The Luna’s Choice (Theo and Ayla) by Kat Silver
Chapter 261

hapter 261: Kylee

The drive was excruciating. I spent the whole time pressed into the side panel of the car. It was badenough that he smelled so damn good, I would have exploded had we actually touched. I kept tellingmyself his reason for coming was completely valid and he really wasn’t there to see me. I mean, howcould he have even known I was going with them? He couldn’t.

And why would he want to be stuck with me? It’s not like I had given him a reason to want to pursueanything. I hadn’t said more than two words to him and had been avoiding him like the plague since wemet. At first, it was out of cowardice. I wouldn’t have been able to handle his rejection after he figuredout who I was. But after a few days, it started to feel more like a courtesy.

The day after we met, I started asking around about him. It was hard. I had to be subtle about it. I didn’twant anyone to replace out that the new sheriff was my fated mate.

He had only been up here a couple of months but he seemed to be fitting in well enough. Everyone Italked to who has had the opportunity to get to know him had nothing but good things to say. And thefact that he was rising up in Theo’s ranks so quickly said a lot as well. The more I heard, the more Irealized he was too good for me. The last thing he needed was to be saddled with the pack pariah as amate.

I knew he would figure that out soon enough. If he was even half–decent at his job, which apparently,he was more than decent, he would have been asking around about me as well.

288 Wouchers

The fact that we had been running into each other less and less led me to believe he had. And likelycame to the same conclusion I had.

So, no, I didn’t think he meant to be stuck with me all day.

The land designated to the Order was huge, but there was a private school that was no longer in use. Itwas on Wildtail territory and hadn’t been open for about a decade, but Theo was hopeful the buildingscould be salvaged, and it would make the process go that much faster.

It was half past noon when we pulled onto the property and parked in front of what looked like the mainbuilding. Once the door was clear, I got out of the SUV as fast as I could, making the excuse that I wascar–sick and needed some air to step away from the group.

“Alpha Anthony and the sisters are still about thirty minutes out,” Theo said as he checked his phone. “Iwant to take a look around while we wait. Inspect some of the buildings.”

They all moved off and started going in their own directions. I was sure Jimmy and Maggie went tocheck the perimeters .and make sure we were the only ones there. The sheriff no

doubt did the same, but I resisted the urge to look if he had gone. Instead, I wandered off toward somedilapidated picnic tables that were situated in an overgrown garden area.

I strolled around for a while, taking the time by myself to gather my thoughts. I could picture what thisplace would be like once it was fixed up and the Moon Haven sisters had moved in. It was going to bea beautiful, peaceful place. I was eager to experience it for myself.

“You shouldn’t wander so far on your own.”

88 Vouchers

I jumped, startled by his voice. I turned around to replace him only two feet away from me. He wasdownwind, which is why I missed his approach, but I sure caught his scent now. I swallowed hard.

Pushing back the incredible feeling it gave

1. me.

“Sheriff,” I acknowledged with a nod. “I can still hear the others. I’m fine, thank you.”

I went to walk past him, but he side–stepped in front of me.

“Kylee, we have to talk at some point,” he insisted. “This isn’t something we can run away from.”

“Not now,” I replied through clenched teeth. “We can’t do this now. Not before the ceremony.”

“Why?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. “What does this have to do with the Alpha’s andLuna’s ceremony?”

“You’re kidding, right?” I scoffed. “You may be able to hide the pain but I won’t be able to. Ayla will knowsomething is wrong and she doesn’t need that extra stress right now. So, please, not now.”

I tried to get past him again, but he stopped me, grabbing my arm. The tingling sensation that shotthrough me at his touch made my breath hitch. I looked up to see him studying me intensely. I didn’tknow what to say.

“You think I’m going to reject you,” he said.

“You should,” I replied softly, my voice shakier than I would have liked. “Sheriff,” I added, trying tocommunicate why he couldn’t have a mate like me.

11 20

“It’s Finley,” he said in a low growl. “And you don’t get to make that decision for me, Kylee. If you…”

We heard a voice approaching. They sounded aggravated. Finley pulled me closer as he tucked us intothe shadow of the trees out of sight. My eyes fluttered closed as his proximity made me lightheaded,my hands instinctively going to his waist. Hearing Ayla’s voice was what pulled me back to earth.

“What do you mean you won’t be here tonight?” she hissed quietly into her phone. I could just see herfrom around the trunk of a tree. “This isn’t something you can be late for, Kingston.”

There was a pause as Kingston replied.

“I don’t ca…” Ayla huffed. “You should have told me. Make it right, Kingston. And get your ass to theGreytooth

packhouse.”

She hung up the phone with an aggravated growl. She took a few deep breaths before straightening upand walking away, back to where Theo and the others were.

“What was that about?” I asked in concern.

“I don’t know,” Finley said softly, the same concern evident in his tone, “but it didn’t sound good. I needto look into this.”

I went to step away, but his grip tightened. His fingers went to my chin, lifting my face to look at him.

“This isn’t over,” he said firmly.

Then his lips were on mine and an explosion detonated inside of me. It was a moment of pure bliss.But it was shattered

“Vouchers

when he pulled away. The slight grin that flashed across Finley’s face before he walked away told mehe had no idea how much pain he had just caused me.

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