I shrugged. “There’re good and bad things to the internet. You have a lot going for you here. I mean, you can turn into a wolf. And you have magic. That festival was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. And you have a big pack which is your family. A lot of humans don’t have that, and a lot of humans are very lonely.”
“Really?” she twisted around to look at me. “Were you lonely?”
I thought of the friends I had who never seemed to miss me or try to stay in touch every time we up and moved somewhere new. I thought of all those nights I sat at home waiting for my mother to come home from a date. “I guess I was.” I returned to my task, finishing one braid and starting on the next.
“Even though you had a mom?”
I wanted to reach out and hug her. “My mom…she meant well, but she had me very young, didn’t have anyone to help her with me, and she kind of was off in her own world.” I felt disloyal saying that. “She loved me in her own way,” I added awkwardly.
“Are you going to leave and go back to the human realm?” she asked in a low, quiet voice.
My heart squeezed in sympathy. “I don’t…I want to be honest with you, Sarah, and the truth is, I don’t know.”
She stared down at the ground. “Is it because I’m annoying sometimes?”
“Sarah!” I gasped. “No. Never, never think that. You are precious. If I did end up leaving, I would miss you and think of you every day.”
“Then why does everyone leave me?” She shook her head angrily. “Never mind.” She stood up, one braid half-finished. “I don’t want my hair done after all.” And she stomped off.
“Sarah!” I called out after her and leapt to my feet.
Heavy footsteps came up behind me. “Daphne.” Killian’s voice was hoarse and rough.
I turned around and scowled at him. “Well, look who decided to make an appearance.”
He managed a half smile. “I’m very sorry. The full moon was—never mind. Everything’s fine now.”
“Not really.” I stared him straight in the eye. He grimaced and nodded.
“It won’t happen again. Listen, I just got a call from Melisande. She wanted to talk to you now that you’ve been here for a little while to see if she can get a feel for what your magic is. She says she’ll be at the bookstore for the next couple of hours.”
I shrugged. “Sure, I’d like to get away from the pack property for a little while.” I met his gaze. “Maybe even leave for good.”
He looked as if I’d hit him. “All right, I deserved that. But you know that can’t happen. I can’t let you go, Daphne. It would tear me apart. And you’d be in danger. Even if nobody outside the pack knows you’re my fated mate, they do know I chose to mate with you, and that puts a target on your back.”
I swallowed hard. “I’m not going to live like this forever, Killian, with you just running off when you feel overwhelmed.”
“It won’t happen again,” he said fervently. “I’ll find a way. Let’s go. A change of scenery will do you good. We can get lunch in town afterward, I haven’t taken you out to any of the local restaurants and I think you’d love them. Witches put on an amazing cooking show for their meals.”
Angry and hurt as I was, I still wanted to find out if I really had magic, and if so, what kind.
I followed him to his car. There were two other cars parked behind his and they followed us as we drove away. I suspected he thought we might get attacked again.
I rolled the window down to feel the cool breeze. The silence between us felt thick and heavy.
I frowned at the road ahead of us. “Any news on the pack that attacked us the other day?”
“Unfortunately, no.”
“Was it connected to those Valley Prowlers?”
“They’re denying any involvement, and I can’t prove otherwise—yet.” He scowled. “Next time they try anything, we’ll invade them full force. We have no choice.”
We rolled into town minutes later and parked in front of Fionnulla’s bookstore. The other two pack cars parked out front too, and climbed out of the car. I suspected they’d stand guard.
Killian moved to my side of the truck, but he’d forgotten to leave my door locked, so I opened it and jumped out before he could hold the door for me.
“Oh, for Moon’s sake, Daphne! At least let me open the bookstore door for you.”