The Luna’s Choice (Theo and Ayla) by Kat Silver
Chapter 143

Chapter 143

Chapter 143: Theo I had gotten up early to spend a few hours in my office the next morning. I needed to dedicate sometime to catch up on some business, both pack and professional. I trusted my people but had to putsome time in while I could. I didn’t know when things would slow down enough to get back to a routinecloser to normal. Briggs knocked on the door about eight o’clock, coming and sitting across from me. “We have the cellar room set up and ready to go,” he informed me. “I let Mina’s boss know she wouldbe working on an important project with us for the time being. He promised her anything she needed.So, her lab is available if needed. He also offered to lend a lab assistant or two if we wanted. I’ll seewhat Mina thinks.” I nodded absently. “Sounds good.” “Jimmy should be here in about an hour for us to discuss Ayla’s security detail,” he continued. “We’llneed to reach out to the university if she’s going to be attending this semester. I doubt she’ll want abodyguard hovering over her the entire time. So we’ll have to work with campus security, and I’d like tostart running our own background checks now.” “Yeah, that will need to be a priority,” I agreed. “You okay, man?” Briggs asked. “Ayla still holding up okay?” “What? Yeah,” I said, shaking myself out of my trance. “Just a lot going on. 0.00% 10:50 O < Chapter 143 Theo

219 Mot “You sure? You gotta let me know if things are getting to be too much, bro,” Briggs insisted. “I know, I know,” I said. “I’m fine. Just trying to figure out our next step is all.”

“You and Ayla’s?” “Yeah,” I nodded. “Theo, you heard Harden. You need to mark her soon,” Briggs reminded me. “And I’m not even sayingthat because of the whole Alpha mate thing. It’s going to drive you crazy if you wait much longer.Honestly, I thought you would have done it last night when we got home. So, what’s holding you back?” I ran my hands over my face. Briggs was my best friend, but sometimes I wish he didn’t know me sowell.“I don’t want to push her, Briggs,” I explained. “Marking is… it’s extremely intimate, whether it’s during apublic ceremony or not.” “Why do you think she’s not ready for that?” he asked, confused. “You guys seem to be on the samepage to me.” I hadn’t told him what I saw when I found Ayla that night. It wasn’t something I wanted to relive. But Iwas anyway. Any time Ayla and I were alone. How could I tell him I was afraid to touch her like thatright now? The last thing I wanted was for her to be reminded of his hands on her. “He nearly raped her, Briggs,” I said quietly. He stiffened in his chair. “He was so close to… If I hadbeen a few seconds later…” “But you weren’t,” Briggs said firmly. 26.91% < 10 50 Chapter 143 The 1283 Moucherg “I know,” I replied. “But she and I both know what would have happened if I was. That image will hauntme for the rest of my life, man. I can only imagine what it’s doing to Ayla. I don’t want to push this onher. When I mark her, I don’t want him flashing through her mind. I don’t want him to f**king ruin this forher, too. The bas**rd has already taken so much from her. “Has Ayla talked to you about it?” he asked.

“She just keeps saying she’s fine.” I said. “But she’s having nightmares. Kieran is stressed about it, too.His mood isn’t the greatest whenever we remember that night. He says Dasha is fine, but he can’tseem to shake the rage. I don’t want to keep questioning her if she’s not ready to talk about it. But Ican’t push our mating until I’m sure she’s ready.” “So, what are you going to do?” Briggs asked. “You can’t put it off much longer.” “Yeah, I know,” I insisted. “I think I’m going to take her home over the weekend. I know everyone will betalking about the canceled ceremony, and I don’t want Ayla to have to deal with that. She wants to sellthe house. She says Harry has tainted it. I’m hoping if we can go down and start clearing it out, it willhelp her move on.” Briggs scratched his head. “Do you want me to have Mina talk to her?” “No,” I insisted. “They’ll talk anyway. I hope Ayla opens up to her, but that information doesn’t need tocome from anyone else.” “Okay,” Briggs agreed. “And you’re probably right about the house. If she associates it with Harry now,then getting rid of it could be therapeutic.”“Yeah,” I said, stacking papers on my desk. “Can you do me a favor, though?” 53.83% 10:50 < Chapter 143 Theo 1 “Like you have to ask,” Briggs smirked. “Well, two things, actually,” I clarified. “Clearing out the house might take us a few days. Can you spendsome time with Dad? He’s not taking this well. There are a couple runs that need to be made to thecast side of the city. Take him with you.” “Done,” Briggs agreed. “What else?” “Set a da*n date,” I insisted. “It’s driving me crazy not being able to mark my mate. I can’t watch youtwo take that for granted.”

“Trust me,” Briggs said with an eye roll. “I’m working on it. 11 “Work faster,” I teased. “I’m ready to see someone I care about happy. Might as well be twosomeones.” “I’ll tell Mina you said so.” 86.74%