuckle. “Let’s get the drivers changed and head out. My mind is on one thing and it is you with less clothing.”

“Oh…” Is the only reply that came to mind. Thankfully I was saved from forming a different answer as we parked with the other two SUVs flanking us.

‘Blue, just hang in there girl. You are doing great and in just a few short hours you can have what you need. Right now, I will take care of what I can.’ I had felt more pain start to radiate from her. If this was the pain, she felt I knew the guys were worse off than they were letting on. This whole driver change to Melissa was the best and worst idea for the guys but I knew it would keep everyone from seeing me in a position they couldn’t unsee.

Alistair pulled the guys aside as Melissa and I went inside to take care of business. Alistair told the guys about the two cabins out on his friend’s land. They sit on about fifteen acres of land but were only a few miles a part which was perfect. They wouldn’t have to hear us but would be able to bring us anything we need within minutes. Another bonus was that it was only about an hour from where we were. Blue gave a bark of appreciation at that fact and it made me calm down a notch.

“Do they know about what you are?” Knox asked Alistair as we all waited for the cars to finish getting fueled up.

“They know I am a wolf. He saved my life and I saved his along with this wife’s in return. They have kept my secret for about ten years now. I trust them.” Alistair responded with a bit of an edge.

“If you trust them. I trust them.” I stated with a nod. “Now what is plan on food and such? I will need as much as possible.”

“Didn’t you just buy two or three bags of snacks?” Melissa asked with a smirk knowing what my answer would be.

“That is just for the drive, dumbass. I know you will end up sneaking my candy and eating it yourself.” I playfully growled at her. “Now get your a*s in the car and get your radio station situated so we can get there.”

“Ok, girls. Calm down. My friend and his wife are stocking both cabins for it to last several days. After that I will run to town for anything we need. The closest one is only about thirty minutes away.” I stepped over and hugged him tight. He was the best Beta/older brother ever.